For Alaska's Harris, PBA Best Import award is for 'most valuable people' | ABS-CBN

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For Alaska's Harris, PBA Best Import award is for 'most valuable people'

For Alaska's Harris, PBA Best Import award is for 'most valuable people'

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

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Alaska's Mike Harris battles for position in Game 4. Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports

MANILA, Philippines -- Alaska import Mike Harris gave full credit to his teammates after earning Best Import honors in the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup, which saw him put up monster numbers to lead the Aces to the finals.

Harris was dominant all conference long for Alaska, averaging 29.8 points and 21.7 rebounds. After a slow start in the finals against the Magnolia Hotshots, he has come alive in the past two games, and powered the Aces to back-to-back victories.

On Wednesday, after receiving the Best Import trophy, he put up 34 points in Alaska's 90-76 triumph that tied the best-of-7 series at one game apiece.

"The game is what matters to me the most," Harris said afterward.

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"The Best Import award, I told them it's the Most Valuable People, because it's not me. I can't do that without those other 17 guys in there," he added.

Harris beat a host of strong imports for the honor: Magnolia's Romeo Travis, already a former Best Import winner; Meralco's Allen Durham, who won the award for the past two seasons; and Ginebra's Justin Brownlee, who just won the trophy in the Commissioner's Cup and had led the Gin Kings to back-to-back titles in the Governors' Cup.

For Harris, it meant a lot to be mentioned in the company of those players.

"But the award is a testament to my teammates," he again stressed. "I can't do it by myself."

"I can't get the rebound and push it up and shoot the ball every time. So it's them understanding my game and the way I play and putting me in the right situations to succeed, and trusting in me," said Harris.

The import said their win in Game 4 underscored the importance of his teammates, in particular, their little-used bench players. Harris noted that guys like Carl Bryan Cruz and Abel Galliguez -- who barely played in the elimination round -- have stepped up in the finals.

"It's just a true testament to how hard they work every single practice. Staying after, working on their game," said Harris. "Like Bryan Cruz, he stepped in this series, and he's been valuable."

"And then putting Jake (Pascual) in the starting line-up with his ferocious defense. I gotta play against that in practice every day. So I know how good of a defender he is," he added.

"So, you can't win this just with the starters," Harris stressed. "And our bench has really stepped up. I'm beyond impressed with those guys and how they've played in this series so far."

He expects his teammates to shine anew on Friday, when they take on Magnolia in a crucial Game 5 that may just be the turning point of the series.

"Both teams are pressing in the finals," Harris said. "I've never seen that anywhere, I've never picked up people full court, and these guys do it every game."

"It's a true testament to how hard they work, and how loyal they are to Alaska basketball, trusting the system and not backing down after getting hit, punched and kicked," he added. "I love my guys, and I'm grateful to be here, wouldn't choose another group of 17 guys to be with."

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

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