BACK TO HAVING FUN AGAIN
A foot injury might have derailed his stint in the Philippine Cup, but Sol Mercado was determined to bounce back and deliver in his first game for his new team Barako Bull.
“It feels good. It was fun,” he said. “I didn’t mind not scoring as much as before as long as we’re winning. But that’s what my role is here, push the ball, be aggressive, be on attack mode as much as I can.”
Mercado did just that, tearing up a page from the history books as the Sol Train of old showed up against Blackwater Wednesday, with the Energy coasting to a 92-70 victory.
One wouldn’t think that Mercado only had a couple of full practice sessions with the squad as he was coming off a two-week layoff due to surgery on his injured foot.
“I only had a couple of practices. That was part of the biggest adjustment for me, the conditioning. I haven’t played that style of basketball for a year when I was in San Miguel, but I’ll be better,” said Mercado.
The 30-year-old spitfire had 20 points, three rebounds, and three assists in the victory, signaling a bright future for the Energy.
“I’m just going back to having fun again,” Mercado said. “I might be moved again, you’ll never know, but it’s part of the job.”
“I’ll just go out there and play hard every game and do the best that I can to help us get as many wins as we can.” (RL)
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