Like splitting with a GF: Coach tells Star to move on from Game 3 heartbreak | ABS-CBN

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Like splitting with a GF: Coach tells Star to move on from Game 3 heartbreak

Like splitting with a GF: Coach tells Star to move on from Game 3 heartbreak

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

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Star head coach Chito Victolero (R) compares their Game 3 loss to a break-up. Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports

MANILA, Philippines – The Star Hotshots have suffered some truly painful breaks in their past two games against San Miguel Beer in the semifinals of the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup.

In Game 2, they saw Paul Lee's potential go-ahead floater misfire in their final possession. In Game 3, they led 110-108 with 13 seconds left, forced Chris Ross into a tough runner, only for SMB import Charles Rhodes to get the offensive rebound, and for Marcio Lassiter to drain the step-back, banked in triple for the win.

"Parang sinwerte sila sa bola," said Star coach Chito Victolero of the Beermen in the wake of their gutting 110-111 loss on Wednesday at the Big Dome.

"I think para sa kanila 'yun. Siguro, hindi naman papasok 'yun kung 'di para sa kanila. Andoon 'yung depensa, andoon lahat – ultimo challenge ni Justin (Melton), andoon," he added.

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"Kaso, pumasok pa rin. So para sa San Miguel talaga."

[They were lucky. But I think this game is really for them. That shot wouldn't have gone in if the game wasn't for them. We defended it very well, Justin challenged the shot very well, but it still went in. So this game is really for them.]

Victolero insists they are keeping a positive mindset despite being down 1-2 in the best-of-five semifinals series. He wants his players to have a sense of urgency for Friday's Game 4, of course, but believes that they can make the adjustments needed in order to claw their way back.

Yet the Star coach also acknowledges that frustration is creeping in for himself and the team after they found themselves on the losing end of the breaks in their past two games.

"Of course, 'di pwedeng 'di ka ma-frustrate doon, kahit papaano [you can't help but be frustrated]," he admitted.

Victolero noted that in Game 1, the breaks of the game went their way: Aldrech Ramos knocked down a dagger triple with 12 seconds left to fend off the Beermen's furious fourth quarter rally. For the past two games, however, the basketball gods have not been on their side.

What happened in Game 3 was doubly frustrating, as Star import Ricardo Ratliffe already gave them the lead, and the Hotshots just needed one more stop.

"Kumbaga, nasa amin na 'yung game eh," said Victolero. "Kaya lang, dahil doon sa last shot, nakuha nila."

"But we cannot dwell on that," the coach added emphatically. "Kailangan naming mag-move forward, mag-move on."

[The game was already in hand, but they stole it with that last shot. But we cannot dwell on that. We need to move forward and move on.]

Their Game 3 loss, Victolero said, is comparable to a break-up with one's girlfriend.

"Kumbaga, parang na-break ako ng girlfriend ko. Nasaktan ako, so kailangan naming mag-move forward, 'di ba?" he said. "Hindi pwedeng 'yung experience na 'to, laging nasa minds namin."

[It's as if my girlfriend broke up with me. I'm hurt, but I still need to move forward, right? We can't always keep this experience on our minds.]

Instead of dwelling on the what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, Victolero said they should channel their energies into Thursday's practice instead, and then on Friday's do-or-die game.

"I know mahirap kalimutan, pero kailangan naming gawin," he said.

"We need to have a better effort siguro," Victolero also said. "'Yung effort namin, okay na eh, kaya lang kulang eh. Talo pa rin kami. Siguro, kailangan naming mag-step up sa effort namin."

[I know it's hard to forget, but we should forget this. And we need to have a better effort. Our effort today was okay, but we still lost. So we need to step up in terms of our effort.]

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

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