SEVEN years and two finals appearances after, Simon Enciso is finally a PBA champion.
The 31-year-old spunky guard won his first pro title with San Miguel last week after beating TNT in the deciding Game 7 of the Philippine Cup finals.
See: Vic Manuel says first title with SMB washed away all the finals heartaches
Enciso played a crucial role in the win that regained for the Beermen the all-Filipino crown, which previously belonged to them five successive seasons from 2015 to 2019 before being dethroned in the Clark bubble the year after.
The San Francisco, California native worked his butt off playing defense against TNT top gunner Mikey Williams, while contributing on the offensive end with a loaded armament from three-point range.
Enciso finished with 12 points and fired four baskets from beyond the arc in the opening half, before finally focusing on slowing down the 30-year-old Williams, who had 19 points at the break, including 17 in a fiery first quarter explosion.
“That’s the only thing I worried about to play defense, because I know the offense will come,” said the player who prided himself before as the Filipino D Rose.
“You would get open shots when you have June Mar Fajardo, so that has been my main focus to just play defense.”
And he did just that against Williams, the top rookie last season, who was held to just three points in the second half of the Beermen’s 119-97 win.
Enciso said it was a challenge going up and trying to contain the player considered one of the best in the league today.
“It’s always great to compete with one of the best guards in the league,” said Enciso. “I just wanted to show everybody that I’m one of the best guards, too.
“Hopefully people put some respect on my name now.”
The 5-foot-11 Fil-Am was a second round pick of NLEX in the 2015 draft, and had previous stints with Phoenix, Alaska, TNT, and Blackwater.
He competed in the finals during his time with the Aces and the Tropang Giga, but lost both times against Magnolia (2018 Governors’ Cup) and Barangay Ginebra (2020 Philippine Cup).
Finally, in his second conference with San Miguel, which acquired him in a trade with Terrafirma for Alex Cabagnot, Enciso got his first taste of a championship.
And if playing defense would mean more championship for him and the Beermen, Enciso said he’s more than willing to do the job.
“Hopefully people would see the value of that,” he added.
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