SOMETHING - and not someone - didn't show up for Andrei Caracut in Rain or Shine’s 97-85 Game 4 win over Barangay Ginebra in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
It’s not about that particular person noticeably missing from the crowd on Wednesday evening. Instead, it’s about a certain trait expected from a point guard that the Elasto Painter himself admits still needs to surface more evidently.
READ: Hot-starting Rain or Shine sinks Ginebra in ill-tempered Game 4
Despite RoS tying the semifinal series at 2-2 behind a tense Game 4 win, Caracut acknowledged that his biggest responsibility he still hasn't quite lived up to goes beyond putting points on the board.
Through four games, Caracut has put up meager averages of just 5.75 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.25 assists.
Fortunately for the Rain or Shine, its deep pool of guards stepped up in the crucial win, with Adrian Nocum, Gian Mamuyac, and Josh David all contributing in carrying the offensive load.
But internally, Caracut knows his role as lead guard requires a bit more command and communication.
“As a point guard, kailangan ko talaga maging vocal, ‘yun ‘yung lagi namang sinasabi nila: na kailangan mong mag-lead,” he told SPIN.ph.
“Kailangan alam namin ‘yung gagawin ng bawat isa through me as a point guard. ‘Yun ‘yung wino-work ko rin.”
Bell keeps ringing
Held to six points in Game 4, Caracut was more concerned with organizing the Elasto Painters' attack than with his own scoring struggles.
While outside attention surrounding him off the court has only intensified, the 30-year-old playmaker understands pressure comes with being under the spotlight.
“Hindi talaga mawala yung pressure. Kahit saang sports, kung hindi ka nape-pressure, baka wala ka nang pakialam,” he said.
“Pero sinasabi ni coach [Yeng Guiao], laro lang kami. ‘Yung pressure, lagi nandiyan, so kailangan lang palaging ready.”
Now with the series down to a virtual best-of-three, Caracut knows full well the Elasto Painters will need both his game and his voice at a much higher level moving forward.
“Hindi ko masabi, pero tuloy lang ‘yung kumpiyansa, consistency sa practice. Kailangan ko pa rin mag-work hard kahit sunod-sunod ‘yung laban,” he said.
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