In the world of Basketball, height is definitely might. It is also a gift in a country too passionate for the sport of Basketball.
CJ Flores is one of the few gifted with height. Even at an early age, he was already towering above his peers but his basketball skills is too raw and undeveloped which became the reason why he was teased as "lampa" by his friends.
Thankfully, he fell in love with basketball due to his older brothers who also played the sport. As time went by, he slowly improved his game which made him stood out and get noticed by scouts.
"Bata pa lang ako matangkad na ako tapos ang dami naglalait sa akin na ang tangkad ko noon pero lampa ako ganon. Tapos ayon nag-start na ako mag-basketball noong grade 6 ako. Gusto ko mag-basketball kasi lahat ng mga kuya ko naglalaro sila tapos ako lang hindi marunong so ayun naglaro na rin ako. Hanggang nag high school na ako, nag start na ako maglaro sa mga provincial meet. Medyo napapansin na nila na umaayos na ako maglaro kaya medyo nakikila na ako sa mga liga sa bacolod. Ang dami na nakakakita sa akin mga coaches na matangkad ako and na gusto ako bigyan ng opportunity," said CJ Flores in a chat interview with Ligang Pinoy.
His recruitment into a high school basketball program was actually quite random as he was approached by a talent scout while he was buying fruits. Little did he know that an opportunity to play for a renowned high school basketball program in Metro Manila will open for him.
"Nagstart ako kunin sa Chang Kai Shek sobrang unexpected, kasi bumibili lang ako ng prutas noon sa may tindahan tapos bigla may lumapit at kinalabit sa akin tapos tinanong ako kung naglalaro ba ako ng basketball at kung gusto ko ba pumunta sa Maynila, tapos ayun na pinag tryouts ako sa Chang Kai Shek tapos ayun nakapasok ako," shared CJ Flores.
CJ Flores credits Chang Kai Shek for building up his career and for providing an excellent foundation in basketball. In his three (3) years stint with the Chang Kai Shek Blue Dragons, he learned so many thing under the tutelage of champion coach Goldwin Monteverde who taught him the value of a defensive mindset.
"Three (3) years ako naglaro sa Chang Kai Shek. Doon ako na-build up talaga as a player. Kahit lagi kami pinapagalitan, hindi ako na do-down kasi alam naman namin na para sa amin yon. Tapos bago ako umalis sa Chang Kai Shek, nasayahan ako sa isang sinabi sa akin ng coach ko, si Coach Goldwin. Sabi niya sa harap namin mga players, ako sa buong stay ko sa Chang Kai wala ako ginawa kundi puro depensa, sinabi niya na lagi ko ginagawa yung role ko as a player niya, kaya ayon hanggang ngayon dala dala ko yung sinabi niya sa akin," recalled CJ Flores.
After graduating from High School, CJ Flores attended the tryouts for the men's senior basketball team of the De La Salle College of St. Benilde (CSB). He was eventually accepted into the CSB Blazers team but he had to sit out his first year due to an issue with his school papers. Nevertheless, such downtime proved to be a blessing as he was able to train harder in order to elevate his game into a higher level.
"Noong mag-college na ako, pinapunta kami ni Coach Gold sa Benilde para mag tryouts. After non, natanggap ako. Pero noong unang taon ko dito sa Benilde, hindi pa ako na-line up kasi nagkaroon ako ng problema sa papers. So tinake ko yung chance na iyon sa loob ng isang taon. Naging masipag ako sa training tapos ngayon pangalawang taon ko na naglalaro para sa Benilde," added CJ Flores.
His playing years, unfortunately, had to take the backseat due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has almost been fifteen (15) months since basketball in the Philippines was shutdown since March 16, 2020 and it remains to be seen when will amateur leagues such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) be allowed to return.
As of this writing, only professional basketball leagues are allowed so far to undertake team scrimmages and to hold basketball tournaments. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) successfully held a basketball bubble last October 2020.
Aside from the PBA, the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup, a newly-organized regional professional basketball league in the country, had also completed the Visayas leg of its tournament last April 2021 in a bubble setup inside the Alcantara Civic Center in Cebu. The Mindanao Leg is tentatively scheduled to open on May 30, 2021 in Dipolog City.
Meanwhile, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), while it is an amateur league, was able to seek permission from the IATF to hold the remaining playoff games of the Lakan Season in a bubble-type tournament inside the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) gym last March 2021. The MPBL successfully completed the Lakan Season with the Davao Occidental Tigers emerging as the national champion after they escaped the defending champions San Juan Knights.
The National Basketball League (NBL) which recently turned into a professional league is yet to announce the opening of its newest season. The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) was supposed to open in April 2021 but it was postponed due to the declaration of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
As the resumption of the NCAA season is uncertain, CJ Flores hopes that the pandemic will end so we can all return to our pre-pandemic activities. He still has three (3) years of eligibility remaining in his collegiate basketball career and he wants to maximize it as he targets to play in bigger leagues such as the MPBL and the PBA after he exhaust his eligibility in the collegiate ranks.
"Naglalaro ako para sa pamilya kaya minsan kahit malungkot ako ginagawa ko best ko, kaya umabot din ako dito kung nasaan ako kasi dala dala ko lagi sinasabi nila sa akin positive man o negative, yun ang ginagamit kong lakas sa tuwing naglalaro ako at siyempre ang panginoon kasi sa tuwing mag-isa ako at malayo ako sa pamilya ko sa kaniya ako kumakapit at kumukuha ng lakas," expressed CJ Flores.
Continue to work hard young man!
CHRIS FLORES PROFILE
Height: 6’2
Position: Forward
College: De La Salle- College of St. Benilde
Hometown: Bago City