When you’re opponent is a 24 percent three-point shooter, you have the luxury of sagging off of him
That was not the case though Christmas evening as Japeth Aguilar torched Marc Pingris and the Star Hotshots, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts for a career-high 32 points. Moreover, Aguilar helped Ginebra take home its second straight Christmas day win over Star, 86-79.
Aguilar’s primary defender for the evening Pingris, a teammate of Aguilar in the National Team, did not expect the 6-foot-9 Ginebra big to have that touch from distance. For the majority of the game, the 35-year-old sagged away from Aguilar when he was beyond the three-point arc but paying for it dearly.
“Well, binigay namin lahat. Talagang sinuwerte lang talga si Japeth sa labas, hindi ko inakala na ganun,” shared the 12-year veteran who finished the game 14 points and 16 rebounds.
“Mas mainit tira nila sa labas. Yun talaga yung ibibigay namin pero nakaka-shoot talaga.”
Another aspect of the game that Pingris thinks factored into the loss was rebounding. Their frontline failed to seal out Ginebra, getting outrebounded 54 to 47 — with Scottie Thompson grabbing a career-high 17 rebounds.
“Talo din kami sa rebounding. Pinahirapan kami ni Thompson,” he lamented.
But with five more games in the elimination round, Star’s skipper stressed that this loss should serve as motivation for them to do better — even better than they did during their three-game winning streak that was snapped by the Gin Kings.
“Maganda naman talaga yung laban. May nanalo at may natatalo pero kailangan mag-adjust at hindi kami ma-stuck,” he shared.
“Kelangan namin mag-adjust sa next game namin tapos pagbalik namin sa practice yung mga little things.”
Definitely, a second straight Christmas day loss can only fire up Pingris and the Hotshots.
