Former PBA slam dunk champion Joey Mente has died after succumbing to a lingering illness.

According to a report posted on Spin.ph, the former San Miguel Beer player died Wednesday after losing a bout against cancer.

He was 42.

The 5-foot-10 Samar native was best known for his hang-time moves, despite being under 6 feet, even during his collegiate years with Lyceum.

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He later played for the Iloilo Megavoltz in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) before being picked by San Miguel 10th overall in the 2001 PBA Draft.

Mente crowned himself as the 2001 slam dunk champion and became part of the San Miguel team that won the 2001 all-Filipino and 2005 Fiesta conferences.

He later spent his playing years with Welcoat, now known as Rain Or Shine, from 2006 to 2008.

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