'We need to collectively get better' says embattled Ginebra import

MANILA, Philippines – Leon Rodgers almost single-handedly led Brgy. Ginebra to Manila Clasico victory on Sunday night until he got checked by San Mig’s suffocating defense and cramps slowed him down at crunchtime.

Rodgers has scored 32 points through three quarters but was held to a measly three in the fourth quarter where the Mixers ran the Kings to the ground on their way to a 90-80 win.

The misfiring import was on his way to his best shooting so far until his legs started to cramp at the end of the third quarter.

“In the fourth quarter, it became a little more frustrating. For two and a half quarters, you saw a different Ginebra team than what you saw in the last two games. We played harder. We played with more effort. However, we broke down… we broke down at the end of the game when we needed to be the toughest,” Rodgers told reporters after the Kings absorbed their second straight loss.

But more than the cramps, Rodgers credited San Mig’s stone-wall defense.

“The whole defense was waiting for me. I think that was one of the better defensive teams. I got to credit their defense. They’ve got three guys on me when I drove,” Rodgers said.

The former three-time Dutch league MVP confessed that he played through pain in the Kings’ first two games, which they split.

“Tonight (Sunday) is actually the first game that I played healthy,” Rodgers admitted.

“They don’t want to tell you guys [for scouting reasons]. I had a little pain in my foot.  I was finally relieved to finally play without the pain. I think that’s why I was able shake loose a little bit. I felt good,” he added.

But the relief turned into frustration when Rodgers fell into the Mixers’ trap in the fourth quarter as the Kings kept on looking for him in offense. He was not as agile as in the first three quarters and missed open three-pointers at the crunch when the Kings were attempting to make a last-ditch rally.

The former Northern Illinois star finished with his best output in the conference with 35 points on 12-of-33 shooting to go with 14 rebounds. But he failed to log in a single assist after making nine in his first two games. Worst, he turned the ball over six times.

“Anytime it happens in a [high-profile] team like this, you start 1-2, there is a lot of pressure in the next game. We just got to be ready,” said the 33-year old import.

But it was not only Rodgers as the whole team could only put up 13 points in the fourth quarter.

“I think we played three tough quarters. In the fourth quarter, we got a little stagnant on offense. We can’t keep (James) Mays off the board,” he added.

The San Mig workhorse of an import played spectacular finishing with 29-29 point-rebound effort. He even outrebounded the whole Ginebra team, 13-12, on the offensive glass.

“Offensive rebound is our main problem right now. We got to do a better job of boxing out and rebound. The main ingredient in rebounding is effort. So you can’t really point a finger,” said Rodgers.

The high-scoring but volume shooter Ginebra import, however, added that the ploy to play him point guard in several situations took away some of his rebounding.

Knowing that the team, especially him, is receiving a lot of heat from their die-hard fans after losing consecutively to what he referred as playoff teams, Rodgers is not the kind to back down from the challenge.

He might be taking a whole lot of the pie on offense but he is forced to do so.

“Sa nilalaro ng mga locals ngayon, kailangan namin ng take-charge guy na import eh,” team manager Al Chua told Philstar.com when asked if the misfiring Rodgers is the right import for the Kings. 

Rodgers, if healthy, fits the bill. But the prolific import could only do so much. He needs the locals to step up and help him carry the scoring burden.

“We need to look at the mirror and ask ourselves what everybody can do better. We need to collectively get better and come together as a team,” Rodgers said.