Maybe he has one last hurrah in him.
Mac Cardona extended his terrific tour of duty for the Boracay Islanders with a vintage performance in the Pilipinas Super League Dumper Cup quarterfinals against the Davao Occidental Tigers. Posting 27 points, 8 boards, and 4 dimes inside Bren Z Guiao Convention Center in Pampanga on Tuesday, the 41-year-old PBA legend towed the Islanders to a sudden death match against the Tigers for a semis berth.
Cardona has rendered several high-scoring games in the PSL, and his latest one prompted his Boracay teammate and fellow basketball great Jayjay Helterbrand to go on Instagram and give him his flowers. According to the 2009 PBA MVP, the man known as Captain Hook, in reference to his signature shot, is still capable of making a comeback in the country’s top pro league.
So, was Helterbrand exaggerating? Was he just being a good teammate? Or does he truly believe that Cardona is still a PBA-caliber cager at this point in time? Well, one thing’s for sure, Big Mac can still dominate the competition against players younger than him in the league headed by commissioner Marc Pingris.
After Boracay’s 91-80 win over the Tigers, the Islanders have gone one step closer to joining the San Juan Kings, Pampanga Royce, and the Pampanga G Lanterns. Should Boracay win the do-or-die contest against Davao Occidental, then we might just see more of Cardona’s retro tour.
But really, it’s interesting to see how his offensive brilliance in the PSL would translate in the next level. Danny Ildefonso got his PBA comeback. Maybe there’s a small chance, Captain Hook can get his as well.