Pao Javillonar formally closed out his five-year collegiate run with Letran and is set to open a fresh start in the pro ranks.
There, he will forge alliances with familiar faces he either played with or against in the past.
The 6-foot-5 Javillonar will get to play under Converge assistant coach and College of Saint Benilde head coach Charles Tiu this time around after years of battling it out in the NCAA, where they even met in the finals round two years ago.
And no one is more excited for this than Tiu himself.
"Better with him than against him," Tiu said.
"Ilang taon niya pinasakit ulo namin. Last game niya sa amin 30 points [siya] but I like him because he’s a tough guy."
[Better with him than against him. He gave us headaches for many years. Last game he played against us, he scored 30 points. But I like him because he's a tough guy.]
Tiu and Javillonar are very familiar with each other, albeit as foes.
Tiu's Benilde figured in an intense championship encounter against Javillonar and the rest of the Knights in Season 98, where Letran outlasted them in three games to complete a rare three-peat title.
Javillonar then took on a bigger role for the Knights in Season 99, but the Knights failed to replicate their success, finishing with a dismal 2-16 record. Tiu, meanwhile, steered the Blazers to another Final Four run but faltered to Mapua University in the semifinals.
Javillonar went on to join the recent PBA Draft, where the FiberXers selected him 19th overall. The big man, however, decided to return for his final playing year with the Knights in Season 100.
That proved to be a good move for the young bruiser as he was able to further hone his craft, even dropping a career-high 31 points against Benilde during their second-round clash. And even he was unable to lead Letran back to the Final Four, Javillonar said that decision was all worth it.
"Gusto kong bumawi rin talaga e. Kumbaga itong last year ko, gusto kong i-dedicate sa Letran kasi sila ‘yung nagbigay sa akin ng opportunity na makapaglaro sa collegiate," he said.
"Binalik ko lang sa kanila, hindi lang sa basketball, kundi pati sa pag-aaral."
[I wanted to pay them back. This last year of mine, I want to dedicate to Letran because they gave me the opportunity to play collegiate. I just wanted to return the favor, not just in basketball but with my studies.]
Tiu said he's positive Converge will give Javillonar a contract, but said the bruiser will have a lot to work on, especially that he'd be joining a star-studded FiberXers frontcourt that already features Justin Arana and another rookie in Justine Baltazar.
Javillonar will also get to reunite with his former Letran teammates Jeo Ambohot and King Caralipio.
"I think we expect him to be there, so we’ll see. It’s up to the management if they’ll offer him a contract but I think they’ll probably want to give him a try," Tiu said.
"Obviously he has a lot of work to do in the PBA, he’s a small big there this time but he’s improved a lot this offseason so sana tuloy-tuloy para sana mabigyan namin siya ng chance."
[Obviously he has a lot of work to do in the PBA, he’s a small big there this time but he’s improved a lot this offseason so I hope it continues so we can give him a chance.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
