DURING its first game of the PBA on Tour, Phoenix was protecting a slim lead in the final seconds over powerhouse San Miguel when the Fuel Masters went to perhaps the unlikeliest guy to be given the ball in those moments.
It was Daniel Atienza, one of the rookie prospects picked up by Phoenix for the preseason. And he answered the call by hitting two free throws that enabled the Fuel Masters to preserve the win over the Beermen.
“Parang sabi ko, nasa kamay ko ‘yung talo saka panalo. Rookie eh,” said Atienza. “’Yun ‘yung chance mo kung ano kaya mong gawin.”
Atienza’s route to the PBA was unlikely as well.
Cut by the Valenzuela MPBL team earlier this year, the 25-year-old Atienza was looking for a team to work out with just for him to keep himself in shape in preparation for the next possible chance when he contacted Phoenix coach Jamike Jarin, his former mentor at National University.
Little did he know that the opportunity of a lifetime would come.
Daniel Atienza finds home at Phoenix
“Three to four weeks ago before mag-start ‘yung PBA on Tour, naghahanap po ako ng teams sa MPBL, ganun. Tinry ko po mag-chat kay coach Jamike if puwede ba ako nag-workout para makundisyon ako para at least if ever, magtryout uli.”
“Sa awa ng Diyos, puwede pala magpalaro si PBA ng undraftees. Tiniyaga ko lang. Wala akong idea. Nagulat ako na palalaruin na pala ako ni coach Jamike. Kaya thankful ako kay coach Jamike, boss Bugs, at sa Phoenix,” said Atienza.

Atienza considers Jarin as a father, thankful for the chance to at least be in a PBA stage even though it is not an official tournament. He said he never got to play a lot for Jarin in the UAAP after suffering from a shoulder injury dating back to his time in the juniors.
“When I was head coach with NU, I saw him as a senior,” said Jarin. “He had two dislocated shoulders. He didn’t want to get operated because there was a championship between Ateneo… Hindi niya pina-opera ‘yun. He wanted to play in that game to contribute. In fact, he couldn’t even raise his hands. But he played in that game. I told myself, you have to get inspired by this kid.”
Jarin said he didn’t hesitate to give him the chance, when Atienza reached out to him.
“Before we started practicing, he approached me and called me that he was cut in a different league. He just wanted to work out so that he could be ready in whatever teams from the different league will call him. I gave him that. He was practicing with us. Then, the PBA on Tour came up. So I rewarded him to become an extra body,” said Jarin.
Atienza is glad to reunite with Jarin through his stint with Phoenix in the preseason.
“Si Tatay Jamike kasi, nung NU pa lang, talagang attached na ako sa kanya. Hindi ko siya tinrato na coach. Tatay po talaga ang tingin ko sa kanya. Si coach Jamike naman talaga, lahat ng players, anak ang turing niya,” said Atienza.
Atienza said he plans to apply for the PBA draft this year after the opportunity that he considers as perfect timing.
“Meron kasing time na feeling mo wala na. Pero minsan, ‘yung time na ‘yun, itatap ka ni Lord. Doon mo masasabi na perfect ang timing. Doon mo susubukan uli,” said Atienza.
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