Javi Gomez de Liano helps Terrafirma slip past NorthPort and into the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Javi Gomez de Liaño is on a mission and it’s not an easy one.
After Terrafirma punched a ticket to the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals, Gomez de Liaño hopes the the Dyip’s current run to the playoffs earns them their respect around the league.
“Hopefully, little by little we can gain the respect from everyone in the organization [league] because we deserve it as well, we’ve been working hard,” said Gomez de Liaño after ther 104-96 win over Northport at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday,
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“Throughout the years, we’ve been receiving bashes and bad reviews but we hope that in this playoff campaign, we change the narrative.”
The University of the Philippines product is certainly doing its part in trying to gain his cellar dweller team some respect.
In Terrafirma’s last shot to make the playoffs, Gomez de Liaño balled out while getting everyone involved with 21 points and seven assists to give the Dyip its first playoff appearance after 16 conferences of missing the quarters.
However, what awaits in Gomez de Liaño and Terrafirma’s path is the league’s best team after 11 games–San Miguel–which has a twice-to-beat advantage.
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But the uprising forward is welcoming that challenge. After all, it’s just a part of his “personal goal” to give Terrafirma a good name.
“It’s always a personal goal to help Terrafirma make it to the playoffs and get the respect from the league and fans. I think this was just bound to happen with the players coming in like a perfect puzzle. With coach John (Cardel) leading us, I saw this coming way before.”
“Every year we say that we just have to make the playoffs but this time, we wanted it and believed in ourselves more. It was just a mental aspect that we all had to share to be on the same page.”