RONALD Tubid had no regrets after he called for a timeout in a play that could’ve given San Miguel Beer a chance to win Game Two of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Ginebra in regulation.
Off a Ginebra timeout with 20 seconds left and the Beermen ahead by one, the veteran wingman stole Joe Devance’s inbound pass, crossed midcourt, but decided to sue for time as he saw an incoming double-team of LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson, stopping the clock at 18.3 ticks.
The Beermen, though, could’ve milked some more time on the clock had Tubid made a forward pass to either two transitioning teammates in Arwind Santos and Chris Ross, who was begging for the leather.
Two plays later, Tubid, though, would get a defensive rebound and draw a foul, but he spilt his charities to set the stage for Devance’s overtime-sending putback en route to a 124-118 Ginebra win.
[See Arwind Santos says JDV got away with two infractions on buzzer beater]
Nevertheless, Tubid stands by his decision.
“Hindi (ako nanghihinayang),” Tubid said. “‘Yung laro naman, kung na-shoot ko ‘yung (second) free throw ko, panalo kami sigurado (kahit napasok ni Devance yung putback). Part of the game siguro.”
“Better safe than sorry,” he added.
Still, that hardly discounts what an outstanding performance he showed in the fourth and overtime periods where he scored all his 16 points, capping his vintage play with a three-pointer that knotted the count one last time at 118, before the Gin Kings held on.
“Kailangan lang gampanan ‘yung role nung iba na nawala,” Tubid said, stepping up with Marcio Lassiter ejected and June Mar Fajardo fouled out. “Ready lang ‘pag pinasok. Nataon lang rin na nakaka-shoot.”
[See Marcio denies taunting pal Mercado with 'Sol-t bae' stunt]
Tubid, though, is hoping the Beermen avoid falling into a deep hole early in Game Three on Wednesday.
“(We have to) be aggressive from the start,” Tubid said. “Kasi ‘pag hinayaan namin ‘yung Ginebra…ever since kasi nung Game One, ang usapan namin ‘Kailangan hindi ma-involve ‘yung crowd.’ Binigyan namin (sila) ng chance ma-involve ‘yung crowd.
“Galing ako Ginebra, at least yung never-say-die spirit nadala ko sa San Miguel,” he added. “We’re down by twenty-six points, pero nakabalik kami. But we came up short. Probably next game, we won’t do it again. Hindi kami magpapauna.”