883 Days
After 883 days, CJ Isit and John Tayongtong once again met on the hard courts, Tuesday afternoon. Tayongtong, 24, has been with the Wangs Basketball Couriers for two seasons in the PBA D-League, while Isit, also 24, is still donning the red and gold — this time though for D-League neophytes Team Batangas.
Last September 22, 2014, was the last time Isit and Tayongtong were together on a basketball court.
In a no-bearing game between Isit’s Mapua Cardinals and Tayongtong’s EAC Generals, and with the Generals firmly in control — leading 86-77 with 28.5 ticks remaining — the squads figured in arguably the worst brawl the league had experienced.
A Tayongtong bump on Isit led to an elbow by EAC’s Leo Gabo that sent the Filipino-Canadian to the floor. Just as Isit was about to stand up, the Cagayan de Oro native threw a sucker punch to Isit, instigating a free-for-all melee.
A total of 17 players were suspended, with Tayongtong serving a five-game suspension.
“A couple of months after that happened, our athletic director set up a lunch and he actually wrote an apology letter for my mom who flew out from Toronto. We pretty much made up, so to speak,” Isit shared.
“We’re cool, but we’re not exactly friends at the same time.”
Tayongtong personally apologized to Isit’s family some three months after the incident, but the two never shared the same court until today.
“Naisip ko na before the game kasi mga kakampi ko lakas mang-asar e pero nag-focus lang ako sa game,” Tayongtong reflected.
But this time around, it was Isit’s team who came out on top 97-96.
“It definitely feels good to get the win. It’s kind of like we got the last laugh especially that they were up by that many points down the stretch,” Isit remarked about Batangas’ furious late game rally that turned the game around.
Isit played 16 minutes in the game, finishing with a statline of 5 points and 3 steals, while Tayongtong logged in 24 minutes and finished the game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. But the two only defended each other once in the game. And it was during a crucial sequence with 29 ticks remaining.
“Towards the end, he had an iso play at the top and I just wanted to lock him down, and I think I did a good job in that last play,” Isit remarked about the play.
Even if the two never had a chance to talk to one another, both admitted that they have moved on from the incident.
“Para sa akin okay na pero ewan ko sa kanya,” the former General said.
“Wala na, naka-move on na pero di kami nagka-chance magkausap.”
“We definitely wanted to get the win, but it was definitely an extra push of motivation as well,” the former Cardinal added.
“That’s what matters at the end of the day, wins and losses.”
