Their father-and-son relationship is a beautiful thing.
Matthew Aquino is back in the Philippines, not just to take a break from his tour of duty in the Japan B.League but also to support his first-ever basketball idol. Of course, that someone is his legendary dad Marlou Aquino. The 26-year-old center of the Shinshu Brave Warriors was recently spotted at a Pinoyliga Alumni Cup game watching his old man represent the Adamson Soaring Falcons.
In a chance interview during warmups, the second generation basketball talent kept it real right off the bat, opening up about his return to the country.
“Doon [Japan] malamig, hindi mainit doon kaya hindi ako pinapawisan doon. Sa Pilipinas napakainit,” Aquino quipped in a video posted by the aforementioned league.
Kidding aside, the 6-foot-9 pivot was truly glad to be back home.
“Masaya buhay doon pero there’s no place like home pa rin.”
According to Matthew, he intentionally chose to use the Japanese pro league’s short offseason as an opportunity to see his father enjoy the game that they both love.
“Kasi ‘yung offseason namin is one month lang. So, talagang pumunta ko para mapanood si erpat na mag-basketball.”
Clearly, the bond between the father and son is as solid as Marlou’s interior defense back in the day. To see how Matthew finds joy by simply watching his dad play hoops is more than enough proof of their great relationship.
“Ngayon na nakabalik ako [sa Pilipinas], nakita ko na naglalaro pa rin siya, siyempre super happy ko kasi basketball lang ‘yung nagpapasaya sa erpat ko,” the younger Aquino revealed.
When asked about the most important piece of advice that he received from the PBA great, Matthew was quick to come up with an answer.
“Hindi ko makakalimutan, 12 years old ako [noon]. Sabi niya, dapat mas matamis ang bunga sa puno.”
“So parang lahat ng iniwan niyang legacy dito, dapat mas higitan ko pa. Kumbaga dapat hindi lang ako makilala bilang anak ni Marlou, pero bilang Matthew Aquino.”
Just like any other parent, the PBA’s 40th anniversary team member wants his child to do better than him in life. And while it may be a tall task for the son to surpass his father’s legacy in Philippine basketball, Matthew does have a chance to make a name for himself suiting up in Japan as a pro and a national player, by way of his mother’s Japanese lineage.
(GM)