Nash Racela sat on pins and needles practically the whole of last night’s game but got the best of two worlds in the end.
Though far from being satisfied at how TNT KaTropa scraped its way past Mahindra to snap a two-game losing streak in the PBA Philippine Cup, the way Racela saw his Texters gut out a 104-92 decision gave him all the reasons to look at better things ahead for the rest of the season-opening conference.
“I am not so satisfied basing it on this game,” Racela said after six players tossed in twin digits led by Troy Rosario’s 18. “But (in this game) I saw my players really finding ways to play together and deliver a positive outcome for us.
“I know that it’s a tough process,” he said of the change back to the gung-ho, collegiate style of play he wants to instill in a team loaded with veteran superstars and multimillionaires. “I’m just hoping that we’re moving toward the right direction.”
Mahindra played with command most of the game, only for the Texters to dig deep in the final two periods and outscore the Floodbusters, 53-35, with Rosario hitting 15 of his total, rookie RR Pogoy half of his 16 and Larry Fonacier and Ryan Reyes combining for 11 in the fourth.
The win was the fifth in nine games for the Texters, who can still have a shot at No. 2 with a sweep of their last two assignments while hoping that no other team wins more than seven games in a multiple tie.
Racela feels that winning their last two outings, which would be against GlobalPort and rock-solid defending champion San Miguel Beer, is achievable, provided that everyone is on the same page.
“It will take a lot of sacrifice, especially on the part of the veterans,” Racela said of the new system, where he has the likes of Jason Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Larry Fonacier and former MVP Kelly Williams coming off the bench and playing far shorter minutes than they’re used to.
“They’re used to (playing) longer minutes, and it’s not the case anymore,” he said. “The earlier they accept that reality, we can keep moving forward.”
In the second game, Phoenix thwarted NLEX, 102-91, to notch its fifth victory in nine games, but coach Ariel Vanguardia remained guarded about his team’s chances.
“There’s nothing to celebrate yet,” Vanguardia told reporters after the game. “All the other teams at 5-4 beat us.”
NLEX dropped to 2-7.
SBP-Indonesia Fiba bid
Meanwhile, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio announced that the Philippines will join hands with Indonesia in bidding for the 2023 World Cup.
“The SBP/Philippines is very excited to be the lead country for the 2023 Fiba World Cup bid together with Indonesia,” said Panlilio in a text message.
“This planned partnership between the Philippines and Indonesia, with a total population base of about 360 million people, can be regarded as a significant development for Asean basketball and in global initiatives of Fiba to popularize the sport in different parts of the world.”
The Philippines lost the bid to host the 2019 edition to China two years ago in one of the closest deliberations in history.
China got the nod after it dangled eight of its highly-developed cities and its highly-advanced infrastructure and transportation system.