LARRY Muyang showed the kind of player he is when focused on basketball.
The big man out of Letran posted a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 114-108 Phoenix overtime loss to NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup on Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[See Mikey simply too hot to handle for Terrafirma]
Muyang scored seven in the fourth quarter and went 8-of-11 from the field overall in a performance that was spoiled by the Fuel Masters’ failure to protect an eight-point lead in the final 78 seconds of regulation.
“Maganda nga yung resulta ng laro ko, yun nga lang talo,” he said afterwards. “Pero lesson learned yan. Babawi na lang next game.”
The sophomore center admitted the death of his mother early this year took a toll on him emotionally that also had an impact on his game.
“Nung past medyo may iniisip din kaya hindi rin ako makapag-focus sa game namin dahil kakawala ng nanay ko,” he said. “Kaya wala ako sa focus talaga.
“Pero ngayon ok na. And lagi kong dinarasal sa kanya na gabayan niya na lang ako sa laro.”
His performance against the Road Warriors was one of his best games so far as a pro. Too bad, the outcome didn’t end in the Fuel Masters’s favor.
Muyang said it’s definitely a confidence builder for him moving forward.
“Pampataas ito ng kumpiyansa para madala naman sa next game kung ano yung napundar ko ngayon,” the NCAA champion said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
