Ricci Rivero is far from satisfied despite a solid debut that helped Phoenix Super LPG succeed in its first PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup game Friday night.
The rookie finished with 15 points and four rebounds but wasn’t too happy as he lamented the ‘lapses’ he committed during the middle quarters.
“Sa’kin feel ko, feel ko rin kay Coach Jamike [Jarin], it was so-so kasi I had a lot of lapses, especially nung gitna — second quarter, third quarter,” he said moments after their 113-101 victory at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
That, even if he played a key role in finishing off the Road Warriors.
(C) PBA Images
He scored eight points in the fourth quarter alone, the first five in consecutive fashion to help out in the 13-0 run en route to a 102-90 lead with 6:32 to go.
Rivero then capped off his performance by completing a three-point play to push their lead to 13, 105-92, with 4:53 remaining in the game.
The 25-year-old, though, deflected all the credit to head coach Jamike Jarin for allowing him and the others to find their confidence.
“Pinabawi niya lang din talaga ako kaya yun yung sinasabi niya palagi sa akin and sa iba rin, binibigyan niya kami ng confidence to get back up, bumawi kami kung may kailangan kaming bawiin,” he said.
What made Rivero satisfied was the victory itself as he was proud to see Phoenix unleash their brand of basketball, especially in the final period.
“‘Yun talaga yung game namin, ‘yung huli. Kami dapat ‘yung tumatakbo, ‘yung nagse-set ng pace,” he said.
