IMMEDIATELY after the roster for the PBA All-Star Game in Passi, Iloilo was announced on Friday, one of the players that many felt should have been in was Juami Tiongson.
Juami Tiongson on All-Star snub
The Terrafirma guard though is taking the situation in stride, but at the same time, spoke his mind about failing to make the All-Star Game roster that was determined through fan voting.
Admittedly, Tiongson said he will have a difficult time making it to the All-Stars since he is not one of the most popular players in the league. He also felt he didn’t deserve to make it to the All-Star Game since the Dyip haven’t been reaching the playoffs for several conferences, just like the others who made it.
“First of all, congratulations to those who made it. Siyempre, not everyone can make it. Ako naman, let’s be real. People don’t love me like that. Hindi naman ako ganun ka-popular. Guys like me don’t really win things like those. Ganun talaga. No hard feelings.”
“Ako naman, personally, I don’t think I deserve it because we are not winning. We haven’t even made the playoffs. The guys in the All-Star list, they have been making the playoffs consistently and I haven’t. I have a lot more to prove and hopefully, it motivates me come in future games,” said Tiongson.
Tiongson’s numbers have been on the rise after he was named Most Improved Player for the 2021-2022 season. From 13.4 to 16.7 points per game during the first two conferences this season, Tiongson is now averaging 23.3 through seven games with Terrafirma in the Governors’ Cup. He has also hit the three-ball at a higher rate, averaging 3.3 per outing and shooting 52 percent from the outside in this conference.
“I would say based on my stats, siguro oo,” said Tiongson, when asked if he thinks he deserves an All-Star spot based on statistics. “Pero at the end of the day, it’s for the fans. ‘Yung fans naman ang nagvovote and they want to see the players who they want to watch. Ganun talaga. No hard feelings. No bitterness. Maybe, next year hopefully.”
Missing the All-Star Game isn’t the end of the world for Tiongson as he said there are a lot of things to be still thankful for, including being a PBA player by itself.
“Every game naman, I feel like I always have a chip on my shoulder. Whether I’m an All-Star or not, it doesn’t matter. Iba ‘yung motivation ko from within. It’s not just making the All-Star. There was a time that I wasn’t in the PBA. I wasn’t even a PBA player. So ‘yung All-Star, bonus na lang ‘yun if it happens,” said Tiongson.
The 32-year-old Tiongson said he is also humbled by the response of some fans who thinks that he deserves a spot in the All-Star Game.
“Siyempre, very humbling. Very thankful. Appreciative ako na nakikita nila in some way, napapakita ko sa laro. Sa mga ganun pa lang, I don’t have to be an All-Star anymore. The fact that they know the stat means already a lot to me,” said Tiongson.
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