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This Day in PBA History: Motivated Benjie Paras reaches 10,000 points milestone

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Rey Joble

<p>Just a decade after his remarkable feat by becoming the only PBA player to win both the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player awards in the same season, Benjie Paras made another serious run to win his second MVP.</p><p>Paras and the rest of the Shell Turbochargers had a solid campaign in 1999.</p><p>In the All-Filipino tournament, Shell pulled off one of the biggest upsets in PBA finals history as it turned back heavy favorite Tanduay in 6 games.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/19/21/this-day-in-pba-history-justin-brownlee-sinks-the-shot">This Day in PBA History: Brownlee sinks ‘the Shot’ to deliver Ginebra the title</a></li></ul><p>A conference later, the Turbochargers returned to the finals and pushed the up-and-coming San Miguel Beermen to the limit before losing the best-of-7 championship series of the Commissioner’s Cup in 6 games.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/03/21/this-day-in-pba-history-jaworski-joins-10000-points-club">This Day in PBA History: Jaworski joins 10,000 points club</a></li></ul><p>But Year 1999 was an unforgettable season for Paras as he was among the remaining local gatekeepers who stood out and proved his worth against the bigger, younger, more talented Fil-Ams who invaded the PBA during that time.</p><p>In fact, Paras and the other homegrown players, made a stand against so-called Fil-Shams, a controversy that rocked the PBA.</p><p>“ ’Yung ibang Fil-Ams, OK lang, pero ’yung iba, they’re not real Fil-Ams,” Paras said. “Kaya ’yan ’yung complain namin, they’re Fil-Shams. Wala silang dugong Pilipino eh. Ano ba ’yung rule? Kahit 50-percent na Filipino blood wala sila eh. Kaso ang ginawa nila nagpuntahan na lang ng nagpuntahan. So alam naman natin kung sino ’yung mga players na ’yun.”</p><p>“Ang nangyari noon, parang pride na rin kayo yun ang ipinaglaban ko. So parang naging motivation ’yun sa akin na kailangan kong sumabay dito at hindi pwedeng sila ’yung maghari dito. Hindi naman sila totoong Pinoy eh,” he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/31/21/this-day-in-pba-history-fernanThis Day in PBA History: Ramon Fernandez becomes 1st player to reach 15,000 pointsdez-scores-15000-points">This Day in PBA History: Ramon Fernandez becomes 1st player to reach 15,000 points</a></li></ul><p>Looking back, Paras wasn’t against Fil-Ams playing in the PBA. He welcomed those players who were given opportunity to play in the big league as long as they’re legitimate Fil-Ams.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/02/21/this-day-in-pba-history-allan-caidic-becomes-1st-player-to-reach-1000-3-pointers">This Day in PBA History: Allan Caidic becomes 1st player to reach 1,000 3-pointers</a></li></ul><p>“ ’Yung ibang nagtatanong sa akin, ‘Bakit galit ka sa Fil-Am?’ Ang sagot ko, ‘Hindi ako galit sa Fil-Ams. Natutuwa nga ako na nabibigyan sila ng chance na makalaro dito.’ Pero ’yung iba, hindi naman sila totoo, kaya doon ako nagagalit. Sayang kasi eh. Imbes na ’yung spot nila napupunta sa ibang Pilipino, nawawalaan pa sila ng trabaho,” added Paras.</p><p>Their entry added to Paras’ motivation.</p><p>Two finals appearances. A championship. A second MVP award and becoming the latest member of the PBA’s 10,000-point club and winning the PBA’s Comeback Player of the Year. All happened in 1999.</p><p>On this day in PBA history, November 10, 1999, Paras became the 12th member of the league’s 10,000-point club.</p><p>Paras won 4 championships throughout his PBA career, all coming while playing for the Shell franchise. He was also a 10-time member of the PBA All-Star Game, winning the MVP award twice.</p><p>A member of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons UAAP champion team in 1986, Paras retired in 2003 as a member of the San Miguel Beermen and was included in the league’s 25 Greatest and 40 Greatest Players of all time.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/13/21/this-day-in-pba-history-fernandez-makes-case-as-goat">This Day in PBA History: Do-it-all Fernandez becomes 2nd member of 1,000 steals club</a></li></ul><p>In 2013, he and his buddy, Ronnie Magsanoc, were inducted in the PBA’s Hall of Fame.</p><div><em> Rey Joble is a sports journalist who has been covering the PBA since 1998, and followed the league as a fan way before that. </em></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hcbNlGr5cTw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

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