NOBODY wants to lose in any championship series.
For Christian Standhardinger, San Miguel settling for a bridesmaid finish to Ginebra in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals is something that will haunt him for the next few weeks.
“You know a wound like that, I can’t take my mind off of it because as soon as there’s a free minute or after practice, I’m always thinking, ‘What could I have done?’ What could we have done to win the championship?,” he said.
Though Standhardinger knows that the past can never be brought back, he acknowledged that this national team stint can help him alleviate the pain as he takes his act to the 2018 Asian Games.
“I think it does help to get a little distracted, move forward from it and keep it in the past. So I’m very grateful. Though I would like to have some free days, a week off, the country calls. It’s always an honor to play for the national team,” he said.
The 29-year-old Standhardinger hit the ground running for the Asiad-bound Philippine team on Thursday, and though the Fil-German center only had one practice under his belt, coach Yeng Guiao is already raving about the Beermen bruiser.
“I'm very happy with Christian. I know he’s a competitor. I like his attitude. I know that he's familiar with the international brand of game and kulang kami sa size talaga and he gives us additional size to guard the other bigs of the other teams,” said the fiery mentor.
Chemistry has never been an issue for Standhardinger, and as hastily formed as this crew is, he’s happy with the camaraderie this group is fostering before leaving for Indonesia on Sunday.
“I like them. I always wait ‘til I go to a Philippine team where I don’t like my teammates, but I always get disappointed,” he said with a chuckle. “I really like all of them. They seem like great guys.”
“I think it’s just a culture to be great guys, I guess. I did not meet a guy I don’t like yet. I’m very grateful for that and to be surrounded by great people is a blessing that is always appreciated. And I feel like I take for granted but we shouldn’t. We should be appreciative of that.”
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