CHRIS Banchero missed two critical shots in the final seconds of Game Two of the PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup Finals that left an opening for a San Miguel comeback, but Meralco refuses to pin the blame on its star guard.
Banchero could only make one of two free throws with 20 seconds left, turning what should have been a three-point game into a 94-92 lead for Meralco in the fiercely contested game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The free throw miss by Banchero, it turned out, proved costly for Meralco as, in the next possesion, Marcio Lassiter buried a three from the left corner with 13.2 seconds remaining to give San Miguel a 95-94 lead.
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The Bolts still had one last chance to salvage the situation and they turned to Banchero again, but his lay-up was off the mark in the final seconds. The Beermen ended up winning, 95-94, to tie the best-of-seven finals at 1-1.
Despite the misses, Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said they wanted the ball in the hands of Banchero at that moment of the contest.
“We want the ball in his hands. He made that big three. Maganda rin,” said Trillo.
He was referring to Banchero’s huge three that got Meralco ahead, 93-89, with 25.6 seconds left in the ballgame. That trey by Banchero was later answered by a CJ Perez rainbow that kept San Miguel in the game.
Banchero immediately left the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, obviously disappointed with the result of the contest.
But Trillo said the veteran guard is not to blame.
“These type of games, you have to move on. Quick goodbye, focus na kami. We have to see the video also. At this point, you want to be clinical and not critical,” said Trillo.
Trillo said the huge shots by San Miguel was a reflection of how formidable the Beermen are, and that no lead is safe against the powerhouse squad.
On the other hand, Trillo also said they have no one to blame but themselves.
“That’s why they are San Miguel. That’s why they win championships. You know that they’ll be ready and they are not going to give up,” said Trillo.
“That being said, I still think we didn’t play the way we should. We will be better by Sunday,” he added.
Bolts unable to run
Trillo said one notable facet of their game that was not up to par was their running game as San Miguel ended up getting more fastbreak points, 20-12.
“We had 17 turnovers and they outscored us (in fastbreak points). Turnover points, fastbreak points, kami dapat ang tumatakbo,” said Trillo.
“They did some new things with June Mar. They got him off the ball a lot. With that being said, we didn’t play well,” he added.
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