Allein Maliksi now has five championships in an illustrious career that had a rocky start.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Allein Maliksi got down on his knees at centercourt, put his head gently against the hardwood floor, and let tears cascade from his eyes.
This was after Meralco seized its breakthrough PBA Philippine Cup title after an 80-78 Game 6 win over San Miguel that had all the trappings of a classic on Sunday, June 17 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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While it wasn’t his first championship, this conquest definitely holds a special place in Maliksi’s heart.
“This is the sweetest,” said the five-time PBA champion, who finished with 14 points and three rebounds in the championship-clinching win.
That’s because Maliksi didn’t exactly play a big role in his first four championships, including a rare Grand Slam with the then San Mig Coffee.
But with Meralco, he was at the forefront of the team's assault that made the mighty Beermen look like mortals from the beginning of the scintillating best-of-seven finale.
“I mean yung sa mga past championships di ko masyado naramdaman kasi I’m part of the team, but yung role ko is not that big,” said Maliksi, whose team finally broke through after four heartbreaking losses to Ginebra in the Governors’ Cup Finals.
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What made this even more special was the fact that Meralco dethroned the Beermen, who have lorded over the All-Filipino conference the past decade, winning six of its last nine editions.
At the risk of getting way ahead of himself, the Meralco gunner said this easily ranks as his best conquest.
“Yan yung isa sa reason bat ito pinakmasarap na championship namin. Ewan ko kung manalo kami in the future ng championship sa Meralco, but I think this will be the best talaga. Ito yung pinaka msaarap talaga,” he said.
“I think walang hihigit dito sa championship na to. Imagine game winner, imagine mo San Miguel kalaban namin talagang powerhouse diba? Tapos from Game 7 against Ginebra na never kami nanalo sa series. Tapos coming from almost getting eliminated in the eliminations.
“For me, this is the best na napanalunan namin ever. Kahit ano man siguro sa future na makuha naming championship uli, for me ito talaga, walang hihigit dito.”