WITH the time ticking away and Blackwater’s first victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup within arm’s reach, Henry Walker knew that he had to take matters into his own hands.ake
So he rolled hard, absorbed contact on the attempt, and threw down a thunderous slam over Rafi Reavis with three seconds left to lead the Elite to a much-needed 86-84 win over the Magnolia Hotshots on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
For Walker, there’s no other way he would have approached the final play.
“Couldn’t leave it to chance. I don’t really dunk anymore, but for the game, I didn’t want to get it blocked, my daughter’s watching, I got to put it down for the win,” said Walker.
It was a perfect way to redeem himself after a rough shooting night that saw the six-year NBA veteran make just four of his 16 attempts to finish with just 11 points, though he had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
But for the 30-year-old forward out of Kansas State, his offense is the least of his worries for as long as his locals continue to play well.
“The last thing you need to worry about is me scoring points in the PBA. I can torch anybody I want to but it’s not about me scoring though. I can’t win unless the guys pick up the pace and pick up their own work, carry their own slack and that’s what we’re seeing now,” said Walker who also made a key pass to Poy Erram for the game-tying basket one possession back.
“We’re confident now, playing aggressively on offense that allows me to play the game how I did today and they actually carried me, kudos to the team,” he added.
Though a spot in the playoffs maybe unrealistic for the Elite right now, Walker still vows to give it his all heading into their final three games. The road will be tougher and tougher for the Elite as they’re set to face Rain or Shine, Meralco, and San Miguel in that order.
Walker is still unfazed though, saying that they might be looking forward to their buildup in the Governor’s Cup, but there’s no way that they’ll just roll over and die.
“I’m going for the win. We’re gonna win. That’s how we’re approaching it. The only way we can. We’re building for the last conference but at the same time, I don’t come over here to lose. I don’t have that in my body,” said Walker.
Not only will they get to salvage their pride entering the final conference, there’s also some personal gains for them as well.
“That’s the goal for the last three, make the big bosses give up some bonuses man,” ended Walker with a smile.