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JK Casiño said he had no hidden agenda when Go for Gold clashed with his old team Centro Escolar University in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup on Thursday.
“Every game, I always come in with a good mindset and motivation,” he said.
The 24-year-old guard spearheaded the rally and made the crucial shots in the final minute of regulation, first drilling the right corner three to knot the score at 82 with 50.3 seconds remaining, before scoring on a gutsy drive over Rod Ebondo with 5.1 ticks to spare to tie the duel anew at 84.
Those heroics paved the way for the Scratchers’ huge 91-89 overtime upset of the Scorpions.
Casiño finished with 15 points, four assists, and two rebounds before fouling out with 3:22 remaining in the extra period, but t his teammates picked up the slack for Go for Gold en route to its third victory in six outings.
But the 5-foot-10 playmaker reiterated that he had no axe to grind on CEU, where he made a name for himself before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft.
“It helps that I know how the team and the players operate because I’ve played with them for almost five years,” he said after thoroughly outplaying the Scorpions’ backcourt combo of Orlan Wamar and Keanu Caballero.
Casiño shrugged his stellar performance off as nothing but happenstance as he had his best showing to date in a Scratchers uniform.
“It’s just coincidence that I played well against CEU, but it’s not like I feel extra motivated that I have to prove something to my former team,” he said.
But Casiño hopes that it won’t be the last as Go for Gold seeks to move up the standings, starting next Thursday against Batangas-EAC.
“I hope I can have more good games like this,” he said.