Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray vow to win more titles now that they have already settled into their respective roles with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association.
Malonzo said he is happy to share the court with Gray and expects him to be one of the league’s most explosive players now that he is already recovering from the knee injury that sidelined him last year.
Gray, the second overall pick in the recent Annual Rookie Draft, saw very limited action in Game 7 of the Kings’ best-of-seven Commissioner’s Cup title series against Bay Area last Sunday.
He registered only one point in almost nine minutes of action when the Kings took the midseason conference title via a 114-99 victory in the decider.
Malonzo said he sees him winning more titles with the 26-year-old Gray as his runningmate.
“It’s a dope experience. It’s really dope to have your friend with you go through the experiences,” the 26-year-old Malonzo said in a television interview.
“We’re the same age, we won our first championship together so we are going through a lot of stuff together and it is dope to have a friend like Miah (Gray). Jeremiah has so much to show in the league if you all thought I can jump, Jeremiah can jump.”
With their athleticism and youthful energy, sideliners brand them as the modern version of the “Fast and Furious,” the thrilling, high octane backcourt tandem that featured Ginebra legends Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand starting mid-2000s.
Gray said with his friend, Malonzo, by his side, sky is the limit.
“It’s really cool to have a good friend. We’re going through this process together and it’s crazy that we won our first championship,” Gray said.
“Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come but yeah, it’s amazing to play with Jaime and I can’t wait to play more together and see what we can do in this PBA career.”
Gray said he is slowly regaining his athleticism and explosiveness, making Ginebra one of the feared teams in the Governors’ Cup that starts this Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
“I think I’m close to getting back to where I was before. I just need to get reps in, get my legs stronger and start jumping off my legs a little bit more,” Gray said.
