It didn’t look like Javi Gomez de Liaño had any trouble in his first official game back in the PBA.
Magnolia turned to Gomez de Liaño for an 80-73 win over Barangay Ginebra to open their Philippine Cup campaign with a bang on Sunday night at Araneta Coliseum.
The University of the Philippines product hardly missed a beat despite coming off a year-long absence from the PBA.
‘I guess that’s one thing I’ve learned playing overseas, adapt right away to any system,’ the do-it-all forward said after scoring 14 points built on four buckets from the three-point area.
‘That was my problem back in college and my first year in the pros.’
Gomez de Liaño left the PBA last year to sign with Korean Basketball League team Anyang JKJ Red Boosters, but barely had any opportunity to show what he used to do when he was with the Dyip prior to his PBA departure.
So he returned and found a new home as part of Magnolia. The Hotshots acquired the rights to Gomez de Liaño after traded away Jerrick Ahanmisi.
‘[Before] it took time for me to adjust but now in my fifth year as a pro, I know I have to adjust right away to what coach LA (Tenorio) wants.’
Zav Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa also shone for Magnolia with 17 and 14 points, respectively.