JOEL Wright’s first ever win in the PBA couldn’t have come at the most opportune time.
Wright delivered the game-winning basket as Star nipped Meralco in a thriller, 104-103, during their Governors Cup game Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Other than clinching his first victory in the league after losing his first four outings with the Hotshots, Wright also gave the team a new lease on life in its bid of making the playoffs of the season-ending conference.
“All the game was do-or-die attitude for me. I don’t know if you notice, but every game was big to me,” said Wright, who took over the place of former Best Import and resident Star reinforcement Marqus Blakely shortly after the All-Star break.
“Every game I felt like it was an important game. Not just this game. I played this game just as best as I played the other games.”
Wright topscored with 27 points on 11 of 20 shooting, while adding 14 rebounds, and two assists, but with eight of the Hotshots’ 18 turnovers.
But he was quick to deflect the credit for Star’s only second win in nine games.
“The team was responsible for that. I didn’t do too much today. They all chipped in, every one scored, everyone played with heart,” he stressed. “I just had the opportunity to close it all for what they have been doing for the whole game and I tried my best to give them the win.”
He also lauded the team for not losing the desire to win despite being down the standings for most of its campaign.
“That’s one thing I can say about the team, even though we’ve been losing, we never took a dayoff in practice, we come to practice, we go hard, we keep on fighting, we pray,” said Wright.