AT one point in the third quarter of Rain or Shine’s crucial Game 5 semifinals clash against Barangay Ginebra, Adrian Nocum looked like he was about to single-handedly carry his squad back after trailing by double-digits in the first half.
Nocum dropped 15 consecutive points in a scintillating personal run in the third quarter as the Elasto Painters came within three, 67-64, but the moment he was taken out for a breather – things took a turn for the worse for Rain or Shine.
The moment Nocum sat out, Ginebra went on an 8-0 run of its own and retook control of the game to enroute to a 111-104 win on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Alam naman natin nung pag rotate ng tao siguro hindi lang namin nagampanan at namaintain yung effort na nagawa namin nung third so bawi lang,” Nocum said.
Nocum finished with 25 points, but based on how he was performing in the third quarter – it looked like he could’ve gotten more.
The highflying guard out of Mapua returned at the 9:20 mark in the fourth and missed his next four shots. With Nocum misfiring, Rain or Shine simply couldn’t keep up with a red-hot Barangay Ginebra side late in the game.
For Ginebra coach Tim Cone, containing Nocum ultimately boils down to effort. Simple enough in principle, but certainly harder than it sounds especially with the athleticism and the motor that the pride of Tondo has.
“It was just a matter of getting back and getting in front of him. They were getting the ball, throwing it forward, getting him on the run downhill and when he gets downhill, he’s a load,” Cone said.
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“You can’t stop him. And he showed that. He’s been showing it the whole series, he’s been showing it the whole conference. And it’s really his best best skill,” he continued.
“So what truly matters is getting back and getting in front of him to try and slow him down. It’s not easy. Easy to say but not easy to do.”
Nocum for his part credited Ginebra’s adjustment late in the game, but vows that they still have a lot more to give moving forward.
“Yung Ginebra matatalino lahat yan e. Yung depensa nila talagang andun talaga, nahirapan ako makabalik so kailangan namin makabalik next game,” Nocum said.
“Kailangan mas higitan pa namin yung effort namin ngayon, kinulang kami kailangan namin mag-trabaho bukas at alamin yung pagkakamali namin para pag dating sa Sunday makabawi kami,” he continued.
“Siyempre do-or-die na yun. Kailangan ibigay namin lahat ng makakaya namin , trabaho kami bukas."
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