ADRIAN Nocum dished a career-high 18 assists on Friday in Game 2 of Rain or Shine’s quarterfinals tiff against Converge, but the Elasto Painters suffered a 130-125 defeat to even the series.
Nocum recorded a Rain or Shine franchise record with his assists total in Game 2 - the most since Mike Cortez also had 18 for Air21 in a 105-100 loss to Talk ‘N Text in the 2012-13 Philippine Cup on December 13, 2012, according to the league’s statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
Nocum actually had a double-double in that game where he also scored 22 points, but he would have rather won that match-up with those numbers.
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“Balewala na ‘yun kasi ‘yun nga, natalo,” said Nocum.
Instead of his assists, Nocum was thinking about the turnover that he gave up late in the game that allowed Converge to maintain its slim lead until the final buzzer. One of the errors turned out costly as it ended up with Mikey Williams netting a three-pointer that turned a one-point game into a 127-123 lead for Converge with 35 seconds left.
“Sa akin talaga ‘yun,” said Nocum, as he took the responsibility for the end-game blunder. “Dapat mas maganda ‘yung naging desisyon ko nung huli.”
Nocum’s late turnovers prevented Rain or Shine from mounting another come-from-behind win similar to Game 1 where the Elasto Painters erased a 21-point deficit.
Rain or Shine trailed by as many as 15 points in the second game of the quarterfinals.
While coming back from large deficits is a positive thing, Nocum said he wishes to avoid that in the next matches including in Game 3 to be played in Dasmarinas City, Cavite where the winner will take the important 2-1 series lead.
“Gusto talaga naming manalo. Nandoon lagi ‘yung gigil. Sana next game, huwag na mangyari ‘yung matatambakan kami sa umpisa kasi ang hirap din maghabol. Nakakapagod din pero kailangan, mas madiin kami next game para di kami matambakan agad.
“Ganun din nung Game 1, tambak kami nung una, nahabol lang. So kailangan next game, mas maganda kung dikdikan lang, dikitan lang para may mas chance manalo,” Nocum said.
If Game 3 goes down the wire, Nocum vowed not to make the same mistakes again like last Friday.
“Bawi tayo. Best-of-three na lang. So next game, kailangan makabalik agad and trabaho ulit sa practice, pag-aralan ko kung ano ‘yung mga pagkakamali para next game, mas maganda na ‘yung mga desisyon,” said Nocum.
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