RJ ABARRIENTOS had a career-night on Christmas Day that kept Barangay Ginebra alive in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Abarrientos scored 35 points in the Gin Kings’ 105-85 win over Converge to arrange a knockout game for a semifinal berth.
READ: Pineda tells Converge to stop complaining, adjust to officiating
Ironically, Abarrientos wasn’t bent on scoring in bunches in this game if the first half was the basis.
The sophomore guard only shot 2-of-4 from the field in the first two quarters.
“I actually complained a little bit in the middle of the second quarter or early (in the second quarter),” said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
“I told him he wasn’t looking for his shot. He was passing the ball. And I said he needed to look for his shots more," Cone continued.
“And so he came out in the second half, looked for it, and it went in."
READ: Abarrientos paying no mind to Concepcion's late flagrant foul
Abarrientos eventually finished the game by making 12 of his 18 shots from the field on a night to remember where he also dropped 19 points in the final quarter to spearhead Barangay Ginebra to the crucial win.
Cone said Abarrientos’ penchant to be a point guard is similar to his uncle Johnny during their Alaska days.
“They want to be point guards. They want to be pure point guards and both of them were really capable scorers and they kind of forget that part of their game so they need to be reminded to take a few shots,” Cone recalled.
“His DNA is to be a point guard, set people up, but he’s got a lot more ability than just your normal point guard."
Cone said that when RJ’s ability as a “points guard” is harnessed, he could be unstoppable.
“He has that capability. You’ve seen that in the past. He can get going almost Steph Curry-like. He could just find an area that is open on the floor, and throw it up there, it’s going to go in."
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