After Chico Lañete muffed a contested shot at the buzzer of the second overtime that caused Barako Bull to lose, 134-132 to Rain or Shine, Liam McMorrow stood still.
He was stunned.
He grabbed the ball and held it for a while, before taking a few minutes to absorb the reality that his tour of duty in the PBA was officially over.
It took the hulking big an hour before finally exiting the dugout. Sporting a dejected look on his face, McMorrow tried to look at the positives after a fruitful stint in the Philippines.
“It’s tough and so close. It’s all experience and what you can take from that. I have never been in a double-overtime elimination game and it will help me grow,” McMorrow, who had 32 points and 23 rebounds in 51 minutes, said.
“Maybe now I have time to go and play the summer league. That is the only positive thing I can think of the situation. I have to win a championship somewhere. I don’t know where, but I just want to win.”
McMorrow averaged 27 PPG and 20 RPG in 12 games, helping guide the Energy to a 6-6 record overall with his towering presence underneath.
While disappointed, the Canadian big is thankful as the league helped him grow in many ways.
“It helped me with confidence in just getting the touches so much, and I am in great shape to be in the summer league right now,” he said.
With such improvement in tow, McMorrow is already eyeing an opportunity to be noticed by NBA scouts as he heads to the United States.
“Me and my agent were talking with Los Angeles. They were talking that if this [PBA] is done I will go there. It is not yet official but I am like 90 percent sure that I will play for them in the summer league. They want me to come practice with the team,” McMorrow shared on the chance to suit up for the Clippers in the NBA Summer League.
“It’s good to have a chance to be in front again of NBA teams and hopefully make a team. I am not looking to be an all-star center obviously. I am looking to be a role player and that would be perfect. Come in five or 10 minutes max, I would play so hard and crazy,” he added.
McMorrow previously went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft before playing for the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League a year after. Showing vast improvement in maturity, McMorrow is hopeful he makes it to the big league.
“Hopefully they can get me time to show them what I can do. I am in game shape. I am coming there hoping to have a good start.”
*Photo from PBA Images
