VETERAN center Yancy de Ocampo has one wish before ending his 17-year professional basketball career — for the San Miguel Beermen to complete the Grand Slam in the 2019 PBA Season.
The Beermen has already done the first step after ruling the Philippine Cup in May and is now close to the second with the SMB reaching the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals against the TNT KaTropa.
The 39-year-old De Ocampo admitted he has nothing to ask for in his PBA career after winning 11 PBA championships (most by any active PBA player) but being part of a Grand Slam team will be a good exit.
De Ocampo could have achieved that feat way back in 2014 at the Magnolia Hotshots (then San Mig Coffee Mixers) but he was traded just before the start of the Governors’ Cup, which the Mixers ruled to complete the Grand Slam.
“Sabi ko dati pag naka-Grand Slam na ako, magre-retire na ako. Sana this year, sana mangyari na yun,” said De Ocampo, the top overall pick during the 2002 PBA Rookie Draft.
“Malaki ‘yung possibility na mangyari ang grand slam pero depende sa performance ng team. Oo, powerhouse ‘yung team pero nandoon lagi ang tendency mag-relax,” he added.
“Minsan masyadong kumportable ang players sa isa’t isa. ‘Yun ang weakness namin, he said. “Pero once kailangang kailangan namin ang panalo, nagkakataon naman na nao-overcome namin ‘yung struggles.”
De Ocampo knew he is close to the end with his playing time heavily diminished at the Beermen camp with the entry of June Mar Fajardo, Christian Standhardinger and Kelly Nabong.
“Wala man akong playing time, okay lang as long as nananalo. Moral support tayo. Sobrang blessed lang talaga,” said De Ocampo, who did not saw action at all in the ongoing conference due to an injury.
“Sa akin naman ang ine-aim ko na lang ngayon, makatulong ako sa team in my own little way at ma-experience ko ‘yung grand slam, then okay nan,” concluded the former St. Francis of Assisi College standout.
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Aside from Yancy De Ocampo who won six rings with the Beermen, four with the Mixers and one with KaTropa, several members of the Beermen’s roster have multiple championships.
Ilonggo Ronald Tubid, Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot have eight PBA championships each while five-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross have seven each.
Matthew Ganuelas-Rosser and John Billy Mamaril have four each, Chico Lanete, Louie Vigil and Von Pessumal have two apiece, while Terrence Romeo, Christian Standhardinger, Kelly Nabong, and Ilonggo Paul Zamar have one each.
On the part of KaTropa, Harvey Carey has the most rings with seven, Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams, Jayson Castro and David Semerad have six each, while Brian Heruela have four. Curiously, all of Semerad and Heruela’s titles were won at Beermen.
Anthony Washington has three PBA rings, two when he was still with Beermen, Ilonggo Ken Bono has two while Celedonio Trollano and Yousef Taha have one PBA title apiece.
No PBA rings so far from the KaTropa’s camp were Gilas Pilipinas mainstays Roger Pogoy and Jeth Troy Rosario, Anthony Semerad, Frank Golla, Marion Magat, and Jan Karlo Casino./PN
