By TITO S. TALAO
CHRIST is Risen! A Blessed Easter to all!
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Favoring his right knee, Japeth Aguilar walked slowly toward the exit of the Smart Araneta Coliseum late last Sunday, shortly after Barangay Ginebra San Miguel outlasted Converge 99-93 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The 39-year-old slam-dunk specialist had sat out the FiberXers game due to a knee strain sustained from a “bad landing” in the fourth quarter of Brgy. Ginebra’s 118-113 loss to the NLEX Road Warriors a week ago, and was on his way home.
Early in the game, Aguilar had hobbled to the back of the Kings bench and was looking to climb over the metal railing to join his teammates, but he found it difficult to lift his foot across. A small gate nearby provided him access.
“Sinubukan namin kung puwedeng ilaro kanina pero di pa kaya e,” he said, putting a hand on the adhesive tape covering his patella. “But next game, I’ll be there na.”
That next game is tonight against the San Miguel Beermen and June Mar Fajardo at the Big Dome, with the Kings eyeing 3-1 win-loss and SMB 3-2.
Brgy. Ginebra will be facing a retooled SMB team that had brought in a week before 7-foot former Chicago Bulls first round draft pick Justin Patton to replace original import Marcus Lee. Patton, 24, had immediately impressed, debuting with 24 points and 17 rebounds in the Beermen’s 110-94 rout of the Macau Black Knights last Tuesday.
Aguilar’s return, especially if he’s at full strength, will be welcome news to Brgy. Ginebra fans, as big man Isaac Go continues to regain form after surgery to repair a right knee ACL tear. Justin Brownlee, at 6-foot-5, has been superb so far in fending off taller imports – 31 points and 10 rebounds in the Kings’ 110-93 victory last March 20 over Macau and 6-foot-7 Tony Mitchel; 46 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in the loss to NLEX and 6-foot-10 Haitian center Cady Lalanne; and 33 points with 10 rebounds in leading his team past Converge and 7-foot reinforcement Kylor Kelley. His heavy load, if it continues, risks injury, however, even if a mild one.
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That’s because not having Aguilar around for more than a game to anchor the inside, provide primary rim protection, crash the boards, and deliver reliable perimeter offense will force Brgy. Ginebra to overextend Brownlee’s minutes and demand more production from the Kings’ guards, mainly RJ Abarrientos. GSM head coach Tim Cone isn’t going to be thrilled having a precarious situation like that in his hands.
Expect Go and forward Norbert Torres then to take turns in trying to jostle the 6-foot-10 Fajardo out of his comfort zone, and Aguilar to do the honors on Patton, allowing the other Justin to work his usual magic.
This showdown promises to be a thriller.
***
Called them the “Boys of Summer,” those rugged, unyielding band of local cyclists who made up the old Marlboro Tour, when I covered them in the mid-80s to the 90s.
Their faces are blurred by time, but their names remain etched in memory, especially those who emerged as champions – Reynaldo Dequito (1987), Armando Catalan (1988), Gerardo Igos (1989), Manuel Buenaventura (1990), Bernardo Llentada (1991), Renato Dolosa (1992 and 1995), Carlo Guieb (1993-94), Victor Espiritu (1996) and Warren Davadilla (1998).
Hope to rekindle something from those halcyon days of coverage – worshipping at the feet of cycling legends Joe Sumalde and Cornelio Padilla Jr., and listening to Tour tales from Paquito Rivas, the Bonzo brothers, Maui Raynante, Jess Garcia Jr, Jack Sicam and Rolando Pagnanawon – when the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 gets going on April 29.
Got to be there and reminisce, even for a couple of stages.
