Basketball has a weird way of bringing former rivals together.
The Far Eastern University Tamaraws and the University of the Santo Tomas Growling Tigers were two of the top teams during the past UAAP Men’s Basketball tournament. The two squads figured in a classic Finals series that reached the three-game limit. After the dust had settled, it was Mac Belo, Ed Daquioag, Roger Pogoy, and Russel Escoto who ended their collegiate careers with golds on their necks while Ed Daquioag settled for a silver finish.
A few months after the UAAP season, Phoenix Petroleum entered the PBA D-League as a school-based team that represented FEU. Moreover, in an ironic twist, Daquioag was brought into the fold in a stacked team. “Champion team kasi ito ng UAAP e. Yung ‘winning mentality’ nandiyan na at madami pa ko natututunan,” the Ilocos-Norte native shared about the opportunity of playing with his former rivals.
Phoenix Accelerators head coach and FEU Tamaraw assistant coach Eric Gonzales always made it a point to give Daquioag minutes all throughout the season. “Ang pinag-uusapan talaga namin is how to integrate Ed,” Gonzales said during their season debut. “On our team, we are waiting for Ed (Daquioag) to gel. That’s why we’re giving him more minutes.”
The 24 year old was spectacular all throughout the season as he helped lead the Accelerators to the 2016 Aspirants Cup Finals. In the Finals, Daquioag averaged 12.6 markers per outing – including a personal series-high 20 points in the pivotal Game Three. But more than the buckets, the athletic guard provided the Accelerators with a lockdown perimeter defender to complement Tolomia.
In the winner-take-all Game Five, a game that was close all throughout, both sides had the chance to take the crown in regulation. During the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, Paul Zamar almost took the trophy home for the Cafe France-Centro Escolar University Bakers with a floater that almost connected. It would have been a disastrous ending to a great D-League campaign for Daquioag had the shot went in. “Kinabahan talaga mas lalo na nung drive ni Zamar,” Daquioag admitted. “Pero medyo lang naman kasi alam ko naman nandiyan si Mac (Belo). Alam ko na makakadepensa kami.”
“Sabi ko kasi kay Mac parang pag naiwan ako, humelp ka na muna kasi medyo hiningal ako. May one time, dumrive siya (Zamar) at siya din nakakuha. Kasi si Zamar, sure talaga na siya kukuha ng last shot or si Ebondo.”
The Accelerators were able to hold the Bakers in overtime while Belo did his magic on the other end to give the debuting-franchise its first D-League crown. In a great moment, the team, mostly composed of current and former Tamaraws, lifted Daquioag on their shoulders after the win and even gave him the honor of cutting the net off the rims at the Ynares Sports Arena. “Masaya kasi semi-pro ito e. Nabigyan din namin si Ed ng championship kaya sobrang saya,” Belo, who has developed a close friendship with Daquioag, said after the game.
A humbled Daquioag was lost for words afterwards as he finally won a championship in a major league. In addition, he was just grateful with just how his former rivals integrated him to the team. “Thankful talaga ako sa kanila kasi sobrang bait nila sa akin,” a delighted Daquioag said. “Kumbaga dinedicate nila yung game for me. Sabi nila, ‘bigyan natin ng championship si Ed.'”
“Sobrang saya, sobrang thankful. Binigay na ni Lord this time. Sobrang saya talaga!”
