Next stop: PBA

I would definitely love to try my luck there in the PBA and further learn the Philippine type of basketball.

One-and-done players are craving for more local action following their short — but sweet — stints in Season 82 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

Jamie Malonzo of De La Salle University revealed his plan of joining the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) not just to further learn the Filipino brand of play, but also reconnect with his roots.

Malonzo it one of the three one-and-done players that the Green Archers paraded this season.

He already completed his playing years for Portland State University in the Division I of the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) when he decided to enroll at the post-graduate program of La Salle to get a chance to play for the Green Archers even for just one season.

Sideliners branded the strategy as the “Troy Rike Rule” in reference to Rike, the Filipino-American forward who completed his eligibility at Wake Forest University before enrolling at the Masters program of National University to gain a chance to play for the Bulldogs for one season.

In his 13 games for the Green Archers, Malonzo posted an average of 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game in 28.3 minutes of action.

Unfortunately, the Green Archers failed to advance to the Final Four, prompting the 6-foot-7 forward to come up exercise his plan of extending his playing career in the Philippines.

“It’s a different ballgame here. I can’t wait to play more,” said Malonzo, who left the country’s premier collegiate basketball league with a bang after erupting for 34 points and 12 rebounds in their 89-63 win over Adamson University.

“I would definitely love to try my luck there in the PBA and further learn the Philippine type of basketball.”

Malonzo added that he fell in love with Philippine basketball in his short — three months to be exact — stay here.

“I’m sad, honestly. I wish I had more time with the guys. I wish I had more time with the fans and be able to wear the green and white. I wish I have more games to play.”

Like Malonzo, his fellow one-and-done star in Keyshawn Meeker also has his eyes fixed on the PBA.

He said he would fly back to the United States to recuperate s before returning once “the next league” is about to start, trekking the same path taken by other Fil-Am players from La Salle like Mike Cortez, Willy Wilson and Jason Perkins.

“I am looking forward to what’s next. I’m going to go home and recuperate and I’ll be back here whenever the next league has to start,” said Meeker, the wily playmaker who finished his varsity years at Illinois State University before landing at La Salle to play a total of four games.

“Here in the Philippines, you have to be mentally as well as physically strong. You also have to play freely and don’t let pressure get on top of your head.”

La Salle wasn’t the lone school that took advantage of the “Troy Rike Rule.”

University of the East (UE) also paraded Cebu hotshot Rey Suerte and former Jose Rizal University star Jed Mendoza to try their luck in the UAAP to groom them for the PBA.

Suerte, a Most Valuable Player for the University of the Visayas in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., said he is hoping that his strong performance in the UAAP would jack up his stock entering the final stretch of the PBA Annual Rookie Draft next month.

“Someday, someday,” said Suerte, who left the UAAP in style after posting 28 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Red Warriors’ nail-biting 79-77 win over the Bulldogs.

“I hope I could make it to the PBA because UE had taught me a lot. I would carry these lessons to my next destination, hopefully, in the PBA.”

“It still pains me to see that we didn’t make it to the Final Four. Still, I am grateful for my short, but meaningful, stay with the Warriors.”

Mendoza said he would savor all the memories he had in the UAAP, especially playing against collegiate stars like Kobe Paras of University of the Philippines and Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo de Manila University.

“I really learned a lot from my stay here. In seven years I spent in college. This is probably the most challenging season I had,” said Mendoza, who was once the lone bright spot for the Heavy Bombers in the NCAA.