A tale of two Christmas dreams
On Christmas Day, two basketball dreams take on different paths for two Warriors—whose roads nearly converged far away from home.
Paul Zamar had seen his dream get knocked down, just as he thought life could not get any better. In 2016, he was playing D-League MVP levels for Cafe France. He married longtime girlfriend Jane Arcangel. The only thing missing was a ringing phone that, on the other end, would be a PBA team needing a backup playmaker.
The call never came.
Worse, Cafe France opted to go on a different direction and Zamar eventually wound up in Thailand. Though not perceptible if measured in kilometers, the only thing farther from home was his PBA dreams.
Still, suiting up for Mono Vampire for the Asean Basketball League gives Zamar a shot at chasing his PBA dream.
“I’m thankful to the ABL because they give us players a chance,” he said. “The PBA is still crowded for us guards. As players, we want to improve, continue playing, and still be visible to the public. The chance is being given here for us and we’re just taking this opportunity.”
Niño Canaleta, like Zamar a product of University of the East’s basketball program, nearly ended up a teammate of his schoolmate in Thailand.
Having turned 35 and his contract with Blackwater already maxing out its shelf life, Canaleta wanted one more shot at leaving the game on his own terms.
“He had a ready offer to play in Thailand,” said agent Danny Espiritu. “But he waited for a chance to still play in the PBA. He was confident he could still get one.”
Meralco gave Canaleta that chance. And on Day One, he repaid that confidence.
Canaleta went 5-of-8 from threes as Meralco held off Blackwater, 101-95, to win its season opener for the first time in three years. He finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and two assists in the win.
“We had a good preparation,” Canaleta said in Filipino. “I adjusted well with this new team and I didn’t have much difficulty because they were very supportive.”
But the challenge for the wiry forward is to keep producing at the same rate, to make sure he doesn’t fade out of the Bolts’ rotation and stay in contract conversations.
Zamar, meanwhile, continues to play his heart out for his PBA shot. He is currently averaging 15.57 points, 3.43 rebounds, and 3.43 assists in seven games in the 2018 ABL season.
But the hardest test is outside the court.
“Home is where the heart is,” he said. “My family, my wife is in the Philippines. It’s hard here abroad where I’m always alone. Sometimes, you’ll wake up and you’re all by your lonesome. It’s really difficult. That’s why if there’s a chance for me to make it to the PBA, I will really grab it.”
Two Christmases, two dreams. One Warrior pushing to extend his, the other pining for his to come true.
If there’s a lesson somewhere in there, Zamar’s father Boycie, a former national coach and current assistant with San Miguel Beer in the PBA, knows what it is.
“Life is unfair, and that’s always the case,” the older Zamar said. “You have a choice to do good things or bad things. Either way, people will say something at you, so it’s better that you just do good.”
