Arwind Santos continues to prove that he can still make the biggest of plays
During the game’s final stretch, the Barangay wiped out a ten-point deficit down to just two points, 72-70, after big baskets by LA Tenorio and Joe Devance with 51.9 ticks left.
Alex Cabagnot tried to seal the deal for San Miguel. However, both of his attempts missed their target, giving Ginebra a glimmer of hope of completing a comeback.
But luckily for the Beermen, the lanky Santos was there when needed the most.
In both of Cabagnot’s missed shots, the six-foot-four Santos took advantage of Ginebra’s slow reaction in positioning, allowing him to secure the crucial loose balls mid-air.
San Miguel were lucky to escape the tight affair, and it was all because of the two straight rebounds that the all-star forward garnered.
But for Santos, who finished with a double-double of 10 points and 12 boards, his performance is just a result of pure grit.
“Sabi ko nga, bakit ko pa papahirapan ang basketball? Ang basketball maraming sangkap eh—maraming masasarap na sangkap. Andyan ang rebound, puntos, depensa, agaw, blocks.”
“Anytime na hindi pumapasok ‘yung tira ko sa labas, sa three point, kaya ayun, nagbawi ako sa depensa at saka sa rebound. Mabuti nalang naging maganda ang resulta. In the end, panalo,” the former league MVP shared.
And despite the remarkable performance he had, Santos was quick to credit his team’s cohesion for tonight’s victory, which marks their sixth win in a row.
“Kasi sa team namin, lahat dito puwedeng umiskor, puwedeng asahan… Walang malaki ang ulo rito. Kumbaga, iyun ang pinaka bread and butter namin. Kaya kami nasa number one ngayon — yung ganda ng samahan,” the 35-year-old preached.
Now that San Miguel are already assured of a slot in the playoffs, all that Santos wishes is for them to stay hungry in piling up wins.
“Thankful kami number one kami. Pero ano eh, nakakatakot din kasi. Pumapasok yung pagiging relaxed. Sana ‘di namin madala yun. Kasi, ‘pag kayo ang number one, kailangan mas lalo pa naming dagdagan yung effort namin, yung skills namin,” Santos declared.
“Basta wag kaming magsasawang manalo.”
