PBA D-League MVP Mike Tolomia. PBA IMAGES
Mike Tolomia almost had the perfect scenario.
After winning the Conference Most Valuable Player award on Tuesday, a championship would have capped off an amazing year for the 23-year-old.
But that was not meant to be, as Tanduay stunned Phoenix and scored an 89-75 Game 2 victory to force a winner-take-all in the 2016 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals.
“Masaya ako na nakuha ko yung award. Pero medyo may halong panghihinayang kasi di namin nakuha yung Game 2. Perfect sana kung nakuha namin,” he said.
Tolomia only had eight points on a paltry 2-of-10 shooting from the field in the defeat that went with five assists while also committing two turnovers.
But there’s a reason for the 6-foot-1 guard’s bad night as Tolomia said he has been playing under the weather since Monday.
“Di ako dapat maglalaro ngayon kasi masama ang pakiramdam ko. Kagabi pa hirap ako matulog kasi barado ang ilong ko at tinatrangkaso din. Pero syempre, Finals na kaya di ko dapat iwanan ang mga kasama ko,” he said.
Tolomia expressed doubts of him being 100-percent for the do-or-die affair with the one day break not giving him much leeway.
“Di ko masabi eh kasi one day lang ang preparation. Kung one week sana, mas sigurado ako na magiging ok ako. Hopefully, maging ok din,” he said.
But regardless of his condition, Tolomia said that he will do his best to play for the final game of the season.
“Maglalaro ako kahit may sakit ako. Kung masama pa rin ang pakiramdam ko, kahit limited minutes to support my teammates, gagawin ko,” he said.
Game 3 is on Thursday, still at Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.