Breaking bad

John Amores made headlines when he figured in a shooting incident following a pick-up basketball game in Lumban, Laguna on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Amores was on track to blossom into one of the best role players in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Gifted with a long wingspan, high basketball IQ and a 6-foot-2 frame, Amores was regarded as one of the country’s premier perimeter defenders who could knock down open shots when the game was on the line.

In the previous Philippine Cup, he rode the bench but still managed to submit solid averages of 4.1 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

He also did wonders in the recent elimination round of the Governors Cup when he emerged as one of the few local players to knock down a four-pointer during the game against Converge.

In college at Jose Rizal University (JRU), he thrived as a “3-and-D” type of player, or somebody who could drop the long bombs while making life miserable for the best player on the opposing team.

But there was only one thing that could hamper his soar to success — his temper.

During a Universities and Colleges Basketball League game between the Heavy Bombers and the University of the Philippines, Amores punched Mark Belmonte, leaving him with fractured gums, dislocated teeth, and a lacerated mouth that required surgery.

Two months later, Amores was at it again.

With the Heavy Bombers being clobbered by powerhouse College of Saint Benilde (CSB) in the final stretch of their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) game, Amores went on a rampage, mercilessly punching whoever got in his way.

The violent punching spree went viral, transporting old-timers back to the day when riots and hooliganism were prevalent in the country’s oldest collegiate league.

After the smoke had cleared, CSB’s Jimboy Pasturan and Taine Davis filed serious physical injury charges against Amores while JRU completely removed the brawler from its men’s basketball roster and the NCAA slapped him with an indefinite ban that put an end to his collegiate career.

Still, the basketball gods were kind enough to give Amores another chance.

Amores eventually joined the Zamboanga Valientes squad that competed in the 2023 Asean Basketball League before landing a gig with the Muntinlupa Cagers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

His stellar performances didn’t go unnoticed as NorthPort tapped him with the 51st overall pick in the PBA Annual Rookie Draft last year.

Despite his low draft ranking, Amores bagged a one-year deal with the Batang Pier that gave him a golden chance to prove his worth and essay a feel-good story about redemption and moving on. In fact, he even sought counseling and reached out to Calvin Abueva, who is regarded as the incumbent bad boy of Philippine basketball.

But in a snap, Amores threw everything away. He had completely broken bad and, by the looks of it, can never be the same promising player he was.

In the incident that shook Philippine basketball to its foundation, Amores fired shots at Lee Lumangaya Cacalda after they had a heated argument following a pick-up basketball game. Then he sped off before surrendering to the police a few hours later.

Now Amores is out of jail after posting a P24,000 bail. He, however, is facing attempted murder charges that — if proven guilty — could put him behind bars for the next six to 12 years on top of a hefty penalty.

Amores’s story could go down as one of the saddest tales in Philippine sports.

Instead of becoming the next Richard del Rosario or Eric Reyes, two players who were not considered superstars but still managed to come up with solid post-PBA careers due to their attitude and great character, Amores would be reduced to a mere footnote and would be forgotten by generations to come.

Yes, time is still on his side. He is only in his mid-20s and can still play in various local and international leagues if he manages to survive this biggest challenge of his young career. He can still recover from this massive blackeye that has greatly damaged his reputation and career.

But the question is: Will the basketball gods smile and give him another chance?