MANILA, Philippines—Meralco guard Bong Quinto likened his present scenario within the PBA Philippine Cup Finals to his expertise on the collegiate degree.
On Friday at Araneta Coliseum, the Bolts moved one win away from taking their first PBA championship which has proved elusive since their emergence within the league.
Quinto’s in fairly the acquainted situation.
READ: PBA Finals: Meralco must ‘play with poise’ to shut out San Miguel
Again in 2015, Quinto performed collegiate ball for Letran as a second-year taking pictures guard.
Within the Knights’ Finals sequence with San Beda in that NCAA season, Letran received the primary sport and instantly smelled blood within the water with the NCAA championship of their sights.
Sadly for the Aldin Ayo-led squad, coach Jamike Jarin and the Purple Lions unloaded an enormous Sport 2 effort which compelled a deciding sport for the Season 91 championship.
“Again in Letran, we had been first [to win], 1-0. Then, it grew to become 1-1 which reached a Sport 3. That one had an extra time,” recalled Quinto at Araneta Coliseum on Friday after their 92-88 win over San Miguel in Sport 5 to take the pivotal 3-2 lead.
Letran finally received the championship that was already inside its grasp however the Knights needed to face up to 5 further minutes with San Beda in an exhilarating 85-82 victory.
Quinto hopes to have the identical victorious ending this time and the Bolts have two possibilities to shut out the mighty Beermen with the PBA Finals now a digital best-of-three sequence
READ: PBA Finals: Historical past on the aspect of Meralco Bolts after Sport 5 win
However he’s properly conscious that the PBA Finals is a unique beast. A beast that he has hoped to overcome since he was a bit of child.
“That is totally different as a result of that is my dream. Earlier than Letran, this was already my dream since I used to be a child, to expertise a championship within the PBA, on the identical time, it’s additionally All-Filipino.”
Quinto silently chipped in eight factors, three rebounds, two assists and two steals within the win that pushed the Bolts to 1 win away from the elusive championship.
However whereas Quinto and the Bolts simply want one victory to realize historical past, he has definitely discovered from his experiences in Letran.
“I don’t need to have fun but, truthfully. Even when we’ve a bonus, it’s not over till this sequence is over. I’ve additionally been sleepless for what number of nights now, from [our series against] Ginebra till now. I’m simply so excited that I’ve a possibility to play in each sport.”
“I’m not losing this as a result of when you concentrate on it, we simply want another win, proper? This has been my dream and the goals that my household has for me and it is likely to be fulfilled.”
Quinto hopes to convey his dream to full circle on Sunday on the identical venue at 6:15 pm.