Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Yancy De Ocampo is ready to call it a career but under one condition.
San Miguel’s veteran center said he will retire at the end of the season but only if the Beermen win a Grand Slam.
“I’ve said before that if I get the Grand Slam then I will finally retire, I hope this year that happens,” said the 39-year-old De Ocampo in Filipino during San Miguel’s fans’ day Friday at Robinson’s Magnolia.
“I’ve been with this team for almost four years, and I think there’s a big possibility that we’ll get the Grand Slam this season but that depends on the performance of the team.”
De Ocampo arrived in San Miguel in 2015 from NorthPort in a four-team trade.
He has since played as a backup center for five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo and has won six championships as part of the Beermen.
De Ocampo now has 11 championships in total, tying him for the most number of championships among active players with Rafi Reavis.
De Ocampo, who played two games in 7.5 minutes in the elimination round, said he doesn’t mind if he’s not on the floor for too long since he’s already content giving the team the moral support it needs while also becoming the coaches’ extension on the bench.
“We’re a powerhouse team, but there’s also a tendency to relax but once we need to win, we can overcome our struggles,” said De Ocampo. “This team is intact, us as veterans we’re always here for our teammates.”
“If we see something wrong that the players don’t notice we approach them.”