Call it a powerhouse reunion!
A reunion among standout Filipino-American hoopers who have made their mark in the PBA recently took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. The scene was documented by three-time PBA champion Sol Mercado and shared to the public, thanks to Instagram.
Based on the posts of the explosive point guard they used to call Sol Train, the gathering was for the birthday celebration Joe Devance’s wife, Monica. Of course, the highly decorated forward, who retired in 2022 as a member of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, was present at the juncture.
Joining Mercado and Devance in the party were Rain or Shine Elasto Painters stalwart Gabe Norwood, former PBA guards Karl Dehesa and Josh Urbiztondo, and San Miguel Beermen stars Simon Enciso and Chris Ross.
On one of Mercado's IG stories, the room was in unison singing the Happy Birthday song to the celebrant, while he repeatedly said that the crew is back.
“We got the crew back,” the 11-time PBA veteran reiterated.
On his next IG story, the two-time PBA All-Star shared a video of the boys as they play spades. According to Mercado, it’s an activity that the "crew" hasn't done in a long time.
“We bring it back. Spades with the boys again. We haven’t done this since... seven or eight years.”
One could tell how happy Mercado was, along with the rest of his friends, as they once again got to see each other. Why won’t they be? The battles that they’ve shared and fought on the PBA hardwood, for sure forged a special friendship that will link them to each other for the rest of their lives.
It won't be a long time until we hear from them again, as Sol, Gabe, Joe, along with Jared Dillinger, Devance's former teammate at Ginebra, have recently released their podcast called "Let It Fly."
Perhaps more stories about this Vegas trip might make it to an episode of that pod.
(GM)