By Gabby Alvarado
GUESS who was coming 'home' for the PBA 'semi-bubble' tournament but, unfortunately, did not make the trip?
Rookie top pick Joshua Munzon's arrival was eagerly awaited in Bacolor, Pampanga, but an injured finger prevented the Fil-American player from joining the Terrafirma Dyip team.
If Munzon had made the trip, he would have been greeted outside the Don Honorio Ventura State University grounds by a tarpaulin welcoming him to his lola's old hometown.
"Ang daming mga tao dito, mga kaibigan, mga kamag-anak,nagtatanong," says town councilor Nilo 'Pogi' Caballa. "Sabi nila sayang hindi makakalaro si Joshua."

Caballa, 70, is the youngest brother of Munzon's grandmother Myrna. The Munzon family migrated to America in the early 80s, according to Caballa.
He recalls seeing Joshua during a visit to Long Beach, California in May 2009, when the future PBA player was in junior high school.
"First time kong makita, bata pa lang siya, naglalaro na ng basketball yan. Di pa gaanong malaki nun pero mabilis na.
"Talagang dedicated sa basketball bata pa lang. Makikita mo talagang mahilig na mahilig sa basketball."
A lifelong basketball fan who once coached Bacolor's team and helped organize an inter-provincial tournament, Caballa never imagined that someone from the clan would become a pro player - and a special one at that.
"Di mo sukat akalain," he says.
But Caballa is sure that the Terrafirma player is not the first Munzon to shine on a basketball court.
"Yung lolo niya, si Peter Munzon, player dati ng National University kasama si Jun Papa," Caballa reveals. "Naglaro din sa MICAA, wala pang PBA nun. Huli siyang naglaro sa GSIS."
The Caballa clan had a brief reunion with Munzon in September 2019 when the Cal State alumnus starred with the Chooks to Go 3x3 group at SM Clark.
"Ganun pala yung feeling ng may apo kang player," Caballa says. "Medyo may fans na sya sa 3x3 pa lang. Makikita mo talaga hinahatak, picture-taking. Parang proud ka talaga.
"What's more sana kung naglaro sa Bacolor at hindi pandemya. Pagkakataon na makikita siya ng mga tao dito, makikilala."


The irony is not lost on Caballa that Terrafirma began winning against big teams without the injured Munzon. Laughing, he says he just might tease Munzon about it if he gets the chance to talk to the player. But he believes that had Munzon been around, he would have given Terrafirma more options for the battles ahead.
Because of coronavirus restrictions being enforced at DHVSU and in the whole of Pampanga, Caballa says it's unlikely that Muzon's relatives would have been able to get close to the player had he been available to play.
"Hanggang kaway-kaway lang siguro sa team bus. Kasi talagang ina-isolate ang mga player, hindi puwedeng lapitan."
But while a reunion with Bacolor's basketball apo is on hold for now, Caballa, who has been councilor for eight terms in total, is among the townsfolk basking in the reflected glory of having the PBA games on home ground for the first time ever.
"Sinong mag-aakala na gagawin ang PBA dito sa Bacolor? Lumubog na tayo [sa lahar] dati," he says. "It's because of DHVSU, yung performance ni president Enrique Baking. Ang ganda na ng trade school, ng DHVSU, ngayon. Malayo yung ibang eskuwelahan sa Manila. Wala lang sa atin yung lupain, makipot ang space. Pero yung mga building magaganda."
Having a PBA player on the court with links to the town would have definitely made the occasion sweeter.
"Meron pa rin sigurong pagkakataon na mangyayari pa yon," Caballa says.
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