Johnedel Cardel departs Terrafirma franchise after a six-year tenure

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Head coach Johnedel Cardel will no longer call the shots for the Terrafirma Dyip franchise in the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup, which was announced on October 17, 2024.

Cardel, the architect behind Terrafirma’s postseason relief last PBA Philippine Cup, will be ending a six-year campaign that was capped off by a mix of heartbreak and temporary joy.

Although Cardel didn’t bring Terrafirma numerous playoff trips, the veteran mentor was still responsible for honing the talents of Juami Tiongson, Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, and Andreas Cahilig.

It was Terrafirma who initiated the split up after the franchise fell to a disappointing 1-9 win-loss record in the ongoing PBA Governor’s Cup.

Cardel’s first ride with the Dyip began in 2018 after taking over the helm of former tactician Ricky Dandan in the import-laced conference.

His head coaching debut didn’t turn out so well after the team suffered several close losses and were only a few games behind from punching the last ticket to the Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.

As the years went by, Cardel still stayed and nurtured the Terrafirma franchise despite consecutive losing seasons both in the All-Filipino and the import-laced conferences.

Cardel’s biggest break as a head coach came in the 2023-2024 All-Filipino when they nearly pulled off an upset win over the star-studded San Miguel Beermen squad.

During that nail-biting series, the Cardel’s underdog Terrafirma team dragged the series to a deciding Game 3, but San Miguel was able to protect their twice-to-beat advantage and moved on to the semifinal stage.

According to multiple sources, Terrafirma’s top candidate as the team’s new chief mentor will be Raymond Tiongco, Cardel’s long-time assistant.