Caguioa who was known for his explosiveness looked sluggish and was a step slower than the others, also once known as the most feared scorer in the PBA, Mark looked more as a casualty for his team, leaving the thousands of Ginebra fans frustrated with the way their hero has been playing after a layoff which lasted for almost a year.
Indeed, injuries will do that to you. And when one player suffers recurring injuries much like Mark suffered, it’s tough to comeback. It will take heart, pure will and determination for a player to return to his old self after several injuries. And as a fan, it’s tough to see your old hero struggling. It’s not hard to think that it’s almost impossible to see him back into his old form.

But I guess people gave up on the Spark early.

This conference, it’s safe to say that the Spark is back.

Mark Caguioa is now having his best conference since the 2006-2007 season wherein he averaged 24 points per game and was named into the mythical first team. Mark shined despite sharing minutes with two of the best shooting guards in the PBA in Willie Miller and Ronald Tubid, averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and a tad below 3 assists in only 28 minutes of action per ball game. Mark ranked 5th in scoring, only behind Powerade’s Gary David, Derby Ace’s PJ Simon and James Yap and Alaska’s LA tenorio. He was Ginebra’s best performing local and could be on his way to his second best player of the conference award.

But you can only see the real value of a player in the most important games. In the quaterfinals, battling a very good defensive backcourt of Rain or Shine composed of Gabe Norwood, Ryan Arana and the likes, Mark Caguioa upped his average to 18.3 points and 8 rebounds per game, including 30 points and 11 rebounds in the do or die game of the series. In the semis against the younger, quicker Smart Gilas-Philippine National Team, Mark complimented the dominating series of their import Nate Brumfield by averaging 14 points and a tad below 7 rebounds per game, cementing his spot as the most consistent local in the two series played by the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

Clearly, in the two previous series wherein Ginebra played, it shows that the play of Mark Caguioa is the barometer of Ginebra’s chances of winning. In their five wins combined in the quarters and the semis, Mark averaged 19.8 points a game and 7.6 rebounds per game, while in their losses Caguioa’s averages goes down to 6 and 6 per game. It’s apparent that a Caguioa explosion is vital to Ginebra’s chances, even with the abundance of scorers in the Ginebra roster.

Now marching on their way to the finals, Ginebra needs Mark Caguioa to steal the show in order for them to bring home another title to the hordes of Ginebra fans all over the Philippines, and knowing Mark Caguioa, he’s more than willing to step up to the challenge. He’ll shoot, he’ll score and in a game or two, his determination could hurt Ginebra by taking too many shots.

But if anyone is doubting whether Mark has the ability to carry Ginebra all through out the finals? You better think twice, cause he’s back to doing what he does best..
..proving critics wrong.