Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times
(C) PBA Images

Basketball

Jamie Malonzo eager to make up for lost time in Ginebra’s title clash


Jamie Malonzo is itching to play in the PBA Finals again after sitting helplessly on the sidelines during Barangay Ginebra’s previous trip to the Big Dance.

The young winger can’t wait to battle against TNT in their upcoming best-of-7 bout for the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup crown after his Kings bowed to their long-time rivals in the Governors’ Cup finale last November.

“Sayang. I wanted to play really bad,” he said moments after their ouster of NorthPort in Game 5 of the semis Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Malonzo was reduced to a spectator during that championship series as he was still recovering from a calf injury he suffered back in April of last year.

There, the 28-year-old could only watch Ginebra fall to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the Tropang Giga anew in six games — and fail to reclaim the Governors’ Cup trophy they lost back in 2023 against the very same squad.

Still, Malonzo came away with a clearer assessment of how he could help the Kings better had he been on the floor from his vantage point on the bench, and that should come in handy in the upcoming Finals.

2024-25-PBA-Commissioners-Cup-SF-G3-Northport-vs-Ginebra-Jamie-Malonzo-scaled Jamie Malonzo eager to make up for lost time in Ginebra’s title clash Basketball News PBA  - philippine sports news

“It’s always tough. But just being able to sit on the bench, you can see where you can impact the game,” he said. “And I think once you put all these pieces together, I think we got a good shot at competing for a title, hopefully.”

Malonzo has grown confident entering his first Finals since the 2023 Governors’ Cup, and that’s because of reps he got during the recent semis.

#ReadMore  NU Lady Bulldogs stage epic comeback to seize SSL Invitationals title

There, he averaged 17.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists to help the crowd darlings accomplish the gentleman’s sweep against the no.1 seed.

“I feel good,” said Malonzo, who starred in Game 3 with 25 points. “NorthPort likes to run, so I was able to get my breath, lose some pounds, and yeah, it was good to get a good wind out there and just prepare for the Finals, of course.”

Making it an even more impressive semis for the former second overall pick was his solid shooting. He converted 58.8-percent of his field goals, and Malonzo is hoping that he can sustain his rhythm come the Finals that starts March 14.

“I don’t know, I’m shooting the ball really well,” he marveled. “It’s gotta be over 50, 60, somewhere up there high. That’s always good going into a tough match-up like this, so I just hope I can keep it up, to be honest.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.




You May Also Like

Basketball

Magnolia kept its hold of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup leadership firmly following a 118-99 victory over Phoenix in Zamboanga City, Saturday. The...

Basketball

Ginebra paid dearly for coming in ‘unprepared’ against San Miguel. The Kings got beaten badly in the battle between traditional contenders in PBA Philippine...

Basketball

Javi Gomez de Liano isn’t hiding that he misses home so much that coming back and playing in the PBA again is actually among...

Basketball

What was expected by many to be a grindout affair between two PBA Philippine Cup favorites turned out to be a snoozefest instead as...

Basketball

Blackwater went on a tear in the third quarter and never let up on its way to sending NorthPort skidding, 120-98, to break through...

Basketball

Three interested buyers are now in talks with the Philippine Basketball Association now that Starhorse Shipping Lines, Inc. is out of the picture. Two...

Basketball

Jeremiah Gray is hoping for the best after hurting his right knee during Ginebra’s eventual win over Terrafirma in their PBA Philippine Cup opener...

Basketball

Ginebra found itself opening its PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup campaign in the very same venue it lost to TNT weeks ago. But the...

Advertisement