Asi Adds Life to Coke

Good Vibrations with the new-fanged Coca Cola Tigers
by rick olivares

With 6:19 left in the fourth quarter, Chester Tolomia trooped to the 15-footline to for a couple of freebies. He canned both of them to break an 82-all tie, the tenth and last deadlock of the game between Coca Cola and the PBA’s hottest team, the Red Bull Barako. It wasn’t even that Tolomia made the shots. Strangely enough there weren’t any Tigers on the hash marks for a possible rebound off a miss. His four teammates – Asi Taulava, Alex Cabagnot, Ronjay Buenafe, and Mark Telan were already down to the court.

It was actually the second time Coca Cola had no defensive rebounders underneath when Tolomia was on the stripe so I asked Tigers coach Binky Favis after the match if he had supreme confidence in Tolomia’s charity touch. “Ah, that wasn’t the intention,” seemed the puzzled coach. “but my boys were tired and I wanted to make sure we were ready with our transition defense.”

Whatever, coach. The way his team was playing, you could swear that they were among the league leaders in wins. Tolomia (11 points and 6 rebounds) glowed about his new teammate, “Malaking bagay talaga si Asi kasi biglang open yung floor para sa amin. Sabi niya sa amin basta libre kami ibibigay niya yung bola sa amin.”

Taulava’s presence has clearly galvanized the woebegone Tigers. From the very first team practice with the 6’9” slotman, there was a noticeable change in the team’s morale and atmosphere. The Tigers found wanting in almost every statistical department as well as in wins found themselves a dominant center, a leader, a charismatic figure, and a practical joker. And if you were to believe one Red Bull fan who yelled when Asi hit the floor after a Mick Pennisi foul, “best actor.” And they’ve won their third game (a 98-92 victory) out of 11 matches in the ongoing 2007-08 PBA Smart Philippine Cup.

It’s Asi’s world in there. “We’re a band of brothers here,” beams the Tiger center basking in the afterglow of a second straight win and a third straight double-double performance. “Just like that television series by (Steven) Speilberg, we care for everyone on this team. We’re helping each other out. We’re talking to one another. We are a team. We’re all brothers. I didn’t get those 18 rebounds by myself. Those guys – the Marks (Telan and Isip) box out their man for me to get the boards. We got that win because our guys were knocking down their shots. Aris (Dimaunahan) makes a crucial stop. We all do what it takes.”

The good vibes are spread all over. Ronjay Buenafe (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) is on his way to have dinner with cousin Ryan, the much-sought after high school player from San Sebastian Recoletos. “Sorry na miss ko yung game (the younger Buenafe arrived with two minutes left in the match),” apologizes the NCAA Juniors MVP. “Eh, hindi mo nakita yung tres ko na paubos na ang oras,” jokingly boats Ronjay, the former Emilio Aguinaldo College star. They slap hands and head out of the southgate.

John Arigo has his baseball cap pulled down low but it cannot hide his obvious glee. “Not playing is killing me,” he said echoing a statement made by Cabagnot a week earlier. “I want in on the good vibes of the team, man. I want to contribute.” He, like a child being dangled a Christmas present, smiles and adds, “Asi promised me open looks.”

Kenneth Duremdes sits by his locker with a satisfied look in his face. He’s far from a 100% but he’s just glad to get back on the winning track and contribute (he finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal). “Napapdalas na yung mga injury so you have to change your game a bit,” he grins. “When we get back John (Arigo) and Ricky (Calimag), we’ll be tough to beat.”

Taulava is the last player out of a visibly happy locker room at the Araneta Coliseum. He’s like a Santa Claus in high tops with his bellowing voice and all. He has a kind word for everyone – the coliseum security, the photographers waiting outside, even the players from Red Bull who have begun to file out of their locker room. It’s dinner time and maybe even a game of cards with some of his teammates. That’s Asi’s Law. Outside the game there’ll be no talk about basketball. “We play pusoy dos, Texas Hold “Em, or Blackjack. Any card game. We’ll joke, laugh, and tease. But no basketball talk. But once we’re on the court, it’s all business.”

This was written after the game last Wednesday, December 5.