ROBIN to Asi Taulava's Batman bestowed the highest tribute to his former partner whose playing jersey will be officially retired on Wednesday.
Jimmy Alapag thanked the 6-foot-9 Taulava for his two decades of service to Philippine basketball. He also acknowledged Taulava for being instrumental in laying the foundation for TNT’s championship success exactly 20 years ago.
NLEX management will retire the playing jersey of Taulava, 50, on Dec. 13 at the Philsports Arena.
TAULAVA'S INCREDIBLE 2-DECADE RUN
"An incredible two-decade run for Asi," said Alapag, now the player development coach of the Sacramento Kings, in a message relayed to SPIN.ph on Saturday.
"He's done so much for Philippine basketball thru the years both in the PBA and the National Team."
Taulava and Alapag played together in the Philippine men's basketball team in the 2007 FIBA Asia Men's Championship in Tokushima, Japan when the country made it back to a major international competition under the newly-established Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
They teamed up anew in the 2011 edition of the same tournament in Wuhan, China where they helped steer the original Smart Gilas team to the semifinals for the first time in 24 years.
TAULAVA A PILLAR IN TNT'S TITLE RUN
But it was their partnership at TNT that will be etched forever in the hearts of Alapag after the duo gave the franchise its first-ever regular championship in the PBA by winning the 2003 All-Filipino Conference.
The title run which saw the team fight back from a 0-2 deficit to beat Coca-Cola for the crown in six games, eventually became the cornerstone of the franchise's nine total championships.
Alapag was then a rookie and Taulava was already considered the team's franchise player and one of the most dominant forces in the league.
"I'm thankful for our time together at TNT and being able to help bring the TNT organization its first-ever championship in 2003," recalled the six-time champion point guard and Gilas Pilipinas legend.
By the end of the season, Taulava was hailed the 2003 MVP and Alapag the Rookie of the Year awardee.
Alapag would go on and become an MVP too, in 2011.
They never got to win another championship together and ended their respective careers not with TNT, but with its sister teams in Meralco (Alapag) and NLEX (Taulava).
But both made it to the PBA's 40 Greatest Players of all time.
"Wishing Asi and the family all the best," the now US-based Alapag said in parting.
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