Terrence Romeo (middle) feels he still has what it takes to break down defenses. —PBA IMAGES
Terrence Romeo won’t be around for the homestretch of Terrafirma’s expected final PBA run this week as he’s more focused on the next steps he could take in his career.
But once his contract expires in August, Romeo is hoping to remain in what he described as a league to which he owes a “great debt of gratitude” amid career ups and downs.
“My main priority is to still play in the PBA,” Romeo said in Filipino during a recent event for ABCVIP. “It’s just a matter of which team would like to give you a chance and trusts in your capabilities.”
Romeo bared that his contract is set to expire in August, which by that time would be absorbed by the potential group that takes over the Terrafirma franchise.
The Dyip are slated to play on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Philippine Cup against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City before wrapping things up on Sunday opposite another lowly team in the Blackwater Bossing at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Once that matchup against the Bossing concludes, the Dyip’s players, coaches and staff will hold their breath and play the waiting game as to whether the potential sale of the franchise to the owners of the Zamboanga Valientes will push through.
The Valientes immediately entered the picture after Terrafirma’s initial deal with Starhorse Shipping Lines cratered due to financial reasons. Even if the two parties find common ground, a potential agreement will still need the approval of the PBA’s Board of Governors.
Since defeating Phoenix, Terrafirma has lost eight in a row, seven of them by whopping margins of 38, 22, 21, 33, 36, 30 and 39. Last week, the Dyip threatened to score an upset over the Converge FiberXers and even led by 17 in the second quarter.
But the lead disappeared, and the FiberXers eventually won by 14.
Romeo was still around when Terrafirma began the conference on a winning note at the expense of Phoenix. He also saw action in the following game against Meralco, but has not donned the Dyip uniform since due to a knee injury.
The multiple-time scoring champion said that he’s good enough to make a return, but has opted to call it a season and concentrate on what options he can entertain. While expressing that the PBA is a priority, he’s also entertaining offers elsewhere.
“There’s an offer to play overseas,” he said. “But the priority really is to still play in the PBA, if there’s someone interested. But if there’s none, we can’t do anything about it. You just need to find a way to play. And I still want to play. It’s still too early for me to stop.”
Eliminated teams Phoenix and NorthPort meet in the opener at 5 p.m. with only pride at stake. The Fuel Masters became the last team to miss out on a quarters spot after Sunday’s loss to the NLEX Road Warriors.
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Phoenix is at 2-7 while NorthPort is at 1-7, tied with Blackwater. The Batang Pier went through an exodus of its top talent: The team traded William Navarro to Magnolia, top scorer Arvin Tolentino moved to South Korea, and Paul Samar, who is on the injured list, was given a release. INQ