JIO Jalalon who was known as Arellano’s “Bus Driver,” knows the road to success and the little things the Chiefs need to learn to get there.
A regular in the NCAA Season 102 games during his free time, Jalalon saw his alma mater zoom to the top of Group A with four straight wins and then drop three straight winnable games against Jose Rizal University, Benilde, and Mapua.
The Chiefs then finally halted their skid against the San Beda Red Lions, 56-55, but not without another tense finish after nearly surrendering their advantage.
READ: Chiefs discover who they are as they go through the NCAA trenches
Despite the team's ups and downs, Jalalon remains a believer in this current squad.
“Siguro kailangan nilang mag-adjust and then mag-stick sila doon sa sistema ng coach. Yung laro naman nila, nandun naman sila eh. So, alagaan lang nila yung laro nila,” Jalalon told SPIN.ph.
“Kumbaga, pag lamang sila, sa end game kailangan matapos nila yun. Kailangan lang nila matutunan yun.”
The three-time NCAA mythical member certainly knows what it takes to bring Arellano deep into the Grand ol’ league.
Jalalon led the Legarda squad to two NCAA finals appeareances — first as a sparkplug and a most improved player awardee in Season 90 as Nards Pinto's backcourt partner, then as the main man of the squad two years later in Season 92.
He's eager to see just how far this team will go, and he's confident that they have the tools to make it far.
“Very excited ngayon sa mga players ng Arellano kasi ang ganda ng standing nila. Kaya rin talaga ako nanonood kasi ang gaganda ng mga laro na nilalaban nila,” he said.
THE BUS DRIVER’S RELIEVER
Much of that faith in the team stems from his successor in T-Mc Ongotan, the heart and soul of this Arellano side.
Ongotan has been in MVP discussions all season long, putting up averages of a league-leading 19 points per game to go along 5.7 rebounds, three assists and 1.6 steals for the now 5-3 Chiefs.
Asked about the similarities between his own game and Ongotan’s, the veteran guard just pointed out that basketball has changed and evolved so much now even from his time with the Chiefs just a decade ago, while expressing confidence in the young guard’s potential.
“Iba na talaga yung basketball ngayon eh. Mas magaling si T-Mac. Kumbaga, nakikita ko sa kanya yung future. Sana mahanap niya pa yung sarili as a point guard,” said the former PBA champion.
For the playmaker from Cagayan de Oro, however, individual talent must go hand in hand with discipline and trust in the coaching staff. especially when games enter the crucial stretches.
“Sa tingin ko, sa mga player, susundin lang nila yung coach nila. Lahat naman sila gumagawa eh. Mag-stay lang doon sa sistema ng coach,” he stressed.
READ: Jalalon proud to complete a triple-double late in his PBA career
The 5-foot-9 floor general continues to make his own impact in the professional ranks. On the same night Arellano edged San Beda, he recorded a triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists as TNT routed Macau, 142-87.
But for the Arellano faithful, the ‘Bus Driver’ remains invested in his alma mater’s journey. Having once driven the Chiefs to the NCAA Finals, Jalalon knows that getting back on the road to success means learning how to finish the job and steer the team through the toughest stretches.
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