Players of the Week Jan. 18 to 24
RISING to the occasion is nothing new to any player. It’s when he does that distinguishes him from others.
Rain or Shine’s Sol Mercado and Coca-Cola’s Gary David did so in the ongoing 2009-10 KFC PBA Philippine Cup wildcard phase, coming through in the clutch to earn the nod as the KFC/Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Co-Players of the Week for the period Jan. 18 to 24.
Mercado came up with two-game averages of 26.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists, leading the Elasto Painters’ surge to a near-win against Alaska and a critical victory against Sta. Lucia Realty in the opening round of the knockout wildcard last Sunday, which was also the Asian Coatings franchise’s breakthrough victory for the year.
The well-built sophomore had 21 points, four rebounds and three assists in the ninth-ranked RoS’ 90-86 win over No. 6 SLR, giving the Painters enough reason to believe the future holds much in store and that their recent four-game slide is well behind them.
Since the current format’s introduction in 2004, only one other team achieved such rug-pulling in the wildcard. In the 2008 Fiesta Conference, No. 6 Alaska and No. 7 Talk N Text got bumped off by a team that eventually lost to Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals. Coincidentally, that team was Sta. Lucia.
The Painters have the chance to do even better, thanks to Mercado.
“He stepped up big for us. He is peaking at the right time and trying to get everyone involved,” said RoS coach Caloy Garcia.
Mercado refuses to hog the limelight. “It’s an honor, but it was a total team effort,” said the man who dropped a career-high 35 points, anchored on 7-of-12 three-point shooting, on top of seven rebounds and four assists in a 94-95 loss to the Aces last Friday, when the Painters were already assured of a wildcard slot.
“Since coach has moved me to point guard I have taken the responsibility of being aggressive and trying to be the best leader out there,” he added.
David was of a similar mold after leading No. 7 Coke to a 118-112 win over No. 8 Burger King in their own sudden death also Sunday.
Against the Whoppers, David started and scored 21 points and also had four rebounds and three assists to follow up his 16-point off-the-bench performance in a 91-89 elimination of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters last Wednesday.
“There was really no doubt in my mind that he will make an impact on our team. He is the instant energy that we needed,” said Tigers coach Bo Perasol of the wingman his team acquired in a Jan. 4 trade with Burger King.
David said he is merely trying to do his part.
“Kapag talagang nabigyan ako ng chance na maglaro ibibigay ko 100 percent ko. Alam ni coach Bo iyan kaya binibigyan n’ya ako ng (playing) time” he stated.
Those wins set the Elasto Painters and Tigers up for a Wednesday showdown to decide which team advances to the best-of-five quarterfinals and the right to face early qualifier Purefoods.
The third-ranked Giants are decidedly the favorites, but with Coke and RoS toting players like David and Mercado, anything is possible. (NC)