Si Jimmy, heartbroken nung Olympic trials,
tinalo ang Pilipinas ng two points 68-70,
tinalo ng South Korea, kaya ngayong gabi,
puso ang ginamit ng koponang Gilas, panalo
tayo ng limang puntos laban sa kinatatakutang
nemesis, mga Koreano, ayan, pinakita ng mga
Pinoy na kaya natin basta may puso, salamat
Pingris, binulabog mo ang laro nang tumayo,
inilabas ang galing kahit iika-ika, wala na kasi
si Douthit, nag-recur ang shin injury at bangko
na, ang ganda tingnan, buong bayan ‘di nawalan
ng pag-asa kahit tila magagaling yata talaga
itong mga taga peninsula, si Tenorio, bubwit
sa court, naalala ko si Niccolo, aming Jack
Russell Terrier, kung anong liit siyang tapang,
sa ilalim ng mga kilikili ng mga higanteng Koreano
dumadaan para shumut, si RDO, si Jeff Chan,
silang lahat, pinakita na kapag may puso may
panalo, walang talo, basta may Diyos, may
paniniwala, paninindigan, kahit hindi na kumpleto,
hindi pa rin, puso lang ang katapat, panalo pa rin.
Alapag on Gilas beating Korea: ‘This is the most precious moment of my career’
By Mark Giongco
INQUIRER.net
1:35 am | Sunday, August 11th, 2013
MANILA, Philippines—Not even one of his six PBA championships would amount to what he had just been part of late Saturday night. And of the countless of big shots he took, his latest one—considering what’s at stake—is unlike the rest.
“Probably the most precious moment of my career,” said the proud Philippine team captain Jimmy Alapag, moments after Gilas Pilipinas’ emotional 86-79 win over a familiar foe in Korea. “This is more than the PBA championship. This is so much deeper. This is for our country.”
“Not only do we love the game so much and are so passionate of the game of basketball but just thinking of the heartbreak that we had and the history against Korea to change all that in one night here at home in front of an unbelievable crowd it’s absolutely special,” the 35-year-old Alapag, who is most likely on his final moments laying it all for the flag, added.
Alapag delivered 14 points, six came in the final three minutes, including a triple that extended Gilas’ cushion to five, 84-79, with exactly 54.0 ticks remaining prompting a defeaning roar from the hometown crowd, which had been serving as Gilas’ sixth man throughout the tournament.
“They’ve been just a key for us from the beginning. When they’re screaming so loud, it’s hard to get tired out there and it’s a credit to our coaches and our guys who continued to fight. It really took every ounce of heart and soul to pull through tonight against a great Korean team,” Alapag acknowledged.
And on his dagger of a trey, Alapag, the team player that he is, deflected the credit to his teammate.
“Ranidel (de Ocampo) sets some great screens, and then I was able to get free. Again Korea’s defense is so tough. I was so fortunate to have that opening. I know that was really my opportunity to get a great look at the basket and the rest is history.”
The Nationals took a 10-point lead late in the third quarter before Korea, behind its hot-shooting guard Kim Mingoo, came back and even grabbed a 77-76 edge down the stretch.
“During the moments of the game, we weren’t thinking about that,” said Alapag on whether the demons of the past have come to haunt all over again as the game went down-the-wire. “I told the guys something that Kelly Williams told me before the start of the tournament, he said no fear all heart.”
“I know he is not here with us, he is in the States but he is still with this team, so I just reminded the guys that’s what it’s gonna take coming out on the court tonight and really having no fear and having all heart and that’s what pulled us through,” he said.
“It’s great. I’m just proud with everybody involved tonight. All the hard work of the coaches to the players and even the crowd. All the fans spending their hard earned money to come and support us and the fact that we come here and make our countrymen proud, it doesn’t really get any better,” Alapag said.
Read more: http://sports.inquirer.net/114123/alapag-on-gilas-beating-korea-this-is-the-most-precious-moment-of-my-career#ixzz2bdCfirHg Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook