Getting everybody else involved is the main objective of Barangay Ginebra the next time out after its one-man army proved insufficient in repeating against Meralco in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup semifinals on Sunday.
Christian Standhardinger strapped the Kings on his back with 41 points and 11 rebounds to try and carry them to victory.
But his heroics played into the Bolts’ game plan, which worked into perfection and enabled them to even the series at 1-1.
“Their game plan was obvious: Put the ball in Christian’s hands and make him beat us from the line,” head coach Tim Cone told reporters moments after their 103-91 Game 2 defeat at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Per league stats chief Fidel Mangonon, Standhardinger not only reset his career-high in points – he also scored the most points by a Ginebra local since Mark Caguioa had 45 versus Air21 in the 2006 all-Filipino wars.
The two-time BPC, furthermore, is only the fourth Ginebra local in the last 32 years with a 40-point game after Caguioa, Pido Jarencio, and Vince Hizon.
(C) PBA Images
Too bad that such an exceptional performance went down the drain, as no other Kings were able to help him out due to Meralco’s defense.
The best-of-7 opener just last Friday saw a total of five players finish in double figures in their victory. Tonight, only Maverick Ahanmisi and Stanley Pringle finished in twin digits with 14 and 13 markers, respectively.
“He kept us going, kept us in,” said Cone of Standhardinger, who helped Ginebra erase a 17-point, third-quarter deficit and taste a 74-71 lead just before the period ended. “But they did a good job shutting everybody else down.
“We need to get contributions from everybody. We didn’t get that tonight. We gotta get contributions from everybody,” added the champion bench tactician.
“They (Meralco) came out with a game plan and executed it.”
And so, the next two days would be crucial in mapping out a better scheme to make sure that no one-man show would take place again in Game 3 on Wednesday in Dasmarinas, Cavite,
“That’s why it’s a series. It’s 1-1. After that we’ll see,” said Cone.
“We’ll see what goes on on Wednesday.”
