Hontiveros may ibubuga pa

MANILA, Philippines - Kung akala ng karamihan ay hindi na puputok si Dondon Hontiveros, nagka­kamali sila.

Tumipa ang 35-anyos na si Hontiveros ng 22 points para ibangon ang Alaska buhat sa isang 22-point deficit sa third period at talunin ang Rain or Shine sa overtime, 89-84, noong nakaraang Biyer­nes.

Dahil sa naturang kaba­yanihan, hinirang si Hontiveros bilang Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.

Nakipagtulungan din kay Hontiveros para sa pa­­nalo ng Aces sina import Robert Dozier, ang nagbabalik na si JVee Casio, Gabby Espinas at rookie forward Calvin Abueva.

“When the going gets tough for us he’s going to be inside because I know his positive attitude will rub off on his teammates,” sabi ni Trillo kay Hontiveros na kanyang nakilala habang naglalaro pa ang shooter sa Cebu Gems noong 19­99.

Hindi naman sinolo ng ‘Cebuano Hotshot’ ang lahat ng papuri.

“I’m just trying to help the team in any way I can. Timing lang na maganda ang shooting ko, but it was a total team effort,” wika ni Hontiveros, nagtala ng 7-for-10 shooting sa three-point range laban sa Elasto Painters.

“People keep talking about his 3s in the Rain or Shine game, but he also had key defensive blocks against Jeff Chan and Paul Lee in overtime,” dagdag naman ni Trillo. “Had those been converted then it would still have been a game, with us probably winding up on the short end.”