Asi Taulava - Powered

The Rock

We have to give it to veteran Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) campaigner Asi Taulava. Albeit no longer a spring chicken at 37 years old, the Fil-Tongan remains a viable hoops entity in the basketball landscape of the country.

Just last week, the 6-9 former PBA most valuable player was given another "affirmation" of his effectivity as a player to date. First, he was given the nod to backstop the Smart Gilas national developmental team that will compete in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in November. Taulava, along with fellow pros Kelly Williams of Talk ’N Text and Sol Mercado of Rain or Shine, will shore up Serbian coach Rajko Toroman’s team of amateur standouts in the quadrennial meet.

A couple of days later, Taulava was made the centerpiece of a three-team, six-player trade in the PBA. From Powerade, "The Rock," as Taulava is also known, will provide added jolt to the PBA-comebacking Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) Bolts in time for the new season which will begin on Sunday, Oct. 3.

And this twin nods on Taulava speaks volume of the player that he has become. From his murky early days when he was the face of the crackdown on so-called Fil-Shams (and was actually deported at one point) en route to becoming one of the most dominant big men in PBA history, Taulava definitely has come a long way. True, being tall and beefed-up have certainly helped his PBA career but he has game no doubt that makes things happen even at this late stage of his basketball run.


While the verdict is still out as far as the success his new teams will have with him in tow, there is no denying that Smart Gilas and Meralco are all the better with him in their folds.


Smart Gilas surely had a good experience of an Asi-powered roster when Taulava aided the team to a respectable fourth-place finish in last month’s Stankovic Cup in Beirut, Lebanon. With the nationals suddenly finding themselves short-handed, especially in the frontline with some of their big men injured (including naturalization candidate Marcus Douthit), they turned to Taulava for help.


The Fil-Tongan surely did not disappoint as he spearheaded Smart Gilas’ frontcourt attack on both ends of the court against very tough opponents. He provided muscle to an otherwise "shaky" crew (with all the injuries), and was a steady double-double force, leaving a huge impression on the team so much so that including him in the lineup for the Guangzhou Games was "finalized" even before the Stankovic Cup was over.


The Meralco Bolts could very well experience what Smart Gilas did with Taulava joining the team. Wanting to make an immediate impact in its PBA return, Meralco is in a good position to do that now. Following the acquisition of gunner Mac Cardona from Talk ’N Text, the Bolts have a good man to lead its interior game both offensively and defensively in Taulava. He may no longer be a 20-10 guy but he nonetheless is still a weighty player down low. Last season for Coca-Cola (now Powerade), he was good for at least 11 points and 11 rebounds per game, earning for him a spot in the Mythical Second Team.


Taulava’s team-up with another big man in "The Skyscraper" Marlou Aquino over at Meralco seems promising as well. While I do not expect it to have the same impact as when Ralph Sampson and Akeem Olajuwon formed the "Twin Towers" with the Houston Rockets in the ’80s, still the 6-9 duo of Taulava and Aquino, "senior citizens" they may be, could spell trouble for opponents. Throw in young cogs Beau Belga, Nelbert Omolon and Gabby Espinas in the mix and what you have is a Bolts frontline that should not be taken lightly.

At the current rate things are going for Taulava, age could very well be just a number. While guys in his age bracket are expected to take a back seat and take it easy, he remains at the forefront slugging with the best of them. Nobody is complaining though. Not Smart Gilas. Not Meralco.