Marcio Lassiter dethroned Jimmy Alapag, who held the all-time three-pointers made record for nearly eight years, in San Miguel’s dominant win over Ginebra in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Marcio Lassiter needed only three triples to become the new PBA three-point king on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Lassiter shot six and San Miguel made mincemeat of Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel, 131-82, in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.
But Lassiter, ever humble, was quick to say he did not do it alone.
The San Miguel sniper paid homage to his teammates past and present, though he made special mention of current San Miguel comrades June Mar Fajardo and Chris Ross.
“I definitely couldn’t do this without my teammates from the past and right now. They’ve helped me out so much… I feel like the main two that probably gave me the most assists is June Mar (Fajardo) and Chris (Ross), so I got to also thank those guys,” said Lassiter after finishing with 18 points during the historic night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I’m just truly honored and blessed to be in this position. Words can’t describe how I feel. I’m just overwhelmed with a lot of emotions right now.”
Now the leader in all-time three-pointers made with 1254 after displacing another PBA great in Jimmy Alapag (1250), Lassiter nailed four of his total three-point field goals within the first six minutes and 13 seconds of the opening quarter.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to start this hot. I told myself to be aggressive, I didn’t think I was going to get it in the first quarter. When you get one to fall, you kind of feel like the next one’s going to fall,” said Lassiter.
“My teammates were looking for me. I think my record-breaker was like a heat check. I was just kind of in the moment, just out-of-body experience. I just kind of threw it up and I was feeling good.”
It turned out, the plan, with the San Miguel team on board, was for Lassiter to be over and done with breaking the record as early as possible.
“We just wanted to help Marcio get this one off his back. I’m very happy for him. I’m very blessed to be his coach,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent.
One Sports actually got to talk with the former holder of the three-point record, Jimmy Alapag, who said that Lassiter surpassing his mark would be "another special moment for the PBA and all the amazing fans."
Alapag, who is now based in the US and currently serves as Sacramento Kings assistant coach, further shared in the interview a day before Lassiter's feat that in the event that the Beermen sniper would indeed top the list, it would be a "testament to his hard work, discipline and consistency through the years."
[RELATED STORY: ‘Records are meant to be broken’: Jimmy Alapag celebrates Marcio Lassiter's PBA 3-point milestone]
Lassiter was later asked for comment about Alapag's remark. He went on to reveal that he actually talked to the league legend, who held the record for nearly eight years, the night before.
“Just to think of Jimmy, he’s one of the greatest to ever do it, obviously, in both the national team and the PBA. It was great to hear from him yesterday,” Lassiter told One Sports.
“He also sends his gratitude and he’s very thankful that I was going to be, you know, breaking his record. He knew the hard work I put in.”
Lassiter likewise expressed his gratitude to Alapag.
"It was great because we were teammates before in Gilas, and I saw firsthand what it was. So thank you, Jimmy, for everything," said Lassiter.
But it does not end with 1254 for the 37-year-old gunner.
Lassiter still has plenty of years left in his tank and could do more from the three-point range to make the record untouchable.
"I'll just try to keep pushing, like he said," added Lassiter.
(With reports from Gillian Trinidad/One Sports)