RJ ABARRIENTOS started Game 3 with a mask but ditched it very early, just two days after he broke his nose in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Abarrientos wore a protective mask after it he got hit in the nose by an elbow from Jhonard Clarito in Game Two last Friday, but removed it with 9:23 left in the first quarter, after he felt uncomfortable wearing it.
“Parang hindi ako makahinga kapag may mask, hindi ko makuha yung rhythm ko,” said Abarrientos.
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“Mag-mamask talaga dapat,” Abarrientos added. “Pero wala eh, pag hindi kumportable, aalisin ko talaga. Yun din sabi sa akin, pag hindi kumportable, alisin ko na lang. Ganun talaga kaya nilaro ko na lang.”
Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone said Abarrientos wore the mask in practice on the eve of Game 3.
“We were hoping that he would wear a mask,” said Cone. “But he was complaining about it even yesterday when we brought it over. He was complaining about it before the game. I wasn’t surprised that he took it and threw it at my feet.”
Abarrientos looked affected by the injury in the first half when he only scored five points, but picked his offense up in the fourth where he scored 10 points. He ended up with 17 points, while also dishing out five assists in the 103-98 win that gave Ginebra a 2-1 series lead.
The Ginebra guard's scoring may be below his 23-point average before Game 3, but what mattered was his determination to win even with the injury.
“He is a tough kid. Really, really tough kid,” said Cone of Abarrientos. “His nose was like this big but he wanted to play tonight. He wanted to win tonight. He could be one of those guys that said, ‘I’m hurt, I can’t play.’ He came out and played 41 minutes and 43 seconds with pretty much a busted nose.”
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