Fate works in mysterious ways.
Ping Exciminiano and Gryann Mendoza never really thought that they would become teammates again. Nor that they’d share success together in the professional ranks, several years after playing alongside each other in the collegiate scene.
The Far Eastern University products have just won a PBA championship as TNT emerged as the new king of the Philippine Cup. It dispatched Magnolia last Friday to cap off what was a dominant run by the proud ball club.
Such an achievement for the two Tropang GIGA bench energizers arrived mere months – five, to be exact – after steering KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City to the top of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Visayas Leg.
Double champions, indeed.
“‘Di naman namin talaga in-expect na, you know, pagsasamahin kami ni God sa dalawang magkaibang team sa loob ng isang taon. And, ‘yun, pareho pang nag-champion,” Exciminiano told Tiebreaker Times.
“I thank the Lord the binless kami ni Ping na mag-champion ng dalawang beses in less than a year. And I’m still in great awe,” Mendoza added. “Shocked pa ako na grabe talaga mag-bless sa akin at sa amin si Lord.”
The lefty guards have known each other for so long. They played together for two seasons with the Tamaraws in the UAAP – one season even saw them play with current TNT star Roger Pogoy, who was in his rookie year then.
Those stints, however, weren’t that memorable. In both instances, the cagers from Morayta settled for silver behind Ateneo De Manila University, who was in the midst of its historic five-peat under the tutelage of Norman Black.
“Ang tumatakbo lang talaga sa isip namin nun ay masungkit ‘yung UAAP championship ng magkasama. Umabot din kami sa Finals nun. Pero siyempre, powerhouse yung Ateneo nun eh,” recalled Exciminiano.
Known as a defensive specialist during his time with the green-and-gold, the Olongapo native decided to take his talents to the next level by 2013. He was selected 18th overall by Alaska in that loaded Rookie Draft.
Mendoza would head into the pros three years after him. The cager from Davao was undrafted, although he was immediately picked up, interestingly, by the Hotshots, who were then rebuilding under new coach Chito Victolero.
And as fate would have it, the two would be reunited in the Tropang GIGA years later. Exciminiano signed a one-year deal as a free agent back in February – a year after Mendoza joined the flagship MVP Group franchise.
The bond grew from there, Mendoza said.
“Hindi ko in-expect. Senior ko siya noon, and ‘di kami nakakapag-usap masyado. Pero naging close kami nung off-season sa TNT, tapos napunta kami sa VisMin. At doon na nagsimula ‘yung bond namin,” said the 31-year-old.
Now, they can call themselves champions together – something they aimed for in college. Mendoza himself knows how it feels like, thus the ‘bittersweet feeling’ on his part as he won his second title against the team he got his first with.
“Winning this second championship sa career ko rito sa PBA, bittersweet siya kasi it’s against my former team, Magnolia. Parang mga kapatid ko na ‘yung mga yun eh, and sa kanila ko din na experience yung first-ever,” he said.
But while it’s a feeling all too familiar for him, Exciminiano is relishing his maiden championship. And the 32-year-old couldn’t be any happier to have finally nailed a PBA title after going through the toughest of times.
“Sobrang saya at sobrang grateful ko talaga kay God for these two championships. Kasi di naman natin maikakaila na medyo di naging maganda yung start ng taon ko last year, dumaan ako sa injury.”
His future became clouded with uncertainties after suffering an Achilles tear in a ‘ligang labas’ stint. Worse, it happened just days before he would have signed a two-year contract with Rain or Shine.
“During those trying times, feeling ko mas pinatatag ako ni God at ng support ng pamilya’t mga malalapit sa akin. At noong mga time na ‘yu, napaisip din ako na maybe, just maybe, ‘yung mga pinagdadaanan kong hardships that time ay may mas maganda pang kapalit. At ‘yun na nga, ‘yung taon na ‘to, sobra-sobra pa yung binigay o binalik ni God,,” Exciminiano gladly said.
“‘Yung tila mailap na championship sa buong basketball career ko since college, to semi-pro, at ngayon sa pro, ibinigay Niya sa akin ng dalawang magkasunod na beses ngayong taon. Sobrang saya at thankful ko talaga.”
With all that, both Exciminiano and Mendoza couldn’t wait to see how the future unfolds for them with the Tropang Giga, whom they helped end a championship drought that stretched for six long years.
“Excited ako kasi masasabi ko na mas naging close lahat sa team sa lahat ng pinagdaanan namin,” said Mendoza. “Grateful din ako sa mga tao na pina-meet sa akin ni Lord, dahil sila din yung naging way para maging posible ang lahat.”
“Kung gaano ako naging excited na makalaro ulit sa PBA after more than a year din na pagpapahinga eh, mas naging excited pa ako sa future ko sa TNT,” said Exciminiano, who’s now playing for his third team in the league.
“Ngayon, lagi ko lang tinatatak sa isip ko na mas dodoblehin ko pa ‘yung effort at trabaho ko sa practice even sa games. Para anytime na hugutin ako ng coaches from the bench, I can make sure na may mas maitutulong pa ako sa team in any way I can.”
