DAVE Ildefonso holds no regrets passing up the opportunity to shoot the game-winner and still expressed his full belief on John Lloyd Clemente even after National University's harrowing 80-79 defeat to University of the Philippines on Wednesday.
"Happy ako kasi tama naman ang desisyon ko na ipasa sa kanya kasi open na open siya," he said.
Ildefonso helped the Bulldogs rally from a seven-point deficit in the final 2:13 and even got to within one with 11.6 seconds left and was given a chance to steal the game after a pair of David Murrell misses from the charity stripe.
But as he tried to beat the clock, Bright Akhuetie, Kobe Paras, and Jun Manzo were quick to hamper his path, forcing him to pass up the leather to Clemente.
"Sa akin, tatlo ang nakabantay. Di ko alam kung paano ko pa ititira yun," he said after seeing another stellar 25-points, 5-rebound, and 2-assist line go down the drain. "Sa judgment ko, tama ang desisyon na pinasa ko sa kanya. Hundred-percent ang trust ko kay JLC."
Unfortunately, Clemente's winner was way short as the buzzer sounded as NU once again suffered another heartbreaking setback.
Yet Clemente couldn't dwell too much on his botched shot knowing that as tough of a fight the Bulldogs have shown, breaks just didn't fall their way.
"Yung last shot, ganun talaga eh. May pumapasok, may di pumapasok. Sakto, yung tira ko, 'di pumasok, pero gustong-gusto kong makabawi kasi maganda yung pasa ni Dave," he said after just scoring two points on a 1-of-6 shooting from the field.
If that opportunity presents itself anew, both Clemente and Ildefonso believed that the ball will find its way to the bottom of the net and finally end the bad streak for NU this UAAP Season 82.
"Sabi niya, sa susunod, masu-shoot ko na talaga yun," said Clemente.
Ildefonso agreed, saying, "Masu-shoot na niya yan."
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