Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Mahindra coach Chris Gavina blasted his players after a “disappointing” loss to San Miguel Beer sent the Floodbuster to their sixth loss in seven games.
Gavina felt his players failed to put the team in a position to win resulting in a 109-80 rout to the Beermen, who led by as much as 34 points.
“It was disappointing considering we had three of our most efficient practices in a few weeks. Coming off a tight battle with Talk ‘N Text, we come out here with deer-in-headlights look again. The level of consistency we show as a group is just lacking,” said Gavina, referring to an 89-84 loss on April 9.
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Mahindra played minus one of its key players in Alex Mallari, who was dealing with back spasms, but Gavina said it was not an excuse for his team to put up a listless performance.
“We go 0-for-16 from three in the first half and we don’t adjust. Yes, we didn’t have Alex in game, so that means guys got be willing enough to have a next-man-up mentality and take on some of that responsibility that he left,” he said.
“I told the guys, ‘What are you going to wait for? This is your opportunity. You’re being given the opportunity at the highest level of basketball in the Philippines, and are you going to wait ‘til we’re going to look for somebody else?’” he added. “Too many of our guys think that, ‘I need to get stats right now. I can’t play my role. I can’t run the offense. If I don’t score, I won’t stay on the court.’”
READ: Mallari takes blame for Mahindra loss to TNT
Gavina questioned his players’ will to win which to him, was nonexistent since the opening tip.
“It goes to tell you that if you don’t give any kind of fire from the onset, then you show that kind of response to adversity, then you don’t belong in this league. It’s a man’s league and you got to man up.”
Mahindra scored the first points of the game, but it was all San Miguel from there. The Floodbuster trailed by 16 at the end of the first quarter, 24 by halftime, and faced a 27-point hole after three quarters.
Manny Pacquiao, who was listed as Mahindra’s playing-head coach, showed up for the first time since suiting up against Rain or Shine in the Governors’ Cup last season.
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But not even Pacquiao’s presence could get the Floodbuster out of their slump.
“He (Pacquiao) was really stressing on the guys to attack the basket because we keep shooting threes when we’re 0-of-16 so at some point as a player I have to do something else if Im not hitting jump shots,” Gavina pointed out. “You gotta figure that out. We’re telling them go to the basket and look for opportunities to drive and kick and get to the foul line.”
“Like I keep telling our guys, me as a coach, I win practices but players win games. I’m not on the court. It’s up to them. When they’re on the court, they have to execute the game plan or hit big shots but we didn’t do that tonight.”
Pacquiao didn’t speak with the media as he left right away as the final buzzer sounded, but Gavina believed the senator and boxing superstar’s quick exit was a sign of disappointment over the team’s play.
“I’d say so. Who wouldn’t be disappointed after this performance? We didn’t even give ourselves a fighting chance tonight. If we go out like this again on Sunday, the results might be ugly. I hope these guys are challenged. I’m not the giving up type and i’ll play with six guys if I have to as long as they show me they’re willing to fight.”