Ahead of their final stretch, job's not done yet for San Juan

With a playoff berth already secured in the Lakan Season of the MPBL, the San Juan Knights are not yet done with their business in 2020.

The defending National Champions of Coach Randy Alcantara made their most of their final home game of the eliminations, as milestones were made in their win over Pasig last January 11.

However it was not a walk in the park when the visitors came to play, knowing that a ticket to the playoffs is at stake for them.

"Expected na mag-run din. Importante, nakabalik kami at nakalayo ulit kami," Alcantara said after their 109-99 win that gave them their 22nd win in 25 games.

The former Knight himself was all praises to ex-pro John Wilson, with the resident sniper writing MPBL history as the first-ever player to score a thousand career points.

"Nakita naman namin sa practice pa lang, talagang masipag ang bata (kasi) tinrabaho niya," he said on Wilson's historic feat. "So kung anong nakuha niya ngayon, he deserved it."

Heading into the game with 996 points, Wilson achieved the mark in the first quarter, with his first triple in the game put him on course for a 24-point performance and more importantly, a clean sweep of their defense of the FilOil FlyingV Centre where they won all seven games there.

However, the former NCAA MVP deflects the credit to the entire team, not taking a break during the holidays in order to keep in shape and maintain momentum into the new year.

"Di kami nagpahinga nung December para di kami mawala sa momentum namin," said Wilson, who knows that everyone else had beefed up their rosters as the postseason looms.

Speaking of the playoffs, Alcantara knows that the five-game kick to finish the regular season will be a tough one, but it was a perfect learning tool for them in their readiness to take their game to the next level.

"May mga assignment pa kami na sa South, yung Davao at Zamboanga. Coming yung sa playoffs, mas maganda yung mga experience na makuha namin dun. Kelangan, every game I-treat natin as playoffs," he admitted, as it gives them the time for newcomers such as PBA draftee Renzo Subido a chance to gel with the team.

Questions were raised at the start of the year when captain Macmac Cardona abruptly left the team, but with Alcantara's guidance and fair and equal treatment, Wilson and the veteran crew helped to keep their composure.

"Si coach Randy, ang tingin samin, pantay-pantay. Yung mga players naman, nabigyan ko naman ng chance."

Photos by Harold Biado, San Juan Knights