Veteran forward Kelly Williams logged 16 minutes in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel—his longest playing time of the series.
If it were up to him, he would be on the court even longer.
“I should be out there [more], but I’m not,” Williams told reporters after TNT’s 100-95 overtime loss to the Gin Kings at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “That’s not my call.”
“I’m used to that kind of environment. I was bred for that environment. I’m always ready for whatever. The way I’m utilized makes that difficult, but that’s not my call,” he added.
Despite finishing scoreless, Williams made his presence felt through defense, rebounding, and hustle plays. He spent time defending Ginebra playmaker RJ Abarrientos, matched up against the Gin Kings’ frontcourt players, and secured several key rebounds that gave TNT additional possessions.
Williams hopes to contribute more in Game 6 on Sunday as TNT Tropang 5G attempts to extend the series and force a winner-take-all Game 7.
His increased playing time in Game 5 came after TNT dealt with an in-game injury to Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and struggled to match Ginebra’s frontline with Henry Galinato on the floor.
Still, Williams emphasized that his individual role is secondary to the team’s goal of staying alive in the championship series.
“We just have to go in and try to win another game and we’ll go from there. There’s nothing more to it,” he said. “We’ll follow any adjustments that coach sees necessary and hope for the best.”
Meanwhile, TNT head coach Chot Reyes expressed frustration over what he viewed as inconsistent officiating, particularly the disparity in free-throw attempts.
“Excellent officiating. 29 to 17 in free throws? You can’t beat a strong Ginebra team like that with the discrepancies in free throws,” Reyes said.
“If the calls were a bit better then maybe we could have a chance [to win].”
TNT attempted just 17 free throws and missed six, while Ginebra converted 22 of its 29 attempts from the foul line, a difference Reyes believes played a significant role in the outcome of the game.