IT was a turbulent start for EAC, but the worst might have already been over.
After an ice-cold start that pitted the last remaining winless squads against each other, Emilio Aguinaldo College finally entered the NCAA win column with its 94-87 victory over the squandering San Sebastian.
But it didn’t come without its fair share of turmoil outside of their already-surmounting frustrations.
READ: Generals barge into win column after pouncing on struggling Stags
Tempers began flaring within EAC’s troops after their their 91-80 loss to Letran, where the Jerson Cabiltes-led squad nearly came to blows in practice as they plummeted to an 0-3 start in Season 102.
MJ Raymundo detailed what went down in an interview with SPIN.ph.
“Nag-umpisa yung away kasi sa alitan ni [Wilmar] Oftana at saka ni Harvae [Raymundo]. Tapos yun, naki-damay lang ako, sabi ko lang na, ‘Ano yun pre, hindi ba pwede pagsabihin ng mga veterano?’ ganyan," he said.
Though the elder Raymundo had the stickier situation of having to put Oftana and his younger sibling in line, he maintained that it was team first, and there are no sibling preferences tolerated here.
“Siguro, inaawat ko lang naman sila nung una, pero after naman nun, halos ako rin na damay eh. Siyempre, akala kapatid ko, pakikisamahan ko sa gulo eh, alam naman nila yun. Pero hindi ko nga papabayaan yung kapatid ko," he continued.
The Generals regroup
After the spat, the team took initiative to have an open forum, where as the JRU transferee puts it, all the reservations and frustrations were swept away for good.
“So ayun, nagkatalo-talo lang doon, hanggang sa nag-usap-usap na kami doon sa loob. Inunahan na ang mga veterano namin nila Kyle [Ochavo], nila Wilmar. Tapos yun, dinugtungan ko na rin na dapat pantay-pantay kami sa loob, na walang veterano, walang rookie, ganun. Dapat lahat pwede pagsabihan yung isa’t isa," he detailed.
“Halos yung iba naman kasi, parang nagpapakiramdaman lang, ganun. Wala nang gustong magsalita, wala nang gustong magsabi ng totoo eh, sa isa't isa eh.”
Fortunately for the Generals, the heart-to-heart may have worked as they solved their late-game woes against San Sebastian with five of them scoring double figures.
Raymundo had 17 points, 10 of which coming in a crucial second half burner, while younger brother Harvae led the bench mob with 12.
But more than their efficient win over the Stags, Raymundo and crew relished in their newfound chemistry, which will be more than needed as they approach the crossover stage.
“Siguro, good thing din na nangyari yun, kasi dito kami mas nag-usap-usap sa loob. Para sa akin, malaking boost na rin sa amin to.”
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