Caguioa hopes for another never-say-die comeback

MANILA, Philippines – The Brgy. Ginebra Kings are off to another poor start.

But despite the Kings falling to 1-3 record on Sunday night, Caguioa still sounded optimistic hoping for another never-say-die comeback.

Just like the old times. Just like the late FPJ in his heroic action-themed movies. 

“This team is built on just always struggling in the beginning then later on, next thing you know we’re playing in the semis and going to the championship,” Caguioa said. “Ganito ang gusto ng team eh, laging sa mahirap manggaling.”

Caguioa even went on to the extent of saying he don’t remember Ginebra going 3-0, 4-0, 4-1 since he joined the team in 2001.  

“Laging 0-3, 1-4, 0-7. It’s always like this. It’s never ending,” he added.

The Kings’ heart and soul saw a silver lining to their close 99-102 loss to PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals nemesis Alaska Aces Sunday night.

“I told the guys, this is the kind of games na matatanggap ko ang pagkatalo. Dahil the last game we had, talo kami 10, 15 points. We were struggling. We don’t know where to score,” Caguioa said.

Last Friday night, the Kings lost big man Japeth Aguilar to injury and the game, 91-104, to league leader Barako Bull Energy Cola.

The outspoken leader of Ginebra went to Twitter after that loss to air his concern with the team’s poor play.

The whole team, despite undermanned and dwarfed inside, responded battling the Aces possession-for-possession as they fought back from as many as 16 points down in the first half to even lead by seven deep in the fourth quarter before falling short in the end.

“At least this one, even though natalo kami, it was because of turnovers, tsaka yung rebounds nila at mga putbacks nila.”

Without their injured frontliners Aguilar and Kerby Raymundo, who was a vital cog in Ginebra’s finals run last conference, the Kings were beaten off the boards, 39-50, and gave up 16 second chance points.

But they almost stole the game with four Kings in double figures built around 23 assists.  It was the same number of assists when they registered their only win so far in the tournament, a 98-85 drubbing of the Meralco Bolts.

“Like I said, we were moving the ball and that’s all I wanted. The other guys getting touches and we’re going with the plays,” Caguioa said.

“Alaska is a good team. They were the champions of the last conference. For them having a hard time beating us, na si (Calvin) Abueva tumitira ng bank shot, the refs not calling the traveling and then the last shot, there was an obvious foul, I’m not upset with the losing but it’s how we lost in the end.”

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While the loss pushed them to a tie of eight to ninth spot with their sister team San Mig Coffee Mixers, the Kings are still very much alive with five more games to go in their schedule as the teams are closely bunched in the standings.

“Maski natalo kami ngayon, mataas yung morale ng team eh because at least we know what we’re capable of doing,” Caguioa said.

“This game showed everyone how well this team can play.”