LEFT frustrated the last time, Henry Galinato bounced back the best way he could.
The brawny big man went perfect from the field and typified TNT’s hot shooting in a 110-87 Game 4 win over defending champion San Miguel, Wednesday night in the PBA Philippine Cup finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The 6-foot-6 Fil-Am went 3-of-3 from the field for six points and grabbed five rebounds in the wire-to-wire win that tied the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
READ: Firing on all cylinders, TNT waylays SMB to tie PBA Finals at 2-2
Former finals MVP Rey Nambatac said Galinato was hard on himself the last time as the Tropang 5G collapsed in the final minute of Game 3 behind CJ Perez’s one-man demolition job for the Beermen.
Galinato was the one who challenged Perez when he hit that clutch four-point shot after he switched with Nambatac on the defensive job which triggered the dramatic San Miguel comeback.
It was also Galinato who gave TNT an 89-86 lead off a perfect Jordan Heading pass that led to a two-handed slam off June Mar Fajardo, eliciting a wild celebration for the former University of the Philippines stalwart.
Following the loss, Nambatac recalled Galinato was reduced to tears inside the TNT dugout.
“Oo, (umiyak siya). Actually lahat kami frustrated,” said the TNT guard.
“Yung dunk niya, talagang pang close out na yun, e. Pero ganun talaga. Hindi naman natin kontrolado yung mga ganung sitwasyon. Siguro out of frustration na lang ni Henry kaya siya umiyak.”
Galinato eventually translated that frustration to having a good bounce back game for the Tropang 5G.
He was so focused in helping TNT get back on the winning track, Galinato vomited at the locker room at halftime shortly after the team build a 65-40 lead.
“Sumuka pa siya kanina. Pero alam mong gustong lumaban, gustong manalo ni Henry,” said Nambatac.
“Fatigue factor na rin siguro,” he added. “Akala nga namin hindi na makakabalik kasi nakikita namin pawis na pawis, namumutla. Pero laban pa rin.”
Lessons learned indeed, not only for Galinato but for the entire TNT team.
“Henry was very, very down on himself after the game, and I said ‘forget it,’” said coach Chot Reyes.
Calvin Oftana, who fired 5-of-8 from three-point range for a game-high 29 points, added:
“Nakita namin si Henry umiiyak sa dugout. And as a player, may mga ganung emotions sa mga ganung bagay," he said.m
“Pero sabi nga namin hanggang tumunog yung final buzzer, huwag kaming mag-celebrate. We celebrated early.”
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