Atienza recalls journey from obscurity to becoming Phoenix preseason pick

Daniel Atienza PBA PHOTO 

Preseason pickup Daniel Atienza is in cloud 9 these days.

For one, his once dying basketball dream suddenly got resuscitated when Phoenix coach Jamike Jarin admitted him to the Fuel Masters as a practice player, and eventually, enlisting the 5-foot-8 point guard’s name into the roster for the PBA on Tour.

Not only that, but Atienza, a member of the National University Bullpups that won three straight UAAP juniors championships from 2014-2016, saw himself playing in the Fuel Masters’ first two games in the preseason.

And what’s more, Atienza was placed in what he considered as a pressured-packed situation right in Phoenix’s On Tour debut game versus San Miguel Beer last week.

Atienza was sent in by Jarin for a situational substitution in lieu of big man Raul Soyud and Phoenix holding on to a shaky 104-101 lead.

With the ball in Atienza’s hands, SMB slotman Moala Tautuaa, in an attempt to stop the game clock, fouled the Phoenix guard, sending him to the foul line in the process with the Beermen over the foul limit. Atienza, his hands shaking by the time he got the ball from the referee, managed to knock down the pair of foul shots, sealing Phoenix’s win and holding off San Miguel’s furious second half rally in the process.

“It was overwhelming,” Atienza told the Manila Times in Filipino during a catch up over the weekend after Phoenix’s practice at the Sparta in Pioneer, Mandaluyong.

“I was saying to myself, this wasn’t right (to take the crucial foul shots). I was so nervous because when I looked up at the scoreboard, we were just leading by three points. If I miss both free throws, San Miguel will surely go for the three-point shot to try to tie the game,” he recounted.

The 25-year-old Atienza scored his first two points in his preseason PBA career via the foul shouts, while adding an assist.

Jarin had his reasons for fielding in a “nobody” like Atienza early in the team’s On Tour campaign.

“I decided to play him (Atienza) and (during the substitution), I said, ‘nobody gets the ball except Daniel.’ Then he got fouled and he made the two free throws,” said Jarin.

“This kid closed out the game, and I’m just happy for him,” he said, beaming. “It might not happen for him again, but given the chance, he was confident making those free throws, and then closed our the game with a crucial stop.”

Pain not a barrier

Jarin recalled meeting Atienza just as he was starting his new coaching career with the National University Bulldogs some time in 2017.

The veteran college mentor was just one year removed from steering San Beda to the NCAA men’s championship. And he admitted being intrigued by the pint-sized guard.

“When I was in NU, he was the starting point guard for the NU Bullpups. (He played) with dislocated shoulders. He was due for operation but he did not go for it because he still wanted to play for the juniors team,” recalled Jarin.

“He couldn’t even raise both hands up but he still played tons of minutes, played defense,” said a rather impressed Jarin.

In his over two decades of coaching, which included three UAAP juniors’ titles with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, the Phoenix coach said he was amazed at the commitment and gung-ho approach of Atienza, who was willing to risk everything just to be able to play.

“I was really struck by him, because he was jeopardizing his career (playing with injured shoulders). I was amazed.”

Unfortunately, Atienza said his journey to obscurity began by the time he underwent a successful shoulder surgery, shortly after he concluded his playing years with the Bullpups under then coach Jeff Napa.

“Coming back from surgery, my college career didn’t go well. Yes, coach Jamike got me to team B but then I understand he also had players who stood out in the team so I didn’t really click,” said Atienza.

Among his contemporaries, with whom he had to compete for the guard spot back then include Enzo Joson, Rev Diputado, Chino Mosqueda (who suffered an ACL tear on his knee in 2018), John Galinato and JV Gallego.

Atienza’s chances of playing for the Bulldogs dimmed further when Jarin left the team after his three-year coaching tenure at NU. Jarin couldn’t replicate the success he had from San Beda to NU, which could only post an aggregate 11-31 card during his three-year coaching sint.

National U finished with a woeful 2-12 card in 2019, prompting him to finally leave the team.

Atienza eventually tried out in other schools, but with no guarantees, he was left hanging.

In 2020, Atienza said he got a call from Napa, who was then handling the Centro Escolar Scorpions in the UCBL. He felt that move could give him a second wind in his floundering college career.

However, Covid-19 left the world paralyzed starting in March 2020, leaving Atienza hanging once again.

By the time the restrictions eased up in 2022, Atienza was included in CEU’s official roster for the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup. But he hardly saw action, he said.

Turning pro

Given the precious years he spent riding on the bench, Atienza felt his time in college was over, so he thought of turning pro. He signed up for Valenzuela in the 2023 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Preseason Invitational held in General Santos City early this year.

But his month-long stint hardly produced anything, leaving him with but one choice, or else, retire for good.

“I told myself, one last try, so I sent a message to coach Jamike. I told him, ‘Tay, puwede ba ako mag-practice sa inyo?’ (Could I join your practice?) I never expected anything like playing in the preseason, because my hope at that time was to simply develop my skills, try to get conditioned so I’ll be ready to join the PSL (Pilipinas Super League) or (Pilipinas) VisMin (Cup). But I’m very thankful to coach Jamike and boss Paolo Bugia and the Phoenix team for letting me play in the team,” he said.

Phoenix team manager Paolo Bugia recognizes the hardwork of Atienza, while maintaining his performance is still being evaluated.

“He’s on a tryout basis for now and we’re currently evaluating him,” Bugia said. “He has the right attitude and is super hardworking. He is definitely for consideration but let’s see since it’s still a long way to go till the season proper.”

On Sunday, May 28, Atienza saw his playing time increased from two minutes in the San Miguel game to 14 minutes and 30 seconds.

And he gamely repaid Jarin’s trust by producing nine points, going four-of-six from the foul line, to go along with four rebounds and a steal as undermanned Phoenix shocked Meralco, 100-93.

With still nine more PBA On Tour games left on Phoenix’s schedule, Atienza intends to keep working hard, being fully convinced that after his long journey, he’ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.