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| PBA |
By Ivan Saldajeno
PASIG--Coach Eric Gonzales believes it took a divine intervention for his Phoenix-FEU team to get the Game 3 win in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Finals against Cafe France-CEU on Thursday considering how the final play went.
[Related Story: Pogoy buries winner as Phoenix-FEU steals Game 3 from Cafe France]
"I give God the glory. Wala na ako roon. Thankful ako kasi hindi sila bumitaw," Gonzales told the media right after the game, which had some late drama leading to RR Pogoy's clutch triple.
While he did not disclose whether the final shot was really intended for Mike Tolomia, who had the first try in the said offensive only to be blocked by Rod Ebondo, or for Pogoy, who got the feed of Achie Iñigo following the latter's retrieval of the ball off Ebondo's block on Ed Daquioag's follow-up, Gonzales admitted that the setup could have gone bonkers all because of Ebondo's defensive prowess in the paint.
He described, "Naglagay ako ng order na lahat pwedeng tumira.... Designed [yung last play], pero it went broken. Drive ni Mike, butata. Drive ni Ed, butata. Blessing ni God yun."
Despite being at the brink of winning the best-of-five series, Gonzales remains wary of what the Bakers can do on Tuesday's Game 4 to force sudden death next Thursday.
"Hindi ganoon kadali [ang tapusin ang series]. [Reigning Foundation Cup] champion yan. Napalakas. Ang hirap," he said about his Game 4 lookahead.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
"I give God the glory. Wala na ako roon. Thankful ako kasi hindi sila bumitaw," Gonzales told the media right after the game, which had some late drama leading to RR Pogoy's clutch triple.
While he did not disclose whether the final shot was really intended for Mike Tolomia, who had the first try in the said offensive only to be blocked by Rod Ebondo, or for Pogoy, who got the feed of Achie Iñigo following the latter's retrieval of the ball off Ebondo's block on Ed Daquioag's follow-up, Gonzales admitted that the setup could have gone bonkers all because of Ebondo's defensive prowess in the paint.
He described, "Naglagay ako ng order na lahat pwedeng tumira.... Designed [yung last play], pero it went broken. Drive ni Mike, butata. Drive ni Ed, butata. Blessing ni God yun."
Despite being at the brink of winning the best-of-five series, Gonzales remains wary of what the Bakers can do on Tuesday's Game 4 to force sudden death next Thursday.
"Hindi ganoon kadali [ang tapusin ang series]. [Reigning Foundation Cup] champion yan. Napalakas. Ang hirap," he said about his Game 4 lookahead.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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