MAC TALLO: On Learning From His Mistakes And Realizing The Value Of Always Staying In Shape

By: ZerJosh Serrano and Paul Tamayo

When you think of the most credentialed basketball players coming from Cebu, more prominent names like June Mar Fajardo or Dondon Hontiveros will always come first. But you can’t overlook Mac Tallo, who is as much as a Cebuano legend as they come.

While in Cebu, Mac won at all levels. He led the Cebu Institute of Technology to a CESAFI Juniors title in 2009, then steered the Southwestern University to the Seniors championship in 2014. Mac made the jump to the PBA in 2017, and played for the TNT KaTropa and the NLEX Road Warriors. Now, he is set to don the national colors when he competes for Manila Chooks TM in the 2021 FIBA 3×3 World Tour Doha Masters this month.

However, Mac admits that he went through a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs before he reached this stage of his career. In an exclusive interview with Passion Sports, Mac personally shared with us some interesting stories that gave color and thrill to his productive basketball career.

Question: Coming out of high school, you were one of the most heavily-recruited prospects for college basketball. You eventually committed to play for Ateneo, but then a turn of events prompted you to transfer to rival school La Salle in 2011. However, you played just 10 games with the Green Archers, which then led you to forge a Cebu homecoming to play for the Southwestern University. Can you take us through that rollercoaster ride, specifically in terms of the emotions that you had to overcome as a 17-year old teenager back then?

Mac: “After my high school career, I became one of the blue-chip recruits of Ateneo. Si Coach Norman Black pa yung coach ng Ateneo back then, and he was honest naman in saying that I’ll be the 16^th man of the team. Tinanggap ko naman yun dahil naisip ko na kahit nga na pati si Chris Tiu hindi rin masyado nakapag-laro noong rookie year niya. But as a 17-year old teenager, hindi pa ako makapag-decide on my own. So ang father ko ang nag-decide na I should transfer to La Salle.

I lasted just one year in UAAP before I decided to go back to Cebu. Yun yung worst experience ko dahil walang-wala na yung college career ko sa Manila. Pero right after that disappointment, dumating naman yung best experience ko. Sinalo naman ako ng Southwestern. Iniisip ko lang noon ay yung redemption. Gusto ko maipakita sa kanila na it’s worth it to give me another chance. Fortunately, noong naglaro ako for Southwestern, lumabas lahat ng kumpiyansa ko at galing ko.”

Q: After your productive CESAFI career, you made the jump to the D-League, then eventually to the PBA in 2017. You had a break-out season with NLEX in 2018, but was released by the team the following year. You also battled weight and conditioning issues in the past. How did you overcome being overweight, and what kind of mindset helped you to come up with a fit and healthy lifestyle?

Mac: “Actually, I learned everything in a hard way. Yung weight ko talaga yung number one problem ko while playing in the NBA. Yun yung lagi nilalait sa akin ng mga coaches ko. It’s my fault because I got too complacent. Once na narating ko na yung PBA, I was living the life na. Hindi ako nag-eextra work noon. Yun din yung problema sa akin ni Coach Yeng (Guiao). Sabi niya na lagi ako sumasama sa mga players na hindi masyado ginagamit at walang disiplina.

I started losing weight noong nag-start na yung pandemic. Doon ko lang kasi na-realize na dapat pinahalagahan ko yung mga meron ako noon. Doon ko na-realize lahat ng mga ginawa kong mali noong nasa PBA pa ako. Naging mindset ko ngayon na kapag binigyan ulit ako ng opportunity, hindi ko na talaga papakawalan.”

Q: You started training under Coach Rob Labagala of Passion Sports last year. How did Passion Sports help you on and off the court?

Mac: “Actually, nakilala ko si Coach Rob noong December 2020 lang. Lagi niya ako binibigyan ng advice na huwag kong hayaan na sirain ulit ako ng weight issues ko. Ang gusto ko kay Coach Rob ay situational palagi yung tinuturo niya sa amin on and off the court. Lagi niya ako nireremind na huwag ko na ulitin yung mga mali ko noon kasi baka umabot sa punto na wala na talagang magbigay sa akin ng isa pang opportunity.

On the court naman, very situational coach si Coach Rob. Kung ano yung weakness ng player, hihimayin talaga niya yan. Even before, weakness ko na talaga yung defense and shooting. Pero ramdam ko ngayon na parehas talaga yun nag-improve under Coach Rob.”

Q: Now that you have overcome all these challenges, what is your advice to young aspiring athletes who might encounter the same problems that you did throughout your career?

Mac: “Put God first in everything that you do, then everything will follow. Next is be disciplined in everything you do because that will build your character. Don’t let it come to the point that you’ll learn everything in a hard way. Kapag may challenges, huwag kayo sumuko. There are no shortcuts to success.”

At 27 years of age, it’s safe to say that Mac has had his share of troubles in the past. The important thing is that he now has a firm mindset of being disciplined, which will help him prolong his career and eventually find his way back to the PBA.

 

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