PBA Finals: Tough buzzer-beater loss lights fire under San Miguel

San Miguel Beermen tie series with bounce back win in Game 2. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria believes his players came out with a chip on their shoulders after bouncing back from a heartbreaking loss to tie the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup Finals at one game apiece.

The Beermen drew level following a 109-100 on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, three days after falling short in Game 1 when the Tropang Giga won on Jayson Castro’s buzzer-beating shot.

Castro’s jumper that gave TNT an 86-84 win didn’t come without controversy as fans spent the next three days debating on whether the game-winner should count, even after the PBA said it made the right call based on its review.

Despite some feeling that they were put on the short end of the stick, the Beermen opted to move on in the lead-up to Game 2.

“The [technical] committee decided so we respect [their decision] dahil ganoon naman ako, wala kayong maririnig sa amin because that’s the name of the game. We have to follow what the rule is,” Austria said.

(The technical committee decided so we respect their decision. We have to follow what the rule is because that’s the name of the game.)

“And maybe because of the incident, yung pride ng players nagising and they worked so hard. And I’m happy for them because lahat sila nakafocus,” added the Beermen tactician.

(The loss may have served as a wake-up call for the players because their pride got hurt. And I’m happy for them because they were very focused and they worked so hard.)

The close-shaved setback may have also served as a battling cry for San Miguel, which leaned on a crucial run ending the third and early in the fourth with Vic Manuel leading the charge.

“I was very motivated to perform well because it hurts to lose on a buzzer-beater,” Manuel, who scored 20 points, said in Filipino.