TO say Scottie Thompson was frustrated following the ouster of Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs was an understatement.
The reigning league MVP admitted feeling hurt in the aftermath of the team’s 106-104 heartbreaker against Meralco in their sudden-death game on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena for the last berth in the semifinals.
Thompson was going great guns for the Kings with 26 big points heading to the final 10 seconds when he was called for an offensive foul as he was trying to go for the game-tying basket against Cliff Hodge.
[See Tenorio blames ref for Ginebra loss: 'S'ya nag-decide ng laro']
He added six rebounds, three assists, two steals and was 8-of-13 from the floor when he finally went to the showers.
And all those went for naught as Ginebra failed to make the semis of the all-Filipino conference - the same tournament it won in 2020 under a bubble set-up in Clark in Pampanga.
“Nakaka-frustrate para sa aking sarili,” he disclosed afterwards. “Pero hindi ko rin alam, e. Wala akong masabi, breaks of the game.”
While teammate and backcourt partner LA Tenorio furiously contested the crucial endgame call against him, Thompson gave game officials the benefit of the doubt.
“Siguro nga iba yung nakita ng referee sa nakita namin. It happens. Ganun talaga ang basketball.”
Thompson felt utter dismay following the loss after Ginebra came charging back from a huge 21-point deficit only to see the rally fell short in the end.

“Masakit for us kasi binigay namin yung best namin and we fought hard para makabalik sa game,” he said. “Pero kinulang. Ganun talaga siguro yung basketball.”
At the same time, Thompson said the Kings had their share of the blame too, as they allowed themselves to be buried by as much as 57-78 in the third quarter.
“Yun ang mistake namin sa una. Down kami, I think by 21 points. Doon pa lang, pagkakamali na namin yun,” he added.
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