AEL Banal emphasized the need for Wilcon Depot 3×3 to always be at its A-game to be able to win in PBA 3×3 Season 3 First Conference.
“We can’t be complacent. We have to play every game like it’s for the championship despite every adversity that comes our way,” he said.
Injuries plagued Wilcon Depot in Leg 5 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay which led to it missing the quarterfinals for the first time after a breakthrough semifinals appearance last week.
Keith Datu remained on the sidelines as he recovered from his grade 1 right ankle sprain sustained last week, forcing him to miss this leg.
Banal himself hurt his left shoulder on Monday, keeping him grounded for the final assignment as the guest team bowed out of the preliminaries with a 0-3 record in Pool C.
Wilcon Depot could not recover from a slow start to kneel to Pioneer, 18-11, and could not hurdle Ginebra, 21-15, on Monday before an undermanned three-man crew of TH Tumalip, Louie Vigil, and Yutien Andrada staged a valiant stand before falling to Meralco, 14-12, in overtime on Tuesday.
Nonetheless, Banal said the focus now shifts to their recovery as it looks to fare better in Leg 6 at Ayala Malls Trinoma in Quezon City next week.
