AFTER receiving a tender offer from the PBA, Jerie "Koko" Pingoy knew that more than anything else, this is a chance to prove himself once again in the local basketball scene.
It's already been a month since he started training with the Phoenix Fuel Masters under coach Topex Robinson.
Last March, the 26-year-old was drafted in the fifth round of the 46th PBA Rookie Draft as the No. 52 overall pick. During the event, he immediately burst into tears after Matthew Wright called his name.
He later on explained in several interviews that it was his ultimate "full circle moment," after dreadful trials that put his career to a test.
"Umabot na sa time na ayoko na ngang mag-basketball e. Naisip ko na na baka hindi para sa akin," he told SPIN Life.
Who would forget his sensational high school journey?
Pingoy was phenomenal with two UAAP Juniors MVP Honors in his days with the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws.
In high school when he made the transfer to Ateneo, Pingoy was hit with a new UAAP eligibility regulation, which was infamously called the "Pingoy Rule."
He redshirted for two seasons before academic difficulties made him transfer to Adamson. There, however, he suffered a foot injury that kept him in the sidelines for long months.
When he finally got back into the game, joining the Centro Escolar University in the PBA D-League, a global pandemic hit the country.
With all the bumps he'd experienced in his basketball career so far, he was understandably hesitant about filing his papers when the PBA announced that it would open its draft application.
Moreover, he was completely out of shape. He contacted a couple of skills trainers, but only got rejection after rejection.
That's when he came across coach Mavrick Bautista of Mavs Phonomenal Basketball, who happened to be an FEU alumnus, like him.
"Ang dami kong nilapitan pero walang gustong tumulong until nadaanan ko silang [Mavs Phenomenal] nagte-training lang sa kalye," Pingoy recalled. "Nagbakasakali ako, nilapitan ko si coach Mav. Nakilala niya naman ako, FEU din siya eh. Sabi ko sa kanya, baka mabigyan niya ako ng chance na i-train niya at matulungan niya kasi nga gusto kong magpa-draft."
He added, "Pumayag siya, at doon, doon ulit ako nagkaroon ng kompiyansa."
Set up in 2014 by the charismatic Coach Mav, Mavs Phenomenal is a training camp for amateurs that also runs a popular YouTube channel.
"Sobrang thankful ako," Pingoy continued. "Nung una since may protocols nga, nagse-send lang siya ng mga videos tapos sinusunod ko. Nung medyo pwede na, after a month, nag-training kami kasama ko sila Christian [Palma], at Kyt [Jimenez] (some active members of the camp). Tatlo lang kami."
As he lived in Antipolo, Pingoy would ride his bike to Tandang Sora to join their training.
"Natulungan nila ako na ma-enhance 'yung skills ko, at unti-unti makabalik. Nagbunga naman nung na-draft ako kaya laking pasasalamat ko sa tiwalang ibinigay nila coach Mav nung walang-wala ako, pagbubutihan ko pa," he shared.
Now, Pingoy is part of the Phoenix organization's roster of trainees as he continues to prove himself.
And he would have never gotten there without Mavs Phenomenal.
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