Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Emotions are expected to run high when San Miguel and TNT clash in the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
And one man who guaranteed such is Beermen import Charles Rhodes.
The mercurial reinforcement shared that fans should expect a feisty battle in a high-stakes battle like this the Finals.
“I’m a competitor. I play hard every time out there. I’m pissed off if I miss a shot, I’m pissed off if somebody score, and I’m pissed off when (Star import Ricardo) Ratliffe got 35 rebounds. So my emotions doesn’t come until the end, when it’s all said and done,” he said.
But there’s more to that for Rhodes, who, despite a nine-year professional career in the international circuit, will be playing on his first championship tiff.
“I’ve been in five semifinals, so I know what it feels like. I know what the pain is, not to get the promised land, so that’s why it was so emotional for me,” he said.
Rhodes also vowed to leave everything on the line, especially with his family in attendance for the series and to celebrate his 32nd birthday on Game 3 on June 25.
“If I win it, it’s gonna be more emotional for me. I’m flying in my wife and I’m flying my mother, who has never seen me play overseas. So everything is going to be very, very emotional for me, and I want my mom to be here to witness that,” he said.
Rhodes, however, acknowledges the tough challenge TNT poses. After all, the KaTropa is only one of the three teams which dealt San Miguel a rare loss this conference, a 112-103 setback last May 5. That’s why the Galveston, Texas native is more motivated than ever to avenge that eliminations defeat.
“TNT is a great team all around. They have four good big men and coach Nash (Racela) does a great job,” he said. “But I think we want the championship so bad. That’s all we’re thinking about right now. I think it will be a good Finals.”