JVee Casio anxious to come back in Game 5 after costly slip

MANILA, Philippines – For the horrible slip he suffered and the game his team had lost – most likely due to that slip – all Alaska Aces playmaker JVee Casio had to say to the media was how he eager he was for Game 5 to come.

“It’s one game. It’s a do-or-die for us. We’re looking forward to Saturday’s game. All or nothing,” was the 27-year old’s answer when asked how he felt about the costly slip. 

“Ganoon eh. It happens, nangyari ‘to. Pero kailangan kalimutan. Kailangan look forward na kami sa next opportunity namin.” (It is what it is. It happens, this happens. But we need to forget about it. We have to look forward to our next opportunity.) 

Casio was the last one out of the locker room on Thursday night, June 26, following their Game 4 loss in overtime, 123-121, to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters that pushed the best-of-5 semifinal series to a do-or-die Game 5 on Saturday.

The initial diagnosis on Casio was a Grade 1 left ankle sprain, though he said he will still get checked on Friday.

With the game tied at 121-all and under a minute left in the extra 5 minutes, Casio stole the ball and sprinted straight for the hoop for what would have been the easy two points. He was all alone on Alaska’s end of the floor and the Painters were already looking defeated knowing the 2011 first overall draft pick would never miss a wide open lay-up like that.  

But just before Casio could lift off the ground, he slipped on what apparently was a wet spot on the floor, causing him to land badly and slide all the way out of the court.  

He walked it off, but the damage was done. 

Beau Belga scored a basket on the other end to make it 123-121. The real damage was made apparent when Casio, back on the floor for the final possession with 12.7 ticks left to play, attempted a potential game-winning corner triple and a potential game-tying jumper – both of which had none of his usual lift. 

Still, he finished with 17 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting. He also forced the overtime with an off-the-glass basket late in regulation.

This fall, for Casio, is nothing but a hurdle that he must and will overcome. He says he won’t be minding the pain and will simply play to win. In fact, coming out of the locker room, Casio looked deflated but determined. 

“I want to play of course. I want to help the team any way I can. The focus is just to win Game 5.”

He also said head coach Alex Compton was optimistic inside the locker room after the game and encouraged his team to press on. 

“He was proud of the guys, we fought we really hard until the very end. But we have to look forward to Game 5. It happens kung ano man yung nangyari kanina but tapos na yun,” Casio shared. (Whatever happened earlier just happens but it’s over now.)

“Yung result nangyari na. We can’t really hang our heads down. It happens, nanalo sila and we just have to face them in Game 5.” (We already know the result. We can’t really hang our heads down. It happens, they won and we just have to face them in Game 5.) – Rappler.com