Asi Taulava passes Philip Cezar for No. 5 on PBA's all-time rebounds list

Asi Taulava is now the PBA's fifth all-time leading rebounder. KC Cruz

 

Asi Taulava didn't know he was making history on Wednesday night as NLEX fashioned another come-from-behind victory against Barako Bull for a 2-0 start in the Philippine Cup.

 

The 42-year-old center finished the game with 11 boards to go with his 14 points, passing Philip Cezar in the league's all-time rebounding list.

 

The development came as a pleasant surprise for the veteran slotman, who now has 5,389 rebounds in 16 seasons just behind legends Ramon Fernandez, Abet Guidaben, Alvin Patrimonio, and Jerry Codiñera.

 

"Coach tried to send me out in the endgame, I guess for the standing ovation. I had no idea. I was like, what are you sending me out for?" Taulava told reporters after the match.

 

The Rock said it feels great to accomplish the achievement, but he added that collecting personal goals is far from his mind right now.

 

"It's an honor, but I try not to think about it too much 'cause I don't wanna get satisfied," he said. "Probably at the end of the season, I can sit back and think about it and enjoy it."

 

For now, he wants to focus on carrying NLEX deep in the playoffs for a finals appearance and hopefully a championship run.

 

Taulava won his first and last PBA championship in the 2003 All-Filipino conference while playing for Talk 'N Text.

 

"All these other things feels good, but I think I will appreciate it more once I'm retired, once I walked away from the game," he said. —JST, GMA News