YOU can’t win them all.
Leo Austria accepted the fact that even the best of teams are not unbeatable after San Miguel's quest for a season grand slam ended at the hands of sister team Ginebra, 100-97, at the quarterfinal stage of the PBA Governors' Cup.
San Miguel lost its last three games of the conference, including the last two after Arwind Santos, Kelly Nabong, and Ronald Tubid were suspended indefinitely for figuring in a scuffle in practice with former import Dezmine Wells.
Wells, who has since left the country, was replaced by former NBA player John Holland after spraining his ankle midway through the tournament. The Beermen never won a game with Holland around and limped to the playoffs with a 6-5 record as the fifth seeded team following a perfect 4-0 start to the conference.
“It’s really unfortunate for us because everybody wanted that grand slam. But you know, you can’t win all games,” he said.
“This is the ending we don’t want to happen. We came short, “
Austria is not pinning the blame on anybody. It’s just that there are certain things which he said were beyond their control.
“Everything naman whether you’re successful or not, there’s always something that might happen to your team. Something for the better or something for the worse,” he said. “You know, ganun talaga ang mundo, pabago-bago. Minsan akala mo mainit, tapos biglang uulan.”
“What we want is what’s best for the team. But everything is a gamble. Getting an import you can never know, dahil trial and error yan.”
But Austria said he's stil has a lot to be thankful for after a season that saw the Beermen win a fifth straight Philippine Cup title and overcome Terrence Jones and TnT Katropa in six games to bag the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup.
“Nothing to be ashamed of. I’m still very proud of our team,” said Austria. “Still, we-re the best team in the last five years because we won eight championships, And this season, we're two out of three."
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