JEFF Comia made the game-winning play possible for Barangay Ginebra to win the PBA Draft Combine tournament championship against San Miguel Friday night.
And he wasn’t even supposed to play for the Gin Kings in the two-day proceedings that served as prelude to this week’s rookie draft.
READ: Sonny Estil steals show, wins MVP in PBA Draft Combine game
Comia was originally lined up with Blackwater in the mini-tourney, but was moved to Ginebra out of necessity.
“Nagulat lang din ako kasi nung bago mag-start yung games, kulang ng guards yung team ng Ginebra. So ako yung pinapunta ni coach Joe [Silva] yata or may nagsabi (na pumunta ako sa Ginebra). Hindi ko rin actually alam,” he recalled.
The Gin Kings – under coach Olsen Racela – and the Bossing were set to tangle in the opening game, but the former only had an eight-man roster, as Jason Brickman, Kareem Marcus Huntley, and Wilfrid Nada were not around.
Brickman was in Guam and Huntley and Nada had withdrawn from the draft.
But the move turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the 5-foot-11 point guard out of New Era University under former coach Adonis Tierra.
He played well for Ginebra and emerged as an X-factor in the Kings’ title run in the 12-team meet.
His perfect assist to eventual MVP Sonny Estil off a backdoor play with 1.6 seconds to play proved to be the game-winner, 37-35, as the Gin Kings beat out the Beermen for the P50,000 prize money.
“Suwerte rin kasi nanalo kami,” said Comia.
“Nagulat din ako, pero ok lang naman kasi nakapaglaro din ako. Makapaglaro lang naman, ok na ako dun.”
Comia comes through
And that he was able to deliver under Racela is one thing he truly treasures.
Comia describes Tim Cone’s Ginebra deputy as very supportive to the aspirants.
“Sobrang bait ni coach Olsen. Kumpiyansa, nagkakumpiyansa ako,” said the guard, who turned 28 years old last August 29.
“Sabi niya (Racela), laruin lang yung best namin and ipakita lang yung kaya naming gawin.”
Comia did just that and played solid in manning the Gin Kings backcourt in a performance that certainly raised his stock for the Sunday draft at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.
He’s tempering his own expectations, though.
“Hindi naman ako nag-e-expect. Enjoy lang,” he said.
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