While organising the NZ tour, I was given the room assignments of each player (who rooms with who) and coach. On the surface it didn’t mean much, but in hindsight , you really saw the influence each player had on their roommate.
Here are is a list of their room assignments, I'm sure this was not done randomly and I’m sure coach Chot and Manager Butch had their reasoning behind the room assignments. Here are lasting impressions I have of each room assignment :
1. Alapag and Tenorio: Tenorio said. “Kaya din siguro ni-roommate ako kay Jimmy eh,”
“Siguro sa lahat ng meeting namin, sa activities namin, nakita ni Coach. I need to be like (Jimmy). I need to step up when Jimmy’s not there.”
“Gusto ko rin maging katulad niya na til the end of his career, naglaro siya para sa Pilipinas,” he said.
“To be honest, I want to be like him. As a player, as a person — wala akong masabi.”
2. Jason and Gary : From a personality point of view you couldn’t find a better example of comparing an introvert (Jason) and an extrovert(Gary) the designated joker of the team. In contrast I hardly heard Jason talk at all. Seriously, even in the documentaries he never volunteered to be interviewed, this despite practically being the best player on the team
3. Jeff and Larry: In contrast to Jason and Gary who were opposites, Jeff and Larry were so similar in personality. (quiet) , the 2 guys hardly went out. (home buddies) these two really basically stayed in the hotel. Both were always communicating with their young families (their wife and kids ) back home.
4. Gabe and Ranidel: In terms of cultural and language background I never understood how these 2 guys understood each other, (American and a true pinoy), sometimes Ranidel would crack a joke in tagalog and Gabe would laugh. (and I was like did you even understand him: :)
5. Ping and Japeth: From a playing style perspective you couldn’t find two players who were exact opposite , (physical vs finesse ) , I felt Pings toughness really rubbed of on Japeth in a good way. What I found surprising is that they really got along of the court , in fact they were the 2 players that spent the most time together ( they looked like a couple J
6. Beau and Junmar: Here was really a case of a master (Beau) mentoring a student (Junmar). Belga was really consistently on Junmar’s case, especially about being physical. In some cases it was funny, in one instance ,after Beau gives instructions to Junmar before he goes in, a few seconds after referee calls a foul on Junmar J . A touching moment in the tour was when the final 12 was announced to the team. After Belga spoke about his role to be a mentor to Junmar, Junmar spoke and said : Thank you , just those two words and the whole team broke out in laughter , because that’s practically the only two words we heard from Junmar, yet it was so sincere.
Oh I almost forgot I had the opportunity to room with coach Jong, I really admired his humility. Here was a former National team coach , yet he seemed to be at his best element being an assistant. I’ve wondered why Jong was no longer a head coach of a team, with my time with him I realized he really fits the assistant coach role best. Having said that he could actually be the most knowledgeable basketball mind in the country, his insight and knowledge of the game is incredible, of the charts. .
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