Ginebra San Miguel fans got themselves a treat Sunday night when their former star Jayjay Helterbrand shone the brightest in the Gin Kings’ Manila Clasico match with long-time nemesis Purefoods in the Return of the Rivals.
The PBA’s Most Valuable Player back in 2009 notched a rare triple-double performance, collecting team-highs of 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in over 31 minutes of action to lead the crowd darlings to a 97-89 victory.
Helterbrand decided to hang up his sneakers for good back in 2017, shortly after winning the Governors’ Cup title. He hasn’t been that away for long, but the Fil-American guard admitted he misses about everything in the Barangay.
“I missed it, I’ll be honest I missed the energy of the fans and the guys,” said the 17-year pro, a six-time champ.
And that is why he decided to show up and play — Helterbrand was the catalyst of Ginebra’s third quarter pull away that saw them turn a one-point deficit to an 11-point lead that they’d keep all the way — for the fans to be glad.
“My first shot was an airball and I was like oh my gosh what am I doing here. But after a while, pinawisan na ako,” said the 5-foot-11 guard. “I didn’t really plan on playing that hard, but I didn’t want to let them down.
“I came out there and I wanted to get that win for them.”
But more than his own outing, Helterbrand is anything but honored to have shared the floor with the other Ginebra greats, and to be coached by none other than the ‘Living Legend; himself, Sen. Robert Jaworski.
“It’s really an honor to be able to play on the court with all the legends, man. Just the stories I’ve heard in practice, getting a chance to be coached by the legend himself and be able to play for a good cause, that was fun.”
