Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Good things come to those who least expect it, and Star guard Jio Jalalon, who played relentless defense all game long, never imagined that he would drill the biggest shot of the night.
The rookie guard caught a pass from import Tony Mitchell and faked Garvo Lanete before draining a baseline 15-footer at the buzzer to lift the Hotshots past NLEX, 105-103 on Friday.
“I never thought about it. Kuya Paul (Lee) is our go-to-guy so when it comes to our last shot, he’s always the guy,” he said in Filipino.
READ: Jalalon buzzer beater lifts Star past NLEX
Tonight, however, wasn’t Lee’s time to shine as Jalalon turned in an all-around game of 16 points, six boards, four assists, and four steals.
“I saw the clock and I just took the shot it. I was just lucky,” he said of the game-winner.
His buzzer beater may be the one that will remembered, but Jalalon’s imprint on the defensive end for the Hotshots as he terrorized the Road Warriors backcourt with his tireless effort was also unforgettable.
Star also buckled down on defense which allowed it to recover after squandering its 21-point lead to NLEX’s 40-point third quarter blast.
“We relaxed and coach got mad at us. We knew we had to work hard on defense and that’s what we did,” he said. “Personally, I did the same. I just focused on my defense and that’s where I got my strength. That’s really our best friend, our defense.”
As the Hotshots’ preserved their immaculate 3-0 record, the Cagayan de Oro native is happy with the way the team has been playing so far this 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
But he knows that Star is still far from its goal.
“This is a good start for us and it helps us boost our confidence, but there’s still mistakes that we need to correct. We have to learn from this so we can sustain this run,” said Jalalon.