With 4:21 left during the third quarter of the NLEX Road Warriors’ game against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday evening, 15-year veteran Cyrus Baguio made history. After pickpocketing Jewel Ponfereda, the 6-foot-2 guard barged into the top 10 in the all-time steals leaders.
Baguio was elated upon learning that he had surpassed the 639 steals made by Gilbey’s Gin cager Willie Generalao, Friday night.
“Siyempre masaya ako na napabilang ako sa top ten. Ginagawa ko lang naman trabaho ko especially sa depensa,” said Baguio, who had three steals in the game.
“Hindi ko naman inaasahan na dadating ako dun sa makasama sa rankings. Sana madagdagan ko pa.”
But it was an achievement that he could not fully celebrate. Friday night turned out disappointing, as he and the Road Warriors fell to their fourth straight defeat at the hands of the Elasto Painters, 97-86.
“Iniisip ko yung pano kami manalo. Focus muna ako sa team namin. Dadating din yun eh, yung mga ganyang stats. Ngayon, medyo parang masama yung loob ko pagkatalo namin, sunod-sunod eh,” rued Baguio, a native of Iligan City.
“Kailangan namin bumangon talaga. Hindi puwedeng ganito na lang.”
Baguio finished with nine points in the loss. Asked if he sees the need to be more assertive on offense next time, the nine-time All-Star doesn’t think so, but says that every Road Warrior should be stepping up when needed.
“Para sa akin, lahat naman kami eh, kasi sa posisyon namin, ginagamit talaga kami ni coach lahat eh, so kailangan lang siguro ng team effort,” said the three-time champion.
At 37 years of age, Baguio isn’t there to score the same way he has done before. He’s now more inclined to be one of the young NLEX’s leaders, so much so that he plans to initiate a players-only meeting in the next few days.
“Siguro one of these days, baka may meeting kaming players. Kailangan na dahil wala ng time, baka mag-tuloy-tuloy yung talon namin, wala na kami, malaglag kami,” said Baguio, who is the 2010 Fiesta Conference Finals MVP. “Siguro kausapin ko rin yung ibang veterans, hindi naman pwedeng hayaan lang namin yung ganito. Kailangan namin mag-wake up sa ganitong situwasyon.
“I’m sure makakabangon din kami, malalagpasan namin ‘to.”
