FORMER PBA player Mike Cortez is a proud dad as he watches son Jacob begins to carve a name for himself in local basketball.
The 5-foot-10 teener suits up for San Beda in his second year with the team and is among its reliable players seeing action for the Marinerong Pilipino-backed team in the ongoing PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.
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The young Cortez delighted his father with his heroic plays in the Lions’ 66-64 come-from-behind win against the Perpetual Help Altas that allowed his team to stretch its winning streak to three.
The Lions have gained solo lead with a 3-1 record, their lone defeat coming in the opener against Philippine Sports Performance, 94-92.
The comeback win against the Altas couldn’t have come at a better time as Mike was watching in the stands of the Ynares Sports Arena and saw his son score on a lefty layup to give the Lions the lead for good in the final 20 seconds.
The young Cortez scored more than half of Marinero-San Beda’s total output with a game-high 34 points spiked by five three pointers, three rebounds, and two steals.
It was certainly a show that put a smile on the face of the Cortez patriarch.
“That’s always a bonus for me to be able to watch Jacob,” said the 42-year-old Cortez, the no. 1 overall pick by Alaska during the 2003 PBA draft.
The former La Salle star and three-time PBA champion said it’s not always that he gets to watch his son play in person, adding if only time permits like this one will he make his way to the venue and support Jacob.
“It’s not always, but yes, I try to. I try to watch every game,” he said.
Despite being a 15-year veteran in the pro and several achievements acrossed his name, the elder Cortez said he lets his son path his own career and allow his coaches to teach and guide him along the way.
“I just let him play his game and leave it up to his coaches to coach him,” said the player referred to as the ‘Cool Cat.’
With Marinerong-Pilipino going great guns so far in its campaign, this won’t certainly be the last seeing daddy Mike on the stands and watching his son Jacob play.
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