Terrafirma Dyip, then known as the Mahindra Enforcer, reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup. The franchise has yet to replicate the same feat since then.
For a franchise that once had the likes of CJ Perez at its disposal, Terrafirma has only made the PBA playoffs once since joining the league as an expansion team in 2014.
It was in the 2016 Governors’ Cup.
And the Dyip's 2018 top draft pick Perez — who is now a PBA champion, Best Player of the Conference and Finals Most Valuable Player with San Miguel — was still wreaking havoc in college basketball then.
But even with a roster that only had boxing icon and playing coach Manny Pacquiao as its superstar, Terrafirma, then known as the Mahindra Enforcer, had earned the moniker “giant slayers” as they made their way to the quarterfinals.
This after beating juggernaut teams like the then Star Hotshots, now Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, and the Beermen to zoom to an impressive 4-0 start behind a prolific import in James White and a ragtag local crew led by Aldrech Ramos, KG Canaleta, Mark Yee and Bradwyn Guinto.
Mahindra slipped to 2-5 after that. But the Enforcer did not stop from living out their moniker.
They eventually pulled the rug from under the mighty TNT which boasted of a peak Jayson Castro, 107-104, to seal their first ever playoff spot.
It was top-seeded TNT’s only loss in the elimination round. Mahindra wound up fifth with a 6-5 record after a loss to Meralco in the playoff for the last twice-to-beat advantage.
As magical as the Enforcer's Cinderella run had been, it had to end, unfortunately, at the hands of Meralco.
The Bolts, who eventually secured a finals duel with Ginebra, bucked a slow start then ran amok in the middle quarters to outscore Mahindra, 66-35, on their way to the win that assured their spot in the semis.
Mahindra then disbanded its lineup, first by shipping away one of its top scorers in Ramos. The franchise has been on a rebuild of sorts ever since.
But at the rate things are going, the current iteration of Terrafirma has what it takes to replicate the same feat Ramos and company pulled off nearly eight years ago.
So far, the Dyip have posted their best start in years after beating Converge and NLEX in the ongoing Philippine Cup.
After their rousing start, coach Johnedel Cardel is definitely eyeing a playoff appearance for the team backstopped by first time All-Star Juami Tiongson and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Stephen Holt.
[WATCH: PBA Player of the Game Highlights: Stephen Holt stars anew in Terrafirma's second win vs. NLEX]
“Kailangan naming ilaban ‘to every game. 'Yung goal namin, makapasok naman kami sa quarterfinals,” Cardel said.
“Hindi lang kami ang lumalakas na team, lahat ng teams lumalakas. Kaya every game is very important for us. We have to play together."
Can the Dyip keep conjuring the same magic as the conference progresses and competition gets tougher by the day?
It is too early to tell.
But wouldn’t it be nice to see the perennial league doormat be up there for a change?