Cebuano baller Jerie Marlon Pingoy of Adamson University drives past defenders in one of his games in the UAAP.
INQUIRER.NET
CEBUANO guard Jerie Marlon “Koko” Pingoy may have taken the long route to respectability.
But he believes that every step that he took to get to where he is right now — a key cog for the Adamson Falcons in the UAAP — has been worth it.
Pingoy was named the UAAP Player of the Week after his scintillating performance against the University of the Philippines (UP) Maroons that helped lead the Falcons secure a Final Four spot.
The former University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmaster played a vital role in the victory as he scored 12 of his 15 points in the pivotal second half. He also added eight assists, six steals, four rebounds and zero turnovers.
In an exclusive talk, Pingoy said that he was delighted with the award, one he unselfishly shared with his teammates and coaches.
“I’m happy and it’s worth it because with all the struggles that happened in my career, there was something good that come out of it. So I’m just blessed to be called Player of the Week. I also credit my teammates and coaching staff because without them, I couldn’t have done this,” said the son of former University of the Visayas (UV) standout Jerry Pingoy.
Initially pegged for stardom after a stellar high school career at Far Eastern University, which saw him win back-to-back MVP awards, Pingoy was made to go the long way as he got caught in the middle of a recruiting war between his former school and Ateneo de Manila University.
He was eventually made to sit out two years before he got to play for the Blue Eagles, but that stint lasted only for a season as he later moved to Adamson where he has since rejuvenated his stalled career.
Adamson head coach Franz Pumaren believes that his playmaker, who’s averaging 7.3 points, 4.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game has yet to reach his full potential.
“We’re just scratching the surface of what he can do right now. If he will just follow what we’re trying to teach him, I think he will be a better all-around player,” Pumaren said.
Pingoy later encouraged aspiring Cebuano players to never give up on their dreams.
“Just keep on working hard. Everything will be worth it. Just be patient.”