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 Mark Caguioa
Although having somewhat of a reputation for being a wild man, Mark Caguioa’s talent on the basketball court can’t be overlooked. His nickname is The Spark, and he’s half of the duo called The Fast and the Furious, which he formed with backcourt teammate Jayjay Helterbrand. He is currently signed with the highly popular Barangay Ginebra Kings of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Mark Caguioa was born in Manila, Philippines, on November 19, 1979 to Ric and Remy Caguioa. However, he spent his youth and college years in the United States, playing basketball for Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles. He went on to play for California’s Glendale Community College, where he studied physical therapy. He came to the Philippine basketball scene in 2001. The Barangay Ginebra Kings drafted him in 2001 as a third pick, and he started his career as a relief player. His performance earned him his nickname The Spark, and by the end of the season had won the PBA Rookie of the Year award, which no one on his team had won since Marlou Aquino in 1996.
The Fast and the Furious was formed during the 2004-2005 PBA season, as Caguioa teamed up with Helterbrand and helped the Barangay Ginebra Kings win two championships in a row.
Despite his success on the court, Caguioa’s image off the court is becoming somewhat controversial. He lost one of his four chances at the MVP title due to media criticism, and his attendance at recent practices has been capricious. He has been known to let vulgarities slip when speaking to the media, has been antagonistic towards rivals, and threatened to run naked down Shaw Boulevard if his team didn’t win a championship. He has also been ejected from a game for behavior, and eventually the league temporarily suspended him in May of 2006.
In the Philippine Cup of 2006 Caguioa may be recovering his reputation. He has been a three-time winner of the Player of the Week award, and is showing his intentions to become the leading scorer once again and lead his team to championships.
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