WHILE frustrations may be mounting for Terrafirma after going down to its seventh straight loss in the PBA Philippine Cup, Juami Tiongson said the team still has to take a positive stance with every game it is playing.
Juami Tiongson on Dyip woes
“Yung frustration nandun,” the veteran guard admitted after the Dyip absorbed a 106-82 beating against Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Pero as much as possible yung mga veterans gaya ni kuya Aldrech (Ramos) and Eric Camson, ini-encourage pa rin kami sa game. Kung kayang lumaban, laban lang.”
That’s what Tiongson and the Dyip did against the Kings, who they engaged in toe-to-toe exchanges for three-and-a-half quarters before the roof caved in for the undermanned ballclub.
Behind a back-breaking 18-1 run, the Kings turned around a game they were initially trailing by 64-71 to an 82-72 lead, from which they never looked back again to book their fourth straight win for a 6-1 record and a tie with San Miguel on top of the standings.
The loss was definitely a heartbreaker for the Dyip, who remained as the only team still winless (0-7) in the season-opening meet.
Tiongson wouldn’t want to make it as an excuse, but believes the injuries to key players have had a huge effect on its campaign this season.
“Ang dami rin naming injuries like Ed (Daquioag), Isaac (Go), and si kuya Aldrech nagkasakit pa,” he said. “Mga quality players pa, so yung mga nabibigay nila sa laro namin not one player can do it. So I think everyone has to step up.”
The guard out of Ateneo said when healthy, the Dyip can obviously stand side by side with the rest of the field like in their first game of the season against NLEX.
Against Ginebra, Terrafirma even led 64-56 at one point.
“Last conference, from the bubble also (Bacolor), lumalaban na kami. As in hindi na kami natatambakan. Nabibigyan na namin yung sarili namin na manalo,” recalled Tiongson.
“Tapos all of a sudden, ito nagkamalas-malas. Nagkasabay-sabay yung injuries.
Last year’s Most Improved Player topscored for Terrafirma with 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists. He had 11 in the second period when the Dyip turned things around and took a 50-48 lead at the break.
Despite the losses piling up, Tiongson said he has no plans of slowing down.
“I don’t want to take anything for granted,” he stressed. “At the end of the day, ang tingin ko sa sarili ko wala pa rin akong napapatunayan and every game is still important to me.”
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