BEAU Belga admitted frustration after watching haplessly on the bench as Rain or Shine again failed to get over the hump in its latest bid to make it back to the PBA Finals.
His own health issue and the Elasto Painters falling short anew of making it past the semifinals for the fourth straight time compounded the disappointment of the veteran following the 97-89 loss to TNT in Game six of their Philippine Cup semifinal series.
Belga has been out for more than a month now due to a lingering case of vertigo.
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His last game for Rain or Shine, ironically, also came against TNT in a 111-103 loss last May 23 at the Ynares Center where he went down on his own in the second quarter due to dizziness.
Sitting helplessly on the bench was too much to bear for the 38-year-old Belga.
“Laking guilty ko na wala akong maitulong especially beterano ako dito. Kumbaga kailangan ng mga batang ito ng guidance,” he said as Rain or Shine’s season ended.
“Ang nangyari naiwan ko sa ere. Si Gabe [Norwood] mag-isa. Siyempre kung uunti yung magtitimon, hindi mo rin basta-basta mako-control yung mga bata.”
Unlike in their three previous trip to the semis, this one against TNT ended as an upgrade as the Elasto Painters managed to win two games in the best-of-seven series.
Still, it wasn’t enough to lessen the discontent on the part of Belga.
“Four times. Pang-apat na ito. Hindi kami (maka-ahon). Kumbaga yung mga previous (semis namin), yung pako hindi mabunut-bunot. Yung pako sa paa na yun hindi mabunot,” he said.
“Frustration on my part, kasi nga gustung-gusto ko na mag finals.”
It’s not actually just for himself and the franchise, but to the young players as well who now make up the core of Rain or Shine.
“Gusto ko ma-experience nila yun. Kasi nung una, nung nakarating kami sa semis, nakaka-addict makarating ng semis e. So ito pang apat na beses na,” said the 6-foot-5 Belga.
“Tapos lalo na kung nag-finals ka, di ba? Pag nag finals ka, kapag naka-isa ka, baka hanap-hanapin mo, e,” added the veteran center, who won two championships with the organization in six finals appearances.
Wait continues for Belga and RoS
Rain or Shine hasn’t been to the finals since winning its second PBA title in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
“Yun ang kailangan namin ma-surpass. Mag finals lang. Gusto ko sanang i-share sa kanila iba yung feeling pag nasa-finals ka,” said Belga, who is one of only three ROS players to win a PBA title along with Norwood and Mark Borboran.
But he’s not taking away what this young Rain or Shine team has achieved for the entire Season 49 as the franchise has consistently become a Final Four contender.
“Kung hindi makalusot, e di i-try ulit,” said Belga. “We had a long season, pahinga, and then recover. Every season or conference, the goal naman is semis kasi nga hindi namin mahugut-hugot yang lintik na pako na yan.”
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