INSPIRE:PH
This is where I celebrate everything that inspires me. Be it music, films, art, sports, people or just anything about life.
Take inspiration from greatness. Chase it. Each day is your chance to become great.
After a hit single and flying all the way to Manila, Philippines for the Bazooka Rocks festival, the Arizona pop-rock quintet that comprise RadioDriveBy are at it again with a new acoustic video for their hit single "Go All Night."
According to the band, they always like to give their fans some fresh content during the sometimes unbearable in-between of new albums or music.
"It gives our fans that little something extra when we maybe aren't in their city or do not have new music coming out quite yet. We love to keep our YouTube channel active and engage our fans with new things as much as possible."
The song is a definite ear worm in its original version. But with this stripped down live acoustic version that features vocalist Trent and guitarist Adam, the band only further proves how they are masters of luring people in with a guitar and a mic.
Follow the band through Facebook and Twitter and get updates on their upcoming EP and tour dates for the rest of the year.
Can a 22-minute conversation change your life? Perhaps.
But this story begins way before the first second of that conversation.
She was sitting on the couch when I walked in, engrossed with her phone. She looked up at me, smiled, and went about her tinkering. I saw her name on the registration sheet at the lobby, so I was not surprised to see her already there.
I wasn’t starstruck either. But only because I had been around her before countless times when I interned for Philippine Fashion Week in college. I never had a chance to speak to her back then. Now, though, was different. I would interview her and write about her.
And that, admittedly, intimidated me. The wait for her to finish her photo shoot did not help ease my nerves either. This was Sarah Meier after all, erstwhile MTV Queen Bee and undoubtedly among the royals who rule the fashion world.
To me, she is an inspiration, even if I didn’t know her personally. I did know some things about her though; many people do.
Sarah is one of the fiercest models you’ll see on runways and photographs. She’s also one of the most eloquent and confident hosts on the circuit. And as if that weren’t enough, she’s also one striking and fluid writer. She can rock ferocity with fine finesse effortlessly any day.
But as we spoke, I learned so much more about Sarah that only made me admire her more — starting with her goals and dreams for the future, which she confesses are still works in progress.
“I feel like I haven’t really started to be honest with you. I think it’s still just the beginning coz I feel like I’ve only recently just started to understand who I really am and what I really want to achieve in life,” she admits.
(Sarah's dream house for 2021)
Despite sharing her dream house for 2021 on Instagram and keeping a vision board, Sarah is firm that while there is clarity in her destination, it is how she plans to journey there that’s delaying her.
Somehow, she still understands what needs to be done. “I wanna keep building bridges. And I wanna keep connecting people and industries, and finding middle grounds between things and collaborating.”
Those strides have taken her to places most only dream about as she juggles multiple roles in her life.
Ruler of the Land
Sarah is arguably most known for her impeccable command of being under the spotlight — be it through bringing designer pieces to its full potential on the catwalk and on glossies, or through her intelligent soliloquys on stage and in front of the camera.
Each role, however, stems from very different wells inside of her.
“Modeling, it comes and goes. You clock in and you clock out. It’s really not that difficult. Everything comes very naturally,” she says with a kind of confidence you’d expect from someone who has been modeling since she was 15 years old.
Hosting, on the other hand, is six feet deep inside her comfort zone.
“Hosting comes easiest to me. I feel like hosting is something that I don’t necessarily need to prepare for in terms of studying,” she explains. “I’ve been known to be able to show up at an event, they throw me a script and pretty much after hair and make-up I’m good to go.”
So easy in fact, that when Sarah auditioned for Top Model Philippines* she felt like she might have been taking for granted the one thing she has long dreamed of doing.
“I knew I wanted it for a very long time. And I wanted it with a tenacity that I had wanted MTV,” she recalls.
“I got a phone call that they wanted me to audition. It was one of the easiest auditions in my life. Almost too easy that I started to doubt myself, like, am I taking things for granted? Did I not try hard enough?”
As it turned out, playing it natural was the way to go as she landed the job she yearned for and had even placed on her vision board forever ago — proving that visions, and dreams for that matter, really do come true.
“And then they called and said that I had gotten the job. And I just felt like life had just come full circle,” she smiles at the memory.
But Sarah is known for one more thing though — a passion that does not necessarily involve staring back at bright lights or smiling for people, but more so immersing in herself and filling blank pages of thoughts entirely her own.
“Writing comes from such a strange and personal, moody place that when I’m forced to write and it’s not coming from that place, I feel like a sellout. I feel drained,” she speaks so carefully about her special passion, choosing the right words as though she was frightened she might taint it.
“But when it comes, and it comes hard and fast, I can’t do anything else. I shut myself off from the world.”
Sarah has mastered each of her crafts with as much grace and humility you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Not only did she take over every possible stage out there, but she also built one herself — where people flock to see her, hear her speak, and take in the aura of greatness she radiates.
But when she’s not conquering every big stage, Sarah is a soft-spoken, graceful, and perceptive woman, who finds magic in rediscovering the world once more through her daughter’s eyes.
“She brings the lens with which she sees life through. It’s unlike anything else,” she gushes about her daughter.
Kaya, Sarah’s beautiful daughter, was also at the shoot that day. And just by looking at her and how people take to her, I could already see how good a kid she is and how much potential she has to change the world.
Sarah affirms my thoughts by happily talking about the breakfasts in bed and the cups of tea that Kaya would prepare for her — just a little glimpse of how sweet and thoughtful their relationship is.
The only challenge she sees in raising Kaya is the sheer responsibility of caring for a life other than her own.
“She will grow up to who she becomes and she will go through what she has to go through but preparing a human being to be able to face those challenges is a daunting task and thought,” Sarah says.
Nevertheless, those worries are quenched by the fact that Kaya is Sarah’s biggest source of inspiration, followed closely by her genuine love for discovery.
The Life Conqueror
“Traveling,” Sarah utters one of her utmost sources of inspirations with certainty.
Through her travels, Sarah has forged strong ties with some of the most creative minds from all over — minds that influence and inspire her into action. And by getting out of a crowded and suffocating Manila, Sarah has found that it wasn’t just her body that needed the escape; her mind also felt freer and less constrained.
The writing juices also flow naturally when she’s out of the country. So it’s no surprise that when she decided she wanted to go back to school, she opted for universities in New York.
Her first choice was New York University, which rejected her because she didn’t have an undergraduate degree. Too bad for them, they missed out on a passionate student who could have represented them well when she became even more successful than she is now.
Fate incessantly nudged Sarah to keep on trying. Eventually, she found herself on the verge of a rare opportunity with an Ivy League school no less.
“That’s (three months in Ateneo) the only semblance of a college education that I had had. And that was always such a huge insecurity. But something wouldn’t give up,” Sarah shares.
All it took was a phone interview, and her passion transcended the wires.
“The directress was just giving me every reason why it wasn’t possible and so I would just listen. And at the end she just started asking me questions and I would just answer them,” Sarah recalls the tale of how the directress simply discouraged her from trying. But somehow, Sarah made her say yes.
“She just heaves this massive sigh. And then she goes, ‘you know I’ve been doing this for 25 years and this has never been done, but let’s go.’”
By getting accepted to Columbia University’s graduate school without an undergraduate degree, Sarah is living proof that intellect, determination, hard work, and patience are all you need to truly go places.
With everything she has achieved though, Sarah is nowhere near finished.
“There’s this undeniable knowing in the pit of my stomach that I have not gone anywhere near where I want to go yet,” she admits.
That feeling is what drives her in her search for that middle ground where all her passions beautifully intersect.
If anything, she’s actually off to a good start with her new role as Creative Director for Pormada, an “online shopping and fashion destination.”
“That’s been an awesome challenge. And I feel it celebrates everything that I do,” she says.
The future is still very much up for grabs for Sarah. Lasting greatness is yet to come for this woman who is single-handedly inspiring a generation — and it will come, there’s no doubt about that.
“I can’t let go of that feeling knowing that there’s still something even bigger. So I just keep plotting on, putting myself in the right place with the right attitude.”
Earlier, I asked if a 22-minute minute conversation could change your life. Well, I now have proof. Just by briefly sharing her insights on work and life, Sarah instantly opened my mind to a world of new perceptions and, at the same time, reminded me of the things that I already knew all along.
If there was magic in a conversation, I found it in this one.
Armed with natural poise, a refined elegance uniquely her own, an unwavering drive, and the grace to take life head on, Sarah — who has already taken over the world and back — is certainly on the precipice of clasping the universe with her supermodel hands.
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*Top Model Philippines announced in June that it was postponing the production of the show due to "delays and timing concerns."
All photos are courtesy of Sarah Meier's Instagram.
Here's a little confession: I've been listening to Dave Baxter's Let It Go EP for quite some time now and I have yet to Google him and know who he really is -- until now.
And man, I am blown away. Apparently, that album was only his side project from his real band, Avalanche City, which, incidentally, came here to the Philippines a couple of months ago for a Coachella-esque music festival!
How insane is that?!
And from a little more digging, I learned that he used to be part of a hardcore band called One Must Fall. And then he jumped to this type of music. Pretty cool, yes?
Don't even get me started on the fact that this man is from New Zealand! It's always awesome to hear music from parts of the globe that's barely on the news. Glad to hear their voice and hear a little of their culture through the music as well!
Anyway, curiously enough, Dave's idea of writing and recording his own album and releasing it guerilla-style was inspired by the very artist that I shared with you just now, The Rocket Summer.
I am now convinced that destiny truly exists.
Meanwhile, as I gush about how awesome Dave Baxter is, watch this video for one of the songs off the EP. This song is called "Whispers" and it has been used in several series as well. The video is beautiful. Simple but striking.
Ps. Developing a love for an artist without having any prior knowledge of who he is, how he looks like, or about his band just proves how image isn't everything when it comes to music.
Pps. If you're interested in knowing how I heard his music, I actually heard 'Whispers' in an episode of The Vampire Diaries in Season 4. It was the song used when Bonnie visited Jeremy's grave in her sleep.
The Rocket Summer!! Who doesn't love Bryce Avery? He's a one-man band and he's awesome! This song is a b-side from his latest album 'Life Will Write The Words.'
Pop music normally gets flack because of its ear candy appeal that resonates well through most people. And it's because of that "easy on the ears" quality that pop music is regarded as the favorite tool for abusive and desperate attempts at fame.
But that's just my opinion.
The Summer Set, though, is a band that I've been following since their early days. They churn out pop rock music that's basically a good way to end your day.
Here's a song from them that's been on repeat for me these past few days. In fact, the entire album from which this song came from is quite good. The album is called 'Legendary' and is definitely worth a listen.
In the age of the World Wide Web, music is easily accessible as breaking news. New artists pop up around the globe in an instant and can easily gain huge followings if they know how to work their way around social media.
With that said, it's easy to drown yourself in all the music you can consume just by being online for about an hour. Sometimes, all you have to do is scan the homepage of music websites - that are just as prolific due to the amount of music that needs coverage - and your chances of finding a new band you've never heard of is tantamount the chances of LeBron missing a wide open dunk.
The onslaught of new bloods in music has actually resulted to suffocating saturation. That's not to say that plenty of new artists and new music is a bad thing. In fact, it's a really good thing, if you know how to weed out the noise.
And from my weeding through, I heard one quiet voice in the midst of all the noise.
Doug Panton is calm, composed, soothing. And his music, despite falling along the ranks of the ballads, the souls, and the quiet acoustics, stands tall and loud from the rest.
A budding singer-songwriter from Essex in the UK, Doug is a 19-year old brimming with potential.
He showcased some of that potential through his self-titled debut EP, which was released worldwide early in June through major digital distributors such as iTunes.
The 5-track EP serves as quite the appropriate introduction to Doug. It encompasses well his personal style and influence, his musical strengths, as well as a little of what else he is capable of.
The first track titled "Young" is a solemn entry into the musical mind of Doug Panton. It starts out soft and slow, cradling the listener carefully until it escalates to the more upbeat chorus, then dips once more by the second verse.
Owing to the title of the song, Doug sings lyrics that will strike through most of us: "Plan now, don't anticipate; We've got time to lose; You've got the chance to choose."
The following track "Scared of Losing You" gives off a light and airy vibe. Think vast green fields with fresh air rippling through your hair. This song can easily be used in a TV series.
In the ensuing song called "All Or Nothing," Doug experiments on a heavier melody with echoing drumbeats carrying his vocals. This track is like a beautiful fusion of Ed Sheeran and Mumford and Sons with Doug's own touch.
One of the great things about this record is the fact that Doug seems unafraid of experimentation. He veers away from the traditional song structure by playing with various instruments in different parts of one song. Much like with "All Or Nothing" where he started it off with keyboards, inserted some percussion, and eventually some acoustics.
After a slightly melancholic track, Doug picks up the pace with "Eyes Open" that showcases a more casual drum and guitar tempo at the onset. Through this track, you can easily deduce that Doug definitely has the potential to create ear candy pop songs should he wish.
The EP closes out with "Agree To Disagree" with its nostalgic and thought-provoking melody as he sings about acceptance and compromise. It's the perfect way to end an EP that proves to be exceptionally great company together with your thoughts.
Produced by the engineers from Brook Lodge Studios who have co-produced with the music engineers behind Oasis and Atomic Kittens, Doug's EP offers a fresh perspective and an organic energy that's hard to find these days.
Doug Panton makes mesmerizing music that's touching and thoughtful.
This debut EP was billed as one "with divine passion in vocal delivery, tracks consisting of thunderous percussion and lavish melodies" as well as a "unique powerful sound for this generation.”
And in one go, it will easily prove that claim right.
While I personally will not get tired of listening to this EP over and over for quite some time, I am already looking forward to what Doug Panton can carve out of his creative mind next.
As previously mentioned in the first part of this feature, all teams are currently in transition from the preseason to the regular season.
If there is any time to analyze, pin down, and ultimately implement the adjustments needed to clock in those Ws, this is it.
For the second and last part of this feature, we will hear from the top two teams of the preseason: the freshly dethroned National University Bulldogs, and the newly risen University of the East Red Warriors.
Both have proven that when held down, they are tenacious as fighters who can get back up.
Rabidly determined, infinitely hungry
1954. That was the last time National University won a UAAP basketball title.
They’re one lone year short of a six decade-drought.
But if the last couple of years are any indication, the Bulldogs might finally experience glory this year, right before they hit decade number six.
Bannered by the talented two-time league MVP Ray Parks and a formidable supporting cast, the Bulldogs’ chances are definitely looking good.
According to Parks, timing would play a big role in their quest this year.
“We really have to peak at the right time,” he said. “(We need to) make the adjustments and pace ourselves.”
While peaking is tough to control, Parks is confident that they can do it at the ideal moment.
“Right now, I can tell you that we’re on the right track coz we’re not peaking yet or anything. But by the time UAAP season comes, we’ll be there.”
Indeed, NU did not peak during the preseason jousts. While they did keep a squeaky clean undefeated record throughout the summer, they weren’t able to deliver during their last game. It was the only blemish to their streak dating back to last year’s edition of the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.
It was also the most costly.
The Bulldogs’s preseason reign ended when the UE Red Warriors surprised everyone by defeating them.
The tough loss was the first of many inevitable roadblocks, validating the fact that the road to glory would not be a straight one.
Clearly, the NU team understands this as they took the loss in stride.
“The way we responded in the locker room wasn’t with our heads down. We still kept a smile because we know that there’s something bigger,” shared Parks, who was forced to sit out the crucial final minutes of the last quarter after fouling out.
But he displayed utter sportsmanship by commending the UE Red Warriors for giving them a great fight.
“(Charles) Mammie gave us a problem in the post with Sean (Mbe) and Alfred (Arroga). We had to collapse more. And their shooters made shots,” he said. He also singled out the Warriors’ court general and one of the UAAP’s rising point guards.
“Roi Sumang, he closed the game, big props to him. I wish I was there down the stretch of course to guard him and really just try to stop him. But big ups to UE, they played well.”
Though their reign in the preseason is over, an even brighter future still beckons for the Bulldogs this UAAP Season 76.
The most important thing for them to do now is to focus and channel all their energy toward realizing their goal regardless of how stacked the odds are against them.
“I’m definitely confident, even the team is confident,” said Parks of his team’s character, toughened up by experience. “I’ve never lost confidence in my game. I’ve never lost confidence in my teammates. And they’re ready.”
This NU team may look like they’re built to go all the way, but they also have their weaknesses. One of which is directly proportional to their greatest strength.
For the Bulldogs, no Parks equates to big problems.
More often than not, this team’s ability to win is hinged on Parks’ performance and leadership. When he’s being held down by the opponent’s constricting defense, or when he’s simply having a rare off night, the Bulldogs can almost automatically expect a long and grinding battle ahead of them.
The good news is that although it may be a lot tougher to accomplish, this team still has the chops to clock in wins should everyone else step up. That’s not, however, to say that winning would be a piece of cake every time Parks is in perfect form, but his energy, hustle, and unparalleled leadership on the court will definitely reap dividends for this experienced squad.
Thankfully, guys such as Angelo Alolino, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Cederick Labing-isa, Robin Rono, Troy Rosario, Kyle Neypes, and Mark De Guzman, among others, have been showing what they can do. All of them will need to contribute in order for NU to truly be the contenders they have been tagged to be.
“Down the stretch, we need to try to execute better and make stops. That’s really our goal, just to be a good defensive team,” said Parks of what the team needs to improve on before the UAAP opens on June 29.
As far as his personal game, Parks is more than willing to accept whatever roles the coaches need him to do. And he plans on delivering his best every game.
“I’m happy that they (the coaches and the team) gave me confidence. Personally, I’m not worried about how I play, it’s more on them (the team). I just really have to do the roles that are given to me by the coach. The dirty work like guarding the bench players, grabbing boards and stuff like that,” he explained.
After achieving two MVP awards in the last two seasons of the UAAP, Parks feels that he has nothing left to prove and that the championship is all that matters at this point.
And with a hungry team deprived of the title for nearly six decades, a little more patience could be the very virtue that will deliver them the gold.
“Every night is a battle. Gotta take it one game at a time.”
Unexpected but more than worthy
It’s no secret that the University of the East was considered an unexpected revelation during the preseason.
They finished last year’s UAAP at a murky 7th place after going through a coaching change as well as figuring in a couple of upsets.
What they had going for them, however, was potential.
Coach Boysie Zamar immediately flexed his coaching muscles by bringing that potential to realization and, ultimately, to sweet fruition in a short amount of time.
Such was proven when his Warriors brought home to Recto the 2013 FilOil title after an emphatic victory over defending champions NU.
While Coach Boysie would never own up to being a magician in that he was able to push an average team to exceed expectations, it would seem that he still is, at the very least, a great teacher.
Therefore, he was bombarded with the most obvious question he could be asked at this point: How did he do it?
To put it simply, it was all about the little things.
“Sumali kami sa mga pocket tournaments. From there, nagkaroon ng mga championships. Kahit na ligang labas sumasali kami. Kasi wala ngang gusto mag tune-up, 7th placer ka eh. Sino ba naman yung UE na yan?” he explained with every bit of dignity, pride and conviction.
“Now, umabot kami doon sa mga little victories. Nagiging habits na sa kanila eh. Dati pag natatalo sila, tawanan. Ngayon pag natatalo sila, nag-iiyak na kahit papaano. So for us coaches, doon pa lang may victory ka na kahit papaano. Small victories.”
Preseason Finals MVP and star playmaker Roi Sumang made an equally heartbreaking yet rousing statement early in the tournament.
“Sawang sawa na ako matalo,” he said.
That’s exactly what he showed everybody during the Finals as he broke down NU’s defense, dished to his teammates, scored, and even showcased an ankle-breaking double crossover move that sent everyone watching into a frenzy.
But he admits that he was unable to do any of those during his rookie year. He had to log in the hours to make something out of nothing.
“Ang tagal ko nag-practice (para sa shooting ko) sobra,” he shared emphatically. “Noong rookie ako halos wala talaga kahit free throw, so yun nag-improve naman ako.”
Despite his current sweet shooting, he is still adamant about working on it everyday to contribute more to the team. Additionally, he believes that teamwork will be vital for them this season.
“Teamwork talaga kasi mahirap naman gawin yun kahit kaninong team. Yun siguro kailangan namin i-improve para maganda laro namin.”
Teamwork will definitely be an X-factor for this young squad, especially since they rely heavily on their outside shooting, which defined their preseason performance. They are lethal when they make those three-pointers and jumpers. However, when nothing is falling for them, they will need to lean on each other to make sure that the missing firepower is compensated for.
This teamwork will include running the break, stingy defense, and driving hard to the hoop — all of which require sufficient if not tremendous amounts of energy from each and every player on the court. And they will need to communicate to make that happen.
Charles Mammie, their 6’8 slotman from Sierra Leone, adds weight to the Warriors’ frontcourt and balances things out. It will be tough going head-to-head against UE when its shooters are on fire and when Mammie does damage inside.
For his part, though, Mammie understands that he still needs to work on his free throws to step up his game.
The towering import came to the Philippines to study and to play basketball. He and his family flew to the UK in 1999 to avoid the turmoil of Sierra Leone’s 11-year civil war that ended in 2002.
“Yes (I experienced the war). Things were hard,” he said.
Mammie made sure he got the positives and the best out of his past experiences as he now hopes to dominate the UAAP and bring a title back to UE.
“Toughness and my being hardworking. That’s all I bring every time I play,” said Mammie, who has also grown closer with his teammates.
Come opening day, all eyes will be on the Warriors as they work to prove that their preseason championship was no fluke. The title does not automatically mean that they are a safe bet for the UAAP crown after all.
But amid all the pressure and the expectations, Coach Boysie is quite content with where his team is now.
“Well, even if nasa 7th place ka, may pressure there. I’d rather have the pressure upstairs. Ang hirap sa baba eh,” he said, noting that he does not think they are the favorites coming into the season.
Regardless, from languishing in the bottom of the standings in 2012, there certainly is nowhere to go but up for the Red Warriors. Every setback and every triumph is important to this vastly improved and maturing team.
In Coach Boysie’s words, “We have everything to gain.”
This brand new UE team is no longer content with losing. The fire in them has been awakened, and they are ready to blaze the trail with their own bright red flames this season.
The Warriors are contenders, they are ready to surprise, and they are armed to go to war.
This year’s UAAP is shaping up to be one for the ages. Teams have improved, players are looking to mature, and everything is practically fair game at this point.
On Saturday, the race is on. All will be given the opportunity to show what they’ve got.
Only the best can move forward.
And for the team that proves itself most worthy, greatness is waiting at the finish line.
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This article appears on www.inboundpass.com as well.
I've always known about RadioDriveBy, but today, I've rekindled my admiration for this band. Loving this song. Pretty stoked for a new EP or album from them. Hopefully, they release something soon!
Fall Out Boy's Save Rock N Roll album is one of their more heartfelt materials, despite its obvious step away from the music they used to make. The album nor this track do not necessarily save rock n roll, but it makes for great background music for the moments when you're lost in the depths of your thoughts.
With the 89th Season of the NCAA set to tip off in less than 24 hours and the 76th Season of the UAAP following suit a week later, teams from both leagues are deep into their preparations and the anticipation is at an all time high.
Presently, all teams are under a state of transition. It is that narrow space of time right after the conclusion of the preseason tournament, the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, and just before the year’s main events in collegiate basketball.
During this time, every player and every coach assesses performances in the preseason and figures out the appropriate game plans for upcoming battles.
Therefore, let’s zero in on the teams who finished in the Final Four of the FilOil preseason tourney and see what they’re cooking up before the explosive seasons unfurl before us.
They are dominant in the jungle as well as on the hardwood. They are the big cats that combine finesse and ferocity effortlessly.
The UST Growling Tigers and the San Beda Red Lions are both formidable teams in their respective leagues. Now, they’re about to take on new challenges.
Same stripes, a change in attitude
Since being in the Finals of last year’s UAAP Season, the Tigers continued to rely heavily on usual suspects Jeric Teng, Aljon Mariano, Karim Abdul, Kevin Ferrer, and Clark Bautista in the succeeding leagues they participated in. This new season will naturally see these same names carrying much of the load.
But this time with some much needed help.
“Yung mag se-step up sa tingin ko talaga sila (Ed) Daquioag dahil siyempre siya na yung pumalit kay (Jeric) Fortuna and sila Paulo Pe. Lahat naman (pati) sila Kim Lo,” said team captain Jeric Teng. “We’re happy na lahat nagse-step up sa amin this year.”
Head coach Pido Jarencio fervently believes that the FilOil tourney was an ideal extended practice for his boys. It essentially provided them with the legitimacy of a league as well as the leeway to make mistakes.
“Parang tune-up namin. Kasi kailangan din namin,” he said. “Actually, official games ito na pero pati yung mistakes nakikita namin. And then we can improve on that. Maaayos namin yung mga mali.”
Finishing in fourth place after losing against San Beda, the mistakes came clear as day for Coach Pido. “Defensively madaming lapses. Opensa naman medyo walang cohesiveness.”
But he admitted that perhaps rotating so many players was a factor as well.
“Siguro niru-rumble rumble ko rin kasi yung tao ko kaya siguro medyo may gulo kaunti eh. Pero kung UAAP, siyempre iba na yung rotation natin ng tao dun eh.”
Teng also added that decision-making and mental toughness, especially in close games, are the keys to taking them all the way.
On a personal note, Teng believes that he needs to work on his leadership and influence on the court. “Sometimes kasi I get frustrated, nakakahawa sa ibang teammates ko eh. I just have to boost myself and boost my teammates.”
Despite retaining pretty much their same line-up from the previous season, both Coach Pido and Teng believe that they are still the underdogs coming into Season 76.
“I think underdogs. And dahil din nawala si Fortuna they were saying na we’re done, wala kami point guard, mahihirapan kami. We just accept the challenge,” said a determined Teng.
In a classic Coach Pido remark, the animated mentor acknowledged the improvement of other teams in the UAAP.
“Hindi. Malakas yung kalaban. Maraming malalakas. Medyo mahina tayo ngayon,” he said with a smile.
With the team’s preparedness rating at 80% Teng sees one very important lesson learned in the preseason that they should definitely carry with them to battle. “Whatever happens, sama sama kami. Sa dulo, pag close game, sa amin dapat.”
La Salle is first on UST’s proverbial hit list after losing their initial preseason joust. They clash at 4pm on opening day’s main event on June 29.
While Teng is thinking of specifics such as rebounding and defense in order to make up for the La Salle loss and go against other teams, Coach Pido simply put on his trademark grin and uttered a vague answer on how his team will compensate for all the firepower coming their way.
“Magpalakas tayo.”
Protecting pride and throne
It’s been said that you’re only as good as your last game.
For the Red Lions, their standard does not stop at three straight championships.
Season 89 means defending their place as Kings atop the NCAA jungle as they go for the remarkable four-peat. It means defending their pride and etching deeper their perennial legacy in college hoops.
It also means being better than their last championship run.
Head coach Boyet Fernandez no longer wants a repeat of their semi-finals loss to National University in the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup — a loss that he believes was a product of little preparation.
Hence, for the new NCAA season Coach Boyet and his Mendiola-based squad have been breathing nothing but solid preparation, with practices held daily only a day after their claim of the preseason’s third place at UST’s expense.
“Ang ginagawa namin ngayon, we’re really executing well on our offense. Medyo tinitignan namin yung points of attacks, and then inaayos namin yung rotation namin,” explained Coach Boyet. “Tapos inaayos rin namin yung defensive schemes namin because we’re going to face different teams, iba iba style. So sana we’re ready for that.”
The preseason stint has certainly been an enriching experience for his boys, regardless of ranking.
“Dito namin nakita kung ano ang mali namin, ano ang dapat namin matutunan pa, at ano yung i-continue namin. Para pag dating ng NCAA, we’ll cut down everything and then we just concentrate on kung saan yung pinakamalakas kami.”
There’s no doubt though that among those factors bound to continue and flourish well into NCAA Season 89 is the Lions’ young star point guard, Baser Amer.
At only 19 years old, Amer has already risen to the role of court general, leading his pride of Lions in every fast break and in every offensive set.
“It’s a big lesson (para) sa akin. And big challenge rin. Kasi as a point guard kailangan mo silang i-control sa loob eh. And sobrang laki din ata ng tiwala ni Coach Boyet sa akin,” said the soft-spoken Amer.
Coach Boyet does, indeed, have full faith in his young ward. In fact, he took Amer under the experienced wings of four-time champions NLEX Road Warriors of the PBA Developmental League in order for him to gain maturity.
He hoped that Amer’s exposure to guys like RR Garcia and Borgie Hermida would result to some of their veteran court smarts rubbing off on him.
“Sobrang laki na tulong ng NLEX sa akin kasi lahat ng mga nakakasama ko doon are most outstanding players talaga and halos lahat sila doon are veterans. Dami ko natutunan,” said Amer, validating Coach Boyet’s hope for him.
“Kinuha ko siya para may maturity agad. And I saw his maturity right now. Hopefully it will continue to develop and hopefully when it comes to NCAA time, he will lead San Beda to the 4-peat,” said Coach Boyet.
For Amer’s part in the upcoming college wars, he refuses to make the same mistakes again. Especially one like San Beda’s fourth quarter meltdown during their much anticipated match-up against the NU Bulldogs in the semi-finals.
The only way for him to make sure that it never happens again is to focus on improving his game and helping his team over all as well.
“Kailangan ko i-improve yung pagiging leader ko sa loob. Every game, every practice kailangan ko sila ma-manage sa loob,” said the Davao native.
Finishing at third place in the preseason is nothing to be ashamed of for Coach Boyet, even if they are three-peat NCAA champions.
“Sa amin kasi it’s not really the place eh, it’s really the experience that we had. But getting third place is consolation for this team,” he said as he expressed his delight over the team attaining a better finish this year and the change he has seen in them.
“Happy na rin ako kasi we surpassed last year’s place. But yung pinaka-happy ako ay nakita ko talaga kung ano deperensya.”
Both Amer and Coach Boyet along with the rest of the San Beda crew will get their feet wet early and have a chance to test out their newly gained experiences. They go head to head with the College of St. Benilde in the season’s opening match at 4pm.
The wealth of experience from their championship runs and their overseas trainings, as well as from the preseason leagues can surely be the game changer that can tip the scale in favor of the Lions.
The key though is never to underestimate one’s opponent.
“Sabi ni Coach lahat ng teams malakas na, nag-improve na. So kailangan every game manalo kami. We work as a team,” remarked Amer.
Finally, when pushed to the brink with no other options left, it will be the Lions’ sheer determination that can pull them through.
Coach Boyet echoes determination in the simplest way.
“Right now we’re 3-peat, right? So we’re looking for 4-peat.”
Mind-Bending Photo-Manipulations by Erik Johansson
Erik Johansen’s pictures are worth more than a thousand words. The German born, Swedish based photographer enjoys nothing more than manipulating the mind with his tantalizing visual imagery. His vivid imagination and surreal forms create brilliant pictures of surreal moments, all with a hint of the believable. Originally a computer engineering student, Johansson currently works on personal projects as well as commissioned ones.
I am not going to lie. I am a Ginebra fan. I'm putting it out there and getting it over with.
Now, on to serious business: Ginebra is going to the Finals of the 2013 edition of the PBA's Commissioner's Cup Conference.
Yes, they are.
Surprised? No? Well, you probably have not been watching Philippine basketball for the past couple of months. Because if you have, you would know exactly why hashtag Ginebra to the Finals is a very big deal--and, more importantly, why it trended worldwide on Twitter on Sunday.
If you are surprised, well, kudos to you, fellow basketball fan. I am stoked to nerd out with you about every scintillating play, every controversial call or non-call, every teleserye-like real drama, and every drop of greatness that this conference has spewed out so far--including the miracle Cinderella run that has set Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ablaze.
If you are, however, one of the unfortunate souls to have missed such a splendid, roller coaster conference for the People's Champs, then allow me to break it all down for you.
1. Ginebra started this conference at 0-4
Prior to the start of the conference, there had been a complex 10-man trade that saw five teams beefing up their line-ups. Ginebra, on the other hand, traded away Allein Maliksi for Mac Baracael.
After the dust had settled, everybody else seemed much better and Ginebra seemed to have had the weakest line-up. Conference predictions placed the Gin Kings at last place because they simply did not look good on paper.
Add to that the appointment of a new head coach in Alfrancis Chua to replace Siot Tanquingcen. Coach Chua's coaching abilities were highly doubted due to the fact that his career didn't exactly shine since his first PBA Finals appearance in his rookie year of 1999 with then Tanduay Rhum. He lost to Shell.
Predictions held true at the start as Ginebra lost four straight. They then alternated a win and a loss, and somewhere in the middle of all that they switched their reinforcement from a quiet Herbert Hill to a passionate and dominant Vernon Macklin.
They were living in the cellar and were practically on a one-way trip to getting eliminated. But somehow, some way, the Gin Kings turned things around.
2. The streak
After all the hulla-balloo to start things off, the Kings went on a tear. They sparked a six-game winning streak--I think that was the longest streak for this conference.
In that streak, they were able to beat not just lower tier teams but also powerhouse teams like Talk N Text and San Mig Coffee, which was a classic game in itself owing to the Manila Clasico rivalry.
Personally, I think that streak was crucial to Ginebra not only because of how it allowed them to penetrate the playoffs, but in larger part because it molded their dwindling team character.
During that run, Ginebra had started to play as a team again. More than that, they started to play happy basketball. I've always been one to notice how a team is playing sadly. I'd say how a team seemed to have zero energy or that they looked like they did not want to win at all.
Ginebra, especially during the Manila Clasico game against San Mig Coffee, had started to smile again on the court.
Their court general, LA Tenorio, had gotten rid of his frown and was facilitating their offense like their lives depended on his strategies.
Maybe it did.
That brings me to my next point.
3. Vernon Macklin AND LA Tenorio
I think V-Mack was the spark plug for Ginebra in this conference. He just unleashed all his energy on the floor. His thunderous throwdowns got the crowd going and, more importantly, his teammates going.
He and LA Tenorio have also established a potent connection with those high-arching lob passes that result in the former posterizing anybody who dares to stop him. That T-Mack or Mack-Ten connection is fast, unpredictable and very effective.
Game after game, Vernon Macklin displayed how reliable he can be. While at first it was easy to spot the glaring weaknesses of this towering import, he managed to quickly improve and lessen if not eliminate those weaknesses. Those included his deficiencies in handling the ball and, of course, his horrid free throw shooting which even resulted to Hack-A-Mack strategies for opponents.
Nowadays though, Macklin has been shooting very well from the stripe. In fact, it was his two made free throws, albeit highly pressure packed, in the last 11 seconds of the second game that handed his team the W against Rain or Shine in the quarters. And during the semi-finals series against Talk N Text, Macklin's free throws have been very steady and reliable for Coach Alfrancis Chua.
During the eliminations, Macklin had a dismal free throw percentage of 46.9% as he made only 60 of his 128 attempts.
Come the quarter finals, however, he finally got to 50% on a much better 7 of 14 shots from the stripe. He continued his vast improvement in the semi-finals as he logged a 63.3% shooting clip from the line, making 38 of his 60 attempts.
Not bad, V-Mack. Not bad at all.
3. Barangay, we have a problem. The Spark is down.
When all seemed a-okay in the land of the Kabarangays, however, a new storm hovered over them as the very face of the country's most popular ball club, Mark "The Spark" Caguioa, went down with a knee injury during a game against the Meralco Bolts last March 22.
Since then, he has not played for his team. He could only watch from the sidelines and offer advice, tips, and any semblance of assistant coaching to Coach Chua to will his team to each and every win.
When The Spark lost its light, everyone, including the Kabarangays, felt it in their bones that this conference was definitely not for them. They felt that there would be no comeback and no Cinderella story for them. They began to accept their fate that it just wasn't meant to be.
But Ginebra, thriving on their timeless "Never Say Die" mantra, proved everybody wrong.
They held on, pushed their streak, and went all the way to the Finals without their star player.
It is important to note that Mark Caguioa is the heart, soul, life, and driving force of Ginebra. The fact that they have managed to withstand and carry on with him by the sidelines is a huge achievement in itself.
4. Jarvis, activate time machine.
In a sudden twist of irony, it was as if everything was, indeed, meant to be for Ginebra as Caguioa's demise turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Because the Kings now lacked their go-to offensive threat, they were forced to squeeze out some production from every member of the team. Coach Chua had to dig deep into his line-up, hoping that someone would surprise him.
His bench did not disappoint. But it was the resurfacing of Jayjay Helterbrand and Kerby Raymundo that really spelled the difference for this team.
If not for them, LA Tenorio -- no matter how much of a point god he is -- can never do it all alone, and they would not be where they are now.
4. Lucky number 7
The crowd darlings, despite their six-win run, lost in some key games and finished the eliminations as the number 7th seed.
And being number 7 of 8 is, as many a PBA fan is aware, a huge discrepancy due to the fact that number 7 will be pitted against the number 2 seed that has the all-important twice-to-beat edge.
At this point, most teams would have given up. Ginebra, being the perennial underdog for the entire conference, was not at all favored to win. However, by some miracle, they were still able to squeeze out two sudden death Ws.
It was a major test of character for Coach Chua and his wards. And they passed.
When it came time to go head to head against the powerhouse dynasty of Talk N Text -- a team that, I daresay, is quite the opposite of Ginebra -- they once again found their backs against the wall.
This was when the Kings exuded every ounce of the proverbial spirit they had in them. The very attitude that many cling to and believe in, whether in basketball or in life.
For this series, basketball fans, analysts, and band-wagoners predicted one of the following:
-TNT in 3
-TNT in 4
Anyone who predicted a Ginebra win was most likely a Ginebra fan. Practically nobody, except the Kabarangays, believed that their team could win. I would even go so far as to say that even the fans had that speck of doubt in their heart, just because they know how tough Coach Norman Black's Talk N Text team is.
But guess what?
Ginebra won in 5.
6. Heart
Surprising? Definitely.
Impossible? Not quite.
This is Barangay Ginebra San Miguel after all. They have championed the Never Say Die spirit for more than two decades already. They have passed it down to generations. They have been the very greatness that everyone hopes to become someday, even in their own little ways.
Ginebra spawned an entire country's worth of basketball fans not because of their always complete bits and pieces of the team; and most definitely not because of an unstoppable one-man superstar; nor was it because they have been a dominating team in and out of every conference.
They have earned the loyalty of many, mine included, because of the heart they display and leave on the court.
The Ginebra brand of basketball is not one of grandeur and perfection. It is not methodical nor fully quantifiable with statistics. It is one of gritty, pounding, die-for-the-ball, street-style basketball that most Filipinos grew up with.
This entire conference run by the Kings is the very testament to why I love basketball and sports in general. It is why I am inspired by these athletes who go above and beyond the limitations of a stat sheet or their physical abilities to stretch their hands out and touch greatness.
Now, Ginebra is back in the Finals. And they've booked an old-school date with a rival from the past -- Alaska. And Game 1 is tonight.
I was only 7 years old when that last Finals series between these two legendary teams went down. My mother saw it, and even won a bet from it. But not me.
Now, I have the chance to see a new version of it for myself.
And to be honest, I will not feel too bad should Ginebra lose this one.
Because truth be told, all I want to see is that patented Ginebra basketball that I've come to love. All I want is for their unwavering spirits to ooze out onto the floor and engulf the Big Dome.
They have always been a title contender. They have regaled with the UAAP Final Four regularly since 2007. And they have relished being under the bright spotlights of back-to-back Finals appearances in 2010 and 2011.
To say that 2012 was unkind to the FEU Tamaraws men’s basketball team could be an understatement.
The Tamaraws figured in a hot start to their UAAP Season 75 campaign, which led to many claiming that they are a shoe-in for a Final Four, if not another Finals appearance.
They were strong and mighty, with their heads bowed low, ready to charge.
But somewhere along their campaign, perhaps towards the end of the eliminations, something went wrong.
A controversial on-court act, an even more controversial game redo—and the Tamaraws found themselves fighting for their Final Four lives only to end up at the gutters, from the outside looking in.
For the first time since 2007, a very promising team that charged through season after season seemed to have sputtered and came to an abrupt halt as they missed the playoffs.
Clearly, something had to be done.
Cue Coach Nash Racela.
Late in 2012, Coach Nash replaced Coach Bert Flores as the new head coach of a team raring to pick itself back up.
And with Coach Nash at the helm, fans of the Morayta-based cagers are certainly wondering one thing: What could he do to turn things around?
Pieces of the puzzle
For many, winning basketball games should start with solid recruitment. Hence, the recurring question surrounding the FEU team concerns the possible new fishes swimming in their green and yellow pond. Though this undoubtedly became more pressing due to recent events involving their high school standout that jumped ship.
Unfortunately, FEU doesn’t have any blue chip recruits to rave about.
“Normally kasi when you’re a new coach, you’ll make do with what you have eh. Kasi, well, you don’t really have time to recruit yet. So normally your recruits will come in mga 2nd or 3rd year of the program. On the first year wala pa,” says Coach Nash in an interview with Inboundpass. He also speaks candidly of how this has not allowed a major revamp for the team.
“Kung ano ‘yung meron kami, ‘yun lang. Ang pwede lang namin pagkunan is ‘yung Team B, which we have a few only, and our high school players.”
Among those new players included in the 18-man lineup for the FilOil preseason tourney are Joshua Aguilon, Jeson Delfinado, and Joel Lee Yu from the high school team; Gus Denila, a high school player from Iloilo; and Ron Marvis Denison and Giovanni Luz from Team B.
Only sixteen will be lined up for the UAAP.
Asked if the new additions are sufficient Coach Nash smiles before answering, “We’re happy with what we have. I just want to put it like that. Kasi wala rin naman choice, ‘yun lang ang meron, even if you wanted to get other players.”
The little things
It would seem, however, that recruitment is the least of his worries at the moment because for Coach Nash, the answers lie underneath the surface.
He plans to snap back into focus the little things; the things that have been taken for granted—things that don’t necessarily include recruitment or basketball for that matter.
“I think it’s more of we’re trying to change the culture within. Sa amin kasi it’s more than basketball, it’s the culture,” he explains, also adding that this culture overhaul has taken some time, causing actual basketball preparations to resume only last March.
“Kaya ‘yung mga bagay na kinasanayan na nila noon, on and off the court, like the way they do things sa quarters, sa dorm, the way they do things sa school—‘yan ‘yung mas inaatake namin,” he adds.
Doing that successfully in his first year as head coach, he admits, is not likely. But he sees his efforts now as an investment for the future, and believes that with time, everything else will follow, including winning.
“We believe that pag maganda ‘yung foundation, I think winning will come after eh. But as a coach I don’t want to be pressured by winning alone. Sa akin mas importante is what we teach the kids.”
He already began teaching by putting his foot down with star guard Terrence Romeo who violated instructions on not signing with any D-League team for the ongoing Foundation Cup, in order to focus on preparations for the UAAP.
Romeo signed with Big Chill.
Coach Nash then laid down conditions for Romeo saying that he wanted to give him a lesson on prioritizing and sticking to his commitments.
And with Romeo being part of the team that recently won the 3-on-3 championships, there is curiosity on whether or not he will be allowed to fly to Qatar and represent the country for the Fiba Asia 3-on-3.
This is, of course, if Big Chill is able to appeal their lost spot in the tournament. As of this writing, they have reportedly failed to submit the necessary documents on time.
But if things work out, Coach Nash still plans on teaching the same lesson.
“Well, if it’s for flag and country then we will consider,” he explains. “Having to choose between FEU and the Philippine Team, kahit 3-on-3 ‘yan that’s still called the Philippine Team, right now I’m thinking that he has to prioritize that.”
Lost and found Tamaraws
Apart from players lost due to graduation (John Clarence Foronda, and Mark Anthony Bringas), FEU also lost another Tamaraw: Arvie Bringas.
Known to be among the more physical ballers of the UAAP, Arvie was caught in a spitting incident during a match against Ateneo in the previous season. He had to endure a couple of game suspensions because of it.
After the season, it was reported that he had been removed from the FEU Tamaraws’ roster with no clear reasons of whether it was due to the controversies he was involved in.
Coach Nash made it clear, however, that cutting Bringas was not part of the changes he implemented.
“He’s not part of the program anymore,” he says of where Bringas stands in terms of the FEU men’s basketball team. “Wala na siya before we came in. We took over late last year, so wala na talaga siya last year.”
On the other hand, there have also been whispers of another Tamaraw who might not opt to return for his last playing year.
RR Garcia suited up for flag and country as part of the Smart Gilas Pilipinas cadet pool under Coach Chot Reyes, and played in international tournaments late last year.
It then seemed to make more sense that he would not go back to FEU.
But Garcia has donned his green and yellow, FEU-emblazoned jersey for the FilOil preseason tournament. And according to Coach Nash, Garcia is certainly headed towards the direction of maxing out his final year of eligibility.
“Well, sa end naman namin, we don’t force players to play for us,” says Coach Nash, likening the situation of Garcia to that of Pinggoy.
“If he (Pinggoy) doesn’t want to go to FEU, I don’t want to force him. The same with RR, if he doesn’t want to play his final year, I won’t force him. Kaya lang, of course, they (Garcia and Pinggoy) are all welcome. Because alam namin, in the end, makakatulong naman sila sa amin.”
What now?
For now, what is certain is that Coach Nash’s team is smaller and heavy on guards. His new players are also perimeter players.
“I think the only thing na medyo certain ako going to next season is, I don’t see a big man who will dominate just how Greg Slaughter dominated the UAAP. So that’s one thing that’s gonna work for us, kasi wala kaming malaki,” he remarks, a tone of positivity evident in his voice.
Clearly, Coach Nash is taking a different approach for this team. So it’s not surprising that he could still be hiding some tricks up his sleeve, safely tucked away from the preseason.
He takes a moment before speaking cryptically, “When it matters, we will try to win. Pero ngayon, like as a coach, minsan kailangan mo mamili eh. Between winning and ‘yung learning nila. So I’d rather teach them now, I’d rather go through the process now, than pag dating ng UAAP bigla ako mamro-mroblema.”
The Tamaraws are currently holding a 1-2 win-loss card in the preseason cup, suffering losses from UAAP foes Adamson and National University.
But they certainly have been showing a lot of grit and character despite the losses, chopping down leads and going down to the wire.
“We just want to focus muna on the present, to take it a practice at a time, a game at a time. Ang concern namin is our improvement. As long as we improve day to day, I think we will be good enough come UAAP,” says Coach Nash.
Only time will tell if his methods will pay off. However, with a little over a month left to prepare, time certainly isn’t on his side.
Exuding a solid sense of determination and resourcefulness he hopes to pass on to his wards, Coach Nash is set to make the best out of what little time he has, and will continue to tinker away at the little things.
“All we’re after right now is just consistency (and) improvement. As long as we become faithful to those little things, I think we will be rewarded later on. So, patience (lang).”
Update (As of May 3, 4:14pm): According to a report by Spin.ph, Big Chill’s appeal to reclaim their spot in the Fiba-Asia 3-on-3 tournament was turned down by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. They lost their spot after failing to submit the required documents before the set deadline. This means that Terrence Romeo, along with fellow teammates Mark Canlas, Mac Montilla and Mar Villahermosa, will not be representing the country in the said tournament. Instead, runner-up Blackwater Sports will be sent to Qatar.
____________________________________________
I wrote this article for www.inboundpass.com. Published on May 3, 2013
“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
-William Ernest Henley, Invictus
Every day we fight desperately for what our hearts truly desire. Every day we try our best to defeat Father Time, and to outwit fate along with life’s accidents. We are relentless in our quest to make our own destinies.
But fate doesn’t allow that. The reality is that there are some things you absolutely have no control over.
What do you do then?
The Fall
Throughout UAAP Season 75, the Growling Tigers have carved a wickedly impressive reputation that’s solely based on a string of improbable come-from-behind victories.
Some labeled these instances as ‘escaping from the jaws of defeat’. Others reduced them to ‘tsamba’ or ‘luck’. But many recognized the simmering magnificence in these rallies, hailing the Tigers as the ‘Comeback Cats’ or the ‘Comeback Kings’.
Anybody who saw those heart-stopping, nail-biting games could easily bear witness to how forward Aljon Mariano was involved, if not the orchestrator, of those supposedly impossible rallies.
So scintillating was Aljon’s play last season that it’s easy to forget that he actually suffered through an injury before all of it.
“At first, nung bumalik ako sa practice, sobrang down ako and nangangapa talaga. Kasi back to zero talaga lahat. As in wala talaga,” Aljon shares, frowning at the memory of how he was bitten by reality a little over a year ago. “Sobrang payat na nung paa ko dati, tapos kahit balance wala ako.”
Just as Aljon was beginning to show the early signs of a budding King Tiger two seasons ago, fate stepped in. He fractured his ankle during a preseason game and missed the entire UAAP Season 74 because of it.
Watching his teammates play that season without him, he admits, was a hard pill to swallow.
“Nung pinapanood ko sila, parang gusto ko makatulong ako. Sana andoon ako para makatulong sa team,” he says.
It took Aljon six months before he could play again. He was injured around March, and was able to play again around September 2011. The real work, however, began sometime between December 2011 and January 2012—when he took his first step to mounting a comeback he hoped would put him back on track, and on Philippine basketball radar.
Instead of wallowing in his misfortune, Aljon opted to pick himself up and claw his way out of that rut. He started by ensuring that his missing Season 74 wouldn’t go in vain.
“Nung pinapanood ko sila parang pinag-aaralan ko na lang. Pinag-aaralan ko ‘yung team namin tsaka ‘yung mga kalaban. Para pagbalik ko alam ko na ‘yung gagawin ko,” he says. “Mas na-motivate ako. Kasi kung na-down ako siguro pangit laro ko last season.”
He puts on a somber expression as he reflects on how much it took for him to stay positive. “Pinaghirapan ko talaga. Ang mindset ko na lang, dapat may impact ‘yung pagbalik ko.”
Aljon did more than come back with an impact. He came back fiercely—growling louder than ever.
And he was definitely heard by everybody.
The Return and Rise
It may be due to the law of averages, but the hard work that Aljon put in reaped great rewards for him in his comeback year during Season 75. He became one of the go-to guys for Coach Pido Jarencio, who often designed crucial game-winning plays around the returning forward. In turn, coaches began to manufacture defensive strategies to stop him.
But, of course, this is Aljon Mariano we’re talking about—the perennial mismatch nightmare for his opponents’ coaches.
There was, however, one coach who predicted what was coming. We all know him. The man behind Ateneo’s 5-peat title run in the UAAP—Coach Norman Black.
“Si Coach Norman daw sabi parang watch out, ganon. Kasi maganda daw nilaro ko nung summer,” Aljon recalls of the fearless prediction that nobody really took seriously. That is, until a hungry UST team led by Aljon’s heroics scraped out an upset win against Coach Norman’s team in the first round of eliminations.
He didn’t learn of Coach Norman’s comments until a day before that game. He took it in stride, feeling a combination of flattery and motivation to prove the multi-titled coach right.
That win over Ateneo was sweet vindication for Aljon. It cemented his return emphatically, with whispers of his name reverberating beyond the rounded walls of The Big Dome.
“Parang na-feel ko ito na ulit ‘yung start ng nakabalik na ako,” he says using a tone that sounded a lot like conviction peppered with triumph. “Tapos tinuloy-tuloy ko na lang. Start na ng bagong chapter ulit sa akin.”
The Lessons
Throughout the conversation, Aljon would always say how lucky he was with his game last season. “Sinuwerte ako” or “sumakto” he would say. The truth is, luck or ‘tsamba’ had the furthest thing to do with what Aljon did for his Tigers last season, which even spilled over to the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL).
Often fondly referred to by his teammates as LeJon (a play of Aljon’s and LeBron James’ names), Aljon’s greatest lesson from all of the supposed “luck”, is building trust in his teammates—a quality that manifested itself in UST’s close games.
“Kasi ‘yung ibang teams hindi sila maka-finish. Siguro mas nabuo kami lalo na pag ‘yung mga last minutes (sa game). Mas alam na namin ‘yung gagawin,” he says.
He understands, though, that consistency is a big concern for UST this year, saying that “’yung start lang ‘yung kulang namin.”
With regard to the subplot of the point guard vacancy underscoring the Tigers this season, Aljon says that adjustments by every person on the team will pull them through. Asked how feasible those adjustments are, Aljon answers with confidence, “Oo, kasi matagal na rin kami nagsasama kaya alam na namin ‘yung isa’t isa tsaka yung system ni Coach Pido.”
The Future
Aljon is a tough cookie—that much is certain. Not even sappy movies like “The Notebook” can make him shed a tear—or so he says.
Give him this, though—he is never shy to give credit where it is due, and be in awe of those around him; including Nico Salva of Ateneo, whom Aljon says was his toughest match-up last season.
Currently playing in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup for Jumbo Plastic, Aljon hopes to gain a different kind of experience to take with him to the ongoing FilOil preseason tourney, and the upcoming UAAP season. More than that, however, it’s the semi-professional atmosphere that he wants to soak up as preparation for his dream career in the PBA.
“’Yun talaga ‘yung pinakaunang plano ko. After UAAP, ‘yun talaga yung nilu-look forward ko, na makapaglaro ako sa PBA,” he says.
Aljon further admits that his dream team is a toss-up between crowd favorite Ginebra, and powerhouse Talk ‘N Text. He smiles as he speaks of how a very supportive crowd and consistent winning ways are what he hopes to also have in the future.
With big dreams set for Aljon’s horizon, he chooses to focus on the present first. “(Gusto ko) makuha ko ‘yung peak ng laro ko sa college para maging ready para makalaro sa PBA. Tsaka sana may makuha rin akong award bago ko gumraduate,” he shares.
His goals are not an impossible feat considering his current pace and his no-to-lakwatsa attitude. “Wala na (lakwatsa). Good boy eh,” he chuckles.
They say it’s not the fall that matters; it is how you get back up that makes the difference. Aljon must have taken that to heart.
He battled back from every setback and ultimately achieved his comeback. He acknowledged that for every shortcoming, there is a homecoming waiting; and that for every break, there’s a breakthrough just around the corner.
So to answer the question earlier: What do you do when things don’t go your way and you can’t control them?
You fight back. You push back. Bend if you must, but never break.
This life wasn’t made for the weak, and, clearly, Aljon is not one of them.
You shouldn’t be too.
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I wrote this article for www.inboundpass.com, posted on April 26, 2013.
I've once again come across a new artist to follow.
They're called Bridges and Powerlines and they're a 4-piece rock band hailing from Brooklyn that I chanced upon while going through some of my daily music readings.
What particularly drew me to click on the link to their news feature was the bit about how each one of the members had been going through rough times in the past two years. And it wasn't the kind of problems, resentments, disappointments, or depression that you could somehow compartmentalize in your heart--locking it away for the day as you go through work or school, then bringing it back out at night before you sleep to try and make sense of it. It was, as Consequence of Sound put it, "the kind that can follow you anywhere in a city of 2.5 million people."
And for someone who had relied on music for most of my life when it came to every ill feeling or euphoric happy moment, I instantly knew that that kind of struggle would yield nothing but glorious, raw, and honest music.
So I clicked. And I never went back to the homepage.
According to COS, the band dug deep and pulled themselves out of their rut by drawing from what they had experienced, and turning that into a 6-track mini-LP aptly titled Better.
Boy, what a brave and right decision that was.
Produced by Kieran Kelley, the album will be released on May 21st via Daisy Pistol.
Its theme obviously focuses on uplifting yourself and learning from bad experiences. Each song is titled after the various places that were significant to the band members and their stories.
"Bushwick" the first track that debuted out of the record is all about picking yourself up, dusting off the unpleasant vibes, and being brave enough to step out, face life, and just live.
Check out a stream of the song below courtesy of Consequence of Sound:
You can also see the track listing below.
Tracklist:
1. Bushwick
2. Park Slope
3. Williamsburg
4. East New York
5. Greenpoint
6. Red Hook
