EVEN after a career-high 30 points in her rookie campaign, Jolina dela Cruz held herself and her teammates accountable for F2 Logistics' recent slump midway through the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
A series of close finishes in its fourth loss of the conference to Cignal came down to expensive errors in the breaks of the game — one that dela Cruz believes the Cargo Movers can still strive to be better at.
READ: Red-hot Cignal sends F2 Logistics tumbling in fiercely fought match
"In today’s game talaga, sobrang kinapos kami. Mangyayari ‘yung lalamang kami, kami ‘yung mauunang maka-22, 23, 24 (points) ganyan, tapos maaabutan pa kami. Siguro lesson na rin sa’min ‘yun na kailangan lagi kaming may panapos sa dulo," said dela Cruz
"Binibigay naman ng mga coaches ‘yung kailangan naming gawin (pero) siguro on our part (as players), meron naman din kaming accountability na mali talaga namin ‘yung mga nangyayari," she added.
Entering her career game, the F2 rookie carried the mindset of playing as if it's her and the team's last, given how their Final Four bid still hangs in the balance.
"I think naalala ko lang ‘yung sinabi ni Coach Reg (Diego) before the game started na isipin namin na last game na namin ‘to and all-out na talaga.
"Kasi sabihin man natin o hindi, ‘yung standing namin (4-4) and ‘yung situation namin, talagang (delikado) na and ‘di namin alam if makakapasok pa ba kami sa Top Four," Dela Cruz explained.
"‘Yun lang ‘yung iniisip ko kanina na super importante ng game today na kailangan naming maipanalo pero kinapos kami," she added.
But even with their backs against the wall, there'll be no quit by any stretch for the Cargo Movers in their last three prelims matches against Choco Mucho (6-1), Chery Tiggo (6-1), and PLDT (5-2).
"Lalaro pa rin talaga kami. Ganun naman siguro ‘yung kailangan naming ipakita despite na natatalo kami. Kailangan pa rin naming mag-show up sa mga games namin dahil professional (league) ‘to," dela Cruz said.
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