THE DEMOLITION RESUMES FOR DANNY I
Hours before the Saturday doubleheader commenced at the Mall of Asia Arena, two battle-tested brothers shared small talk before they waged war against different foes.
“Good luck and enjoy the game,” said Danny Seigle, now of Talk ‘N Text, to Danny Ildefonso, who made his season debut for Meralco.
Formerly sharing the same colors, the two now don different gears, far from the ones they wore during their heydays, when they won seven championships in 12 years together.
But the night was not about Seigle, or their partnership, or their past. The night was about Ildefonso, on his triumphant return to the hard court. This time, however, he’s not wearing the blue, red and white of Petron, or even the old red, black, and white of San Miguel, the franchise he stayed on for 15 years.
That night, Ildefonso wore the orange and white of Meralco.
Unwanted by the Boosters at season’s start, the two-time MVP had to wait for two months until he got back to a team’s roster, prolonging a wait that has spanned for almost a year after the Urdaneta, Pangasinan native recovered from a shoulder injury.
And on the fourth day of the new year, Ildefonso finally got his wish as he played his first game in a year.
“I just told him how happy and how excited I was for him,” Seigle said of his longtime teammate. “I know he’s going to be an asset for any team, so it’s great to see him back. I know he’ll do well.”
He did just that, as Ildefonso registered 14 points, six rebounds, and a team-high five assists in 29 minutes of play as the Bolts survived the pesky Air21 Express, 92-88, in overtime.
“What an incredible test again, but this time, we made sure that we’re going to come out on top,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio after the game. “I’ve been praying so hard for an opportunity like this, and it’s just an incredible feeling that the guy who probably was left out at the start of the season was the one who helped us tremendously tonight, and that’s Danny Ildefonso.”
For his part, Ildefonso was surprised in the major role he played in the win, saying, “29 minutes? Parang yung 2000 season na playing time ko yun ah,” referring to the season he first won the Most Valuable Player award.
Though he was thought initially as somebody who would serve as a mentor to the younger bigs of the Bolts, Ildefonso was on the floor for majority of the Air21 game after coming off the bench late in the first quarter.
“Nagulat ako kasi akala ko, konti lang yung minutes na lalaruin ko eh. Sa practice, di ko pa masyado kabisado yung plays kaya minsan nanghuhula ako. Di ko expected na ganun lalaruin ko at ganun ang magiging playing time ko,” he said. “Pero God is good. Mabuti na lang, na-guide Niya ako.”
The game meant so much for Ildefonso that after the game, he had tears in his eyes as he made his way out of the court.
“Naiyak talaga ako sa tuwa,” he said, after his team got a scare from the Express courtesy of a flurry of three-pointers from Nino Canaleta at the end of regulation.
“Pinakaba pa kami. Pinahirapan pa talaga kami. Pero answered prayer ito kasi nagdadasal talaga ako during the game na ibigay na sa amin. Ang ganda na ng laro namin eh, na ituloy na yung biyaya sa akin,” he said.
Even Jong Uichico, his coach in the old San Miguel franchise who now serves as an assistant coach for the Bolts, was impressed with his long-time ward’s showing.
“Maganda yung pinakita nya. He played more minutes than what we intended to,” Uichico said. “He makes the game and the team more efficient. He makes the right decisions in the end game. Importante yun sa isang team, na merong ganun in the closing minutes and for the whole game.”
He added, “He played 29 minutes today, but we have to reserve him dun sa mga bakbakan na laro. He’s no longer a regular 30-minute player because of his age.
Pero maalaga naman sya sa katawan and he’s very disciplined kaya his age doesn’t affect his play too much.”
So integral was Ildefonso in that game that Uichico even said, “Kung wala sya sa game, baka natalo pa kami.”
As Ildefonso looked back on the roller coaster of a year that was, he is just thankful for the night he had, saying, “Na-surprise ako ni God eh. Hindi ko expected na ganun ang lalaruin ko. Basta’t yung mga bagay na di ko kayang kontrolin, Siya na ang bahala.”
He also said that the long layoff has taken a toll on him as he is still on the process of reacquainting himself to the physicality. But the new beginning also allowed the 6-foot-6 power forward to show what he can still do even at his age.
“Parang 1998 lang. Parang rookie ulit yung feeling,” he said.
“Gusto ko pa rin talaga maglaro eh. Hindi lang ako, gusto rin ng mga anak ko,” said Ildefonso, whose son Shaun plays with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets.
“Gusto kong maging role model sa mga anak ko. Yun yung gusto kong mangyari, na maalala nila yung mga ginagawa ko.” (RLeongson)
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
