A Glimpse of Things to Come: Mike Ayonayon Does it in the Clutch Against Pampanga

For a basketball player to be able to play in crucial moments of the game, he will have to gain the trust and the confidence of the coach that yes, he will deliver at any given time. And for a loaded team such as the San Juan Knights, having a proven clutch shooter in John Wilson has helped the Knights get over the hump even when they were an inch closer to absorbing a rare defeat.

While John Wilson has saved the Knights on multiple occasions, he wasn't the only Knight in Randy Alcantara's round table who can score in the clutch.  In fact, there were times wherein John Wilson would willingly step away from the spotlight just to get the big W.

One of those instances happened in Game One of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) North Division Semifinals against the Pampanga Green Lanterns. 

While the defending champions led as much as 11 points and even scored 30 points in the second quarter alone, a veteran-laden Green Lanterns side fought back and limited the Knights to just 17 points in the third quarter and even had a chance to send the game into overtime. 

After being fouled by Jhonard Clarito with 17 seconds left on the clock, Dexter Maiquez made both freebies to knot the score at 84 apiece. Now, many fans predicted that John Wilson would take the last shot and even the commentators said that "Wilson had the right to demand the ball" at the endgame. But, the play Randy Alcantara drew during his final timeout of the ballgame was designed for Mike Ayonayon to score the potential game-winner. 

Mike Ayonayon did exactly what his coach asked him to as he drove closer to the basket, dribbled the ball a few more times before going up for a floater against two defenders. The ball bounced a few times before falling into the net. At the buzzer. That play had to be reviewed even by MPBL Founder and Senator Manny Pacquiao but in the end, the officials counted the basket thus enabling the Knights to escape with an 86-84 win.   

And if you look back prior to the Maiquez free throws, Mike Ayonayon missed a floater with 19 seconds to go, and yet, Randy Alcantara still went for Ayonayon in the final play. Not only did the play proved that Ayonayon could deliver in the clutch, but it also proved that having your coach's confidence in those situations works the wonder. 

Mike Ayonayon finished with 12 points in that game while shooting five for 12 from the field. 

If there's one thing that Game One of the MPBL North Division semifinals proved, it's that Ayonayon, no matter how poor his field goal shooting was in a game, can score in the clutch and that's something that will help him once his Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) career starts.

Photo is from ABS CBN News