Caguioa, David share PBA weekly honors

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra's Mark Caguioa and Air21's Gary David were chosen by the PBA Press Corps as its Smart/Accel Co-Players of the Week for the period June 30 to July 6. The association said Caguioa and David deserved the award because they helped their teams post the needed victories despite playing with injuries. "Nung masama ang umpisa namin, may mga nang-a-asar, nasaan daw ang Ginebra ngayon," Caguioa was quoted in the he association's news release on Monday. "Pero OK lang sa akin iyon. I used that as additional motivation," he added. For his part, David underwent the same experience but has since put those things behind him, helping Air 21 notch an outright spot in the semifinals. Ginebra, on the other hand, has bagged one of the three automatic quarterfinals spots. Gin Kings coach Jong Uichico said Caguioa's transformation can be attributed largely in understanding his system. "I think he (Caguioa) understands fully now what I wanted for the team and I now understand what Mark is all about, as a person and as a player. It's a very nice feeling to have Mark playing this way now," Uichico revealed. "Whether starter or reliever, p'wede ako. Ang gusto kasi namin, kahit sino ang nasa loob, whether ako o si (co-shooting guard Ronald) Tubid ang nasa loob, kailangan tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang energy level na ibinibigay namin sa team," Caguioa said. Caguioa showed this new attitude last Sunday during the Gin King's 97-90 win over Alaska Aces that helped Barangay Ginebra bagged a third place finish in the elimination due to higher quotient over Coca-Cola and Magnolia, all of which have 10-8 win-loss slates. During that match, Caguioa substituted for Tubid, who was forced to stay out of the game due to a suspected dislocated left ankle, and scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half. David, on the other hand, scored a personal season-high of 30 points, 20 in the second half, as the Express came back from a 14-point hole to post a 113-103 triumph that gave them a 12-6 card. "We really had a missing link in our offense when he was gone dahil wala kaming instant attack in our transition offense," said Express coach Bo Perasol. " Kaya nu'ng bumalik siya, he added a different dimension sa opensa namin and his intensity rubs off on his teammates." - GMANews.TV