Eliud Poligrates: I wanted to come in and help the team win, but they just wouldn’t give me the chance. | Photo from Cebu Sharks FB page
Cebu City, Philippines—Although former pro Eliud Poligrates and the Cebu Sharks-Casino Ethyl Alcohol parted amicably, the Poro-native still laments not being given the opportunity to help his hometown team win games in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Lakan Season.
Considered to be the team’s most high-profile pick-up in the offseason owing to his PBA experience, Poligrates was expected to bring some scoring punch and veteran savvy to a Sharks squad that sorely needed both.
However, the union was not meant to be as Poligrates played just 12.5 minutes per game and averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
Read: Poligrates bids Cebu Sharks farewell, to play for Marinerong Pilipino in PBA D-League
“I wanted to come in and help the team win, but they just wouldn’t give me the chance,” said the left-handed guard.
Poligrates — after getting benched by the team owing to “insubordination” after he practiced with PBA D-League team Marinerong Pilipino without management’s consent — said he talked to his coach, Titing Manalili, and the Sharks’ management regarding his situation and eventually, requested to be released from his contract.
He was officially granted his release on Sunday, August 4, 2019 by team manager, Rommel Asuncion. However, the document stated that the Sharks still own Poligrates’ rights as a player in the MPBL. Sharks management stated that they would see if they could trade Poligrates when trade season arrives.
Sharks head coach Titing Manalili, in a talk with CDN Digital, explained that Poligrates’ style of play and the team’s own style just did not mesh well.
“He said he no longer wanted to play with us as he wanted to play in the PBA D-League. We are not going to keep a player who no longer wants to be with the team,” said Manalili.
The veteran coach, however, said that he wished that Poligrates had been more patient as his presence was the very reason why he allowed promising guard Jaybie Mantilla to go and play for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the UAAP.
“He’s the very reason why I let Jaybie go and play for UP, because I already had a veteran point guard,” Manalili said. “We have only played eight games so far. There are many more games and plenty more opportunities to come, but he wanted to go so we let him go.” /bmjo