WITH his homecoming and PBA debut just a day away, Cebuano guard Eliud Poligrates admitted that the player he once was when he left Cebu is no longer the same player that is coming home to play for the Talk N Text Tropang Texters.
Flanked by his teammates, the wily left-handed guard who was picked 27th overall shared this during the press conference of the league’s opening games.
“Katong Poligrates na andito sa Cebu noon, iba na ngayon. Sa Manila kasi, iba ang duwa doon. Seryoso talaga,” said Poligrates who is set to play at the Cebu Coliseum for the first time since leaving Cebu for good in 2010 to try his luck in Manila.
And what a journey it has been for the former Southwestern University King Cobra.
From barnstorming local leagues in and around Cebu to playing for the Cobras in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) before getting slapped with a lifetime ban in 2009 to playing in the PBA D-League for the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns and the Café France Bakers.
And with his dream of playing professional basketball finally coming true, the tattooed-guard is hoping for a good game and make his family, friends and supporters from the municipality of Poro in the Camotes Islands, proud.
“Siguro sa laro bukas, sana masayahan ang mga tawo para kahit papano, makalimutan nila ng konti yung mga nangyari sa bagyo. Ang dami na manonood na galing sa amin. First time kasi na may nakarating sa PBA na galing sa maliit na isla ng Poro,” he said.
Veteran guard Jimmy Alapag also shared that Poligrates’ addition to the team has been a breath of fresh air and shares the young guard’s excitement with making his debut at home.
“Eliud’s been great. We’re excited to have him as part of our team and our family. He’s done really well in our first two preseason games. His teammates and I share the same sentiment that to be in the PBA and to be a rookie and to have your first game here at home is a special opportunity for him and we’re all looking forward to tomorrow,” Alapag said.