Six games into the Cebu Sharks’ campaign in the 2019-20 MPBL Lakan Cup, Eloy Poligrates took a risk.
The proud Cebuano ask for his release from the team. He had decided to join Yong Garcia in Marinerong Pilipino.
“‘Di ako ginagamit doon kasi mga bata ang priority nila. Nag-decide ako na umalis,” shared the 31-year-old guard, who averaged 4.5 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game in 12.5 minutes of action.
The 27th overall pick in the 2013 PBA Draft has been away from the metro for the last four years. He last played in the second league with the Cafe France Bakers.
Because of this, he admitted that he has been out of shape.
“Nag-ligang labas ako. Cebu. Mindanao, Bohol. Pero iba talaga ang laro dito,” said the 6-foot guard.
And in his first game back in the D-League, he made sure to re-introduce himself. With the Marinerong Pilipino crowd cheering his every move, Poligrates fired 19 points – including nine in the final frame – to lift his squad to a 118-81 rout of Hazchem.
“Kilala natin si Poligrates. Kung kailangan mo ng score, sa kanya tayo pupunta. ‘Wag lang natin biglain,” said Garcia.
At his age, Poligrates knows that his chances of making it back to the big league are getting slimmer by the day. And so, he plans to make the most out of this one.
“Siguro dati yung focus ko sa game. Hindi pa ako matured dati. Pero ngayon, focus lang ako para makabalik ako,” he said.
“Last chance ko na ito eh. So pagbutihan ko lang itong remaining games namin. Magsisikap lang ako para bumalik sa PBA.”
