Star Hotshots coach Chito Victolero couldn’t hide his frustration after his team lost in a 111-110 Game Three heartbreaker to San Miguel that saw Marcio Lassiter bank in a tough game-winning three-pointer.
“Hindi naman puwedeng hindi ka ma-frustrate. Nasa amin na yung game eh, kaya lang dahil sa last shot, nakuha nila,” he said.
“Heartbreaking, yes. Ibinigay namin yung best effort namin. But yun nga, breaks of the game.”
He added that Star did everything it could but claimed that luck was simply on the side of San Miguel.
“Maraming breaks of the game ang napunta sa San Miguel. Parang swerte sila sa bola. Para talaga sa kanila yun. Hindi naman siguro papasok yun kung hindi para sa kanila. Andun yung depensa, andun lahat. Ultimo yung challenge ni Justin (Melton on Lassiter) andun din. Para sa San Miguel talaga yun,” he said.
But he noted that the Hotshots need to quickly move on and bounce back in Game Four.
“We cannot dwell on that. Kailangan naming mag-move forward, mag-move on. Kumbaga parang na-break ako ng girlfriend ko eh, nasaktan ako, kailangang mag-move forward,” he said.
“Right now we’re down by one game, do-or-die na kami. I think yung sense of urgency kailangan naming maramdaman ngayon, so we need to prepare hard for the next game dahil pag natalo kami tapos na yung series.
“We’re still positive. OK naman yung nilaro namin. Itong experience na ito hindi puwedeng nasa minds namin. Kailangan naming matulog, mag-prepare for practice at kalimutan ito. I know mahirap kalimutan, but kailangan naming gawin.”
