BARANGAY Ginebra coach Tim Cone knows sophomore guard RJ Abarrientos can do more than just set his teammates up for their shots.
No wonder, there came a point in Sunday’s do-or-die game against Converge that Cone had to take him aside and remind him to be aggressive on the floor and find his shots.
And last season’s PBA Rookie of the Year did.
After a quiet five-point output in the first half, the 26-year-old Abarrientos scattered 30 points in the last two quarters to lead Barangay Ginebra to a runaway 105-85 triumph against Converge on Thursday and force a sudden death PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal duel.
“He’s got that capability, we all know that. We’ve seen that in the past, almost Steph Curry-like where he can just find an area, open up on the the floor, throw it up there and it just goes in,” Cone said, shortly after the Gin Kings’ victory to forge the rubber match scheduled this Sunday.
“I actually complained a little bit in middle of the second quarter and I told him he wasn’t looking for his shot enough and (was) looking to pass more. I had the same problem with him oftentimes I do with his uncle Johnny (Abarrientos) in the past,” he added.
The all-time PBA winningest coach noted that the Ginebra second-year guard, just like his uncle, a legendary playmaker who starred for Alaska in the 1990s, are simply acting on their gifting as pure point guards.
But then again, Cone said Abarrientos has that unique knack to score when needed to, a reason why he has to remind to also look for his shots.
“They want to be pure point guards. Both of them are really capable scorers, so they need to be reminded, take a few shots. But his DNA is to be a point guard, set people up, but he’s got the ability more than a point guard,” stressed Cone.
For his part, the Gilas pool member said he grateful to have Cone at his side to remind him what he’s supposed to do when inside the court.
“Just playing my game reading the game, on whatever the defense gives me in the first half,” said Abarrientos. “Coach Tim was telling me, ‘I’m not looking for my shot and not being aggressive.’”
“I keep reminding myself, I can’t just simply not make a move and contribute to the team because we all need to contribute,” added the Ginebra sentinel, whose 35-point effort is a career-high in his young PBA career.. RICHARD DY
Source: Cone on RJ Abarrientos: ‘He’s almost Steph Curry-like’
