AT A LOSS
Losing another heartbreaker Saturday, this time against Meralco, San Miguel Beer team captain Arwind Santos still can’t find the right words to say as the Beermen fell into another 0-2 hole.
“Ako, di ko na maintindihan din,” he said. “As a captain, nagshare na ako ng opinion nung natalo kami against Kia. Akala ko kanina, mananalo na kami. Kinapos na naman.”
The 2013 PBA MVP admitted that the constant losing dating back to the Commissioner’s Cup is already taking its toll on the team, with guys already getting frustrated with their squad’s plight.
“Sa practice, chinallenge ko yung bawat isa. Ngayon, bilangin natin ang mistakes natin. Ang dami kong sinabi. Ang ganda ng inensayo namin preparing for Meralco,” Santos recalled. “Kanina talagang shut up na ako. Alam kong sila Boss Robert (Non), coach Leo (Austria), even our import, si AZ Reid, nagsalita na rin. Ang daming lumabas na emosyon. Ngayon pinagpapasa-Diyos na lang namin na maayos yung problema hangga’t maaga pa.”
Though Santos admitted that a lot of factors have been responsible for the Beermen’s dip, he said that they can never use those as excuses.
“Yung iba sa amin, hindi 100 percent. Syempre, gusto naming manalo,” he said. “Di kami parang bata na sasabihing masakit yung ganto at di kami nakakapaglaro ng maayos. Dapat kahit anong pain na nararamdaman, gusto naming manalo. Yung goal namin, gusto pa rin naming abutin, kahit makapasok man lang ng semis.”
The former FEU Tamaraw, though, admits that a lot of their struggles could be attributed to their woeful defense, which is in stark comparison to what they displayed in the Philippine Cup.
“Dun na naman kami natalo, yung defense namin. Kung nadepensahan lang namin yung nga open plays nila, dapat wala kaming miss eh. In the end, kung nakuha namin yun, siguro panalo kami,” said Santos.
He added, “Nung Philippine Cup, ang ganda ng depensa namin. Ang tatapang nung iba. Yung pride, andun. Yung puso, andun. Di namin sinasabing ngayon walang pride at puso, but then, mas malaki yung puso. Yung iba nagiging kuntento. Meron kaming AZ Reid pero di natin namamalayan, yung ibang teams nagpe-prepare din against us. Kailangan mas doblehin pa namin kung ano yung meron kami.”
Santos, though, is still positive that they can turn things around.
“Dati, yun ang gumugulo sa isipan namin. Ito na naman kaya kami? Ano kaya ang key?,” he said.
“Siguro ang key na lang, ipagdasal namin at ialay kay God yung nangyayari. Lahat na nilalabas namin, even coaches, binigay lahat para imotivate. Di ko alam kung bakit natalo talaga,” continued Santos. “Malungkot kami kasi natalo. Pamilya eh. Mahirap mag-blame. Di natin pwedeng i-point out kung sino yung mali at nagkamali. As a team, lagi lang kaming mag-improve, baka sa susunod, manalo na kami. Pero konti na lang siguro, sa tingin ko. Kakayanin namin ‘to.” (RL)
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