By JEROME LAGUNZAD
Inside the dimly-lit Smart-Araneta Coliseum yesterday, a familiar figure hoisted up one hook shot after another barely an hour before GlobalPort’s crucial showdown with streaking NLEX in the 2017 PBA Governors Cup.
A year after his highly-publicized drug overdose scandal, former five-time PBA All-Star Mac Cardona found himself back in the spotlight, wearing the Batang Pier jersey.
A former Finals MVP who powered Talk ’N Text to the third of its seven overall titles back in the 2009 Philippine Cup, Cardona, now 35, admitted he is slowly but surely regaining his rhythm after being slowed down by a right calf injury when he started practicing with GlobalPort three weeks ago.
And the former La Salle standout could not have picked a more opportune time to make his PBA comeback against NLEX, his former team which did not renew his contract.
“Mahigit isang taon na rin akong nawala dito. Pero basketball ito, ang first love ko. Ang importante nakabalik na ako sa PBA. Kahit one minute, two minutes lang o hindi man ako makapaglaro, okay lang. Basta gagawin ko ang best ko kung gagamitin man ako,” vowed a one-time Best Player of the Conference winner, who holds career-averages of 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists after being picked fifth overall by defunct Air21 Express in 2005 PBA rookie draft.
Cardona reunites with his former Green Archers teammates, Mike Cortez and Ryan Araña, aside from veteran tactician Franz Pumaren, who led La Salle to five UAAP titles.
