Antonio Hester and Terrafirma knew that they would be up against a Blackwater team so desperate for a win in their PBA Governors’ Cup meeting on Saturday.
The Bossing are the owners of the league’s record of futility with 24 consecutive losses, which dates back all the way from the 2020 Philippine Cup bubble at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
But for the American cager, he and the Dyip are as desperate for a win as their foes, since they’ve been in a three-game slide in the conference.
Photo by PBA Images
“They’re not the only team desperate for wins, because we’re in the same position as them,” he said.
“I wouldn’t put us above anybody right now, you know?”
And that showed come game day. Terrafirma looked like it was going down as Blackwater’s casualty when it went trailing by 12 with less than six minutes left in the game. But the crew proved otherwise.
With Hester leading the way, the Dyip rallied back with a rousing 16-0 run to take the lead again. They eventually bagged the 109-103 win to resume their campaign in the season-ending conference in impressive fashion.
“We’re working hard just like any other team in the league right now. And it may not show that in the beginning, but since the break, we’ve been progressing as a team, being together and working,” said the bruising big.
“I think it showed tonight – being down, and fighting to get back into the game and finishing strong,” he furthered.
Hester himself turned in a rousing performance with 41 points, including 18 in that final period. He shot 53-percent from the floor and collected 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block in over 42 minutes.
And, yes, he did get the best of debuting counterpart Shawn Glover. The import powered Blackwater with 35 points and 17 rebounds but failed to score after giving his side a 96-84 lead with 5:25 remaining in the fourth.
Photo by PBA Images
“I told Hes I need him,” said coach Johnedel Cardel. “If he can play for 40 minutes, I’ll let him stay on the court to carry this team.
“Their import is really good, right? I told Hes, ‘You need to stop him.’ That’s what he did. He stopped Glover, so we won.”
And the key really behind such a spectacular outing, according to Hester, was him trying the best he can to keep himself locked in despite the pressure – the pressure of falling victim to the hard-luck Bossing.
“To be honest with you man, through the whole game all I did was think about my wife and my kids. I don’t worry about nothing else,” he said.
“I try to keep my mind as clear as possible and try to just focus on me and my team, and execute whatever the coach draws for us in the huddle. That’s all.”
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