After a lengthy six-game absence due to plantar fasciitis in his foot, gunslinging point guard Alex Cabagnot finally made his return to the San Miguel Beermen’s rotation, Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
But Cabagnot did not have the welcome he had wished, as he and the defending champions bowed to Beau Belga and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 80-95. Regardless, the 35-year-old felt satisfied with his comeback.
“It felt good,” said Cabagnot, who finished as the Beermen’s third-best scorer with 13 points on 44 percent shooting in 30 minutes. “It’s my first time back.
“Probably timing is a little bit off, pero overall it was okay.”
During his absence, the reigning Philippine Cup champions absorbed some losses, particularly at the hands of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Blackwater Elite. Cabagnot, however, doesn’t think that his being on the sidelines was a huge blow, as his teammates like Brian Heruela, Chico Lanete, Von Pessumal, and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser were able to shine.
“We had some guys who stepped up. Ganun naman. I was gone for six games, but we went 4-2. That’s a good record to have in a six-game stretch for any team,” said Cabagnot, who normed 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds before sitting out.
“That just shows our character, and it’s a paradigm of sorts on how we are as a team.”
Moreover, Cabagnot stressed that it would really mean a lot for them, especially now that the Beermen will be heading into the playoffs with, of course, their sights set on extending their reign.
“That would help immensely, going through one month of games,” said the 13-year league veteran.
“Through the tail-end of the conference, we need everybody engaged physically and mentally for the common goal.”
Cabagnot’s return is obviously a big boost to their aims of becoming champions for the fourth time. He himself prefers not to think that way, saying that his only focus is for the Beermen to accomplish their goal.
“We see our success to the prism of our own eyes as individuals and as a team,” the six-time champion expressed.
“I don’t know if that’s what the fans and everybody wants, but we hope we can put out a good product that everybody wants to have for us.”
