Daquioag overcomes awe, delivers big against idol Castro

Ed Daquioag. PBA IMAGES

Ed Daquioag almost had sleepless nights anticipating Meralco’s duel against TNT on Friday.

He knew that somehow, someway, he’ll be guarded and defended by KaTropa star guard Jayson Castro.
But when the ball was tipped off, it was a whole different story.

There were moments where Daquioag admits he was almost overwhelmed facing the fancied foe, saying, “I was starstruck at first.”

That didn’t last long, though, as the former Santo Tomas star went on his scoring spree in the second half and almost stripped the ball from Castro one time in the fourth.

“When I almost stole the ball from him, I smiled a bit,” he said.

Shaking off his fantasies, Daquioag was even bold enough to fire and nail a corner three right in front of Castro to put the game away, 96-85, in the final minute.

“I was just taken by the moment and I knew we had to win for our confidence to be boosted for our next games,” said the Ilocos Norte native.

The rookie proved that his good showing in the past game was no fluke, firing 18 of his 23 points in the second half while pulling four rebounds to lead the Bolts to a 98-87 win over the KaTropa.

“Once again, Ed Daquioag really stepped up quickly in the fourth quarter,” said coach Norman Black.

“He’s a rookie but he doesn’t play like a rookie. He’s a smart kid, to go along with the fact that he’s very talented. I’m very happy for him also that he contributed for the team’s success today. I’m hoping to see him develop more in the year as we play more games.”

Daquioag’s standout performance not only earned him the praise of his teammates, it also caught the eye of
Castro himself.

“We can see his potential. He has an outside and inside game and he has a vast basketball IQ,” Castro said.

For all the praise he received in the two-game stretch, Daquioag keeps his feet on the ground, saying that his ultimate goal is to help the Bolts break grounds anew this 2017 PBA Philippine Cup.

“(My playing time) still depends on the coaches. I know it’s not everyday that we can play at our best, but I’m just preparing myself every game and doing what I can to contribute for the team,” he said.