THE player coach Yeng Guiao jokingly referred to as having a gout problem has no problem with his shooting hands on Wednesday night, burying what had been the biggest free throws of his young PBA career so far.
Big man Keith Datu belied his rookie status by delivering two pressure-packed free throws that kept TNT Tropang Giga at bay and helped Rain or Shine escape with a 110-109 win in sudden death for a berth in the Philippine Cup semifinals.
Last year’s No. 4 overall pick rose to the occasion in the final 1:30 of the tense ballgame when he went 2-for-2 from the foul line that gave Rain or Shine a 103-100 lead.
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Datu, who was once teased by Guiao of having a gout during one stretch of the team’s campaign which he sat out, admitted feeling a bit edgy when he trooped to the line following a foul by Glenn Khobuntin.
“I felt nervous, but more so excited because I felt I got the opportunity to take responsibility for that at the end of the game,” said the Fil-Am big man.
The Tropang Giga tried to make it hard for him by talking trash to him before taking what he termed as ‘game-altering free throws,’ to no avail.
“It’s funny because TNT players were circling around me and kept saying things to me,” said Datu. “But I just tried to lock in and made sure I made those free throws.”
Datu finished with 11 points and six rebounds, while drilling two from three-point range.
The 6-foot-7 Datu admitted missing a couple of crucial free throws in the past with the game on the line. But he said making those foul shots against TNT hopefully turned things around for him.
“Every possession was important at the end of the game. And I know that those free throws are crucial at the end,” Datu said.
The big man out of Chico State is in his first PBA Final Four and waiting for him will be no less than the reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo.
It’s a big challenge for him going up against the 6-foot-10 San Miguel franchise player, but Datu said he’s going to give his best to keep in step with Fajardo especially now that he’s been playing healthy again.
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“For the record I never had gout and I don’t have gout,” said Datu in between laughs. “I missed most of this conference because of an MCL. But I’m fully recovered, I feel good, and ready to go.”
“He’s definitely one of the GOATs (Greatest Of All Time) of the PBA, so it’s exciting to me,” he added of Fajardo. “I got nothing to lose going out there. Rookie or not, I’m going to give my best out there.”
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