Marc Pingris was straightforward in expressing he felt about import Kristofer Acox, following the Star Hotshots’ sweep to the Meralco Bolts in the 2017 Governor’s Cup semifinals, Thursday night.
And the 35-year-old is visibly disappointed with the way the Icelandic reinforcement played in the semis.
“Sana naisip niyang import siya,” said the 11-year veteran of the 23-year-old 6-foot-5 forward, who only produced four points and nine rebounds in the Hotshots’ 88-91 overtime loss at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Safe to say, the semifinals exposed Acox.
After averaging 17.0 points and 14.3 rebounds in the three games he played in the eliminations, he was visibly lost in the semifinals, 6.67 points on 31.03 percent shooting to go along with 12.33 rebounds.
“‘Di siya makapag-laro nang maayos kahit anong pilit namin,” rued Pingris.
Acox came in late in the elims as a replacement for Malcolm Hill. But for Pingris, their semis run could have been different had Star stuck with the 21-year-old guard-forward, a fresh graduate out of the University of Illinois.
“Ibang storya talaga kapag si Malcolm Hill yung nandito.
“Si Ranidel [De Ocampo] kasi, nailalabas niya [yung mga big men namin]. So kung si Malcolm, mailalabas din namin yung three nila or yung big man nila,” Pingris opined.
Still, the loss has already been stamped. Their season had been put to an end. And for Pingris, one of the team’s unquestioned leaders, all the Hotshots have to do now is to rest and work on some things for the next season.
“‘Di pa kami ganoon ka-hinog,” he said. “Yung chemistry namin, ‘di pa ganoon ka-hinog. Kailangan talaga namin i-work yun.
“Kailangan yung samahan, solid pa rin kahit sa labas [ng court]. Doon talaga maaamoy ang isa’t-isa eh.”
