RONALD Tubid broke the hearts of his former team Ginebra, as well as its legion of fans, with his late-game heroics in Barako Bull's 83-79 win over the Kings on Sunday in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Tubid finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals and came up big down the stretch, hitting a three-pointer that stopped the rallying Kings on their tracks and enabled the Energy Cola to escape with the all-important win.
But the man who Ginebra let go in a three-team trade that enabled Kerby Raymundo and Dylan Ababou to join the Kings early this year said there was nothing personal in his approach to the game.
“Every game, ganado lang talaga ako,” said the former University of the East star. “It just happened na kailangan namin talagang manalo kaya mas lalo akong ganado. Kanina, suwerte lang na medyo nakaka-shoot ng konti.
“Hindi lang dahil (kalaban namin ang) Ginebra na dati kong team,” he added.
Barako Bull’s first victory since Bong Ramos took over from Junel Baculi enabled the team to catch idle Air21 Express for the eighth and final berth in the quarterfinals, both teams now with 4-9 win-loss slates.
Tubid, though, insisted the road to the quarters remain tough for the Energy Cola, who face third-running Rain or Shine in their final elimination-round game on Friday while Air21 has a relatively lighter assignment in cellar-dweller Globalport on Wednesday.
But more than anything else, Tubid said it should be the Energy Cola's attitude towards the refs and their calls that should change ahead of the crunch clash against the Painters.
“Kailangan namin ng depensa at mga rebounds. Kailangan wala ng angal sa calls ng mga referees. Mahirap ‘yung aangal pa, nawawala kami sa game. Dapat focused lang,” Tubid said.
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