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| Nilabasan ako nung napanood ko to sa TV. Orgasmic. (Credit to Sir Vic Icasas) |
The year was 2002, and (my beloved kinder-grade-high school Alma Mater) De La Salle University Green Archers were on a tear of the hapless UAAP. Leading the charge was Coach Franz, Cortez, Willie Wilson, Mac Cardona and a wide-eyed Joseph Yeo. They were running right through the competition, Cortez was looking like the best point guard in all of Philippine basketball (yes, including his NCAA, PBL and PBA counterparts). He wasn't scoring as much, but he was big, strong, smart beyond his years and had swag all day (say what you want, but Cortez put the back-arm tattoo on the Philippine map). The guy was a walking triple-double, and with him leading the way the Archers' were looking pretty solid to win a rare-five peat.
Then came the games versus the budding Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. Their basketball program was still in its infancy, but they had solid names such as Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez, Wesley Gonzales and a young man by the name of Lewis Alfred Tenorio (sige na nga, sama na natin si Gec Chia).
To say that Cortez played poorly would be an understatement. We give props to Ateneo for going unconventional and blanketing Cortez with the taller Alvarez (who was mighty versatile as a defender back in the day). And maybe we were spoiled with the "Cool Cat's" stellar play that season that the one time he had the most horrific game on both ends of the floor-- it cost us the title. People ganged up on Cortez. Accusations of "game fixing" were rampant. Cortez drew most of the venom while Coach Franz et. al. were quick to distance themselves from their fallen hero.
Rumors have it that Cortez took a sabbatical before he was drafted into the PBA by the Alaska Milkmen (now Aces) just to recover from all the drama. Coach Franz and the DLSU program went their way, Cortez (and Willie Wilson by association) took time to find a true niche in the pros.
Now, Coach Franz and Cortez will be reunited at the Air21 Express camp where the Cool Cat is expected to play lead PG for his old and estranged mentor. They've played together in exhibition matches before, but that's more of a one-and-done deal. Now that they're older, is this the story book ending we Lasallians have been longing for? The partnership that raised a lot of "should'ves, would'ves and could'ves?"
For Air21, this gives them a legit PG who can start right NOW. Wynne Arboleda is at the twilight of his career and Simon Atkins is still raw (and needs a jumpshot). Coach Franz gets the guy he wants, and Cool Cat will be able to establish himself as one of the best in the land. It may've come ten years too late, but we'll surely be cheering for this green pairing once more.
Animo!
He missed a couple of wide open lay-ups after that really surprising dunk. Tumingin pa sya sa likod nya para makitang may humahabol, at malayo. =P My uncle who's a rabid fan of the Green Team maintains that he will forever scorn Cortez for those. Now more than before, as the Blue Team won their fifth straight.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't care less, as I was cheering for the Blue team back then (the only time I did) because they beat the UE team I was rooting for, and the fact that DLSU was about to overtake UST's 4-peat. =P
I can't really blame Cortez though. He was being hounded to oblivion by a bigger, longer, stronger, ultra quick and athletic collegiate kangkarot version of Rich Alvarez.
ReplyDeleteRemember, in Rich's earlier years in the PBA, before he got multiple knee and leg injuries, he was often tasked to guard the imports of the opposing teams. And he was very very very good at that job.