Sidney Onwubere is looking at the PBA On Tour as an opportunity to regain his old form after spending most of his time on the sidelines due to various reasons.
The 29-year-old bruiser disclosed that he suffered a slipped disc last season, which explains why he hardly saw action for Ginebra in a campaign that saw the club reach the Finals twice, topped by a Commissioner’s Cup conquest.
It also didn’t help that he rejoined the team late in their buildup for the preseason tournament, as he and his wife had to attend to family matters in Taiwan.
“Itong On Tour, it helps me na makagalaw ulit,” said Onwubere, who missed the Kings’ On Tour debut versus San Miguel.
“Kasi sa sobrang tagal ko [na hindi] naglaro, parang sometimes, I forget how to play basketball eh.”
From the looks of it, Onwubere is en route to where he wants to be following a solid showing against Blackwater on Wednesday night.
The former EAC standout produced 25 points and 11 rebounds as he helped the crowd darlings escape with an 81-80 overtime win to bounce back after a shock loss to Fran Yu and NorthPort last Saturday in Batangas.
Onwubere not only provided the numbers but also came through with the most important play of the night. Through sheer effort, he managed to tip back in Nards Pinto’s missed layup for the go-ahead bucket with 43.5 seconds left.
(C) PBA Images
“Miss ko lang maglaro,” he said moments after the game at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. “So, kailangan ko i-take advantage yung opportunity.”
Onwubere admitted that the pain from the slipped disc, an injury he sustained while working out, is still lingering but is now more manageable.
“Medyo okay naman,” said the former eighth overall pick, who was traded by NorthPort to Ginebra back in November 2021 for Art Dela Cruz in a straight-up swap.
“Sumasakit pa rin, pero kaya ko naman na maglaro.”
Onwubere is now working double time to get back to his usual form, but it’s not solely the reason why he’s ramping up the effort.
“Just fighting for a spot sa team,” he said. “Siyempre, this is Ginebra, so we want to be here. And then siyempre, makuha ‘yung trust ng mga coaching staff na mabigyan ng playing time kahit papano.
“Of course, as a basketball player, gusto ko talaga maglaro. So I’m just working for that opportunity na mabigay sa akin.”
