Robert Bolick cites Perez: 'Para sa akin, si CJ ang MVP'
Robert Bolick cites Perez: ‘Para sa akin, si CJ ang MVP’
BACOLOD – Robert Bolick believes that CJ Perez deserved to be the PBA All-Star Game MVP, despite his late heroics that enabled Team Mark to draw with Team Japeth on Sunday.
Bolick drained a five-point play with 17.8 seconds remaining to force a 140-140 tie, the third time a PBA All-Star Game ended in a draw.
It felt like a win, however, as Mark Barroca’s team overcame a 32-point deficit, and was still down, 140-129, when it scored 11 straight points courtesy of Bolick, who finished the game with 13 points.
Bolick says he had a bad game
Bolick said that he had a bad game overall and the MVP should have been given to Perez, who made the comeback possible by scoring 28 of his 39 points in the second quarter.
“Ang sama ng laro ko kahit last year. First time ko maka-shoot,” said Bolick. “Binayaan lang siguro ng Panginoon.”
“Pero para sa akin, si CJ ang MVP,” said Bolick of Perez, who is part of the same draft class in 2019 being the third and first picks respectively.
“Halftime, 32 siya natapos. Ilan siya? 50? 50 na ata,” said Bolick.
Perez finished with 39 points after draining four-pointers when Team Mark was down, 46-20, at the end of the first quarter.
“Grabe ‘yung shooting ng kabila. Marcio, Pogoy, Paul (Lee), kahit sino bumabato, shoot. Binuhat talaga kami ni CJ nung first half. Humabol kami,” said Bolick.
Bolick said the four-point line may have something to do with his struggles as he tends to take shots from that distance. Still, Bolick said he received a lot of encouraging words from the veterans and Team Mark coach Jorge Gallent despite his struggles.
“Hindi ko rin alam. Pati lay-up, mintis. Pero maganda pag may beterano ka na teammates. Sila Jayson, Kuya Mark, sabi nila itira mo lang. Si coach Jorge na ang nagsasabi na tumulong ka naman, tumira ka naman diyan. Nagkataon lang. Suwerte rin,” said Bolick.
“Feeling ko dahil din doon (four-point line) kaya rin masama laro ko kasi iniisip mong itira doon. Kapag nag-mintis ka ng isa, dalawa, mawawala momentum mo. Dapat next time, focus ka muna sa malapit tapos saka mo layuan,” said Bolick.
Bolick praises Hodge’s defense
Bolick also credited Cliff Hodge for a defensive stop that led to the five-point play.
“Galing kasi ni Hodge, (forced) turnover niya, kailangan ko na i-bato,” said Bolick.
Despite the effort, Bolick said the draw didn’t still feel like a win, but still happy that they didn’t lose the game.
“Tabla eh. Para sa akin, wala eh. Akala ko, may overtime pa. Mas maganda kung may panalo. Pero All-Star ito. Pero maganda para sa akin,” said Bolick. “Mas masama ‘yung pakiramdam nila kasi lamang sila lagi eh.”
Bolick will go down the books as a co-MVP after sharing the award with Japeth Aguilar, but the Barangay Ginebra big man gave the trophy to him, a gesture he is thankful for.
“Binigay niya sa akin. Kuya ko rin ‘yan nung World Cup (2019), lagi ko siyang kinakausap kahit sa All-Star. ‘Yun ‘yung gusto kong mangyari sa All-Star, kinakausap ko ‘yung mga beterano, star player sa ibang team, paano ‘yung work ethic nila, paano sila mag-isip sa laro. Tinitignan ko sila. Sila ‘yung mga idol ko,” said Bolick.