IT was a ‘block party’ all right for Japeth Aguilar in Game 3 of the PBA Governors Cup Finals.
The lanky Barangay Ginebra center had seven of the team’s blocks as he anchored the Kings defense at the low block in a 92-84 victory over the Meralco Bolts on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The seven blocks are a finals record for the 32-year-old native of Sasmuan, Pampanga, who also moved up on the league’s all-time list of shots blocked.
Aguilar added 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting and had four rebounds.
But he did admit blocking shots has been his strengths ever since.
“Nag-start ako ng basketball yun ang naging niche ko. Shot blacker ako ever since high school and college,” said the veteran center, who also clinched the Kings’ 91-87 Game 1 win following his endgame block on Meralco import Allen Durham.
“Ako ginagawa ko lang naman yung role ko. Alam ko yun ang isa sa strengths ko, and so I try to do it to the best of my ability.”
The feat rewarded Aguilar personally as he now has a total of 582 for No. 12 while breaking a tie at No. 14 with four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio (576) on the all-time shot block list.
Likewise, he also leapfrogged league great Abe King (580), who is now tied at No. 13 with former Alaska center Poch Juinio (582).
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