Joining the San Miguel Beermen might be a little awkward for Terrence Romeo.
Few people know that the flamboyant guard has had run-ins with a couple of Beermen in the past – namely Marcio Lassiter and Arwind Santos. This, despite Santos being one of his seniors in the FEU Tamaraws program.
Both of his spats with the established stars happened just last season.
Romeo almost went at it with Santos in the Luzon leg of the PBA All-Star Week in Batangas last May, while he locked horns with Lassiter barely a month later when the TNT KaTropa faced the Beermen in a Commissioner’s Cup affair.
But for Santos and Lassiter, they are ready to bury the hatchet with the 26-year-old – especially now that Romeo will be part of their family, after being acquired through a trade with the TNT KaTropa just last December.
“Yung mga ganun, yun nga, part of the game yun. Kasi ilang beses na rin kaming nagkakainitan ni Terrence. Tsaka sabi ko nga maliit lang ang mundo namin. Ngayon magkasama kami,” said Santos, SMB’s team captain.
“Depende na lang kung magkakainitan kami ulit dito sa same team ‘no, depende na lang yun,” he added with a chuckle.
“He’s my teammate now. I haven’t talked to him how it’s gonna be,” said Lassiter, on the other hand. “I just wanna play. I’m just gonna play what I’ve been playing and focus on winning a championship. That’s the most important thing.
“If he wants to be part of it, that’s great. And let’s keep it going – let’s keep this San Miguel train going and defend our All-Filipino,” added the 31-year-old.
Plenty has been reported as to why TNT shipped Romeo after just two conferences, and most reported reasons were negative. Santos himself admitted that he was surprised the KaTropa let Romeo go.
“Medyo nagulat dahil ‘di ko akalaing bibitawan din or mawawala si Romeo sa MVP, sa Talk ‘N Text. Akala ko kasi doon na talaga siya, magiging kapalit nila Jayson Castro, ganun. Nagulat ako bigla, binitawan din siya,” said Santos.
“So bilang ka-FEU Tamaraw ko, hindi ko rin maintindihan kung ano yung mga scenario, pero maliit lang ang mundo nga namin sabi ko. Talagang minsan hindi mo masabi kung saan ka pupunta. Ngayon napunta siya sa’min.”
Romeo wasn’t in SMB’s first practice this 2019 on Wednesday afternoon, but he is expected to show up on Thursday. And for Santos, he has some advice for the Cavite-native, who’s entering his sixth season in the league.
“Siguro mapapayo ko kay Terrence, pangalagaan niya yung confidence niya, kung saan siya galing, kung ano yung skills niya o talent niya. Wala namang nagsasabi na kailangan niya ibaba yun,” said the 37-year-old.
“Number one, kailangan lang niya makisama. Kailangan lang niya iadapt kung ano ang sistema ng San Miguel, at kung paano siya mabibigyan ng… kung paano magiging compatible yung laro niya sa team San Miguel. Kasi kami naman, willing naman kami mag-adjust pagka kailangan para sa kaniya eh,” he added.
“Wala namang star player o ano, respetuhan lang, kung saan talaga babagsak yung bola, kung kailangan tumira, kailangan tumira.”
