JUAMI Tiongson is grateful to finally get a shot at his first PBA championship following a long journey from near obscurity to being one of San Miguel Beer's main weapons.
Tiongson was close to calling it quits after a forgettable stint with Blackwater from 2014 to 2016 before taking advantage of the opportunities to not only make it back to the big league but become one of its capable scorers.
"Very thankful po ako sa lahat ng opportunities, sa mga teams na nagtake ng chance sa akin. Kasi from college to pros, di naman matunog pangalan ko," Tiongson said during the PBA Philippine Cup Finals press conference at Chardonnay Events Hall in Pasig City.
The former Ateneo playmaker found himself in the PBA D-League in 2016 as one of two Filipinos reinforcing the Blustar-KL Dragons, a guest team from Malaysia, before jumping ship at AMA Online Education in 2017 where he became teammates with now-San Miguel teammate Jeron Teng.
His splendid play in the developmental circuit eventually caught the attention of coach Yeng Guiao and NLEX and signed Tiongson during the 2017 Commissioner's Cup.
Sponsored content:
It was at Terrafirma, however, where Tiongson blossomed. He won Most Improved Played honors in 2022 and was an All-Star in 2024 when the Dyip came close to stunning the Beermen in the Philippine Cup quarterfinals with help from Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, Javi Gomez de Liano and Drei Cahilig.
San Miguel acquired Tiongson last conference, but hopes of immediate success were dashed after a shock playoff absence. But now in the Finals, Tiongson continues to thank his lucky stars.
"To be here, dinaan ko talaga sa hardwork at tiwala sa Diyos," he added. (JT)
