BY Gwen Bergado
INSIDE the SM Mall of Asia Arena last Tuesday, i-Achievers Modern College-Nueva Ecija carved out one of the biggest upsets in the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls after escaping Letran-Manila in the Pocari Sweat Super 32.
Yes, the Squires were essentially fielding their Team B, as their first team is still defending its back-to-back titles in the NCAA Season 100 juniors' basketball tournament.
Still, the fact remains that a Nueva Ecija-based squad toppled an NCAA side long known for its contending basketball program.
That was already something to celebrate, but the win became much more meaningful for head coach Jean Paul Cabigao.
First, the 42 year old shot-caller beat Letran, mentored by PBA great Willie Miller.
And right after, he also got to meet and shake the hand of 'Thriller,' who just so happened to be his all-time favorite player.
“Makakalaban pa lang siya, sobrang bonus pong [experience] nito,” Cabigao told SPIN.ph, while also adding that he has been a fan of Miller since the latter's star turn with the Knights back in the late '90s.
As fate would have it, the 5-foot-11 primetime playmaker then took his talents to the Nueva Ecija Patriots in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) - and, of course, Cabigao saw to it to have the best seats in the hourse.
“Third year high school pa lang po ako noon. Doon po sa school namin sa Cabanatuan, doon po sila nagpa-practice kaya minsan po talaga, tumatakas ako sa classroom para manood,” he furthered.
From there, Cabigao closely followed Miller's career from Red Bull and the five other PBA franchises he played for, as well as several other commercial leagues.
And now, he finally got some facetime with his idol, as their teams met each other in the Philippine 19-under basketball championship.
"Ine-enjoy lang po namin yung journey namin dito," he said.
i-Achievers Modern Academy may have bowed out in the Playtime Cares Fantastic 8, but they will always have a triumph over NCAA power Letran under their belts.
And more pointedly, Cabigao can now claim to have gotten one over his longtime hero.
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