DESPITE Terrafirma’s winless campaign in the season-opening tourney, Dyip coach Johnedel Cardel is not one to lose faith in his charges — he is hoping Lady Luck will finally smile on them in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup kicking off Sept. 21.
“Walang ng mahinang team dito sa PBA. You know what happened. It’s because of the injuries, that’s why we struggled,” Cardel told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“Hopefully, we’ll be healthy. We’re trying to win kaya lang hindi lang talaga bumabagsak,” he added.
Terrafirma wound up with a 0-11 card in the Philippine Cup, becoming the first team to fail to notch a victory in a conference after Blackwater also went 0-11 in the same import-less tourney last year in Bacolor.
To say the Dyip was luckless in their stint is an understatement.
Veteran playmaker Alex Cabagnot sat out the conference due to a torn Achilles he suffered in last Governors’ Cup, while big man Isaac Go (ACL), and guard Ed Daquioag (broken bone on right leg) also went down and are likely to be sidelined for the season.
Cabagnot is expected to return to Terrafirma in the mid-season tilt.
Aside from Cabagnot’s comeback, also stoking Cardel’s optimism in the import-spiced meet is the arrival of reinforcement Lester Prosper.
The 6-foot-9 former Indonesian naturalized player is expected to land in the country today.
“We got si Lester Prosper. Baka nandito na siya today and may unfinished business siya dito. Sabi niya ‘I wanna go back to help,’” Cardel said. “Kilala na niya ang team and kaunting adjustments na lang ang kailangan.”
The Dominican-born Prosper averaged 33.6 points and 16.9 rebounds after replacing Kyle Barone when he first suited up for the Dyip in the same tournament in 2019 although Terrafirma failed to reach the quarterfinals with a 3-8 mark in the eliminations.
Prosper saw action as a second import for San Miguel Beer in the East Asia Super League Terrific 12 in Macau where the Beermen finished fourth after reaching the semifinals.
He played for Indonesia for two windows in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and was good for 22.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in four games.
But Indonesia gave Prosper, 33, the pink slip in lieu of Marques Bolden, who powered the Indonesians to a stunning win over Gilas Pilipinas for the gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi last May.
Cardel said Terrafirma is raring to show its true worth.
“Mga bata ang players sa team, half ay rookies,” he said. “Nandoon ang skills, need lang nilang ma-develop pa.”