During the last two games of the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the Philippine Cup, Justin Chua could not be physically present for his team. Instead, he was at home recovering from surgery to remove his appendix.
As he watched the TNT Katropa boot out his team, the 6-foot-6 stretch big man, who averaged 5.2 points and 4.0 rebounds, felt helpless as he wanted to fight with his team. Which is why during the off-season, he doubled his effort to make it up to the Fuel Masters.
“Ever since noong nag-practice siya after his operation, talagang super nagpakundisyon si Justin,” shared first-year Phoenix head coach Louie Alas.
“Sabi niya sa akin, ‘babawi ako ng second conference’.”
“Actually, nung nag-exit meeting kami sabi ko I felt so bad talaga that I couldn’t help the team because I was on the sideline lang,” recounted Chua, who is with his fifth team in six years.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Coach, babawi talaga ako pagbalik.'”
And during the conference-debut of the Fuel Masters, Chua came out aggressive. He scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half to help give Phoenix a 42-20 lead against the Blackwater Elite. Moreover, based on their first game, it seemed that he and James White are a good mesh.
“Pagdating na pagdating niya kinausap ko siya agad. Sabi ko kung anong kailangan mong tulong, I’ll help you.
“I think kaming dalawa, we have a good camaraderie. We always help each other tapos kung may kailangan ako sa kanya inside the court I always tell him and siya rin naman willing din na tulungan ako,” expressed Chua as he and White helped Phoenix out-rebound Blackwater, 57-46.
With Phoenix able to pick up a 107-102 win to open their campaign on a high note, Chua is hoping that they can sustain this for the long haul.
“Hopefully. Actually, last conference, ewan ko kung napansin niyo, I think I played three straight good games and then towards the end medyo nawala,” Chua expressed.
“Wish ko ngayon maging consistent ako this conference.”
