ANTIPOLO – RJ Abarrientos played the best game of his young PBA career on Friday night and he did as much against one of his basketball heroes.
The rookie playmaker fired 28 points to power Ginebra to a 121-92 rout of San Miguel to take Game 5 of their Governors’ Cup semifinal duel, but it wasn’t just giving the crowd darlings the 3-2 series lead that made it sweeter.
It was also because he got the best of Terrence Romeo as the two former Far Eastern University stars were matched up versus one another.
“Nag-start si Kuya Terrence sa PBA career niya, high school pa lang ako,” Abarrientos recalled shortly after the game at the Ynares Center here.
“Ngayon mas nacha-challenge ako na bantayan siya, na iskoran siya, kasi Kuya Terrence ‘yun. Idol ko ‘yun since birth,” he furthered.
Romeo could only muster two points on seven attempts in the 14 minutes he saw, marking yet another outing wherein he struggled since dropping 26 markers to lead the Beermen to a 131-125 overtime win in Game 2.
But it was, all in all, a difficult night for the rest of SMB, while the Barangay clearly had their way with Abarrientos himself leading the way.
He fired 16 of his points in the second half, helping facilitate the crowd darlings’ breakaway, especially in the third when their foes came within a point.
The former Shinshu and Ulsan Hyundai Mobis import went on to end the night with a 9-of-14 clip from the floor, including 3-of-5 from deep and a four as well. He also collected three rebounds and two assists without a turnover.
“Wala naman akong masyadong inisip ngayon e. I just stuck to the system. Sabi nga ni Coach Tim kanina, hindi ko pinipilit yung mga shots ko. I’m just going with the flow — sa offense and defense,” Abarrientos offered.
And to have performed that way, especially against a revered Tamaraw in Romeo, the UAAP Season 76 MVP, made it all the more memorable.
“Of course, Kuya Terrence, one of the best players na naglaro sa FEU. My idol, of course. Pero siyempre pagdating sa court, professional tayo. Walang friend-friend, walang kaibigan,” said the third overall pick of the 2024 Draft.
“Just like Japeth and June Mar, ‘di ba? Matagal silang nagsama sa Gilas pero pagdating dito sa semis, pagdating dito sa trabaho, as a professional, wala munang kaibigan-kaibigan. Trabaho lang,” Abarrientos added.
