Consider the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association’s On Tour preseason tournament as an on-the-job training for Joseph Eriobu and Jed Mendoza.
Eriobu and Mendoza are key members of Purefoods TJ Giants 3×3 team in the PBA. They may be elevated to the regular five-on-five team of the undefeated Magnolia team, which is on the cusp of sweeping the ongoing On Tour tournament.
Carrying a perfect 10-0 slate, the virtual champion Hotshots can complete a sweep with a win over Terrafirma at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan.
But once the Hotshots wrap up their campaign, head coach Chito Victolero and the rest of the coaching staff will have to evaluate whether these 3×3 players can crack the roster for the PBA season this October.
Otherwise, they stay in the Hotshots’ farm squad.
“That would be another achievement for our 3×3 team if ever they will make the roster,” Victolero said.
“The 3×3 team is our farm team. We have Jed last year and now we have Joseph, and hopefully, we can find more for our 3×3 team.”
“At least we’re motivating our 3×3 team that they will have a chance and that we can elevate them to the five-on-five once they continue their good showing.”
In the ongoing On Tour tournament, Mendoza averaged 8.2 points on a steady 50 percent shooting from the three-point area while pulling down 3.3 rebounds and dishing out 2.5 assists per game.
Even more impressive was Eriobu, an undersized forward who has been averaging 9.9 points and three rebounds. Both players made a strong case for their inclusion in the Hotshots’ roster this coming season.
The Hotshots will not be picking in the first round of the coming PBA Rookie Draft as they have already dealt it to Converge as part of the deal that landed them Abu Tratter and Dave Murrell.
