PLAYOFFS MENTALITY
Bracing for a killer end to their eliminations schedule, Talk ‘N Text forward Ranidel de Ocampo said that this early, the Tropang Texters have been thinking and playing playoffs.
“Sa ngayon, tinreat namin yung game na playoffs. Dito nagstart yung playoffs para sa amin kaya sakto na Purefoods at San Miguel ang laro namin,” he said. “Kahit paano, kailangan naming ilabas yung game na pang-playoffs.”
And that playoff mentality got them the win, upending Purefoods in overtime, 100-96, on Wednesday, with the Cavite native scoring 11 of his 18 points in the fourth and overtime periods.
“Ngayon, maganda naman yung naging resulta,” he said.
But de Ocampo said that they don’t really mind that it’s Purefoods, a team that has eliminated them in two of the last three conferences, which they beat to assure themselves of a top six finish, and even possibly, an automatic semis berth.
“Kami, di namin iniisip kung defending champs yung kalaban namin o Grand Slam champion. Basta kami ng mga teammates ko, talagang nakikita kong laging nagtatrabaho, pinaghahandaan namin lagi ng mabuti yung mga kalaban,” de Ocampo said.
“Basta kami, naka-focus kami sa goal namin.” (RL)
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