San Miguel Beer’s Alex Cabagnot is getting back the confidence that he seems to have lost following a knee injury he sustained two months ago.
The clutch game-winner he scored last Sunday literally put the 6-foot Cabagnot back on his feet.
“They gave me the opportunity to play. So my apprehension went away, and my timing went back,” said Cabagnot after his basket handed the San Miguel Beermen an 88-87 win over NorthPort and the momentum after Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinal series in the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The 38-year-old Cabagnot went on to finish with 20 points for the Beermen, who are now a win away from making the semifinals.
Recently recovered from his injury, Cabagnot arrived and joined the Beermen inside the PBA bubble only last week in Pampanga, with little or no practice with the team before the game.
“He told us that he will be back. Alam ko nagpapa-kundisyon siya. Tamang-tama ang pagdating niya, medyo kulang kami sa firepower,” said Beermen coach Leo Austria.
Mo Tautuaa backed up Cabagnot with 15 points, along with Best Player of the Week CJ Perez with 14, Chris Ross with 12 and Junemar Fajardo with 10.
This was Cabagnot’s first time on the floor with the Beermen, after he was sidelined by a torn meniscus and sprained ligament in his left knee last July 28.
Cabagnot’s basket came with just 1.5 seconds left in the clock off a pass from Tautuaa as he nailed his shot past Sidney Onwubere’s outstretched arms in the closing seconds.