'Run it back': Tyler Bey wants another shot with Magnolia after finals heartbreak
Source: Rappler
MANILA, Philippines - Tyler Bey has some unfinished business.
Bey hopes to get another shot in the PBA as Magnolia fell short of the Commissioner's Cup crown after succumbing to San Miguel in six games of the best-of-seven finals on Wednesday, February 14.
"For me, personally, I love the Philippines. I love Magnolia. Hopefully, we could run it back," said Bey.
A former NBA player, Bey joined the Hotshots with hopes of helping the storied franchise get over the hump as Magnolia endured a five-year title drought since it won its last championship in the 2018 Governors' Cup.
Bey joined the team in September - two months before the conference started - and fit right in, with his athleticism and defensive acumen further enhancing the Hotshots' grind-out style.
Magnolia thrived with Bey leading the way as it clinched the top seed with a 9-2 record then reached the finals for the first time in over two years after disposing of TNT in the quarterfinals and Phoenix in the semifinals.
Bey almost took home the Best Import honors, losing only by a slim margin to Fuel Masters reinforcement Johnathan Williams III.
The conference, though, proved to be a tournament marked by runner-up finishes for Bey as the Hotshots once again saw their title bid crushed, with the mighty Beermen capturing a record-extending 29th crown.
On the verge of forcing a winner-take-all match, Magnolia wasted a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and absorbed a 104-102 loss in Game 6.
"[W]e wish we could do everything better. Execute plays, not turn the ball over, not get foul calls. That was pretty much the game," said the 26-year-old.
Although he ended his first PBA stint with no precious hardware, Bey returns home to the United States having gained a band of brothers.
"We did not get the result we wanted, but I just feel like I met a good group of guys, met guys that I could call family. I just hope we could run it back and go from there," he said. - Rappler.com