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This Day in PBA History: Johnny Abarrientos notches 1,000 steals

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Rey Joble

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="For Johnny Abarrientos, one of the PBA’s best on-ball defenders, steals are a way of gaining a psychological advantage. PBA Media Bureau/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/04/20/abarrientos.jpg"/><figcaption>For Johnny Abarrientos, one of the PBA’s best on-ball defenders, steals are a way of gaining a psychological advantage. PBA Media Bureau/file</figcaption></figure></div>It took quite some time before Johnny Abarrientos got his second wind right after he was shipped out by his former team, Alaska, to another franchise.But in 2002, when RFM Corp. agreed to sell the Pop Cola franchise to Coca-Cola, Abarrientos and other veteran players were revitalized.In just their first season in the PBA, the Coca-Cola Tigers reached the finals of the All-Filipino Conference, and as fate would have it, Abarrientos met the Alaska Aces, in the best-of-five finals.From the series get-go, he was pumped up. He scored 20 points in the first half, but had to leave the game after injuring his socket on his eye and bridge of his nose after receiving a wayward elbow.He went on to play the next game, but would be sidelined the rest of the series.“Basag ’yung socket sa may mata ko hanggang dito sa may ilong nu’ng Game 1,” recalled Abarrientos. “Naglaro pa ako sa next game, pero hindi na ako pinabalik sa mga sumunod na games kasi life-threatening siya. Puwede akong mabulag kung ipipilit ko.”The Tigers went on to beat the Aces in four games, becoming the first newcomer squad to win a championship in its first season.Coca-Cola appeared in the finals in all three conferences the next season, winning the season-ending Reinforced Conference in seven games against the mighty San Miguel Beermen, but in between their campaign that year, Abarrientos achieved a rare milestone.On this day, nearly two decades ago, he joined the 1,000-steals club, whose only members were Bernie Fabiosa and Mon Fernandez.“Wala nga akong idea noon na makaka-1,000 steals ako. Sinabihan lang ako ni (PBA head of stats) Fidel Mangonon,” Abarrientos said.“Pero sa buong career ko sa PBA, 17 seasons, doon ko lang nalaman na ang lalagpasan ko pa pala as No.1 in steals is si Papa Mon (Fernandez). Doon mo makikita how great of a player he was. A center who led the PBA in steals. Bihira mangyari ’yun.”Abarrientos ended his career as the all-time leader in steals with 1,358, surpassing Fernandez with 1,302. Fabiosa was No. 3 with 1,235.Looking back, stealing the ball is an art form, the playmaker said.“Skill ’yan eh. Hindi siya tyamba-tyamba lang,” Abarrientos added. “Ako kasi mahilig ako na sasama ako to get the rebound and kung hindi ko siya makuha, doon ko kukuhain sa baba. “Kapag inaagawan mo ’yung kalaban mo, irerespeto ka ng binabantayan mo. Sa susunod, hindi na ’yan di-dribble sa iyo ng nakaharap. Irerespeto ka na nila.”But for Abarrientos, stealing the ball also gives him a psychological edge.“Either matatakot ’yan sa iyo or maiilang. Either way, iisipin ka na niya kaya mawawala na siya sa focus niya sa scoring or sa mga ibang bagay niya pang kailangang gawin kasi ikaw ang una niyang iniisip,” he said.

For Johnny Abarrientos, one of the PBA’s best on-ball defenders, steals are a way of gaining a psychological advantage.