The feeling of winning a championship will never get old for veteran big man and cult favorite Jerwin Gaco, who recently added the MPBL title to his list of achievements.
Gaco was one of the key figures in Davao Occidental’s run to the MPBL Lakan Cup crown which ended last Sunday when it beat San Juan in their Finals series held inside the Subic Bay Freeport bubble.
“Iba yung feeling pag nag-champion. Parang tanggal lahat ng pagod mo, lahat ng sacrifices sa practices, lahat ng travel, talagang mawawala e pag nakuha mo yung championship kaya sobrang blessed,” Gaco said in the recent Crossover podcast featuring the core of the Tigers lineup.
(It's a different feeling when you win a championship. It's like all your hardwork, all your sacrifices in practice, all the travel are worth it when you win the championship.)
It was the latest title for the 40-year-old Gaco, who has been a winner in almost every league he had played.
Gaco’s first taste of success on the big stage came in 2004 as a member of La Salle’s victory over Far Eastern University in the UAAP, though the Green Archers would later relinquish the title due to a player eligibility scandal.
He continued his winning ways in the defunct Philippine Basketball League where Gaco played the role of an enforcer during Harbour Centre’s run to seven straight championships from 2007 to 2009.
Gaco was also a huge part of the first team that won the ASEAN Basketball League title when the Philippine Patriots ruled the inaugural season in 2010.
Both stints paved the way for Gaco to fulfill his dream of playing in the PBA as a member of the B-Meg/San Mig Super Coffee franchise that bagged five championships under coach Tim Cone, including a Grand Slam in 2014.
During that time, Gaco became a popular figure despite being a benchwarmer, prompting some to call his legion of fans as “Gaconatics.”
Gaco was eventually out of the league, but claimed another title in 2018 as a member of Go for Gold’s run to the Foundation Cup trophy as a key veteran presence.
“Siyempre lahat matamis (Of course, there’s a sweet feeling every time you win a championship),” said Gaco when asked if there’s any secret to his success. “Iba yung feeling talaga sobrang heaven. Hindi mo mabibili (You feel like you’re in heaven and it’s something that you cannot buy).”
“Talagang proud ka kasi iba’t-ibang players yung nakakasama mo dun, lahat yun pinaghirapan talaga namin. (You will be very proud of what you accomplished because you were with different players who all worked hard to get to that point),” added Gaco.