Afterwards, PLDT Home headed farther south for the second leg of Fiber Fastbreak. The brand flew in Mindanaoan stars in TNT Tropang Giga players Gryann Mendoza from Davao City and Glenn Khobuntin and John Paul “Poy” Erram from Cagayan De Oro City. PLDT Home also welcomed TNT idol Jayson Castro and PJ “The Scoring Apostle” Simon, both multi-awarded pro athletes who eventually made a mark in the national team. Following the first leg of the series, the athletes led the meet-and-greet sessions with fans and enthusiasts at the PLDT Home pop-up booth inside Gaisano Mall and then at PLDT and Smart Store Ponciano.
“It is my utmost pleasure to be connecting with fans and supporters back in my homeland. Basketball is my first love and will always be my home,” said Simon, who retired from the PBA in 2020 and has since been based in Davao as the new Pilipinas Super League Deputy Commissioner for Mindanao. A PBA icon at 43, he played with the Magnolia Hotshots from 2014 to 2020. He became a part of the franchise’s 2013-2014 Grand Slam season, sweeping the PBA Philippine Cup, Commissioner’s Cup, and Governor’s Cup in a single season.
Pushing the imperative of reaching out to far-flung communities to discover more athletes, he said, “Davao and the rest of Mindanao are a gold mine of rising basketball talent, and I want to help spread the word and give more opportunities to our young players here.”
PLDT Home conducted its last stop in Manila. As a fitting conclusion, the country’s leading telco and digital services provider staged a basketball camp in the morning and a 3x3 tournament in the afternoon – both led by some of the PBA’s most decorated players then and now.
PBA champions Rico Maierhofer, Cyrus Baguio, Jerwin Gaco, and Ryan Araña and fellow pro league titleholders Poy Erram and Gryann Mendoza from TNT Tropang Giga headlined the momentous event, getting on the ground to mentor young basketball aspirants about the game. Basketball enthusiasts and content creators Mikee Reyes and Tin Gamboa hosted what would ultimately become an entertaining yet inspiring session of masters teaching students – MVPs training future MVPs.
“The future of Philippine basketball is bright right now. I see so many young players that have the drive to level up their game, and that’s so exciting to see,” said Maierhofer, a former UAAP champion and two-time PBA champion. “It’s great to have events that connect to different basketball-loving cities across the country. And it’s an even better experience to guide young players.”
“We’re more than delighted to see the future unfold right before our eyes,” added Baguio, a three-time PBA champion.