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For Gary David, Meralco's 3-0 start is no accident

Gary David of the Meralco Bolts drives against Kenneth Ighalo of the KIA Carnival during the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome  on 30 January 2015.( Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)
Gary David of the Meralco Bolts drives against Kenneth Ighalo of the KIA Carnival during the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome  on 30 January 2015.( Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

Somehow it all makes sense. Meralco is undersized, generally overlooked, and can only dream of having the mainstream following which more popular teams have. Yet the Bolts are 3-0. Perfect. They’re on top of the team standings, leaders of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. And while imports drive the engines of most teams in this type of conference, for the Bolts, a familiar face (along with his familiar pair of fiery hands) is pushing the team to a best-possible start.

Gary David seems to enjoy the camouflage provided by playing on an overlooked team. The paradox is there. When he played for the national team, when the whole country was watching, he hardly played. Now that he’s playing for the Bolts, a team which won’t necessarily draw 20,000 fans to the arena, he seems to be back to being the 2012 version of Gary David. Okay, I’m actually not sure if we’ll ever see 2012 Gary David again. Those were special times. But Gary David in 2015 believes he’s playing for a special team like it’s 2012 and working incredibly hard towards a special goal like it’s 2012.

MH: Gary napansin ko lang that along with Meralco’s great start in the Commissioner’s Cup, maganda rin first three games mo. 21 points versus Ginebra. 25 points versus Kia. 17 points versus Talk ‘N Text. Ikaw ba, nararamdaman mo na parang nagliliyab na ulit mga kamay mo?

GD: Siguro dahil iba rin yung training ko ngayon eh. Mayroon kaming skills coach para sa shooting and para sa conditioning may pinupuntahan ako sa Makati, Focus Athletics. Doon ako sa umaga tapos sa hapon practice naman kami sa Meralco. Sinabihan din kasi ako ng skills coach namin, si Coach Joe Ward, na when you’re getting old, kailangan sa hard work double-effort ka. Kasi hindi ka na tulad ng dati. Hindi ka na katulad ng may young legs. Sabi niya ‘pag getting old ka na, kailangan mag-double effort ka para makasabay ka pa. Kaya ‘yun ang ginagawa ko.

MH: Nakikita ko nga sa Instagram mo yung training mo sa umaga.

GD: Ginagawa ko ‘yun kasi yun ang key sa pagiging effective ko, yung bilis ko sa court. Napansin ko sa mga previous conference parang yung conditioning ko bumababa, kaya binabalik ko lang ngayon. Kasi gusto yung takbo ako ng takbo sa court, na hinahabol ako ng dumedepensa sa akin hanggang mapagod na sila tapos makaka-lay-up na ako, makaka-shoot ako or ma-fa-foul ako and makakapag-free throw. ‘Yun kasi nakita ko nung nag-analyze ako ng laro ko in the past conferences. Naging inconsistent ako. So binalik ko talaga yung conditioning ko this offseason.

MH: If you were to compare your conditioning back in 2012 to your conditioning now in 2015, mas kondisyon ka ba ngayon?

GD: Actually, parang yung conditioning ko nung 2012, ‘yun ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. And yung tiwala sa akin ni Coach Norman (Black) bumalik na, napakalaki ‘nun. Tapos yung sistema niya nakukuha ko na rin. Yung relationship namin ngayon maganda nga. Parang yun ang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

MH: So parang 2012 nga ulit?

GD: Oo parang ganoon. Yung mga teammate ko hinahanap ako. Yung respeto nila sa akin, yung tiwala nandoon. Kaya sinusuklian ko lang sila ng maganda.

MH: Ang nakakagulat kasi Gary, wala kayong mga giants sa team. Pati nga import niyo, si Josh Davis, mas maliit compared to other imports. Ang frontline niyo si Reynel Hugnatan, John Ferriols and Cliff Hodge na hindi rin tallest frontline in the league pero nananalo pa rin kayo. Paano niyo nagagawa ‘yun?

GD: Nakita mo naman kasi yung import namin, nasagot niya yung problema namin sa rebounding noong last conference. Yung import namin, talagang monster sa rebound eh. ‘Yun siguro yung nakita ni Coach Norman kay Josh kaya effective kami. At yung energy niya napakataas.

MH: Sa nakikita mo ngayon, can your team go all the way in the tournament?

GD: Sa nararamdaman ko ngayon, lalo na dahil 3-0 kami and good start kami, tapos yung mga teammate ko ganadong-ganado sila, maganda pakiramdam ko. Sabi nga ni Coach Norman, walang nagsasabi sa kanya na contender kami or walang nagsasabi na kaya naming mag-finals. Sabi niya okay lang daw na nasa gitna kami, na hindi kami yung sinasabi na malakas na team. Pero nararamdaman din niya, ang sabi ni Coach Norman sa akin na ito na yung time.