Top cagers’ pregame habits

In this basketball-crazy country, PBA cagers are treated like movie stars. That’s why when players retire, it’s easy for them to change court and join show biz, just like what Joey Marquez, Freddie Webb, Atoy Co and Benjie Paras did.

Aside from that, many PBA heartthrobs end up with show biz celebrities like, to name a few, Jean Marc Pingris and Danica Sotto, JC Intal and Bianca Gonzalez, and Dudut Jaworski and Mikee Cojuangco.

The PBA All-Filipino Cup Finals (Best of Seven) has begun. Defending champion San Miguel Beer (SMB) battles it out with the league’s most popular team, Barangay Ginebra (BG). I cornered star players of each team, Alex Cabagnot of SMB and LA Tenorio of BG, for their pregame thoughts.

Beermen versus Gin Kings is quite an intoxicating match. Hoop, hoop, hooray.

Alex Cabagnot

Here’s my chat with Alex:

What are your dos and don’ts before a game? I don’t sleep too late. I make sure I never stray from my routine no matter how tedious it may be.

What are some of the crazy things your team does before a game? We sing all the latest songs out loud for good vibes.

Would you rather play well but lose, or have a lousy game yet win? Win at all cost. Winning is the name of the game.

Who is the toughest PBA player to guard? Jayson Castro—he isn’t called the best point guard in Asia for nothing .

How do you handle hecklers during a game? Ginebra fans are so loud you don’t hear anything but boos. I don’t let it bother me.

What can fans expect from your team? Fans can expect us to try to win for them.

What advice can you give PBA rookies? Save your money and buy property. Enjoy the ride because it goes by extremely quick.

LA Tenorio

Here’s my chat with LA:

What’s the most challenging thing about playing against SMB? A lot of teams tried to stop SMB from winning the All-Filipino Cup but failed. Now it’s our turn to try.

What are your rituals before a game? I eat pasta and pray.

How do you handle defeat? I learn from mistakes, move forward and be positive.

Are you going to join show biz like other former PBA players? As of now, no plans yet, but you never know.

How do you handle pressure during the last two minutes of a crucial game? I handle pressure by staying focused and following our game plan. Whatever happens, happens. During those moments, I want the ball in my hand as much as possible.

What’s your advice to aspiring PBA players? Finish studies first and play smart.

What don’t fans know about Barangay Ginebra? We do a two-minute meditation before every game.
What do the mansions of celebs like Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Pia Wurtzbach, Tweetie de Leon and Martin Nievera have in common? Apart from posh furnishings, there’s a super-fast Wi-Fi connection by PLDT Home Fibr and a powerful wireless router called D-Link Tri-Band Gigabit in their midst.