Jhon Allan Ondoy is a 19-year old guard from Sto. tomas, Davao Del Norte. He started playing basketball when he was attending grade 3 at Marsman Elementary School although he was a bit hesitant to play with other kids owing to his lack of confidence in his skills.
"Sa una, ay naiilang akong makipag laro sa mga kaibigan ko dahil nag do-doubt ako sa kakayahan ko dahil baka pagtawanan lang ako. Pero bata palang ako gustong gusto ko nang maka paglaro ng basketball, said Jhon Allan Ondoy in a chat interview with Ligang Pinoy."
At first, Jhon Allan Ondoy was contented just dribbling the ball at the sidelines while watching other kids play basketball inside the court. Little by little, he practiced his shooting in order to gain confidence.
Upon reaching grade six (6), he became more confident of his basketball skills so he participated in pickup games even against older high school students. Sometimes, he plays for twenty (20) peso bets just for the sake of competing. Such experience ignited Jhon Allan Ondoy's desire to play competitive basketball.
The lefty Jhon Allan Ondoy became a varsity player of his school a year later owing to his potential especially in his dribbling and shooting skills. He was, however, not selected as the team captain at that time.
"Noong grade 7 ako, hindi ako naging captain ball dahil may mas nakitaan ng kakayahan kaysa sa akin. Tanggap ko yun dahil may kakulangan ako sa height at siguro mas advantage kapag ganun. Pero sabi ng coach/teacher ko na huwag akong paghinaan ng loob dahil sa susunod na taon magiging captain ball din ako, explained Jhon Allan Ondoy."
Despite his non-selection as the team captain, Jhon Allan Ondoy continued to work hard for the betterment of his game. True enough, he was eventually appointed as the team captain of their basketball varsity team when he was at grade 8. Basketball opportunities suddenly opened for him.
"Doon nagsimula ang basketball journey ko. Marami nang kumuhang sponsor at coaches saakin upang isali ako sa team. Naging DAVRAA player din ako at kasali sa STAA team at nakapag laro sa mga inter school leagues. Marami na akong naipanalong laro, naging MVP din ako sa 3x3 inter baranggay, added Jhon Allan Ondoy.
Jhon Allan Ondoy became a regular fixture of organized basketball tournaments in his locality. He represented barangay Tibal-og in various inter-barangay leagues. He also played for purok 1 Menzi in an inter-purok tournament. In addition, he was also part of the Panabo Coop squad who competed in an inter-agency competition.
Although he didn't always end up as a champion, Jhon Allan Ondoy was grateful for the experience he earned in playing. He was given the opportunity to showcase what he is capable of despite standing at only 5'5" tall.
"Para sa akin, hanggat kaya ko pang maipakita sa lahat ang aking kakayahan ay gagawin ko, hindi lang para magpakita kundi para din ma inspire ko ang aking mga kapwa manlalaro at mga kabataan na nahihiyang maglaro dahil diskumpyado sila sa kanilang kakayahan at kanilang kakulangan sa taas. Minsan kasi nagiging diskriminasyon ang pagiging maliit lalo na sa basketball dahil nga hindi nito kayang makapag laro at mapantayan ang mga matataas."
Jhon Allan Ondoy wants to prove that height is not a hindrance to achieve his dream of playing professional basketball and to excel before his hometown. From the time he fell in love with basketball, he wanted to play with his basketball idols one day. He wants to make his parents proud and he is very happy to know that they support him wherever he play. They were always present during his games, especially in championship matches.
Jhon Allan Ondoy also takes pride in his ball handling and basketball IQ which be believes impress his coaches and teammates. He also has high regard in his shooting just like other well-know lefty shooters such as the triggerman Allan Caidic. As a matter of fact, he had his memorable moments of dropping the buzzer-beaters to help his team win.
Being small has its advantages. For one, his speed compensates for his lack of height. It is therefore common to see Jhon Allan Ondoy leading the fastbreak for his team.
Outside of the basketball court, Jhol Allan Ondoy had also gained so much from basketball. Perhaps the most important thing that Jhon Allan Ondoy in his basketball journey is the friendship and camaraderie he had with his teammates and coaches.
"Dahil sa larong ito mas dumami ang aking mga kaibigan, naging mas kilala ako sa baranggay namin. Marami akong natutunan sa basketball lalo na ang pagpapasensya at pagiging matibay sa laro."
He hopes to inspire other dreamers who wants to play in the MPBL or PBA someday.
Metro Manila returns to GCQ
After two weeks of isolation under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), Metro Manila and some nearby provinces such as Cavite and Bulacan will be downgraded to a less strict General Community Quarantine Status (GCQ). This means that public transportation will again return to the streets but stricter health standards will be required.
If you are a commuter, make sure to wear a face shield on top of your mask since a "no face shield, no entry" policy will be strictly implemented on public transportation and in places of work. Non-compliance may mean a violation punishable by community service or worse, imprisonment due to non-cooperation.
There's still not much movement or update with regard to the plan of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) to resume its post-season similar to the NBA bubble. They were supposed to submit their plan for the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) two (2) weeks ago but no update has been released yet.
Meanwhile, Philippine basketball is practically nonexistent but the National Basketball Association (NBA) is heating up as the first round of the playoffs is underway. From 22 teams at the beginning of the "re-start", only 16 teams are left to dispute the coveted Larry O'brien trophy.
The intensity of the playoff games inside the bubble is obviously far from the raucous playoff atmosphere before Covid 19 but at least we have something to watch while in isolation. We just can't wait for Covid-19 to disappear so we can watch our beloved MPBL players slug it out live on TV.
In the meantime, you might also want to read the story of other MPBL aspirants:
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