Captain Hook was a lethal scorer during his heydays.
While he had a lot of baggage on and off the court, Mac Cardona was no doubt one of the best scorers in the PBA during his heyday.
His signature hook shot, though it looked simple, left defenders scratching their heads. It was so deadly he was hailed the best player of the 2007 Fiesta Cup.
But while his scoring prowess was undeniably impressive, he didn’t get to represent the Philippines in an international tournament. Not even once.
The former De La Salle Green Archer, though, revealed he almost did in 2007.
“Si coach Chot (Reyes) kumukuha sa ’kin nun,” said the former TNT franchise player in the latest video posted by PBA Moto Club on YouTube.
“Hindi lang natuloy dati kasi ang papalitan ko yata Archer din, si Renren Ritualo.”
His peers surmised the team, then handled by coach Yeng Guiao, was looking for a pure shooter.
“Kaso hindi ako shooter e, bwakaw ako,” said the former UAAP Rookie of the Year in jest, who also gleefully shared in a previous video he took many hits from PBA legend Marc Pingris.
Indeed, the fifth overall pick by the Air21 Express had that reputation. But that’s what made him a special player, who also led TNT to the 2008–2009 Philippine Cup title.
Right now, Cardona has been busy with fellow former league stars at the PBA Moto Club. The group is currently in New Zealand for a series of exhibition games.
(MDB)