Positive thinking works wonders for Finals MVP Cabagnot

Call it prime Alex. Call it "Clinchman" instead of "Crunchman." In Game Six of the Finals, he moved like a youngster, he attacked like a hungry rookie and he won like it's just his first title.

"I don't know what's different ... I think that was just the blessings, our prayers just answered. I just prayed for us to win. I guess God just blessed me with a little bit more than expected," Cabagnot said. 

The 12-year veteran was as relentless as his teammates. Playing his way to his sixth PBA title, he registered 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists--the first triple-double performance by a local since Willie Miller did it in 2005.

Cabagnot went on to add that it was simply because he was just hooping with a positive attitude.

"I'm just being happy, just surrounding myself with positive people," he said. Alam mo naman mga mangyayari kung ganito, ganito. I just [dwelled] on those things. There’s too much stuff to be happy for and I think just be happy. Try to be as happy as possible."

And that had been contagious for the Beermen.

"We wanna have fun," he noted. "Kasi pressure naman talaga kasi for us to win games. It’s just another outlet. It just comes out and shows yung samahan namin and stuff like that."

"Coach trusts us na kahit masaya kami, kahit na ganoon, we’re still focused," he furthered.

Cabagnot's performance was so stellar that it also earned him his first Finals Most Valuable Player award. His norms in the series were 20.3 points 8.0 rebounds 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals.

"I didn't expect it no more," he said of his outing. "Whatever [God] has for me, whatever his will is for me ... I didn't expect anything talaga."