Intal keeps cool, waxes hot after hate tweet

JC comes up with best game yet for Gilas in Jones Cup. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

TAIPEI – JC Intal has been having a forgettable Jones Cup until Thursday afternoon, thanks in large part to constant goading from Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin and in a small amount to a hater on Twitter who got too personal.

Though the Filipinos bowed to Iran, 65-74, Intal came up with his best game in the tournament, making 4-of-5 from the field with the last of his two triples putting the Filipinos within four with under four minutes remaining.

READ: Gilas Pilipinas falls to Iran in Jones Cup 2015

Coming off a series of bad games that got that hater to curse him on cyberspace, Intal got the encouragement from Baldwin to keep on shooting and responded in kind.

“I usually don’t pay attention to bashers,” Intal said. “Pero pag-PI na, ibang usapan na yun. Dinamay pa nya nanay ko, eh. Ok lang na murahin mo ako ng gago o tarantado, pero pag PI na, masyado na masama.”

The basher questioned his heart in his tweet after Intal played erratically in a 75-60 win over Japan.

READ: Gilas stint a dream come true for veteran Intal, rookie Rosser

Intal actually responded to the “PI” curse of the guy with a “PI” of his own, which the Inquirer saw on Wednesday night.

“I deleted it already, that reply. I had to also control myself,” he said.

After going 2-for-2 from three-point range and playing well on both ends against the tournament favorites, Intal swore that he has the heart to be here and that it will not take another tweet like that again to get going.

“I’m a newcomer here (to the national team),” he said. “I’m learning as we’re going along.”