IT was a bittersweet moment when Juami Tiongson learned that he is being traded by Terrafirma, a team that he played for for the last five years, to a traditional title contender in San Miguel.
Sweet because he will now be compete for a championship on a consistent basis with the Beermen.
Bitter because he wasn’t able to reach the lofty goals that he wanted for the Dyip.
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“Bittersweet ‘yung feeling kasi siyempre mataas ‘yung pangarap ko para sa Terrafirma,” said Tiongson after his first game with San Miguel on Tuesday. “Talagang gusto ko maging successful din ‘yung team.”
“At the same time, I guess changing of the guards na kasi mas gusto nila bumata na,” he added. “Very thankful ako kila Boss Al, kila Boss Robert na dito ako nilagay sa San Miguel. Sobrang bait ng mga players and I have great vets, C-Ross, Marcio.”
Ironically, Tiongson was traded to the team that Terrafirma nearly pulled off an upset during the 2024 Philippine Cup when the No. 8 seed Dyip forced a rubber match against the Beermen before being ousted in the quarterfinals.
That knockout game loss was the end of the conference for the Dyip which showed a lot of promise with a team surrounded with youngsters Javi Gomez de Liano, Stephen Holt, and Isaac Go, and coached by Johnedel Cardel.
But shortly after that successful run, that core was broken apart piece by piece with Terrafirma unable to re-sign Gomez de Liano, who opted to go to Korea, and trading Holt and Go to Barangay Ginebra for Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle entering the 49th season.
Tiongson was then traded on November 25 midway in the season, specifically before the Commissioner’s Cup, together with Drei Cahilig, another long-tenured Terrafirma player to San Miguel.
Even Cardel, who brought the franchise to only its second playoff appearance in the aforementioned Philippine Cup 2024, was also let go by the Dyip and was replaced by assistant coach Raymond Tiongco.
The 2024 Second Mythical Team member admitted there was a feeling of regret that their core didn’t stay around, but also realized that he had to move on.
“I guess nung first time sila ma-trade, ‘yun ‘yung feeling ko,” said Tiongson.
“Pero wala eh, kailangan ko na rin mag-move on. Wala, tapos na. ‘Yung nagawa namin, tapos na ‘yung purpose namin sa Terrafirma. It was time to move on na rin talaga kasi I guess ‘yung management, gusto rin nila bumata. Nagpalit rin kay coach Mong (Tiongco) from kay coach John (Cardel). I guess mas makakabuti rin sa kanila, and hoping rin ako for their success.”
Now with San Miguel, Tiongson said the adjustment has been smooth sailing although he admitted that during his first few days in practice, he was hesitant in taking shots, a total opposite to his time with Terrafirma.
“Kasi yung first two days of practice ko, pangit yung pinapractice ko eh. Kasi nga nag-aalangan ako. Pero in-encourage nila ako na ‘Uy, hindi ka namin kinuha dito para pumasa. Kinuha ka namin dito para laruin mo kung ano nilalaro mo sa Terrafirma,’” said Tiongson.
While he has the greenlight to shoot, Tiongson said it won’t be as many as during his time with the Dyip with the wide array of talent that San Miguel has.
“In terms of ‘yung aggressiveness ko, kailangan ko na i-balance. Hindi na yung nakatingin agad sa ring kasi ang dami ko ng magagaling nakakampi eh. Talagang mga MVP, June Mar (Fajardo), Marcio (Lassiter), CJ (Perez), kahit ‘yung mga off the bench, kaming off the bench, si Jericho (Cruz), Don T. (Trollano), Mo (Tautuaa) pa nga, hindi pa masyadong nilaro," he said.
“Ang daming individual talents na there are times talaga na kailangan ko rin sila bigyan muna,” he added.
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