JETH Troy Rosario has made a name in basketball, working his way to becoming one of the Philippines’ best stretch big men – rare and precious commodities both for club and country.
But unknown to many, volleyball was his first sport that served as his ticket to the Big City.
Already standing 6’5” at age 15, the gangling pride of Cagayan Valley was a can’t-miss figure at the 2008 Palarong Pambansa in Puerto Princesa, Palawan as a member of the volleyball team that represented Region II.
Rosario bared it was none other than longtime Far Eastern University coaching staff member and scouting extraordinaire Bert Flores who spotted him and immediately offered a chance at a college career – initially in volleyball.
“Nakasalubong ko lang si coach Bert habang nag-iikot ako sa game venue tapos sabi niya ‘Boy, laki mo ah, ano height mo?’ Tapos inabot niya calling card, baka daw gusto ko punta ng Manila,” Rosario fondly recalled.
Going back to Cagayan, Rosario, the eldest of three siblings, pondered on the opportunity to change his and his family’s meager life in the province.
Troy’s dad, Premicias, was once a seaman who was eventually denied of another contract after failing a medical exam, making him settle for a local job as a farmer. And when Troy’s mom, Evelyn, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, that forced them to sell all their investments to pay for medical bills, leaving them in debt.
Troy, though, inherited something from his parents that money can’t buy: their genes. His dad stands 6’1”, while his late mom was blessed with a model-like frame of 5’11”. Troy is now 6’7”, while her sister and fellow athlete CJ, like their mom, stands 5’11”.
But with this chance at a scholarship and a better life, Rosario’s parents convinced Troy to give it a shot, even if it meant having to sell all their harvested rice grains or palay for P2,000, betting it all on their eldest son so he could have the fare to go to Manila.
So Rosario packed his bags and traveled all the way to Morayta to try out for the FEU volleyball team.
After all the sacrifice, he missed the cut.
But that didn't stop him. The undaunted Rosario asked Flores if he could try out for the basketball team instead. The teenage beanpole played good enough to gain the nod of the coaches, although they asked him if he could go back to second year high school, considering he, at just 15, could still play two years in the juniors’ division.
Rosario declined the offer, although he waited for days to still get a shot straight into the men’s team – either in basketball or volleyball.
Until one day when his feet dragged him outside campus and found their way to nearby Technological Institute of the Philippines in Quiapo.
“Paubos na pera ko, wala pa ring scholarship na nakukuha, so isang hapon ewan ko bakit bigla ko na lang naisipan umalis, nag-ikot-ikot, nadaanan ko TIP na that time revamped ang team,” Rosario remembered.
He tried out and earned a spot, only waiting for a few days before he could enroll. He didn’t look back.
“Yun lang naman talaga rason ba’t ako pumunta Manila ang makakuha scholarship,” Rosario said. “Dun na ako natuto mag-basketball. Halos araw-araw nasa court ako matuto lang. Naalala ko pa halos pasang-awa lahat ng grades ko that sem kasi nasa court lang ako lagi.”
“Naglalaro ako basketball nun (sa Cagayan) pero tip-in at dunk lang alam ko,” he added. “Di ako marunong mag-dribble.”
Rosario was even more motivated to work harder after finding out six months into his Manila journey that his mom, five years after her first diagnosis, was then struck with ovarian cancer. She died at the young age of 47.
Rosario played for the Engineers in the NCRAA, UCAA, and Fr. Martin Cup for two years, gaining enough attention to earn a shot at the national youth team then handled by the National University Bulldogs coach, Eric Altamirano.
After his international stint, Rosario transferred to NU where he further developed his game, eventually becoming one of the key figures in the Bulldogs’ 2014 UAAP championship run that ended a six-decade title drought.
Now, Rosario is one of the stars of TNT KaTropa in the PBA and a fixture in Gilas Pilipinas.
Still, the 28-year-old cager never forgets where he came from.
“Kahit ganun nangyari, laking pasasalamat ko pa rin sa TIP. Lalo na kina Sir Gelo Lahoz. Tinatanaw ko utang na loob lahat ng ginawa sa akin nung nandun ako.”
And there’s also always a special place in his heart for his first sport.
“Di naman nalipat and nawala love ko sa volleyball,” he said. “Dun ako nakilala eh. Talagang mas sikat lang talaga basketball nung mga araw na yun. Kaya nag-ambisyon lang, triny ko lang.”
That ambition needed a little push from his parents.
And now without one of them, Troy can’t help but get emotional when he looks back on his journey.
“Naiiyak ako. Lagi ko naaalala mama ko. Siya kasi close ko. Siya rin dahilan kung bakit lumakas loob ko sa tuwing gusto ko na sumuko. Kasi hirap talaga pinagdaanan ko. Lahat ng hirap ko nasilayan niya pero lahat success at gusto niyang mangyari sa akin di niya naantay.”
Troy Rosario shares his only remaining photo with his mom, Evelyn.
Troy, though, has everything to look forward to: apart from his blossoming career, he’s married to his lovely wife Mich, and they have two daughters, Zoey Isabelle and Zhia Micaela.
And for sure, Troy’s mom is cheering from up there, proud of how far his son has come.
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