Phoenix defense gets in the way of Mike DiGregorio’s shooting

ANTIPOLO CITY–Mike DiGregorio went from shooting the lights out on Wednesday to shooting blanks on Friday.

The Phoenix defense got in the way somehow.

Blackwater’s shifty guard was a nonfactor in the Elite’s 114-95 losing stand against the league-leading Phoenix in the PBA Philippine Cup at Ynares Center here.

After having an unconscious night against Rain or Shine where he fired 27 points—including seven hits from long range—DiGregorio was held to just five against the Fuel Masters. He was unable to convert any of his tries from downtown.

“I’m sure I was,” said DiGregorio when asked if he felt like a marked man during the match. “Almost every game, I play. They know the scouting report. They watch the previous games and stuff.”

But for what it’s worth, the 27-year-old Filipino-Italian said he is not one who cries over spilled milk.

“I never lose confidence in myself. There were a lot of shots that rolled in and out and hung on the ring a little bit and then fell out. I think every shot I take is going to go in so it’s not going to derail me from the confidence I have and the work I put in,” he said.

“If I miss five, six or seven in a row, I think the eighth and ninth are going in,” DiGregorio said. “It’s not going to stop me.”

DiGregorio is optimistic that he—along with his team—will be able to script a turnaround.

“All you can do from these games is learn from it: Watch film and see what you can do better,” he said.

“It is what it is. You can’t change the past. We have been 0-3 before and made the playoffs. So, it’s a long conference. The confidence, like I said with the shooting—it doesn’t waver. You can’t get too high or too low,” DiGregorio added.

“Wednesday’s game was an extreme high, and this one’s an extreme low. Staying level-headed and just watching the film and see what we can correct before getting back to work,” he said.