MANILA, Philippines – Championship is king over personal accolades for Magnolia import Romeo Travis.

Travis couldn’t care less about winning the Best Import award as long as the Hotshots reign supreme in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup finals where they tangle with Alaska in a best-of-seven finals series.

The American reinforcement already bagged Best Import in 2015 when he was still with the Aces, but apparently, it didn’t provide any consolation when his team got swept by San Miguel in the championship round. 

“I’ve won the Best Import and we lost the championship and I got on the plane more upset than I would have been if I would have not won the Best Import and lost the championship,” Travis said. 

“So, to me, I really, honestly don’t care about the award. I just want to win the championship, and without my teammates, I wouldn’t even be considered for that award.” 

From the elimination round to a sensational playoff run – highlighted by a career-high 50 points in Magnolia’s finals-clinching win over Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals – the 33-year-old has always preached that the team comes first over individual performances.

For one, he considers Paul Lee as the Hotshots’ best player and took pride that even those at the end of the bench add value to what the team is trying to achieve. 

And against the Aces, he will take the same approach as he shunned away from the idea that the finals is about his personal matchup against fellow Best Import contender Mike Harris. 

“We have teammates that are there for defensive purposes, so it’s not going be a one-on-one matchup. I’m not really a one-on-one player,” Travis added. 

“We have a great system, we have great teammates, so things are going to come more organically. So for me, I don’t see it as a one-on-one match-up.” 

Game 1 of the finals is slated on December 5 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com