JAPETH Aguilar hit the game-winner in Barangay Ginebra’s 101-99 squeaker against Blackwater on Friday night in the PBA Philippine Cup.
But the veteran big man made it off a broken play.
Aguilar admitted an alley-oop play was initially designed for the Kings to run in the final 19 seconds of a tied game, but he ended up making a corner jumper off an assist by Scottie Thompson.
“Of course, it didn’t happen,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “They (Bossing) did a good job of defending it. It turned into a breakdown.”
But having been together for the past decade, Thompson and Aguilar knew exactly what to do under duress as time was running down and the outcome of the game was still on the line.
Big shot by Japeth
“It came down to a big shot and Japeth has made so many big shots in his career, and here’s another one,” said Cone. “And it was a great pass by Scottie to make it happen.”
The last of Aguilar's game-high 22 points and Thompson's 10th assist of the night preserved the Kings’ winning streak, which is now at three for a 5-2 record in a tie with San Miguel for third place.
“Scottie and Japeth made a good decision,” said Cone of that final play.
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