"Bull By the Horn" by Benny Benitez Hears from the San Juan Knights

It's about keeping sports in our consciousness even though sports isn't here yet and as Benny Benitez said it, "It's about keeping in touch with the fans"

The third episode of "Bull By the Horn" by Benny Benitez kicked off our "Kamusta, MPBL" segment and there's a no bigger way to start things off than to talk with the defending champions of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), the San Juan Knights.  And, you cannot talk about the Knights without talking about the big bosses and joining Benitez in the episode that lasted an hour and a half was San Juan's team owner and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada who even joked that he was on a verge of being jailed for helping. He then shared what keeps him busy during the community quarantine. The former senator shared that he has been giving out free milkfishes to his countrymen not just in the city of San Juan but in other parts of the Philippines as well. Estrada also shared that he hosted dinners with the Knights whenever he missed them. 

Also joining the discussion was Go for Gold owner Jeremy Go who is a known supporter of Philippine sports. Go even mentioned that he's been taking up the "push-up challenge" on social media. But most of the discussion centered around two of San Juan's core players: John Wilson and Mike Ayonayon. 

Asked on how they have been doing since the MPBL got suspended due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, both Wilson and Ayonayon pointed out the importance of taking care of their bodies as athletes as it will help them when the league decides to resume the playoffs where the Knights are only one win away from returning to the MPBL National Finals. Both mentioned that they've been doing self workouts at home with Wilson even doing shooting drills with a ring that is inside his car wash business. Assistant Coach Yong Garcia, who was with Estrada at the latter's residence, was able to talk with Benitez and share that the team is focusing on conditioning and strengthening skills as part of their work out while also adding that the team is holding Zoom conferences every morning. Garcia noted that the coaching staff of San Juan is pleased with the results that they are getting and even though the situation is difficult, it's important for the team to be ready when the league resumes. After all, they are the defending champions.

Benitez proceeded by asking the players if they felt that the pandemic caused them an opportunity to finish the season early. As you know, the Makati Super Crunch forced a Game Three in the best-of-three North Division finals prior to the eruption of the pandemic. For Wilson, they could have gotten a bit of rest before the national finals had they were able to play Game Three last March but since most of the country is under general community quarantine (GCQ), there is nothing else to do but to rest. Ayonayon, who will move up to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after the MPBL season, thought that this indefinite hiatus of the basketball world, in general, is a blessing as it allowed injured players to recuperate and one of the players who is benefiting from this temporary stoppage is Larry Rodriquez who sustained an injury during the Knights' semifinal series against the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. The stars also shared what they have been doing in the past three months. Wilson revealed that he has finally learned how to cook spare ribs which he eventually turned into a business all while keeping himself discipline when it comes to food. On the other side of things, Mike Ayonayon said that he's using the downtime to spend more quality time with his family while also trying to increase his weight in preparation for his move to the PBA. He also shared that he was able to attend the practice of the NLEX Road Warriors prior to the shut down of the sports. He even mentioned that some of the veterans of NLEX already shared what Yeng Guiao wants and what Yeng Guiao doesn't want. Asked by Benitez for advice for PBA-bound teammate, John Wilson, who made the PBA All-Defensive Team in 2011, pointed out the importance of Ayonayon being able to keep up with the rest of the team. 

And speaking of Wilson's career in the PBA, Benitez asked the former if and when an offer to return to the pro comes around, will Wilson accept?  

John Wilson explained that if and when that offers comes, it's as if Wilson is no longer considering returning to the PBA. For one, he pointed out that if and when he does return, everything will be "back to zero". But perhaps, the most important thing here is that Wilson has already found his home with the Knights.

On a team owner's perspective, Benitez asked Jeremy Go on how the team is preparing for the upcoming departure of Ayonayon, Jeremy Go reiterated the importance of having continuous talent development effort as well as having the right connections with other leagues that will allow the team to scout for new talents. The Go for Gold team owner stressed the importance of team building activities in building a championship-contending team. 

The discussion also revolved around the inter-barangay basketball tournaments that Mike Ayonayon played and he shared that those inter-barangay tournaments have some talented players who don't get much exposure. Ayonayon also shared that there was a time when he played in inter-barangay games every day to earn extra money. 

The San Juan duo also shared who gave them a headache with regards on one player's ability to stop their offense. For Wilson who is a premiere shooter ever since his college days in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, John Wilson said that it was more of which team gave him the hardest time and in college, it was the Letran Knights. Individually, Mike Juico in the MPBL and in the PBA, Chris Ross. For Mike Ayonayon whose collegiate career boomed when he transferred to Philippine Christian University in the NCAA, it's the Makati Super Crunch who like the Knights, is known as a team that plays small ball. 

The discussion also involved a game wherein Mike Ayonayon scored 12 straight points in the final minutes of the game against Bataan that help the Knights erase a double-digit deficit, force an overtime period, and win the game. When asked about what was running on their minds, Ayonayon stressed that he had a bad game for the first three-quarters of the game and, it was his defense that helped him get his offensive rhythm back plus the chemistry that he has developed with Wilson.  On Wilson's side, it boiled down to trusting Ayonayon to deliver. 

Considering the things that were tackled, it was a surprise that it only lasted an hour and a half. But one thing is certain: last night's episode of "Bull By the Horn" by Benny Benitez accomplished its mission: to reconnect the Knights with their fans in a time when they aren't allowed to interact with each other physically.  

Screenshot is from the Facebook page of Pinoyliga