Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Devance continues to be Ginebra’s iron man


Three nights ago, Joe Devance was a no-show for the Barangay Ginebra in their match against the Blackwater Elite in Biñan, Laguna. The 6-foot-7 forward, as it turned out, was having health issues — a throat infection to be exact.

“I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t swallow. I was basically just in the hospital, laying there,” recalled Devance. “I was in the hospital for four days. I didn’t practice one time this whole week, so I didn’t know how I was going to play [Sunday].

“I didn’t know how my wind was going to be.”

But despite those doubts, the versatile 35-year-old forward decided to suited up for the Gin Kings on Sunday night against the Meralco Bolts. And he made up for his absence last Friday, much to the joy of the Barangay.

Devance made it known he had returned, sinking a tough lay-up off a broken play with 41 ticks to go to highlight Ginebra’s 6-0 burst that sent them up 90-86 with 30 seconds left to play, a lead they held on to en route to their 90-89 triumph.

“We could’ve done more on the boards… We lost the game on an offensive rebound by Devance,” admitted Meralco head coach Norman Black, pointing out that it was Devance’s bucket that turned the game around.

“Those are breaks of the game.”

But the nine-year veteran doesn’t want the limelight only on him. The Fil-American gave a lot of credit to teammate Japeth Aguilar, who was the one who tipped LA Tenorio’s missed trey his way, which led to the big bucket.

#ReadMore  No worries for Baser Amer despite hurting ankle

“Japeth [Aguilar] got the tip. He looked at me — he knew he’s [going to] tip it to me, and everything happened so fast. I made the shot, but it was really Jap’s play,” iterated Devance, who finished with six markers, six caroms, and six dimes.

“He was the one who attacked the offensive glass and he was able to tip it to me.”

After Sunday’s exhilarating win, the Barangay have zeroed in on a top two finish for the conference playoffs. With that, Devance hopes for nothing but the best for his side, as they aim to make a deep run.

“Hopefully we’re hitting our stride. We grew in this conference,” said the seven-time champion. “But I’m hoping we haven’t hit our stride — yet. That’s what I’m hoping. Because in the past, we kind of struggle in the eliminations.

“Then when playoffs come, that’s when we were hitting our stride.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

Stephen Holt refuses to take all the credit despite his major role in pulling off the most important stop of the night that ultimately...

Basketball

Scottie Thompson owned up to his mistake that nearly cost Ginebra the win over TNT in Game 2 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s...

Basketball

RJ Abarrientos vows to be better after learning another lesson the hard way late in Barangay Ginebra’s eventual victory over TNT in a tightly...

Basketball

Ginebra pulled all the necessary stops in the endgame to hack out the pulsating 71-70 decision and even things out with TNT in the...

Basketball

Apparently, the past week wasn’t enough for Troy Rosario to heal. The veteran bruiser turned in subpar numbers in Ginebra’s loss to TNT in...

Basketball

It may no longer be just about making the necessary adjustments for head coach Tim Cone and the rest of Barangay Ginebra after losing...

Basketball

TNT leaned on its hot shooting from beyond the arc early to beat Barangay Ginebra, 95-89, and gain the head start in the PBA...

Basketball

To say that their careers are forever intertwined may sound cliche, but that’s basically been the reality Tim Cone and Chot Reyes live in....

Advertisement