Faith in Wood - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

Purefoods coach Eric Altamirano isn’t giving up on Tender Juicy Hot Dogs’ import David (The Gladiator) Wood in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.

Off to a slow 0-2 start, Purefoods tries to break into the win column against Sta. Lucia Realty in the first game of a twinbill at the PhilSports Arena tonight. Expect Wood to still be in harness.

There is no plan to ship Wood out, said Altamirano yesterday, and it’s not because he was signed to a no-cut contract.

"Our original vision for David was to complement Andy (Seigle) and E. J. (Feihl)," explained Altamirano. "All of a sudden, we’ve had to change his role. Andy will be out for a month and if ever he’s able to rejoin us this conference, it will be in the last two games of the eliminations. Even then, we won’t know what shape he’ll be in. We’ve asked David to do more than what we initially planned. For one, he’s got to be more aggressive in scoring. We’re all adjusting to the situation. We know it’s not too late to bounce back."

Seigle’s absence has left a gaping hole in the middle for Purefoods. He’s still in the US undergoing therapy for a soft tissue swelling in his right heel. Altamirano said an MRI taken of Seigle’s foot last week showed no major damage.

"It’s an injury that takes time to heal," continued Altamirano. "Luckily, no surgery is required. After three weeks, Andy will be examined to determine if he’s ready to come back."

As for Feihl, he sprained his knee during an exhibition game and has been sidelined three weeks. He’ll suit up tonight although it’s not sure how long he’ll play — if he plays at all.

"E.J. started practicing this week," said Altamirano. "We’ll evaluate how long he’ll play as the game goes on."

To prove Wood’s in for the long haul, his wife Angie and their three sons — aged six, four, and two — are arriving here on the 21st.

The Woods’ love story dates back to when he played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). After joining the Rockford Lightning, his picture appeared in the sports page of a newspaper and the caption noted his birthday — Nov. 30, 1964. A girl with the same birthday saw the picture and sought him out.

Later, during a singles Bible study one night, the girl — Angie — introduced herself to Wood. After a month, they began to date. "I was in the CBA and poor and didn’t have a car, so she asked me out," related Wood in Dave Brandon’s book Slam Dunk. "We started dating and praying and felt it was God’s will for us to get married. I took all my CBA money, I saved as much of it as I could, and bought a ring with it and I proposed to her. We got married the summer after that, which was 1989."

In his PBA debut, Wood compiled 28 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and three steals but despite his impressive stats, Purefoods lost a 100-80 decision to San Miguel Beer last June 6. He fouled out in his second game after collecting eight points, 20 rebounds, and four assists as the Hot Dogs dropped an 82-78 decision to Barangay Ginebra. Against Ginebra, Wood took only 11 shots — compared to 20 by Rey Evangelista, 18 by Alvin Patrimonio, and 18 by Noy Castillo. Mark Caguioa had more attempts — 18 — in scoring 17 for the Kings.

Obviously, Wood must take a lot more shots to make a difference in offense.

Altamirano is confident that Wood, 36, will eventually break out. He’s got faith in ‘The Gladiator.’ And why not? Wood made a name for himself as a workhorse for eight teams in seven National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons.

"He’s a blue-collar NBA player," wrote Brandon. "While we can’t all relate to Jordanesque acrobatics on the court or Shaqian strength, we can all relate to a guy who is not afraid to make it on hard work and heads-up play."

A devout Christian, Wood made a vow when he was 12 to read the Bible every day for at least 10 minutes. When he finally hangs up his sneakers, Wood said he plans to be an evangelist.

More on Wood’s inspiring story in Sunday’s column.

Postscript. The De La Salle Alumni Association invites all La Sallians to attend World Congress III to be held on July 6-8 in Cebu City. This year’s theme "Beyond Green and White" focuses on what La Sallians, in partnership with each other, can do in business and for the country. The affair hopes to sow the seeds of La Sallian interconnectivity through a series of fellowship activities, workshop sessions, and talks by eminent graduates. A golf tournament, a musical show, and a trip to White Sands Resort are also in the program. Participants may avail of special airline and hotel rates arranged by the Cebu chapter. For reservations or inquiries, please contact Thess Guevara at 8342416 or 8341775 or log on to www.dlsaacebu.org.