Questions and eyebrows were raised on Sunday night, when Arwind Santos launched a bomb from way beyond the arc late in Game Five of the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Some doubted Santos’ decision of making that shot with the circumstances in front of him: he pulled the trigger with nine ticks left, enough time for San Miguel to orchestrate a scheme as they were looking to tie the game at 86-all.
The Beermen eventually lost, 83-87, and the series is now in favor of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
“May mga time kasi na siyempre ang tagal natin ‘di nakakahawak ng bola, so sa isang player gusto mo i-shoot kaagad kasi open ka. ‘Di mo na namamalayan yung mga ganung bagay,” said Santos, who went 0-for-10 from the floor.
“Pero ‘di naman natin mapapalitan yung pangyayari,” added the former league Most Valuable Player, who finished with two points and six rebounds in the 23 minutes and 28 seconds he played.
“Bawi na lang kami next game.”
San Miguel are now in a precarious spot as they are down 2-3 in the series – one wrong move, and their reign as the mid-season joust’s kings will come to an end. But Santos remains positive, as they know how to overcome adversities.
“‘Di pa naman tapos, ‘di ba? Sabi nga ng bawat isa sa amin, yung 0-3 nga naka-survive kami, eto pang isang panalo lang,” said the seven-time champion, recalling their Beeracle run in the 2016 Philippine Cup Finals versus the Alaska Axes.
“Pero ‘di namin kailangan madaliin. Sana… Dahil sa nasaktan kami sa talo na ‘to, dapat wake-up call sa’min ‘to na makabawi kami sa Game Six.”
