Feels like the good ol’ days for the PBA greats

Allan “The Triggerman" Caidic faked off his defender then launched his dreaded ICBMs. Alvin “The Captain" Patrimonio posted up and powered his way inside. “The Tower of Power" Benjie Paras sank his short-range shot off the glass. It may not have the same efficiency and lethal impact as before but these PBA greats virtually turned back the hands of time Friday when they played the NBA Generations team of Dominique Wilkins, Vlade Divac, Robert Horry and Tim Hardaway and assistant coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a dream exhibition match. The final score read: NBA Generations 109, PBA All-Stars 86. But the 23-point difference meant little to those at the historic Big Dome for the gathering of the 80s and 90s hardcourt heroes. The PBA greats themselves cherished sharing the court with the NBA greats whom they admired and looked up to. “It’s really an honor. I’m very grateful na makasama at makalaro ko yung mga NBA legends," Patrimonio said after the match. The four-time PBA MVP was matched up against the high-flying Wilkins. The 6-foot-3 Patrimonio scored nine points and collared eight rebounds in 20 minutes on the floor but the 6-foot-8 Wilkins, potbelly and all, fired a game-high 28 points highlighted by, yes, a couple of one- and two-handed slams. “Malaki lang talaga sila (NBA legends) pero kaya (natin), skills-wise, talent-wise pwede (tayo)," Patrimonio said. The 6-foot-5 Paras was paired against the 7-foot-2 Serbian legend Vlade Divac and went on to post seven markers and four rebounds in 10 minutes of play. Divac was not a busy man on offense, attempting only six shots and making half of those for six points while grabbing eight boards. Asked about his performance, two-time MVP Paras was at his usual comic self. “Wala naman, naka-shoot ako, okay lang." Like his former RP teammate Patrimonio, Paras considered the NBA Asia Challenge 2009 game an unforgettable experience. “Masaya kasi nakadikit ko yung veterans, NBA legends. Sana lang si Kareem naglaro din…pati si Magic (Johnson) at si (Charles) Barkley, sobrang saya na namin pag ganon," he said, smiling. Among the PBA greats, it was Caidic who displayed his old self the most. One of the deadliest shooters during his prime, Caidic buried five triples in the first quarter to help the PBA All Stars take a 26-25 lead. The former UE hotshot, who finished with a team-high 15 points, surprised even Horry and Wilkins, who took turns in guarding him. But to his teammates, Caidic’s sniping was par for the course. “Ah si Allan, sabi nga namin sa kanya, pwede ka pa, maski sa national team," Paras said. “Hindi na kami nagulat, alam naming basta nalibre yan, imposibleng hindi papasok." Among themselves, the five PBA greats – Caidic, Patrimonio, Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc and Kenneth Duremdes - accounted for 39 of the team’s 86 points, 17 of their 50 total rebounds, and nine of their 20 aggregate assists. – Olmin R. Leyba, GMANews.TV