PBA: Adrian Nocum turns costly mistakes into motivation ahead of Game 3

MANILA — Adrian Nocum is not dwelling on his late game lapses in the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ 130-125 loss to the Converge Fiberxers on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. 

Rain or Shine was on track to pull off another upset against Converge with Nocum, Aaron Fuller, Jhonard Clarito and Caelan Tiongson leading the charge. 

Nocum helped orchestrate the offense finishing with a career-high 18 assists and 22 points, an all-time Rain or Shine franchise record in dimes. 

The guard’s 18 assists was also the most in the PBA since Mike Cortez tallied the same feat in an Air21 Express 105-100 loss against Talk ‘N Text last December 13, 2012. 

But Nocum’s historic night was erased by the two costly turnovers he committed in the final frame, which ultimately contributed to the tough loss. 

“Yun, sa akin yun. Sa akin talaga yun. Dapat mas maganda yung naging decision ko nung  huli. Pero yun, bawi tayo. Best of three nalang, so sa next game dapat makabalik agad. Trabaho ulit sa practice,” Nocum told reporters after the game. 

“Parang balewala na yun kasi yun nga, natalo kami. Siguro kailangan ko lang mas matalino pa next game para pag dating ng crucial play, mas maganda decision making ko,” he added. 

Nocum hopes their team takes the lessons from the first two games to avoid a similar situation in the rest of the series. 

Rain or Shine erased double digit deficits in both Game 1 and 2, but unlike the opening match, the conclusion of Friday’s game ended with a loss. 

“Siguro yung talagang gusto talaga namin na manalo. Andun lagi yung gigil. So sana next game ‘wag na mangyari yung matatambakan nami sa umpisa. Kasi ang hirap din maghabol, nakakapagod din,” he said. 

“So yun, kailangan mas madiin kami next game para di kami matambakan agad. Yun kasi nagiging problema namin, ganun din nun game one,” Nocum shared. 

The Rain or Shine guard vows to work harder in practice to improve and do better in his playmaking to repay the trust of coach Yeng Guiao and help his team win. 

“Challenge din sa akin ito. Yung binibigay sa akin ni coach na role. So kailangan ko lang din so suklian. Kailangan ko lang din pag-aralan. So kahit papaano naman, nagagampanan ko naman,” Nocum said. 

“So kailangan siguro, panoorin ko pa yung mga ginagawa ko, yung ginagawa sa aking ng kalaban. Para next game mas maganda decision making ko,” he added. 

The Elasto Painters look to take the lead in their best-of-five quarterfinals series against the FiberXers in Game 3 on Tuesday at the Dasmariñas City Arena.