PBA: Jeffers holding head up high despite tough loss to Alaska

Ginebra import Othyus Jeffers. PBA IMAGES

Barangay Ginebra import Othyus Jeffers came out of the losing dugout with a smile on his face as he met reporters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tunnel.

Ginebra lost to Alaska but it was a game Jeffers felt the Gin Kings still won no matter the result.

Jeffers scored 21 points but needed 25 shots and missed 18 of them, but the only numbers that mattered to him was the final score.

That despite having his worst shooting performance this conference, Ginebra pushed a legitimate championship contender to its limit and lost by only six points.

“We’re not holding our heads down. That was a great game for us as far as our confidence because that team went to the finals three of the last four conferences and we lost by six points,” said Jeffers.

“I tip my hat to Alaska. That team proved why they’ve been to the finals, why they’re a contender every conference. Even though we lost, I feel good about it because it showed us what we have to do to get to the finals. We have to knock them off to get to the finals, we got to knock them off to win a championship. Either way, however you wanna look at it, I feel very confident where we were at the end of this game.”

Jeffers owned up to his poor offensive showing especially in the first half where he was held to only two points and it wasn’t until the 7:53 mark of the third quarter when he made his first field goal.

“The import of Ginebra missed key shots, key turnovers, key passes, key rebounds and it cost us the game,” Jeffers said as if he was taking responsibility for the Kings’ third defeat in six games.

“We missed some shots we normally make. Joe missed a wide open three he normally makes. Scottie missed layups he normally makes. I missed shots, after shots, after shots that I normally make and that’s basketball. We got five more games to go and I’m getting in a good place and wherever we’re going to be teams need to look out.”