The PBA On Tour has provided a venue for PBA hopefuls to show their wares and prove that they deserve a spot in the pro league. For Sidney Onwubere, it's given him the perfect opportunity not only to show what he can really do, but also to work his body back into game shape.
Onwubere was hampered by a slipped disc last conference, the Governors' Cup where Barangay Ginebra San Miguel made it all the way to the finals. The six-year pro spent most of the conference on the sidelines, averaging just 1.0 point in 11 games.
"I had a slipped disc, like seven months recovery. So during the season, I was just on the sidelines. I was in uniform but my back was really painful. It's better now, still painful but I can play."
So when the Tour was announced, Onwubere knew this was his chance.
After missing the start due to a family emergency Onwubere debuted for Barangay Ginebra on June 11. Onwubere was held scoreless in a loss to the Magnolia Hotshots and was clearly still finding his rhythm.
"I'm doing twice-a-day practices because I just came from a vacation. I need to catch up because I'm behind practices by one month."
Wednesday night against the Blackwater Bossing, Onwubere finally looked fit for the first time in a long while. After averaging just 3.0 points per game in three games, he led Ginebra with 25 points and added 11 rebounds in 30 minutes as the Kings essayed a classic 81-80 come-from-behind overtime win.
It was a promising result for Onwubere, but he acknowledged that he's "around 70%" in terms of game fitness. His coach Richard Del Rosario agrees.
"He's not yet in the best shape," Del Rosario said. "We're bringing him along slowly. We're trying to give the players freedom, but not total freedom. Right now, we're allowing them to make mistakes, because that's the purpose of the PBA On Tour."
Aside from regaining his conditioning, Onwubere has another goal in this Tour.
"Just fighting for my spot on the team," he said. "This is Ginebra, so you want to be here. And of course to get the trust of the coaching staff, and get playing time. As a basketball player, you just want to play. So I'm just working for that opportunity to be given to me. (The Tour) helps me get moving again. I was out for such a long time, sometimes I forget how to play basketball."
It was also a promising result for the Kings, who were coming off a tough loss to the NorthPort Batang Pier.
"It's a bounce-back win," Del Rosari said. "It's a character win for the boys. We came off a tough loss. It was like a replay. We had a good lead in the first quarter then they caught up at the end. It's a good thing we recovered, and even when we were missing shots in the end game, they didn't give up.
"The players showed character. I hope the Ginebra fans are proud that the team showed the never-say-die spirit. That's what we're fighting for. Even during our last game, they kept on fighting till the end. And I'm just so happy for the effort that they gave."
Ginebra was on the verge of a second straight loss and twice dodged a bullet. Up by two, The Bossing threw away the ball with four seconds left in regulation. That allowed John Pinto to send the game into overtime with a layup with 1.5 seconds left. Then in the extra period, the Kings, clinging to a one-point lead with 0.5 of a second left, held their breath as Tyrus Hill muffed two free throws after being fouled.
"Hopefully, they will learn from this," Del Rosario said. "Our problem was we were fouling a lot, and that's what we need to address as a team. It crippled us. The players that we were leaning on were in foul trouble.
"I told them before the game, 'Don't be afraid to make mistakes, as long as you make mistakes trying to play the right way. Not you making mistakes trying to play your own way.'"