The Meralco Bolts’ magical run in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals came to an end on Saturday.
After turning their fortunes around in the season-ending conference by overcoming a sluggish 1-6 start, Meralco bowed to Mike Harris and the Alaska Aces, 92-99, in Game Four of their best-of-five semifinal series.
Saturday night’s heartbreaker not only wasted the Orangemen’s superb run in the penultimate phase of the tourney. It also razed the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise’s bid for their third straight Finals appearance.
“Of course, nakakapang-hinayang,” rued top guard Baser Amer, who had 10 markers in the loss.
For the Bolts’ rising star, the defeat is more disappointing because they failed yet again to help two-time defending Best Import Allen Durham bag his first-ever PBA championship.
“Si AD talaga, kaya siya lagi nasa team kasi gusto niyo i-prove na makuha namun yung first championship ng Meralco,” said Amer.
“Sayang.”
But even with the unwanted end to their conference, the San Beda legend is sticking to the positive side of things. For him, the mere fact that they made it as far as the semis is already an achievement in itself.
“Sayang. Pero yung nagawa namin na nag-start kami ng 1-6 tapos napunta kami sa semis, sobrang blessed kami. Marami kaming napasayang fans … kasi hindi namin talaga inakala na dadating kami dito sa semis e,” the 26-year-old expressed.
“Kasi nagsimula kami sa 1-6 tapos may apat na games kami. Yun nga, kahit nasa baba ka, ‘pag may natitira pang games, kailangan hindi ka talaga gumive up. As long as may games pa, kailangan look to win palagi.”
