Magnolia import Nick Rakocevic knows he will need to stay on the court to help the Hotshots overcome the Gin Kings.
Only 3 points separated Ginebra and Magnolia in Game 1 of the Manila Clasico semi-finals, most of which did not feature Magnolia import Nick Rakocevic after he was thrown out during the third quarter of the game.
Rakocevic was punished for tripping Christian Standhardinger, receiving a flagrant foul which caused his ejection. Earlier in the game, he had collided also with C-Stan and received a technical foul for second motion.
In just 20 minutes of action, Rakocevic had already put up a near double-double of 10 points and 8 rebounds to go along with 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.
The 24-year-old Serbian has been a key anchor for the Hotshots, and owing to his mistakes, Rakocevic apologized to his teammates, coaching staff, and the Magnolia fans for his actions.
Luckily for Rakocevic, he and the rest of the Hotshots can bounce back on Friday as Game 2 of the best-of-five series kicks off at 3 PM.