The struggling Kaohsiung Truth may have just found the missing spark they have been searching for.
The club team from Taiwan has yet to post their first win in the Southeast Asian pro league after dropping their first two games, both against Hong Kong Eastern Lions, 90-79 and 90-67. And on Sunday night, their losing skid extended to three as they bowed to the Ray Parks-led Alab Pilipinas, 91-82, in front of a raucous crowd in Star Arena in Baliwag, Bulacan.
However, Sunday’s loss was different from their previous losses. From their average losing margin of 17 points in their first two defeats, Kaohsiung lost by just nine points.
Their match against Alab wasn’t a one-sided affair in favor of the latter. Hence, it was a hard-fought one, with Truth even leading by as much as ten, 33-23, early in the second period.
And Kaohsiung was able to pull off and showcase such offensive prowess thanks to the huge help of Filipino Heritage import Mikee Reyes, former UP Fighting Maroons standout.
The 5-foot-8 point guard scored 14 points in his first game, an impressive showing considering that he has been off the court for months due to preparations for the PBA Draft last August.
Kaohsiung head coach Tryston Lawrence was impressed with the way their new acquisition played despite the defeat that sent them down to a 0-3 hole.
“He played well. He gave us a scoring punch that we didn’t have,” said Lawrence of Reyes, who displayed a flurry of rim attacks, post move hits, and three-pointers that kept Truth within distance.
“And he distributed pretty well. So for the first game, I was relatively happy. Me being a point guard, I’m gonna be hard on him.”
But for Reyes, who was recruited by the Taiwan club after learning that he was a legitimate cager while doing analyst duties, he wasn’t upbeat with the way he played.
“I’m not really in game shape,” admitted Reyes. “Because when I was practicing with Talk N Text, we weren’t really scrimmaging that much, so [running] up and down the floor was tough for me.”
“I felt my leg cramp up as early as the second quarter. It was tough. My mind wanted to do something but my legs ran out.”
With his first game already in the books, Reyes hopes Kaohsiung will hire his services for the long-term, not just for a single match.
“I hope this partnership between me and Kaohsiung continues, but we have to trust the process. It’s a process. We can’t focus on one game. I just came in, practiced with them yesterday, but it’s not an excuse. I know that if we focus on the process, we’ll get better,” said he.
But nevertheless, the NCAA’s resident basketball analyst is blessed that he has been given yet another chance to play the sport.
“To continue to play the game I love is a blessing to me. Whatever the result is, being able to play after all those injuries and all the hardships I went through, being able to play is a blessing and I appreciate that already,” said the 2016 PBA Draftee.
Lawrence, on the other hand, would also want Reyes to be with them in the long haul as he was impressed with his Filipino point guard’s style of play.
“That will be great,” said Lawrence, when asked if he would want Reyes to stay longer.
“Over the next couple of days, we do have some changes that we want to make. Let’s see if Mikee is gonna be part of it. I know in this game, he played well, and I’m proud of him.”
But for Reyes, whether or not he will be signed for the rest of the season, he leaves everything to the Man above.
“Well I just trust him. I trust God’s plans. Whatever happens — either ups or downs, I know that He’s in control of everything. Even in my downest day, I know there’s a reason behind that.”
“So I just gotta trust the process, trust Him that everything that’s happening is good for me. As long as I know that He’s guiding me, then even with failures, I can push through,” Reyes quipped.
Reyes hopes to stay with the neophyte club team for the rest of the season, but such decision will not be up to him as Kaohsiung, as aforementioned by Lawrence, looks to bolster their bid in the ABL as they are set to sign two more players.
But whatever the end result will be, Reyes’ good showing Sunday night is already enough testament that he can still play ball no matter what, that he still got a lot of gas left in the tank.
