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Pingoy Rule: Never settle.

Jerie Pingoy was one of the best UAAP juniors players to play in recent history, at the very least.

"One of the best players I've ever seen," Far Eastern University-Diliman head coach Mike Oliver said about his former prized ward. "He was the complete package. Maganda ang range, can slice through defenses, can create his own shot or for his teammates, and also a good defender."

If you don't want to believe in the mentor he won a championship with, believe in the fact that in the last two decades, the 5-foot-11 point guard was one of only two players to have hoisted the MVP trophy in back-to-back years.

And it's not like he wasn't a winner either as he capped off his high school career by besting defending champion Nazareth School of National University and bringing the Baby Tamaraws to the promised land for the first time since the late '80s.

If that still isn't enough for you, then know that the then-mentor of those Bullpups still has not forgotten about the playmaker who dethroned them. "Magaling talaga. Mataas ang basketball IQ. Very smart point guard," Jeff Napa answered when asked about Pingoy.

Actually, that was why Napa took a chance on the now-forgotten 25-year-old in the 2020 PBA D-League Draft and the former signed up the latter for Karate Kid-CEU.

Pingoy may have strayed far from the promising path he had been on, but deep down, the player who once put up per game counts of 21 points on top of 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.1 steals as a graduating guard in high school is still there.

Well-deserved

There was no question back then that Pingoy was special.

Everybody thought so and that was why he also got to wear the flag for the national youth team.

There's no question as well that after all that had happened since then, FEU still holds a special place in Pingoy's heart. "I was happy nu'ng nandu'n ako sa FEU. Mga teammates ko, mga Bisaya rin kaya masaya kaming lahat," he shared in a phone interview.

He then continued: "Actually, kung iisipin ko ngayon, 'yung high school 'yung pinaka-close ako sa teammates ko."

When it came to the next step in his young career, though, he had more than just basketball to think about.

With the decision ultimately coming down to either moving up to FEU's seniors squad or moving on to Ateneo de Manila University, Pingoy kept his family in mind.

"Ateneo gave me an opportunity na matulungan 'yung family ko. I wasn't thinking of myself lang that time," he shared. "Kami, coming from nothing, as in wala talaga, poorest of the poor kami sa Cebu. The opportunity was there. Why not grab it?"

Years later, the Cebuano admitted that alongside the prospect of playing for the dynastic Blue Eagles and studying in Ateneo, his would-be allowance was more noteworthy compared to if he would have stayed. "May pagkakaiba sa allowance talaga. Ako naman, wala akong idea at all nu'n kundi to help my family," he said.

He then continued, "Sa Cebu, wala kaming bahay, nakikitulog lang kami sa lola ko. Kaya naisip ko lang na basta, at least, maiangat ko man lang kahit konti ang pamilya ko through my allowance."

Worth it

Make no mistake, though, it wasn't all about allowances.

Pingoy believed that his future in terms of basketball shone brightest with Ateneo.

That's because the one-time champion and back-to-back UAAP juniors MVP in the had the full faith of the Blue Eagles' main men.

Then-King Eagle Kiefer Ravena, undoubtedly a big influence on the Blue and White's recruits, said that Pingoy was to be the cornerstone of their new era. As he put it, "It was a transition from coach Norman [Black] to coach Bo [Perasol] and we were trying to rebuild the program. He was one of the first recruits talaga that coach Bo wanted."

He then continued, "We saw what he was capable of and we wanted that sa team."

Perasol, who spent three years in Katipunan before moving to neighboring University of the Philippines, himself shared the same sentiment. "He was one of the best talents of his batch. The best point guard and a proven winner, hands down," he said.

He also added, "He was worth it despite any complication."

What if

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

With his momentum stopped dead in its tracks by a two-year residency, Pingoy had a tough time transitioning to the seniors level and, ultimately, officially only played one year for Ateneo.

And yet, he has no what-ifs. Asked if he ever thinks about what would have happened if he had decided otherwise, he answered, "Hindi, hindi ko talaga naisip 'yung ganu'n. I never put in my mind na sana, nag-stay na lang ako. As in wala. Di ko naisip 'yun. Never."

Until now, Pingoy is proud to say that Ateneo is a big part of the more well-rounded player he has become. "Scoring machine ako nu'ng high school, pero naging mature lang ako maglaro nu'ng natuto akong maging point guard talaga. Sa Ateneo ko lang talaga natutunan 'yung how to be a facilitator, how to be a leader," he said.

While, of course, he has been humbled by all that had happened, he had already learned humility from the very first time he donned the Blue and White. "Hindi pwede sa Ateneo na gusto mong star player ka agad," he said before mentioning the Blue Eagles' backcourt filled by Ravena, Nico Elorde, Juami Tiongson when he arrived and then later included the likes of Anton Asistio, Hubert Cani, and Matt Nieto.

He also added, "Dahil du'n, tinanggap at naging masaya akong maging role player muna."

If only Pingoy had also learned how to play his role off the court just as much as he did on it.

NEXT ON BEST-OF-5 SERIES: THE PINGOY RULES: "Yung laro ko nung last year ko sa Adamson, medyo bitin. 'Di naman ganun laro ko. Ang laking factor na naoperahan akong hindi successful."

Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo.

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