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[av_heading heading=’ BUZZER BEATER KaTropa import Glen Rice trusts locals’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Friday, October 6, 2017
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TNT KaTropa seemed headed to disaster during Game 2 of its PBA Governors’ Cup best-of-five semifinals match against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings on Wednesday night when import Glen Rice Jr. picked up four quick fouls in the first half.
But his local teammates Jayson Castro, Jeth Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy stepped up offensively in the third as KaTropa maintained the lead before Rice returned to the game in the final quarter.
Rice, who finished with 21 points, including 12 in the final quarter, said he was not worried at all after he was saddled with foul trouble as he knew his teammates were there to pick up the slack.
“We got a lot of good players. And all they need is an opportunity to get in and showcase. So I was not really worried at all,” said Rice, a former NBA player for Washington Wizards.
“If I get into foul trouble again in the succeeding games of the series, I will not hesitate doing the same thing all over again,” he added. “I am open to whatever it takes for us to win.”
KaTropa head coach Nash Racela, meanwhile, sees Rice’s early foul trouble as a “blessing in disguise” as it allowed his locals to get their rhythm and, at the same time, give Rice additional rest.
“For me it is a blessing in disguise as the locals played well and played together in the third quarter,” said Racela. “That just gave Glen the whole quarter to rest so he came fresh in the fourth quarter.”
“I think it backfired at Ginebra, putting Glen Rice in foul trouble early,” added Racela. “Good thing the players were able to absorb it very quickly and they were able to make the necessary adjustments.”
KaTropa and Kings are expected to go at it in Game 3 of the race-to-three semifinals series tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Kings took Game 1 (121-94) while KaTropa ruled Game 2 (103-96).
SCHROCK QUITS AZKALS – AGAIN
Filipino-German midfielder Stephan Schrock announced his retirement from playing for the Philippine men’s football team and will instead focus on his Philippines Football League squad Ceres Negros Football Club.
In a post on social media, the 31-year-old Schrock said he was thankful for the opportunity to represent the country via Azkals for six years since 2011.
“It was an honor to wear the national team jersey and I am thankful to be part of the Azkals,” said Schrock, who also used to play for Germany’s U-18, U-19 and U-20 teams.
Schrock first played for Azkals in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier but he made his first international goal in the second leg of the quarterfinals against Kuwait.
A Philippine Sportswriters Association Footballer of the Year in 2013, Schrock played for Azkals in 28 international matches where he scored four times.
But this was not the first time Schrock decided to leave Azkals. He also quit in 2014 following a feud with national team head coach Thomas Dooley but returned after a year. The question is: is he now leaving for good?/PN
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