Allan Caidic, close to a decade retired, came up with an eye-popping display of outside sniping on Friday night and scored 54 points to lead the Red Team to a 177-167 victory over the White in the NBA Asia Challenge exhibition at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Caidic, who owns the highest-ever scoring record by a local in the Philippine Basketball Association, dropped 14 triples over a dumbfounded defense and earned raves from several NBA legends who made the trip.
“It was Triggerman time,” Chris Webber, the former Philadelphia Sixer, said after the game, heaping praises on Caidic even if the Filipino obviously stole the show that was meant for the high-flyers and dunkers.
“I hate him already,” the 6-foot-10 Webber, a member of Michigan State’s Fab Five in the US NCAA a couple of decades back, said of Caidic in jest.
There was very little defense and a whole lot of offense, as some locals, led by last PBA season’s Rookie of the Year, Rico Maierhofer, and San Miguel’s Arwind Santos, came up with some gravity defying moves.
But it was clear that the night belonged to Caidic, whose 17 three-pointers in one game with defunct Presto still stands as the PBA mark on long range bombs. That same night, Caidic accounted for 79 markers, the most by any local ever in Asia’s first play-for-pay league.
“It was all about the Trigger, the Trigger,” Gary Payton, a nine-time NBA All-Star who bannered the NBA legends, said of Caidic. “It was an unbelievable display of outside shooting. I rarely see an exhibition like that.” Webber went on to lead the White with 24 points like Richie Frahm, a former PBA import playing in the NBA D-League who even had Caidic sign his jersey during a break in the game after one hot stretch.
After getting that autograph from the Triggerman, Frahm, who suited up for Talk ‘N Text two seasons ago, went on to shoot three straight treys and attributed that streak to Caidic’s autograph to the delight of the crowd.
Glen Rice, the former Miami Heat and Los Angeles Laker, hit 19 points to back up Caidic.
Rice, though, lost in an impromptu three-point shootout to the Triggerman, 7-5, during one break in the game that got the crowd truly involved.
“He’s the man,” Rice said of Caidic.
“They kept giving me the ball and I had no other choice but to shoot,” Caidic, a member of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players, said.
The NBA Asia Challenge had members of the NBA entourage mixing up with past and present PBA stars to form two teams and the White saw all nine of its players score in twin digits with four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio shooting his number 16.
Greg Lazare of the D-League scattered 22 points for the Red, which also drew 16 points each from Santos and Vergel Meneses.
In a related PBA development, Ato Agustin was named head coach of San Miguel, with the team continuing to shuffle its coaches.
Siot Tanquingcen, who handled the Beermen the last three seasons, was demoted as Jong Uichico’s assistant at Barangay Ginebra even as Derby Ace, the third team of the San Miguel group in the league, was appointed two new deputies.
Art Dela Cruz, the former defensive ace of San Miguel, was shipped to the Llamados to assist newly-minted coach George Gallent. The team also signed up Richard Del Rosario, an erstwhile assistant over at Rain or Shine, as another deputy.
Derby Ace gave the head coaching job to Gallent after Ryan Gregorio, who won three titles with the franchise, decided to grab a lucrative five-year offer dangled by newcomer Meralco close to three weeks ago.
With Gregorio’s departure, Derby Ace, which will defend the Philippine Cup starting Oct. 3, the Llamados practically lost their entire coaching staff with Ronnie Magsanoc deciding to join Gregorio.
Rey Evangelista also left the team to attend to his business in Ormoc even as Gregorio also signed up former Sta. Lucia head coach Boyet Fernandez and ex-Talk ‘N Text guard Patrick Fran as assistant coaches.
