Jeric Teng moves on

After several tense weeks,  the Teng household in Quezon City is finally returning to normality.

Ever since the day of the UAAP championship’s Game 3, patriarch Alvin Teng has had to comfort the emotionally crushed Jeric, the older of the Teng boys and top gunner of the hard-luck UST team.

“Jeric was heartbroken,” said Alvin, known as “Robocop” during his PBA days. “He had worked so hard for the team, he practically killed himself doing it. He put every fiber of his body into winning. It was his last season in the UAAP and he wanted a championship more than anything else. My wife (Susan) and I felt the pain. We could not celebrate with Jeron knowing that our other son was suffering.”

“After the game, Jeron joined his La Salle teammates for the all-night victory celebration, while Jeric headed for UST on España to be with his team, although in a not-so-happy atmosphere. The rest of the family, still wearing ‘neutral’ white, made their way home still feeling numb and hardly talking with each other.

“We didn’t have the appetite for anything.”

* * *

By Monday, though, the Teng family awoke to a brighter day.

Jeric’s hurt had eased somewhat. The Tengs’ feng shui guru must have advised them that this is a most auspicious time for Jeric to join the PBA because he later announced that it’s “time to enter the PBA.”

“Jeric is ready to move on,” said a relieved Alvin. “He’s definitely joining  the PBA draft which I think is scheduled this month. He will be filing his application soon.”

Said Jeric: “I can now cheer for Jeron and La Salle. And he, in turn, can cheer for me. Our family will no longer be divided between the two of us.”

Jeric said his PBA legend-father advised him to never stop improving, even if he is already playing in the pro league.

“Jeric must continuously hone up on his speed and most of all, his shooting skills,” said Alvin.

* * *

While Jeric was trying to cope with the UST Tigers’ loss,  Jeron and the victorious Green Archers were being deluged with invitations to appear in television  programs.

In one of these shows, one emcee made a crack about head coach Juno Sauler’s serious demeanor before, during and after the championship had been won.

Colleague Quinito Henson, a La Salle alumnus, has an explanation: “Juno is extremely shy. He shuns the limelight and would rather have his players get the media attention. He’s a great guy—attentive to details and keeps things simple. An economics graduate of La Salle,  Juno and wife Agnes, an HSBC executive, have two kids. He is a good family man.”

One question that was never asked during the Archers’ TV guestings was the reaction of their No. 1 fan and chief supporter, former Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, who sat on the La Salle bench during the games.

Quinito also had an answer: “Boss Danding was overcome with emotion. He believes it was God who made it happen. He’s so happy for the school and the team. He said he never doubted the capability of Coach Juno, his staff Jun Limpot and Allan Caidic, and the players, to go all the way.  He said it was a blessing from above.”