NARDS Pinto chose to be humble despite coming through with two clutch three-pointers in Barangay Ginebra’s 88-76 win over TNT in Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
The 35-year-old Pinto admitted he was aware tagged the weakest link in the Gin Kings’ rotation whenever he was on the floor, that the Tropang 5G left him open and dared him to take the wide-open shot.
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“Ako lagi ang na-o-open kasi nag-aano (namimili) sila kung sino ang io-open,” said the veteran guard.
He hesitated the first time he was left alone from beyond the arc, and then when the second opportunity came, he missed badly.
“So nilagay ko sa isip ko na next time ako na naman ang ma-o-open.”
But Pinto finally made TNT pay the price the next time he had the ball.
He buried a corner three-pointer early in the fourth to steady the ship for the Kings, 73-65, and then added another one from the opposite side in the final 3:04 that kept the rallying Tropang 5G at bay, 80-74.
“That time talagang tinira ko na dahil open. Sobrang blessed lang talaga na pumasok yung tira ko,” said the guard out of Arellano University.
Pinto finished with six points and two rebounds, while shooting 2-of-5 from the three-point arc.
He likewise took Jordan Heading on the defensive end and held the TNT hotshot scoreless in the fourth quarter after he went for 11 points in the third, making him a key, two-way player for the Kings off the bench.
Pinto said he has long accepted his role as part of Ginebra’s bench mob who will do anything he can for the sake of winning.
“Ang tagal ko na dito sa PBA. Lahat ng role nadaanan ko na. Yun ang trabaho ko, off the bench, dapat ready. Anytime na ipasok ako basta ibigay ko lang ang best ko,” he said.
This is Pinto’s third championship with Barangay Ginebra and yet, he said every title won is special for him.
“Same-same lang naman kasi masarap yung feeling na ganito. Hindi mo ma-describe sa words, e,” he said.
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