ROD Ebondo was reduced into a spectator for the most part of Cafe France's 91-69 loss to Batangas in the PBA D-Leaue Aspirants' Cup on Monday.
Ebondo wound up scoreless in three minutes of action, but the Congolese reinforcement didn't mind.
"It was the decision of the coach (Egay Macaraya)," he said after the no-bearing match at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao.
"I don't really have anything to do about it. I just have to respect the decision and do my job. If he asks me to go in, I will go in. If he asks me to stay, I will stay."
Aside from Ebondo, high-scoring Paul Desiderio also played sparingly. In less than six minutes of play, the University of the Philippines stalwart finished with a measly four points on 1-of-3 shooting.
Ebondo later bared it was Macaraya's decision not to field them in to see how the rest of the Bakers will fare without them.
"The game plan was just (to see) the other guys step up and learn to play without me and Paul," he said.
"It's really about learning how to play without me and Paul, especially if I get into foul trouble in the quarterfinals on Thursday," he added.
Without the team's two leading scorers, Michael Calisaan was the lone bright spot for the Bakers with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Bakers will still enjoy a twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals with a 6-3 win-loss record.
"We just have to forget about today and move on, and focus on the quarterfinals," he said.