Ricci Rivero debuts in the PBA, helps Phoenix rally past NLEX

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rookie Ricci Rivero made a strong impact in his debut with the Phoenix Fuel Masters, as he contributed to their 113-101 comeback win against the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The 25-year-old guard entered the game in the first period and immediately scored seven points in just four minutes. He struggled in the second and third quarters, going scoreless and committing turnovers. However, Rivero regained his rhythm in the final period, scoring eight points and completing a three-point play as part of Phoenix’s 20-2 run to finish the game.

After the game, Rivero acknowledged that he was caught up in his emotions during the match. “For me, that was just me bouncing back because I felt I wasn’t doing a good job in the middle part of the game so it’s not really a big deal, me looking at the camera,” he said.

“I feel like I just got caught up with my emotions and those things really happen for the players not just in the PBA but also in the UAAP, NCAA and even in the NBA. I was just overwhelmed because we were bouncing back at that time,” Rivero added.