When Far Eastern University returned to the court on Saturday at the Paco Arena for its V-League Collegiate Conference match against Arellano University, one Tamaraw finally suited up for the first time in more than two years.
CJ Cabatac, now 23, had long waited for this moment to once again fight for the Green and Gold. And just as FEU was about to close out the opening set, head coach Eddieson Orcullo called his number — 16.
“Siguro nung una pa lang, pilian pa lang ng lineup, do’n medyo sobrang na-overwhelm ako na nakita ng coaches ‘yung improvement ko behind ‘yung nangyari sa’kin. And sobrang saya na makabalik sa hard court,” said the opposite hitter.
“Sobrang saya kasi ‘yung journey ko sa rehab ko is nakakawala rin ng motivation. Pero as Carl Cabatac, kailangan ko ring i-angat ‘yung sarili ko para makabalik ako. ‘Yun ‘yung pangarap ko eh. Sobrang thankful lang rin, unang-una kay God, kasi hindi biro ‘yung pinagdaanan ko eh.”
The former Baby Tamaraw had shown promise early in his UAAP career back in 2023, despite sitting out a year. He delivered a career-best seven points in a win against De La Salle University on March 11 at the Philsports Arena.
But just a week later, a few kilometers away at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, the young wing spiker suffered a devastating knee fracture during a match against National University. Surgery followed, and from there began the long road back to the Taraflex.
“After ko po mag-surgery, rehab na may bakal po ako sa paa. And then, after one year, tinanggal po ‘yung bakal, tapos another rehab po ng one year naman. So, mga two years na ko nakabalik; nitong patapos lang ‘yung last season. Do’n na ko nakakasabay na rin ako sa kanila sa training,” Cabatac recalled.
What kept him going was seeing his teammates improve and push forward. That same determination carried FEU to the 2024 V-League championship and a runner-up finish in UAAP Season 87.
Now, 889 days after that life-changing injury, Cabatac was simply grateful to step back on court, proudly wearing the golden jersey with green trim and his number 16.
It was a moment he fully embraced after such a long and difficult wait, even as he knows he still has a long way to go.
“Nag-start uli ako sa basics kasi kakabalik ko lang sa court at fina-familiarize ko paano maglaro sa Taraflex,” he expressed.
“Actually, kanina hindi ko naman ine-expect na ichi-cheer nila ko kanina pagpasok ko. Sobrang naano talaga ko, tumayo ‘yung balahibo ko. And sobrang nagpapasalamat ako kasi isa rin sila sa nagbu-boost ng morale ko para magpatuloy sa paglalaro.”
