NEW acquisition Denok Miranda said Barako Bull is on a mission to prove its doubters wrong after copping flak for some controversial deals it entered in the offseason.
The longtime Petron mainstay was one of several veteran players that arrived at the Barako Bull camp after the team decided to trade away several players and prized draft picks prior to the season - perplexing deals that made the ballclub an object of scorn on social media networks.
Miranda, however, said Barako Bull's team of mostly veteran players is out to show that the offseason trades make more sense than what most critics want to believe.
They Said It!
“Marami siguro kaming gugulatin ngayong conference kasi marami rin dito sa team yung may mga experience." - Denok Miranda
They Said It!
“Wala akong hinangad kung hindi makalaro ang aking anak. Since four years old, nag-ko-compete na siya. I have to see her compete because she grew up that way and right niya 'yun."
“Yun nga sinasabi sa amin ni boss (team manager) Raffy (Casyao). Marami na ngang talks dati sa social media tungkol sa desisyong ginawa ng management," said the rugged playmaker. "Pero kami, sa court na lang namin ipapakita.”
The 31-year-old said after weeks of practicing with a squad composed of former role players from other teams as well as veterans like Willie Miller, Mick Pennisi and Dorian Pena, he’s confident that they can spring some nice “surprises” in the PBA Philippine Cup.
“Marami siguro kaming gugulatin ngayong conference kasi marami rin dito sa team yung may mga experience,” Miranda told Spin.ph after the team’s practice at the Gatorade Hoops Center in preparation for their game on Wednesday against Air21.
Miranda, who played in just 39 games last season that saw him average 5.9 points, 2.8 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes last season, was initially shipped by Petron to Globalport for Chris Ross then landed at Barako Bull in exchange for the sixth pick in the rookie draft.
That set the stage for a reunion with former FEU teammates Jonas Villanueva and Mark Isip as well as Koy Banal, his former coach during his time with the Tamaraws.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.