Vintage act

Longevity is under threat from a virus that is pushing the PBA season to the brink of cancellation.

And it’s not like it’s an easy attribute to own in a cutthroat world of professional sports, where every season brings with it a bumper crop of talent ready to displace veteran legs.

Ginebra legend Robert Jaworski still holds the record for being in the active roster until he was 50 and the likes of two-time MVP Abet Guidaben and four-time MVP Ramon Fernandez retired when they were 43 and 41 respectively.

In the current crop of active PBA pros, there are five players in the 40-above club. And their bid to notch more games in their belts is being threatened not by a wave of youngsters but by a pandemic that has wrought damage to their playing calendars.

Asi Taulava (47) of NLEX, Reynel Hugnatan (41) of Meralco, Rafi Reavis (42) of Star Hotshots, Harvey Carey (41) of TNT Ka Tropa and Mark Caguioa (40) of Barangay Ginebra have staved off retirement somehow but a prolonged quarantine necessitated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis could strip them of opportunities to play more games.

“I think for guys like Asi, time is of the essence so this stoppage doesn’t work in their favor,” said retired great Jimmy Alapag, who has played with Taulava, Hugnatan and Carey in the PBA and with Caguioa in the national team.

The sooner the PBA can continue playing, the more the five players can hold off hanging their sneakers the way Vince Carter did when the pandemic shut down the NBA.

Still, the fact that the five were in active rosters when the 45th season of the PBA opened early this year.

ELDER STATESMAN Asi Taulava is the oldest active player in the PBA at 47

Impressive

“It’s impressive because we know the older you get, the harder it is to stay in shape,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, who has coached Taulava in the last few seasons.

“You have to have that commitment when you play in that certain age. You still have to prove yourself to the young guys that you deserve to be in the league. You can’t just maintain your slot because of seniority. Being in the league is not a charity thing.”

“One thing that stands out—they are pros and if you are a true pro then you have to do your responsibility that comes with that,” said Alapag, who retired from the league three seasons ago. “It’s a huge credit to them because longevity is such a rare thing. Mark is 40 and he is still impacting games for Ginebra. Harvey has always found a way to contribute and being great at what he does, playing an important part in those TNT championships.”

Guiao is proud to see Taulava evolve as a player and a dependable family man as he witnessed his early years in the now defunct PBL where the NLEX mentor was still commissioner in the late 1990s.

Physically gifted

“Obviously, he is physically gifted,” said Guiao of the 6-foot-9 Taulava, the 2003 Most Valuable Player, now on his 18th season in the league.

“He has great leadership qualities and he can bring the team around him. He connects well to the younger players. He has gained a lot of wisdom over the years.”

Taulava has already been offered an assistant coaching job at NLEX, but he will still play a part in Guiao’s rotation when the season resumes following the enhanced community quarantine brought by pandemic.

“The great thing about Asi is you know what to get out of him and he knows what to expect from himself and he can work around that,” Guiao said.

Adaptability and flexibility has also keyed Hugnatan’s extended stay in the league. But the 6-foot-4 Meralco forward insists that work ethic remains as the most important ingredient in playing at the highest level.

“I’m a firm believer that age is just a number,” Hugnatan said. “I think it’s still about working hard and the discipline that comes with the routine.”

Hugnatan has played for numerous coaching greats from Chot Reyes at Coca-Cola at the start of his career to Tim Cone at Alaska and now Norman Black at Meralco.

SPARK Mark Caguioa still finds a way to make his presence felt for Ginebra. —PHOTOS BY SHERWIN VARDELEON

Lessons

“I studied all of the playing systems under these coaches and I never doubted these systems,” Hugnatan said. “I think that comes with loving the job as well.”

Alapag was a witness to Hugnatan’s tremendous work ethic as he played his final season at Meralco.

“We came into the league together and I’ve always admired his game from afar,” Alapag said. “He just has an incredible work ethic and the way he mentors Meralco on the team is remarkable. He is not outspoken, but he helps teammates understand what it is to be a pro aside from getting his own work done.”

Alapag, now 42, hopes that the younger players soak up the lessons these veterans can offer. Time may not be on the side of these ageless wonders, but they have collated a lot of experience that translates into valuable court wisdom.

“I also hope the young guys coming into the league look at the careers of these veterans because they are great ambassadors of the game,” Alapag said.