Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
No other player personified the term “ball is life” more than Christian Standhardinger on Saturday.
Moments after arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque, the 6-foot-8 San Miguel rookie rushed to Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao in time for the Beermen’s debut in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup
“I was hurrying and I will share with you guys something completely new, something you’ve never heard before and that’s Manila has crazy traffic,” joked Standhardinger Saturday. The traffic is ridiculous it took me two hours, I was sweating bullets, I didn’t want to miss the game but we made it, kind of, on time.”
Standhardinger arrived at the Big Dome in the middle of the first quarter and was fielded in with just three seconds left in the period.
The more than two-hour flight from Jakarta, Indonesia and grueling traffic, didn’t deter Standhardinger from putting in a career performance for the Beermen.
Fresh from his exploits in the Asian Games, Standhardinger finished with a career-high 36 points with 11 rebounds and three steals to lead the Beermen’s 125-112 win over NLEX.
“My teammates just did a great job of finding me and getting me open, I just finished,” said Standhardinger.
And Standhardinger’s career game wouldn’t have happened if he heeded Austria’s previous orders.
Austria told Standhardinger that it was okay for him to sit the first game out but he wanted to show his commitment to the franchise that drafted him and brought him to the PBA.
“I felt like San Miguel showed great commitment to the national team and I did not want them to have a disadvantage in the first game and that is why it was important for me to play,” said Standhardinger, who was drafted as the top overall pick of his class. “Obviously there’s a huge commitment on my side to the San Miguel organization.”