Javi Gomez de Liano will always remember his last game for Terrafirma.
Back on May 15, 2024, the 6-foot-4 winger dropped 23 points in a do-or-die PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal matchup against San Miguel.
However, his efforts went in vain as Terrafirma bowed, 110-91.
A month later, Gomez de Liano signed with Anyang Jung Kwan Jang.
“I remember my last game was around May 2024, and we lost that game against San Miguel,” said Gomez de Liano.
After a year in Korea, Gomez de Liano eventually returned to the PBA, though not with Terrafirma, as his rights had been traded to Magnolia.
He wasted no time making an impact for the Hotshots.
In his Magnolia debut, Gomez de Liano tallied 14 points, including four triples, in 31 minutes of action, helping Magnolia secure an 80-73 win over Ginebra to open PBA Season 50.
It was a triumphant return that erased the memory of his last PBA appearance.
“So I was just happy because I told myself that next time I play in the PBA again, I want to start on a winning note,” said the UP product.
Gomez de Liano shared that he did not have a hard time adjusting to LA Tenorio’s system.
His year in Ibaraki under Richard Glesmann and another year in Anyang with Kim Seungki taught him to adapt quickly.
“I guess one thing I learned from playing overseas is how to adapt right away to any system. That used to be my problem back in college and during my first year in the pros—it used to take time for me to adjust to a certain system,” he said.
“Now, as a fifth-year pro, I just told myself I have to adjust right away to what Coach LA wants from me. As you play for this team, you eventually understand what the team needs from you.”
Still, it’s just one game into his return.
Gomez de Liano knows there’s still plenty of work ahead.
“Like what Coach LA said earlier, it wasn’t our best game. We still had a lot of errors, but we’ll take it,” he said.
“This is one-step progress every day for us, and I know we’ll get better as we go along.”
#WATCH: “IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK”
Javi Gomez de Liano is glad his first game back in the PBA ended in a win, bouncing back from a loss in his last Terrafirma game 🏀#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/120a8o53RM
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times#PBA50 #RivalrySunday pic.twitter.com/tpER7qBlhf
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 5, 2025
