Robert Bolick has no time to cry over spilled milk as his sights are all set on NLEX’s must-win game over Barangay Ginebra this Sunday.
The star guard said that it is an opportunity that the Road Warriors can’t take for granted as a win against the Kings would not only end a harrowing skid but also seal their place in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
“Kailangan pakamatay kami sa Sunday. Sayang ‘yung opportunity na ‘to,” he told reporters moments after the 120-104 blowout loss they absorbed to the advancing Rain or Shine, Friday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
That defeat to the Elasto Painters was NLEX’s fourth in a row, prolonging a tough stretch for a team that started the conference with a 5-1 record.
All that they needed then was one more win to virtually clinch a QF spot but it proved to be so elusive as the crew lost to TNT, Phoenix, San Miguel, and most recently RoS. They lost by an average of 17.75 points against the four.
That’s all the more reason to sound the alarm for Coach Frankie Lim and his charges, and it doesn’t help that they will have to go through Ginebra to earn that outright trip to the quarterfinals that begins next week.
“Sayang yung ipinondo naming 5-1 tapos 5-5 na kami,” Bolick said. “Ang sama ng sunod-sunod na talo namin. Kailangan may ayusin kami.”
But the 28-year-old isn’t backing down from the challenge, just like what he did against Rain or Shine that saw him carry the fight with 38 points.
“Wala, hindi na namin iisipin. Next game na. Next game. Tingnan natin next game. Baka mag-relax sila, kasi alam nila secured na sila sa top two,” he said, as the Kings are now assured of the no. 2 seed and the twice-to-beat.
“‘Di mo masabi, sa mga ganung instances, may iba ‘yung mga beterano baka magpahinga. Or baka ‘yung iba naman, kay Coach Tim [Cone] talagang gusto nila manalo para makapanalo sila bago magstart yung playoffs,” he added.
“Tingnan natin kung ano ‘yung outcome. Pero kailangan focus muna kami sa sa sarili, ayusin namin mga kailangan ayusin,” he added. “One-day break, ta’s kita-kita tayo sa Sunday, tingnan natin kung malusutan namin.”
