PING CAPS DREAM YEAR WITH FINALS MVP PLUM With four minutes left in Game 7, Marc Pingris raised his arms, signaling to the crowd to come alive after sensing that the win was within their grasp. In a move reminiscent of those fateful August nights, once again, Pinoy Sakuragi willed the crowd to go to their favor. Twenty-three ticks remaining in the clock, Elijah Millsap, the will-driven Petron import tried one last gasp to revive the body of the Blaze Boosters. But there was Pingris, closing the door shut with a big block that cemented San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone’s 15th title in the league. This night, he was more than just the team’s emotional leader. He was more than a defensive anchor. On October 25, 2013, Jean Marc Pingris was the leader of the San Mig Coffee Planet. The scoreboard read: San Mig Coffee 87 – Petron 77. With 21,319 in attendance at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Pingris, unable to resist his emotions, bowed near center court once again, just like when they clinched a seat in the FIBA World Championships. “Nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord. Binigay namin lahat, win or lose,” said the 32-year-old power forward. “Iniisip ko lang, laro lang talaga eh. Hindi ko na inisip yung sakit (ng katawan),” Pingris said. Cone said, “He played really well today and today’s the deciding game.” Playing well might be an understatement for “Ping”, as he averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in the championship series. In the title-clincher, he was sensational as he finished with 19 points, 17 boards, two dimes, and five rejections, including that deciding block on Millsap as Petron began to crumble and San Mig Coffee started to celebrate. Whenever Pingris was given the spotlight, the fans chanted “M-V-P”. And rightfully so, he was named as the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals MVP. Named as a member of the All-Defensive Team and the Mythical Second Team, not to mention his silver medal in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, this award is just the cherry on top of the sundae for Pingris. And there is no doubt that on this fateful night, the deciding factor that gave the Coffee Mixers their 10th franchise title is the same one Pingris embodied during that Gilas stint – “Puso”. (RLeongson) -Admin Nemesis
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:52:23 +0000
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