UP against younger, faster and equally skilled counterparts, former PBA champion Denok Miranda believes he needs to work double time and be in tip-top condition once he plunges to action in the MPBL Datu Cup.
For three games, the former Far Eastern University stalwart has provided what was needed of him by expansion team Laguna Heroes-Krah, which posted its second straight victory capped by a huge triumph over the erstwhile unbeaten Navotas Clutch over the weekend.
“I motivated myself to be better everyday, every game,” Mr. Miranda told BusinessWorld. “But I’m not over the hill yet. I can still play.”
In their 74-61 triumph, Mr. Miranda contributed nine points, four rebounds, and four assists while providing the leadership for the young Heroes squad.
Head coach Alex Angeles added that Mr. Miranda’s leadership is something his team needed down the road.
“It’s good to have a leader like Denok. He makes everybody calm and set the direction for the team inside the court,” said Mr. Angeles.
Even rising star Ralph Olivares, a young player brought in by Mr. Miranda to play for the Heroes in the MPBL, is paying more attention on the grizzled veteran, knowing that he’ll get a lot of pointers.
“I’m focused everyday on practice because I know I could learn a lot from Kuya Denok,” added Mr. Olivares.
For Mr. Miranda, playing in a new league in the MPBL after spending playing in the PBA for 13 seasons, also means continuous commitment to the fans.
“There were fans who were not privileged enough to watch the PBA games, so here in the MPBL, these fans were still here supporting me so I continued to reach out to them,” added Mr. Miranda. — Rey Joble
