ROOKIE DIARY: ELIUD POLIGRATES
In my first conference as a pro, I learned…
Unang una, yung attitude sa players kasi iba dun sa Cebu eh. Tsaka kung paano makikisama sa mga coaches. Ibang iba yung PBA, pero masaya naman.
Playing with veterans taught me…
Yung mga galaw nila na pang-beterano na talaga. Tulad ng sa laro, di na sila natataranta, di gaya ko na rookie. Syempre pag nasa loob ka ng court, iba yung feeling mo. Kinakabahan ka pa eh. Di gaya nila, pag nasa court na sila, feeling nila ok na sila sa loob. Nahihiya pa rin ako pag nasa loob ako ng court eh.
Being traded from one team to another, I felt…
Tinatanong ko sa sarili ko kung bakit ako nalipat, kasi adjust ako ng adjust eh. Ang hirap talaga kasi galing ako ng Cebu at yung sistema dun, iba sa sistema dito sa Manila kaya depende pa kung paano ako makaka-adjust dito sa bago kong team yung ilalaro ko, kung mas maganda pa ba kumpara dun sa una kong team.
(Poligrates and teammate Sean Anthony was dealt by TNT to Air21, together with a 2016 first round pick, for Nino Canaleta days before the Philippine Cup eliminations ended.)
My favorite moment in the PBA was…
Yung naglaro ako sa Cebu, kasi galing ako dun, kilala nila ako at kumbaga, naging star player din ako dun. Ang sarap ng feeling pag ganun, parang homecoming.
(Poligrates had nine of his 13 points in his pro debut for Talk ‘N Text as they beat Meralco in their season opener. He was named Best Player of the Game by the TV panel)
I’ll grade my performance as…
Siguro 50 pa yung grade ko, pero depende pa rin kay coach. Kailangan ko pang dagdagan yung depensa ko, kasi dito unang tinitignan yung depensa eh. Tsaka yung pagiging aggressive ko, kailangan ko pang dagdagan. Pero ako, go hard lang naman ako sa practice. (RL)
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