When then-rookie Japeth Aguilar and coach Yeng Guiao parted ways back in 2009, as the former was shipped to Talk N’ Text and the latter was stuck in the now-defunct Burger King franchise, it wasn’t a smooth separation.
Aguilar’s exit happened after playing just a single game for Guiao and the Whoppers. Eyebrows were raised, and the Filipino fans’ expectations of the 6-foot-9 forward blossoming under Guiao were quashed immediately.
“Alam naman natin na throughout my college career [in Ateneo and in Western Kentucky], I was injured and then I played for coach Yeng. And then you know, he put me through the fire kaagad,” recalled the soft-spoken Aguilar.
Aguilar acknowledged that it hadn’t been the right thing to do back then, in that kind of matter, and that he should’ve thought and analyzed it over and over again. But then, the past is past, and for him, he has learned his lesson.
“Lahat ng mga naging desisyon ko, talagang pinag… I suffered from the consequence of it sa lahat ng mga desisyon ko sa buhay.
“Pero yun nga, talagang inano ko sa sarili ko na mistake is only a mistake if you did it twice,” the now-31 year old reflected.
Nine years since that not ideal start to his PBA career, Aguilar finds himself back under Guiao’s wings.
Fate definitely has its ways, as the two have now formed a reunion in the Gilas Pilipinas program – the decorated Guiao is now seen to inherit the program left by coach Chot Reyes, who has announced that he will step aside from Gilas.
So for Aguilar, this is a chance that he will definitely relish.
“In my career, talagang pinilit ko na to do the right thing.
“And, yun nga, it’s sweet na ma-under ulit ako kay coach Yeng and this time around, medyo mature na ako and everything,” expressed the second-generation cager gratefully.
Aguilar and Guiao played their first game together since 2009 on Monday night, as Gilas hosted Qatar for their FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers match at the SMART Araneta Coliseum – a match behind closed doors.
And it looked like Aguilar is proving that he likes this reunion with Guiao.
The Kapampangan cager scored 16 points and hauled down nine rebounds in over 22 minutes of action in his return to the FIBA scene after a one-game ban, to lead the Filipino dribblers to a come-from-behind 92-81 victory.
“Nag-umpisa pa lang ulit yung journey.
“Every time naman na matatawag yung pangalan ko, I’m really going to give my best so yun. Like what coach Yeng said, sama-sama kung hanggang saan makapunta, edi ayun,” he added. “Effort lang talaga every time na nasa loob ako.”
