Mark Cardona
Encyclopedia
Mark "Macmac" Cardonais a Filipino
professional basketball player currently playing for the Meralco Bolts
in the Philippine Basketball Association
. Nicknamed "Captain Hook" because of his patented teardrop shots, otherwise known as the running hook, Cardona owes his moniker to former UAAP commentator Jude Turcuato.
Playing as a shooting guard or the No.2 spot, Cardona is one of a few players who can create, execute and complete a play with very little assistance from his teammates. With a decent shot from the outside, the ability to dish out assists, and a steady dribbling skill, he is considered a triple-threat on the hardcourt. He is considered by some as the most prolific scorer in the PBA today due to his scoring abilities and his consistency.
, Isaac Lopez Elementary School, and a public school in Cardona, Rizal
.
He spent most of high school at Carson High School in the United States where he finished Level 10, which did not qualify him for a diploma. Mac eventually came back home to the Philippines and took the DECS (now DepEd) Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to be eligible for admission to College.
Green Archers basketball team.
Despite several controversies and allegations, primarily regarding his residency and eligibility, Cardona went on to win the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Rookie of the Year award with the Green Archers in 2001. Cardona was also part of the UAAP 67th season Mythical Five and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player for the same season.
Cardona played for ICTSI-La Salle in the Philippine Basketball League
from 2002–2005, where he was awarded top rookie honors as PBL Top Newcomer. After ICTSI's departure from the league, Cardona joined Harbour Centre in the 2005 PBL Unity Cup, where he was named MVP of the conference.
During his stint at the PBL, he was consistently named to the Mythical Team and also received recognition as the league's Scoring Sensation.
. Before the season started, he was eventually traded to the Talk 'N Text franchise.
Despite a slow start in his rookie season, Cardona played significant minutes under Derrick Pumaren
who replaced Joel Banal
as the team's Head Coach.
Only in his sophomore year in the league, and with a career-high of 38 points, resetting his previous 30+ career outputs three times within two weeks, Cardona proved to be every bit the explosive player that he is. To date, he is the only player to be named PBA Press Corps' Player of the Week seven times within one conference (2007 Fiesta Conference). As a confirmation of his explosiveness and a testament to his overall tenacity as a player, Cardona received the PBA Conference Best Player award for the 2007 Fiesta Conference. He was also an official nominee for the coveted Most Valuable Player award of the 2006-2007 season.
On November 2008, Cardona once again reset his career statistics by tallying 42 points together with 6 rebounds to propel Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters over the Red Bull Barako. Cardona claimed that the feat sent a clear message that he deserved to be part of the Philippine National Team. Although he wasn't chosen to be part of the line-up, National Team coach Yeng Guiao was quick to point out that Cardona was considered “even if he did not score 42 points as he did against our team (Red Bull)."
Cardona won his first-ever Championship as a professional basketball player via the 2008-09 KFC-PBA Philippine Cup on February 11, 2009. Although losing on votes to the Alaska Aces
' star Willie Miller
for the Best Player of the Conference trophy, Cardona was awarded the PBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors for his remarkable output during the championship series.
On August 20, 2010, Cardona was then traded to Meralco
in exhange of a first-round pick. Cardona played his first game for the Bolts on October 3, 2010 and recorded 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 33 minutes of play. Meralco eventually ended the elimination round of the 2010-11 PBA Philippine Cup with a 7-7 record.
| align="left" | 2005-06
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 37 || 17.4 || .482 || .271 || .698 || 2.8 || 1.1 || .8 || .1 || 7.7
|-
| align="left" | 2006-07
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 62 || 30.8 || .479 || .378 || .687 || 4.4 || 2.5 || .7 || .2 || 18.1
|-
| align="left" | 2007-08
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 37 || 29.0 || .490 || .329 || .722 || 4.4 || 3.3 || .7 || .2 || 16.9
|-
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 46 || 33.1|| .448 || .359 || .664 || 4.1 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 47 || 31.5 || .451 || .312 || .693 || 3.8 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .2 || 17.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Meralco
| 24 || 35.3 || .392 || .290 || .817 || 5.0 || 3.5 || 1.1 || .04 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 253 || 29.5 || .458 || .336 || .705 || 4.0 || 2.6 || .9 || .2 || 16.6
players.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
professional basketball player currently playing for the Meralco Bolts
Meralco Bolts
The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2010 when the Manila Electric Company bought the Sta...
in the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
. Nicknamed "Captain Hook" because of his patented teardrop shots, otherwise known as the running hook, Cardona owes his moniker to former UAAP commentator Jude Turcuato.
Playing as a shooting guard or the No.2 spot, Cardona is one of a few players who can create, execute and complete a play with very little assistance from his teammates. With a decent shot from the outside, the ability to dish out assists, and a steady dribbling skill, he is considered a triple-threat on the hardcourt. He is considered by some as the most prolific scorer in the PBA today due to his scoring abilities and his consistency.
Biography
Mark Reynan Mikesell Cardona was born on November 3, 1981 at Mandaluyong, Metro Manila (now Mandaluyong City) to Reynaldo Cardona and Criselda Mikesell. The youngest of five children, Macmac got his elementary education from various schools, which include NAMEI Polytechnic Institute, Jose Rizal CollegeJosé Rizal University
José Rizal University is a non-sectarian, non-stock private educational institution. It is located at Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. It was founded in 1919 by Vicente Fabella, who was the first Philippine Certified Accountant.José Rizal University joined the National Collegiate...
, Isaac Lopez Elementary School, and a public school in Cardona, Rizal
Cardona, Rizal
Cardona is a 3rd class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,942 inhabitants in 7,953 households...
.
He spent most of high school at Carson High School in the United States where he finished Level 10, which did not qualify him for a diploma. Mac eventually came back home to the Philippines and took the DECS (now DepEd) Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to be eligible for admission to College.
Amateur career
With the intent of using his basketball skills as a passport to a good college education, he walked in for a tryout with the De La Salle UniversityDe La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
Green Archers basketball team.
Despite several controversies and allegations, primarily regarding his residency and eligibility, Cardona went on to win the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Rookie of the Year award with the Green Archers in 2001. Cardona was also part of the UAAP 67th season Mythical Five and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player for the same season.
Cardona played for ICTSI-La Salle in the Philippine Basketball League
Philippine Basketball League
The Philippine Basketball League is a commercial semi-professional basketball league in the Philippines. The league is composed of several commercial teams with several collegiate and provincial stars.-History:...
from 2002–2005, where he was awarded top rookie honors as PBL Top Newcomer. After ICTSI's departure from the league, Cardona joined Harbour Centre in the 2005 PBL Unity Cup, where he was named MVP of the conference.
During his stint at the PBL, he was consistently named to the Mythical Team and also received recognition as the league's Scoring Sensation.
Professional career
On August 2005, Cardona was picked fifth overall by the Air21 Express during the annual 2005 PBA Draft of Asia's first ever pay-for-play league, the Philippine Basketball AssociationPhilippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
. Before the season started, he was eventually traded to the Talk 'N Text franchise.
Despite a slow start in his rookie season, Cardona played significant minutes under Derrick Pumaren
Derrick Pumaren
Frederick S. Pumaren, better known as Derrick Pumaren, is a Filipino basketball coach.-Career:Derrick Pumaren was a member of the UE Red Warrior 1978 and 1979 Championship Teams, PBA Consultant, and a National Team Coach...
who replaced Joel Banal
Joel Banal
Joel Banal is a former Filipino professional basketball player, currently serving as head coach of Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association. Banal played college ball for the Mapúa Institute of Technology, before venturing into professional basketball with the Great Taste Coffee...
as the team's Head Coach.
Only in his sophomore year in the league, and with a career-high of 38 points, resetting his previous 30+ career outputs three times within two weeks, Cardona proved to be every bit the explosive player that he is. To date, he is the only player to be named PBA Press Corps' Player of the Week seven times within one conference (2007 Fiesta Conference). As a confirmation of his explosiveness and a testament to his overall tenacity as a player, Cardona received the PBA Conference Best Player award for the 2007 Fiesta Conference. He was also an official nominee for the coveted Most Valuable Player award of the 2006-2007 season.
On November 2008, Cardona once again reset his career statistics by tallying 42 points together with 6 rebounds to propel Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters over the Red Bull Barako. Cardona claimed that the feat sent a clear message that he deserved to be part of the Philippine National Team. Although he wasn't chosen to be part of the line-up, National Team coach Yeng Guiao was quick to point out that Cardona was considered “even if he did not score 42 points as he did against our team (Red Bull)."
Cardona won his first-ever Championship as a professional basketball player via the 2008-09 KFC-PBA Philippine Cup on February 11, 2009. Although losing on votes to the Alaska Aces
Alaska Aces (PBA)
The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest...
' star Willie Miller
Willie Miller (basketball player)
Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
for the Best Player of the Conference trophy, Cardona was awarded the PBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors for his remarkable output during the championship series.
On August 20, 2010, Cardona was then traded to Meralco
Meralco Bolts
The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2010 when the Manila Electric Company bought the Sta...
in exhange of a first-round pick. Cardona played his first game for the Bolts on October 3, 2010 and recorded 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 33 minutes of play. Meralco eventually ended the elimination round of the 2010-11 PBA Philippine Cup with a 7-7 record.
Season
|-| align="left" | 2005-06
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 37 || 17.4 || .482 || .271 || .698 || 2.8 || 1.1 || .8 || .1 || 7.7
|-
| align="left" | 2006-07
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 62 || 30.8 || .479 || .378 || .687 || 4.4 || 2.5 || .7 || .2 || 18.1
|-
| align="left" | 2007-08
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 37 || 29.0 || .490 || .329 || .722 || 4.4 || 3.3 || .7 || .2 || 16.9
|-
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 46 || 33.1|| .448 || .359 || .664 || 4.1 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 20.1
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Talk 'N Text
| 47 || 31.5 || .451 || .312 || .693 || 3.8 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .2 || 17.1
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Meralco
Meralco Bolts
The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2010 when the Manila Electric Company bought the Sta...
| 24 || 35.3 || .392 || .290 || .817 || 5.0 || 3.5 || 1.1 || .04 || 18.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 253 || 29.5 || .458 || .336 || .705 || 4.0 || 2.6 || .9 || .2 || 16.6
Personal life
On January 15, 2011, he appeared on Willing Willie along with other PBAPhilippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
players.