Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Rashawn McCarthy believes Kia’s unconventional approach is bound to deliver wins on the court.
The new recruit even went as far as assuring a win by the Picanto this 2018 PBA Philippine Cup.
“I wasn’t part of that Kia team (last conference), but they didn’t finish with a victory. We’re gonna get a victory this conference, for sure,” he guaranteed.
Kia came close to getting that elusive win on Wednesday when it almost caught NLEX off guard before taking a 119-115 loss.
McCarthy, however, sees the game as a statement of sorts for the Picanto, showing everyone that ragtag as the team may be, they are still capable of pulling off surprises against their favored foes.
“We got a lot of guys that have a lot of heart so I expect us to come out and fight every night,” he said. “I don’t expect us to just roll over and give other teams easy victories. I think we showed we lot of heart and showed we wanted the victory. We fell short but we fought hard.”
Playing significant minutes this time, the 28-year-old McCarthy impressed with 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, proving that he could thrive in a situation outside the shadows of his former San Miguel teammates like Chris Ross, Alex Cabagnot, and Marcio Lassiter.
But the Westbury, New York, native shared that the season he spent with the Beermen was helpful in making him the player that he is now, with him banking on those lessons as he takes on a bigger role at Kia.
“Those are my guys, I learned a lot from Chris, Alex, Marcio, and all the guys who have helped me there. So I’m just trying to take some of the things I learned from those guys and bring it over here: just play hard, next play mentality, and just continue to work hard,” he said as he expects to perform better in the coming games as a key contributor for the Picanto this conference.
“It feels good to get out on the court and play. I feel like I need to get my conditioning in because I haven’t played that many minutes, but it’s a work in progress. I felt good though.”