They were at it again. Barely minutes into the Meralco-Alaska game, Mac Cardona pestered Alaska import LD Williams well enough to make Williams throw an elbow and get ejected. Barely minutes after the game, an eyewitness saw Sol Mercado barking at Alaska players and coaches outside their locker rooms. Fines were meted. Reputations were solidified. Welcome to the world of Meralco's tempestuous twins. Yes. Sol is as Cardona as Mac. Mac is as Mercado as Sol. Confused? They're not. They're boys from mean streets. Sol grew up with his grandma. Si Mac lola's boy din. Both learned the ABC's of life with the soundtrack of gangs, violence, poverty, comeuppance and survival. One was hardened by the eskinitas of Mandaluyong in Metro Manila. The other sharpened by the battlegrounds of Meadowview in Sacramento. The compulsion to stand up for or against something often shows. Meralco Assistant Coach Ronnie Magsanoc sums it up this way, "They're warriors."
"We grew up rough," Mercado says. "Nothing was really given to us. We had to really earn it. That's what makes us so competitive and fiery on the court."
Cardona and Mercado; laging pala-away? Hindi naman. Mac and Sol; laging palaban? Pwede rin. Kaya silang dalawa din ang laging napag-iinitan. Cardona, in reaction to an arguable call, might utter, "Ako na naman?" Mercado, after a confrontation with officials, eyes rolling, voice rising, might retort, "Sure, blame me!" They're more than just players on the same team. They're like talented players with the same antagonistic streak.
"I like Mac's confidence," Mercado laughingly admits. "Mac is someone you hate to play against but when you have him on the team, he fires you up. Where I come from, we call it 'swagger'. Mac can miss seven shots in a row. Then he'll take seven more shots and probably make them all. That's something you don't find in a lot of players."
That's like Sol describing Sol.
This is like Mac describing Mac:
"Kapag nandun ka sa zone ni Sol at may gumalaw sa zone niya, may ibang pumasok sa zone niya, pagtatanggol ka niya," Cardona comments. "Yun ang maganda kay Sol. Ganun din kasi ako."
Kindred fireballs are out to rock Meralco's backcourt, for better or for worse. Some expect them to explode. Just as many expect them to implode. It's a case of high-risk, high-reward. They can shoot 0-for-40 together on one night, then, score 40 points together on the next. Meralco hopes the gambit of mixing dangerous chemicals in one beaker pays off handsomely. Maybe not immediately but certainly eventually.
"I'm starting to see where Mac likes to get the ball, when he gets in a rhythm," Mercado says. "That's not something that can happen overnight."
"Wala naman talagang mabilis na proseso sa basketball," Cardona echoes. "Willing ako mag-hintay. Alam ko magiging contender din kami. Syempre 'pag natatalo kami, marami pwede sabihin ang tao. The only way para tumahimik yung mga haters namin ni Sol - manalo kami."
Mico Halili, GMA News TV
