JEROM Lastimosa’s decision to take the last shot in Magnolia’s 78-76 loss to Meralco last week sparked a debate online, with some fans criticizing the Hotshots’ rising star for opting to take a contested shot with Paul Lee wide open from the four-point range
But Magnolia coach LA Tenorio – known for his clutch ways during his playing years in the PBA – doesn’t want to hear about it.
“We didn’t talk about it so much. We don’t want to dwell on that. That was Jerom’s decision to take that shot. Next time na ma-feel niya na i-shoot yun, I encourage him to do that. Any player can do that for our team,” Tenorio said after the Hotshots’ 104-93 win over the Terrafirma Dyip on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
READ: Magnolia repels pesky Terrafirma to get back on the winning track
“They have to have that confidence. Eh what if na-shoot? Wala tayong masasabi. It just happened na nag-miss. Pero hindi nakikita ng mga tao na before that, Jerom took us back in the game,” he continued.
In that game, Lastimosa scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half as the Hotshots stormed back from an 18 point deficit, only to lose it in a close one thanks to the heroics of Meralco’s CJ Cansino late in the game.
For Tenorio, he’d rather have Lastimosa learn from it than to end up gun-shy the next time he faces that kind of situation.
“I don’t want to deal with that anymore. For me, I just want them to learn from that and next time they have the opportunity to take that shot in those kinds of moments, I want them to take that shot,” Tenorio said.
“It’s their decision and I want them to learn. The more na ayokong natatakot pa sila, kesa ma-turnover or ipasa at di makatira.”
Kuya Paul's got you
Lee himself defended Lastimosa in that lasted play.
While he pointed out to the former Adamson star that he was indeed wide-open, the veteran guard who’s made so many clutch shots in the past isn’t one to dwell on it, even encouraging Lastimosa to shut out the noise, especially with plenty of so-called ‘experts’ having their take on it online.
“I just let him na doon sa moment na yun na sabi ko wide-open ako pero sinabi ko sila na don’t worry about it. Parehas tayo mag-ma-mature dito. Sinabi ko sa kanya sa dugout na darating yung time na ikaw na talaga yan,” he said.
“Sabi ko magtitiwala ako sayo, sa gut feeling mo, wala kang maririnig sa akin doon. Susuportahan kita kung yun ang naging decision mo to take the last shot. And the fact na siya talaga ang pinakamagandang laro doon, I just let him know na at the end of the day na parehas kaming gustong manalo,” Lee continued.
“Sabi ko sa kanya wag nya isipin kasi of course maraming nag-post, ang pinakaimportante tayong dalawa okay tayo. Sabi ko na wag mo intindihin yung mga nanyayari sa labas at the end of the day tayo yung magkasama sa trabaho tayo yung nagkakaintindihan.”
Lastimosa certainly appreciates the vote of confidence from his peers.
And while Magnolia didn’t need a clutch shot late in the game against Terrafirma, the confidence from the 5’11 sophomore was apparent as he fired 16 points, five rebounds and four assists as the Hotshots’ lead guard against the Dyip.
“For me sobrang thankful at blessed ako sa mga veteran teammates ko at kay coach LA,” Lastimosa said.
“Even though I missed that shot, binibigyan niya ako ng kumpyansa na tumira ng tumira, he doesn’t care na mag-miss ako ulit. Wala siya pakialam sa nangyayari sa social media. Ang importante lang nag pperform ako ng maayos at sumusunod lang sa sistema.”
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