A QUICK peak at the box score in Jose Rizal University’s 72-70 OT win over Perpetual Help and it’s fairly easy to say that Lawrence Mangubat had one of his worst games of the season.
After all, his five points on a dismal 2-of-14 shooting is something that fans won’t expect from one of the top MVP candidates and most lethal scorers in the league.
But this is one of those cases wherein the numbers truly don’t tell the entire story.
READ: Allan Laurenaria Jose Rizal's hero in OT escape over Perpetual
The Cebuano lefty powered through a swelling right shoulder injury which he damaged in their loss to Letran. Until the final moments of the first game, Mangubat was actually in street clothes before deciding to push through and suit up off the bench for coach Nani Epondulan.
“He wasn’t supposed to play today because of his shoulder injury but pinilit parin niya maglaro,” Epondulan said.
“Hindi man lang siya naka-score like usual pero yung intangibles na binigay niya sa team namin, napakalaki”
While his misses didn’t help, his gravity and the attention that he got from the entire Perpetual defense opened the doors for his teammates were more than enough to boost JRU.
In the play which sent the game into overtime, three Perpetual players zeroed in on Mangubat, leaving the defense scrambling which resulted in Allan Laurenaria finding a wide open Chris Hubilla for the game-tying basket.
In Laurenaria’s game winner, all eyes were on Mangubat which allowed the dependable role player to sneak in, grab the offensive rebound and score the go-ahead put back.
“Hanggang kaninang umaga sabi niya hindi parin niya maitaas. Tinrabaho lang ng PT namin, inactivate lang and luckily, siguro yung puso din ng bata na ayaw magpatalo,” Epondulan said.
“Naramdaman niya na kailangan siya ng team, nagdecide siya na maglaro para makatulong kesa nasa bench lang siya at nanonood.”
Most times, the Heavy Bombers will be relying on Mangubat to carry them with his offensive brilliance and clutch ways.
But in the times when he physically can’t, it doesn’t mean that he won’t have an impact on the squad — such as in this case.
“I’m just thankful. After the game nilapitan ko siya and I just said, thank you kasi ginawa niya yun para sa team and para sa mga kapatid niya na alam niyang naglo-look up sa kanya.”
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