Fantastic four

CEBU, Philippines —  Some players who had claimed the PBA Rookie of the Year award in their decorated careers have gained distinction for themselves.

First won by Gil Cortez in 1976, Benjie “Tower of Power” Paras of the Shell Turbochargers is the first and only cager in the league’s 45-year history to have lifted the ROY and season Most Valuable Player trophies in the same year way back in 1989.

Marlou “Skyscraper” Aquino, was also the Defensive Player of the Year when he topped the race for the ROY honors in 1996 wearing the jersey of the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

The four Cebuanos who emerged as Rookie of the Year during their debut in Asia’s first pro league also had their fair share of history.

They are Fil-Am Greg Slaughter, the late Arnie Tuadles, Willy Generalao and Dondon Ampalayo. Coincidentally, Slaughter, Tuadles and Generalao all played college ball with the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, while Ampalayo, a proud product of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars.

The 7-footer Slaughter, born and raised in the United States to a Cebuana mother, stands as the tallest ROY awardee with Ginebra in 2013.

Ampalayo was the first Ginebra player to clinch the award in 1986, while Tuadles and Generalao were not only back-to-back awardees from Cebu with Toyota Super Corollas and Gilbey’s Gin in 1979 and 1980, respectively, but also make up the first five ROY honorees of the PBA who were all born in 1956.             

Nicknamed ‘Gregzilla’, Slaughter went on to grab four championships spiced up with a five-time All-Star selection during his seven-year stint with the Gin Kings.

The 31-year-old hardcourt giant who hooked up with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP before turning pro took a timeout after his contract with Ginebra expired early this year.

Slaughter announced recently his tie-up with BeoBasket, an international basketball agency which has represented international players in NBA and EuroLeague including Nikola Jokic, Cedi Osman and Marko Guduric.

Ampalayo, the “Magic Man” best remembered for his pivot moves underneath the basket and prolific 3-point sniping, won three titles (1986, 1988 and 1991) in eight seasons with Ginebra San Miguel/Añejo Rhum 65 from 1986 to 1993. He spent his last three playing years with the Alaska Milkmen from 1993 to 1995.

The Argao-native Tuadles, the first Cebuano to earn the ROY accolade, is a talented and versatile hardcourt warrior known for his tough shots, pin-point perimeter shooting, and slick post-up moves. He spent 13 seasons in the PBA with Toyota, Great Taste, Ginebra, Alaska, Shell and Presto from 1979 to 1992. Four years after his retirement, Tuadles died at 40 years old in a tragic shooting incident in 1996.

Generalao, on the other hand, may have won his ROY award with Gilbey’s Gin but flourished with Tanduay teams in mid ‘80s where he showcased his skills alongside Abet Guidaben, Padim Israel, and Freddie Hubalde among others.

Generalao, who was born and grew up in Barangay Duljo-Fatima in Cebu City, is known as the “General”  not because of his family name but because of his playmaking brilliance that made him one of the best pointguards to have ever played in the PBA.

Generalao won a pair of crowns with Tanduay and Presto. He also had a chance to see action together with Mon Fernandez, Glenn Capacio, Jojo Lastimosa, Jerry Codinera and Alvin Patrimonio in Purefoods. He called it a day at the age of 37 in 1993 after a swansong season with Pepsi Hotshots where he had fellow Cebuano guards Mark Tallo and Rey Yncierto as teammates.