Mark Cardona

Mark Reynan Mikesell Cardona

No. 8 – Air21 Express
Position	Shooting Guard/Small Forward
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	(1981-11-03) November 3, 1981 Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Nationality	Philippines
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school	Carson High School (Carson, California)
College	De La Salle University
PBA draft	2005 Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Air21 Express
Pro playing career	2005–present
Career history
Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters (2005-2010) Meralco Bolts (2010-2013) Air 21 Express (2013-present)
Career highlights and awards
UAAP Rookie of the Year (2001) UAAP All Rookie Team (2001) UAAP Leading scorer (2003-2004) UAAP Mythical Team (2004) UAAP Finals Most Valuable Player (2004) PBL Rookie of the Year (2002) PBL Mythical Team (2002, 2004, 2005) PBL Scoring Sensation (2005) PBL Unity Cup Most Valuable Player (2005) 2006-07 PBA Mythical Second Team 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Player of the Conference 2008-09 PBA Philippine Cup Finals Most Valuable Player 2008-09 PBA Mythical First Team 2009-10 PBA Mythical Second Team 2-time UAAP Champion (2001, 2004) 5-time PBA All-Star (2007-11)

Mark "Macmac" Cardona (born November 3, 1981 in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association.^[1] 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 College, 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.

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 University Green Archers basketball team.

Despite several controversies and allegations, primarily regarding his residency and eligibility,^[2] 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.

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 Association. 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.

In his sophomore year in the league, 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.^[3][4] 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)."^[5]

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 traded by Talk 'N Text to Meralco in exchange of a first-round pick.^[1] Cardona played his first game for the Bolts on October 3, 2010 against the Baranggay Ginebra Kings. He recorded 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 33 minutes of play, including the game-winning teardrop.^[6] The Cardona-led Meralco Bolts eventually ended its maiden run at the 2010-11 PBA Philippine Cup with a 7-7 record.

Statistics

Correct as of January 10, 2013^[7]

Season

References

External links

• MarkCardona.net
• Philippine Basketball Association
• Philippine Basketball League
• Carson High

Preceded by Mike Cortez	UAAP Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year 2001	Succeeded by Arwind Santos
Preceded by Arwind Santos	UAAP Men's Basketball Finals Most Valuable Player 2004	Succeeded by Arwind Santos
Preceded by Enrico Villanueva	PBA Fiesta Conference Best Player 2007	Succeeded by Jayjay Helterbrand