Frustration and sadness hung in the air inside the locker room of Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 moments after their heartbreaking 19-20 loss to the Pool D-leading Canada.
Pogoy and Rosario were inconsolable, while Standhardinger asked why it was hard to win in a game like this.
But no one was more frustrated than Stanley Pringle, who took sole responsibility for the loss.
“It’s on me,” were the only words he could muster.
After averaging 4.0 points during the first two games of the Philippines, Pringle struggled to find his footing. The 31-year-old guard could not sustain his furious start, as Gilas 3×3 fell behind by as much as seven points, 2-9.
Roger Pogoy and Christian Standhardinger willed the Philippines back into the contest, eventually gaining an 18-16 lead late.
But Jermaine Bucknor cut the lead to just one with 47 seconds remaining.
Pringle tried to extend the lead by going hard through the lane, but he dribbled too long, resulting in a shotclock violation.
Michael Linklater, who had been on fire all throughout the contest, knocked down a long two-ball to give Canada the lead with 21 seconds left. Standhardinger knotted things up nine seconds later.
But Linklater was just in the zone, crossing up Christian Standhardinger before scoring on a wide-open lay-up.
This one will sting Pringle and the rest of Gilas 3×3 for a long time.
