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Benjie Paras: 10 years after
Romina Austria /Ronnie Nathanielsz

Now it can be told. Benjie Paras almost quit out of frustration after the 1997 season. It was what he called the lowest point of his career.

A bugging knee injury slowed down Paras� career while Shell didn�t finish among the top four. He finished the year with averages of 11.8 points and 6 rebounds in 27 out of Shell�s 46 games.

�I considered retirement pero parang may nagbubulong sa akin na hanggang dito na lang ba ang kaya ko,� said Paras, moments after winning his second Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. �Tapos, naisip ko �yung pamilya ko. Ganito na lang ba ang makikita nila sa akin?�

Paras, 31, then made a resolve to speed up his recovery and reassert his stature as one of the league�s top slotman.

�Instead of the every-other-day rehab advised by my doctor, ginawa kong araw-araw. Sa practice, pinakamaaga akong dumada�ting,� said Paras.

The following year, Paras started out slow, his injury still bothering him. He didn�t make it to the Centennial team but never took it against the selection committee, saying the chosen candidates were really more deserving. But things turned around for Paras when Shell won the 1998 Governors Cup after a runner-up finish to Mobiline in the short Centennial Cup. Shell made it to the two succeeding conference finals, winning the All-Filipino over Tanduay Gold and losing the Commissioner�s Cup to San Miguel.

Paras was third in statistical points behind Tanduay�s Eric Menk and Sonny Alvarado, both rookies, but won with media and players� votes. It was almost the same case in 1989 when he won MVP-Rookie of the Year awards. Shell was eliminated in the season-ending conference and Paras was trailing in the stats department.

The invasion of half-Filipino players also inspired Paras to improve on his game.

�Hindi lang sila sa akin nakatulong, pati sa ibang locals. They challenged us to play better. Okay lang naman sa akin ang mga Fil-Ams sa PBA, kahit pa direct hire. Basta tunay na Pilipino. Nakakabuwisit naman kasi kung lokohan lang,� said Paras, who is married to actress Jackie Forster with whom he has two sons.

Paras admitted his achievements in 1989 lulled him into a false sense of security.

�Nakuntento na ako noon. Hindi ko inisip na marami pang puwedeng mangyari. But the Lord humbled me and I soon realized my mistakes,� said Paras. �After 10 years, hindi ko naisip na mangyayari pa uli �to. Blessing talaga ito.�

Shell coach Perry Ronquillo, who watched the Annual Awards night at home with his family, was probably the happiest person outside of Paras� family Friday night. He said his spirits dropped when the show�s hosts, Chiqui Roa-Puno and Ogie Alcasid, began their announcement of the MVP winner by saying, �Once again, after 10 years.�

Ronquillo thought San Miguel Beer�s Danny Seigle, who won Rookie of the Year honors, had duplicated Paras� historic feat in 1989 of becoming the first rookie to win MVP honors. When Paras� name was announced, Ronquillo was overjoyed.

�I was a very, very happy man since Benjie is such a fine person and a great player who richly deserves the award,� said Ronquillo. �Benjie has undergone a lot, his knee surgeries specially, but he demonstrated that the best kind of motivation is self-motivation.�

�Si coach (Ronquillo), sobrang bait �yan. Never siyang nanisi kapag natatalo kami kaya kami naman, hindi kami pressured maglaro. He makes us realize our mistakes in a nice way,� Paras said of his coach.

Paras is giving himself four more years, at the most, to play in the PBA. He�d probably go into business after his playing career is over but is not discounting the possibility of accepting coaching jobs.

�Hindi ko alam kung mauulit pa ito (MVP). Sana, pero mahirap. Pero wala namang imposible basta paghihirapan mo.

(Source: Manila Times, December 5, 1999)