Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Jimmy Alapag is now tied in fifth in the all-time assist leaders but the team player that he is, the Meralco guard would gladly trade his milestone for something that would benefit his struggling team.
Alapag recorded his 3256th assist to tie Willie Generalao in the list Thursday night, but with the Bolts losing another close one, an 88-86 decision, to the Alaska Aces, the 2011 PBA MVP would rather celebrate a win — something that he has only done once through nine games.
“Could I trade that for like five or six wins right now? Cause I sure would,” Alapag said upon being told by reporters of his achievement.
“It’s always a huge honor anytime you can be in the record books especially if you look at the history of our league and really all the great players who had come before myself and really set the standard for the league,” he added. In that respect, it’s always an honor to be mentioned with some of the other top guards in our league.”
Alapag, though, would appreciate his personal accomplishment more had Meralco won, especially with the Bolts trying to stay alive for a playoff spot.
“But at the same time, it’s tough. I’ll feel better about it once we start putting in some wins together. Pretty tough right now.”
After its setback to Alaska, Meralco has now lost five games by three points or less. The Bolts are also in a three-game slide, losing those games by only five points combined, after their breakthrough win over the Star Hotshots nearly a couple of weeks ago.
With only two games left in the elimination round against teams currently in the upper half of the standings in GlobalPort on Wednesday and Rain or Shine the week after, Alapag vows Meralco would still be able to turn its fortunes around despite having little time left.
“We’ve been on a lot of close games and it’s just unfortunate that we’ve been on the losing end on almost all of them, but we’ll figure it out, that’s a promise.”