THE NorthPort Batang Pier battled back from a 19-point, second-half deficit to salvage a draw against the Phoenix Fuelmasters on Tuesday in a PBA tuneup game at the Activate Hoop Arena in Mandaluyong City.
The brave fightback comes as a breath of fresh air for the Batang Pier at a time of great uncertainty, what with the franchise's sale to Pureblends Corp. just awaiting approval and personnel changes happening left and right.
While the game marked the return to the bench of Johnedel Cardel after his departure from Terrafirma last season and the NorthPort debut of former Ginebra sniper Von Pessumal, some of the attention focused on who's not there.
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Most of the questions were centered on the absence of Jio Jalalon, the 33-year old guard out of Arellano University who is coming off his first season with NorthPort after being traded by Magnolia along with Abu Tratter for Zavier Lucero in July, 2024.
Jalalon was nowhere to be found in the Magdaluyong venue and NorthPort officials, led by Cardel, had little to say about his absence, much less his whereabouts.
Interest was also high on Jalalon's future because of two things: one, sources had long informed SPIN.ph about an impending Jalalon trade to Blackwater for Justin Chua. Two, his presence in TNT's practice was caught, accidentally, in videos shared by members of the team's coaching staff on social media.
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Multiple sources confirmed to SPIN.ph that Jalalon has indeed been practicing with the Tropang 5G for a while now after asking coaches 'to be allowed to try out,' although the extent of his participation looked beyond a tryout.
So where is Jio headed?
Jalalon's case is a bit complicated. Drafted by Magnolia in the 2016 Special Gilas draft, the cat-quick guard was believed to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) once his contract that NorthPort inherited from Magnolia expires.
However, a check with the PBA Commissioner's Office showed that he is one conference short of the 21 conferences required to automatically become a UFA.
Even the exact end of his contract can't be pinpointed. Some sources said it expired at the end of August while another source insisted it extends until the end of September.
Either way, it means that unless NorthPort releases Jalalon or trades him to another team, the Batang Pier - or Pureblends once its acquisition of the franchise is approved by the PBA board - will still hold his signing rights until the end of the season-opening Philippine Cup tipping off in October.
Will Blackwater get Jalalon in a trade, will NorthPort keep him, or will the veteran guard land on TNT's lap?
Abangan.
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