ACHIEVING an elusive dream comes in various forms, and for Joseph Ronald “JR” Quiñahan, it may be staying with Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters, his home for the last season and probably for three more years.
The boy who once dominated the Cebu collegiate and commercial ranks was named Baby Shaq for his dominant presence in the middle. Now, he is one of the respected centers in the PBA.
He brought his Baby Shaq image when he played for Granny Goose in the defunct Philippine Basketball League, until he was drafted seventh overall in the PBA 2007 draft by Alaska Aces.
He was the unassuming towering boy who once loved to keep goal for the freshman football team of St. Louis School of Mandaue City, and became one of the most dominant and intimidating centers even before he graduated from high school in the defunct Cebu
Basketball Federation (CBF).
Quiñahan helped the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers win two Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) titles, the 2000 National Inter-Secondary title, the 2000 National Adidas 3-on-3 title and three Cesafi college titles in 2003-2006, before leaving for the PBL.
“Nalipay lang ko kay finally napakita gyud nako ang akong capability back in college days. And I am happy that I was able to help Rain or Shine to win a championship and hopefully we could win an All-Filipino title in the coming days,” Quiñahan told Sun.Star Cebu through a cell phone interview.
Rain or Shine, which has been his home since the 2011-2012 Philippine Cup, is again in the finals and will be facing defending champion Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters starting on Wednesday.
From being named “Baby Shaq,” Quiñahan evolved into what they now call the other half of the “Extra Rice Inc.,” because of his bulky.
“Naa pod advantage ug disadvantage being built like this. One of the advantages is we can hold our ground on defense and offense. The disadvantage is that we are slower in transition. But nevertheless, normal ra man siguro,” added Quiñahan.
The other half of the “Extra Rice Inc.” is Beau Belga.
As a rookie, Quinahan played one full season with Alaska, then he was shipped to Air21/Burger King in 2008-2009 season, traded to Talk ‘N Text on the last conferences of 2009-2010, shipped back to Air 21 then traded to Powerade in the 2010-2011 season.
In the final season of his contract, he was shipped to Rain or Shine – the move that finally gave Quiñahan the needed break.
“I have already played under coach Yeng (Guiao) sa Air 21 but then he resigned. When he was named head coach of Rain or Shine, he called me if I wanted to play for him.
Coach Yeng is the kind of coach who would get the best of you. Sa ako, iya lang gi-ingon nga ipakita lang ang imong duwa sa college pa and his exact words was kailangan lang magsipag,” the 28- year-old native of Mandaue City added.
In his first season with RoS, Quiñahan helped the team reach the semifinal for the first time but eventually lost to Powerade Tigers in the 2011-2012 Philippine Cup, the Commissioner’s Cup was a disaster for the Elasto Painters but they rose from ashes and won last year’s Governor’s Cup title.
“We are all excited kay ang All-Filipino man gyud ang pina ka prestigious nga title sa PBA. Kaming tanan (RoS) are very hungry to win that title kay mao ni among first time nga nakaduwa para sa championship ani nga title. Gutom ming tanan para ani. So expect nga motrabaho gyud mi extra time para makuha namo ni, kay kani pod nga title ang wala pa nadaug ni coach Yeng,” Quiñahan said.
The only thing that RoS is wary against the Tropang Texters, are their quick guards.
“Even ra man mi gawas lang sa ilang bintaha guards kay kusog kaayo the likes of Jason Castro, Jimmy Alapag and Larry Fonacier other than that they speak better English than us,” Quiñahan quipped.
However, they noticed that TnT is only eight or nine-man deep in rotation while the Elasto Painters has 12 deep man in rotation.
“I just hope nga tabangan unta mi sa tanan taga Cebu pag ampo nga modaug mi kay ang akong duwa akong i-dedicate para ninyo. I promise that I will fight harder to win the championship for Cebu and Sr. Sto. Niño,” Quinahan said.
Quiñahan signed a fresh three years contract with RoS last August, and his only hope is to win more championship for the team, before he would call it quits.