THE DAY THE LEGENDS RETURN
THE PBA Legends returned to play on Sunday, thrilled the crowd that filled the Araneta Coliseum to the rafter and proved, once again, why basketball is still the game closest to their countrymen’s hearts.
The single day benefit show, organized by the PBA Legends Foundation, Inc. headed by Atoy Co of the Crispa fame, in cooperation with the PBA and UNTV, and involving San Miguel Beer, sister teams Barangay Ginebra and Purefoods (now Magnolia Hotshots) and Alaska, likewise, showed how fans from the richest at ringside and lower box sections, to the poorest at the bleacher, would respond to call for noble cause of raising funds for former players in need.
The project, generated an initial P3 million for its intended beneficiaries from the sponsors, which along with plain fans shouted their hearts out cheering for their favorite teams and players, who relived the kind of plays that endeared them to this basketball-crazy nation.
Sweet-shooting Allan Caidic showed, too, why he’s called “The Triggerman” by converting 7-of-18 shooting from field, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc on the way to an evening-high 26 points and powering he Beermen past the Aces, 96-83, in the day’s openng tussle of a doubleheader called “The Return of the Rivals.”
Then newly-retired JayJay Helterbrand came up with a Russell Westbrook-alike triple- double performance in the Gin Kings’ 97-89 demolition of the former Hotdogs in the nightcap.
The now 55-yar-old Caidic, actually started his game listlessly, missing his first four shots in the first quarter turned unstoppable as soon as he hit his stride, making seven of his next 18.
The leftie’s pair of three-pointers in a personal 16-point fourth- quarter run enabled the Beermen to pull away for good that brought back memories of the PBA’s glory days.
Helterbrand, who hang his playing uniforms only last season at 42, had 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in the contest that was still tied at halftime before the Kings stepped in the remaining periods to claim he victory.
Vince Hizon joined Helterbrand in the Kings’ scoring melee contributing 16 of his 19 points in the third quarter where the Gin Kings pulled away after outscoring the Hotdogs, 39-28.
Caidic confessed to a few newsmen after the game he was using a pair of brand new shoes at the start that he wasn’t used to that he had to change for his old pair to find his footing.
“Bago ang sapatos ko sa simula at saka man-to-man ang depensang ginamit nila (Alaska). We were not used to that kind of defense. Tapos 12 minutes pa per quarter. Buti naman nakarecover kami,” he admitted.
He, too, admitted he was repeatedly urged by San Miguel coach Pilo Pumaren and assistant coaches Jong Uichico, and Art dela Cruz to keep on shooting until he finds his rhythm.
Denok Miranda added 17 points while Danny Ildefonso contributed a double- double 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Beermen, who trailed at halftime, 40-32, but outscored the Milkmen, 64-43, in the second half.
San Miguel Beer won P100,000 for winning, while Caidic got richer by P25,000 for having been chosen the Best Player of he Game.
Willie Miller had 20 points while Johnny Abarrientos had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Joel Banal coached Milkmen, who opened a 34-24 lead in the second quarter before losing their touch in the final stretch.
More than the win, Caidic said he was heartened by the unity shown by hs fellow PBA greats for a worthy cause.
The Gin Kings, coached by living legend Robert Jaworski assed by assisted by Philip Cezar and the Big J’s son Dudot, likewise, won the P100,000 prize for the victory, while Helterbrand and Hizon shared the P25,000 reward for sharing the Players of the Game honors.
Four- time PBA MVP Ramon Fernandez, a teammate of Jaworski in he legendary Toyota team in the early years of the country’s first pro- league, called the shots for Purefoods.