#LabanSanJuan: Built on trust, Ayonayon's winner over Pampanga in Game 1 is already planned after all

With the game tied with 18.3 seconds remaining against Pampanga, Coach Randy Alcantara faced with a difficult dilemma while thinking on their drawing board for San Juan.

Should they advance the court, but the shot clock will be on to 14. 

Yet if they go the length of the FilOil Flying V Centre floor, they have their ball in the hands and win it right here right now.

He decided at the latter choice. The result? Mike Ayonayon floats it up and buries the game winner with almost no time left, as the Knights take the series opener against the Giant Lanterns, 86-84 in their North Division semifinal series on the final Friday of February.

"Natutuwa kami na gaano importante sa amin yung game one. One point man yan, two points or ano. Basta manalo kami," said an exhausted, yet overjoyed Alcantara after a thrilling game that almost went through the early minutes of the leap day.

Was the game winner planned all along? Coach Randy thinks so.

"Oo nakita ko kasi talagang wala na, last shot kami," he added. "Nakita naman namin buong-buo yung gagawin."

Even though he did not have the ball in their final play, captain John Wilson agrees to Alcantara's thoughts, saying that the trust given to them was already fostered even out of their practice court.

"Ganun ang tiwala ko kay Mike, kasi nakita ko naman yung work ethic niya sa Practice, talagang nag-eextra siya," he said after the game where he lead all scorers with 21 points.

With the final play had been drawn, the marching orders to the former PCU stalwart was clear and simple.

"Instruction lang sakin ni coach: 'Kahit anong  mangyari, kunin ko yung bola basta kelangan di na makakabalik sa kanila yung bola'."

As the referee signaled that the final basket was good after further review, the entire San Juan Arena went loud one more time minutes after the final buzzer had sounded, in which Ayonayon felt the weight lifted off his back.

And why not?  The pressure on him was immense after being held scoreless in their clincher against Pasay while nursing a sprain.

"Medyo nadadown din ako nun kasi bad game nga," he said.

However, he still deflects it to his mentors for sticking to him, and that game winner was the repayment on their trust.

"Siyempre give credit ko rin. Kasi kahit bad game ako last series, grabe pa rin ang tiwala sa akin," he said afterwards. "Kahit ganun yung laro ko nung Pasay, sa akin pa rin yung option ng last shot."

No wonder he's not the Finals MVP of their Datu Cup conquest for nothing.

Photo by Harold Biado/San Juan Knights