John Fields’ first foray in the PBA did not go as planned. He had 39 points and 16 rebounds, but all of his efforts went down the drain as he and the Columbian Dyip got a 31-point beatdown from the Alaska Aces, 103-134.
“We lost focus in the last game,” Fields reflected.
Losses overshadow individual outings most of the time, and that was the case for Fields when his excellent stats did not translate to a victory. Moreover, CJ Aiken, the one Fields replaced, probably felt some sense of vindication.
But on Wednesday night, the former Tennessee Vol showed that the Dyip made the right decision of signing him.
The 6-foot-9 big man produced 34 points on 76.5 percent shooting from the field, on top of 11 rebounds and five assists to power Columbian past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 104-96, for their third win in the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.
For the 30-year-old Fields, this is all the result of him adjusting to his first home in the Philippines.
“I love playing with the team,” he expressed. “Coach (Ricky Dandan) is doing a great job. He really made me feel at home…
“I’m just happy to play with the guys. Get a few practices under their belt so we can be an even more good unit.”
With the way the Dyip has been running for five games, they are definitely turning on a new leaf, slowly proving to the rest of the league that the often-ridiculed franchise is not somebody to be taken lightly anymore.
And just like what Columbian is doing, Fields is also out to prove himself: that he can be a valuable asset to the team — an asset that can help the Dyip rake up victories in this already-magical run of theirs in the conference.
“I still got to prove to the guys that I’m a guy that can play and help the team win games.”
