Caidic stars in memorable NBA Asia Challenge game

Caidic stars in memorable NBA Asia Challenge game

by rick olivares

“Trigger. Trigger. Trigger.”

For National Basketball Association legends Gary Payton, Mitch Richmond, Glen Rice, and Chris Webber, the 2010 NBA Asia Challenge last Friday, August  27, 2010 at the Araneta Coliseum – let alone the whole week of activities built around the event – left them with a lot of memories. But the one thing or man that left them with mouths agape was Philippine Basketball Association great Allan Caidic.

“Man, I hate him,” joked Webber as Caidic’s Red Team, as coached by Alaska Aces Tim Cone, won the exhibition match 177-167 behind ‘The Triggerman’s incredible shooting display of 54 points including 14 triples.

“He is the truth” pronounced Payton.

“Trigger. Trigger. Trigger.” marveled Rice non-stop during the post-match press conference and who certainly knows a thing or two about hot hands.

Said NBA Asia’s Ed Winkle, Senior Director for Business Development and Marketing Partnerships, “He’s got one of the unique nicknames in the game.”

In the second staging of the biggest NBA event in southeast Asia, legends and current stars of the PBA played alongside their NBA and NBA Development League counterparts. Alaska Aces head coach Tim Cone, who proclaimed himself as “the world’s luckiest guy” for the event, coached the red Team that included among others Payton, Rice, Caidic, Arwind Santos, Vergel Meneses and the 2010 PBA Rookie of the Year Rico Maierhofer, and Fiesta Cup Mythical Selection member LA Tenorio.

The White Team was coached by San Miguel Beer mentor Siot Tanquincen who had in his line-up Webber, Richmond, former Mobiline import Richie Frahm, Dondon Hontiveros,  Benjie Paras, and Ronald Tubid among others.

From the opening tip, the Red Team began to set-up Caidic for three-point shots. The Triggerman, who had a stellar career with the University of the East Red Warriors, the fabled Northern Consolidated Cement team that inspired the Smart Gilas Pilipinas national team, Great Taste Coffee and San Miguel Beer, drilled six triples in a high scoring first half where the White Team took a 94-92 lead.

In the second half, Caidic’s shooting showed no signs of abating as his teammates and Rice in particular, continued to set up the Filipino marksman for even more triples. Caidic added eight more trifectas while Rice chipped in 19 points including five triples of his own as the Red Team closed out the memorable exhibition game with Miami Heat mascot Burnie scoring an unlikely bucket.

Former Crispa Redmanizer Atoy Co, belied his 59-years of age by scoring 10 points and winning the hearts of old and new fans with his competitiveness and display of emotion that added spice to the electric atmosphere at the Araneta Coliseum.

Summed up former PBA great Ronnie Magsanoc of the event, “A game like this brings us back to when we were kids and loved the game the way only a child could. And this is truly truly an unforgettable experience playing alongside your basketball heroes who I only watched once on TV. I am blessed.”




Red Team 177 - Caidic 54, Lazare 22, Rice 19, Santos 16, Meneses 16, Maierhofer 15, McCray 11, Co 10, Tenorio 7, Payton 7


White Team 167 - Frahm 24, Webber 24, Tyndale 22, Hontiveros 20, Paras 18, Magsanoc 16, Patrimonio 16, Richmond 16, Tubid 13