Mike Tolomia has done it all in the amateur and semi-professional ranks. He ended his collegiate career with a UAAP championship while bagging a golden double in the PBA D-League. The winning pedigree Tolomia has is what made newly-minted Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Caloy Garcia select the 24-year-old as their only pick in the 2016 PBA Rookie Draft.
“I think we run simple plays and we allow him to create. When he played in Phoenix and FEU, yun ang nakikita ko sa kanya, na madali sya mag-pick up ng play and I think he’s fit with our style of play,” Garcia said on Sunday afternoon after the annual festivity ended.
“Siguro nakitaan niya ako ng potential every time makalaban ko sila,” Tolomia added. “Kasi first tsaka second conference maraming beses kami nagkalaban. So sa first conference kami pa yata nagkatagpo sa semis so sa tingin ko alam na alam na niya laro ko.”
No one has been happier to play for Rain or Shine than Tolomia himself, as he is now playing for the franchise that his brother Chester used to play for back in the defunct-PBL.
“Una masaya ako na makakalaro na ako sa PBA kasi dati pinapanood ko lang yung Rain or Shine. Masaya din ako kasi dati nung PBL naging team ito ng kuya ko,” the Gilas cadet shared.
For the 5’11 floor general, what he is most looking forward to is sharing the backcourt with former PBA MVP James Yap. Tolomia plans to savor the opportunity of learning and playing with Yap, as the sure-shot Hall of Famer is entering the twilight of his career.
“Si James Yap kasi hinahangaan ko siya tapos ngayon magiging teammate ko siya,” he said with enthusiasm. “Mga beterano na sila sa PBA. Sa tingin ko marami akong matututunan sa kanila so gagamitin ko yun as motivation din para sa akin.”
