Austria hindi nakagawa ng gameplan dahil sa reklamo
MANILA, Philippines — Sa kanyang huling itinawag na timeout ay walang naibigay na instruction si coach Leo Austria sa Beermen.
At ang resulta nito ay ang 87-83 paglusot ng Barangay Ginebra laban sa nagdedepensang San Miguel sa Game Five ng 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals noong Linggo sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Inireklamo ni Austria ang pagbangga nina seven-foot Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar at Best Import Justin Brownlee ng Ginebra sa shaded lane kina four-time PBA MVP at seven-time Best Player of the Conference June Mar Fajardo, import Renaldo Balkman at Arwind Santos sa krusyal na bahagi ng fourth quarter.
“Some of the players are complaining because there’s a foul,” wika ni Austria. “And even in my last timeout, I wasn’t able to give an instruction because they keep on complaining so the timeout expired.”
Ang nasabing panalo ng Gin Kings ang pinakamalapit na final score sa kanilang best-of-seven championship series ng Beermen.
Maaari nang tapusin ng Ginebra ang kanilang titular showdown ng San Miguel kung mananalo sa Game Six bukas sa MOA Arena sa Pasay City.
Ngunit hindi pa handang isuko ni Austria ang laban.
“I think the chance is still there. And siguro, the players, they will realize. There’s no time to be out-focused. There’s no time to relax. Our backs are against the wall,” sabi ng three-time PBA Coach of the Year.
Nasa kanilang pang-25 championship appearance, puntirya ng Gin Kings ang kanilang pang-11 kampeonato, habang target ng Beermen, naglalaro sa kanilang pang-40 PBA Finals stint, ang ika-26 korona.
Huling nanalo ang Ginebra laban sa San Miguel sa PBA Finals noong 2006-07 Philippine Cup sa ilalim ni coach Jong Uichico kung saan nakabangon ang 'never-say-die' team mula sa 0-2 series deficit.
Inaasahang pipilitin ng Beermen na makapuwersa ng Game Seven sa Biyernes.
“You can never know. It might happen that we might get the break of the game,” sabi ng 60-anyos na si Austria. “So in the last three possessions, it could get 50-50 on our advantage, but you know, it’s beyond our control.”
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