Magsanoc still high on PBA D-League title chances of depleted Hapee

Ronnie Magsanoc. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Flubbing its chance of closing out the Finals series, Hapee coach Ronnie Magsanoc saw his team’s 76-70 Game 2 defeat to CafeFrance as an obvious lack of effort.

“They outworked us. They outplayed us,” he said.

It also didn’t help that the Bakers got their rhythm early and bullied the undermanned Fresh Fighters squad from the get-go.

“In the end, we’re not able to have a good start,” said Magsanoc, who didn’t field in Ola Adeogun in Game 2 due to a hamstring injury.

CafeFrance went off to the races in Game 2, establishing an 18-point barrier, 43-25 before Hapee chipped away at the deficit in the second half.

Still, Magsanoc offered no excuses even after his team had a horrible 23-of-36 shooting from the charity stripe.

“It boiled down to us not making free throws,” he said. “I thought CafeFrance did a very good game plan in terms of adjustments.”

“We gave it our all. We just fell short.”

But bad news looms on Hapee, as key cogs, namely Adeogun, Baser Amer (shoulder), and Art dela Cruz (knee) are still listed day-to-day and are all uncertain for Game 3 on Thursday.

The coach, though, is still hopeful for Hapee’s fate in the 2015 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals.

“We just have to hold on to each other, keep the faith, and let’s see,” said Magsanoc. “We still have one shot on Thursday. We have to make the necessary adjustments and let’s see if who from our players can play.” CFC