ANTIPOLO—It took Aaron Fuller multiple tours of duty in the PBA before he made his first semifinal trip, and as they say, better late than never.
The returning import is set for a breakthrough appearance on the said stage after leading the Elasto Painters to the Season 49 Governors’ Cup semis following a 113-103 win over Magnolia in their Game 5 quarterfinal on Saturday night.
“I’m excited to finally be here,” the 34-year-old bruiser said during the postgame press conference of the do-or-die battle at the Ynares Center here.
Fuller is now in his fifth stint in Asia’s pioneering pro league, although it is only now that the former USC Trojan is going past the quarterfinals.
Yes, he never advanced to the semis in all of his previous PBA campaigns, which saw him suit up for NLEX twice — back when it was still handled by Yeng Guiao — before reinforcing Blackwater (2019) and TNT (2022).
So, for sure, the chance to finally do so was on his mind when Guiao came calling once again for Rain or Shine in the 2024 Governors’ Cup.
That’s why he poured it in the deciding Game 5, finishing with 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field and nine rebounds. He also collected three assists, a pair of steals, and a block in the 39 minutes he saw action.
Ever the team player, though, Fuller was proud of how the youth-laden Elasto Painters rose to the occasion, but at the same time remains far from satisfied as he and the squad set their sights on the semis, where they’ll face TNT.
“I’m proud of my teammates, I’m proud of the coaching staff for getting us prepared for this. We want to keep getting better,” he said.
“They got to the semifinals last conference. We’re not just satisfied with getting here,” he added, referring to his team’s semis finish in the 2024 Philippine Cup. “It’s a great opportunity to be here, but we still have work to do.”
