From a Finals MVP in the MPBL to a PBA Player: Mike Ayonayon will Surprise the PBA

Since Senator Manny Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League or MPBL back in 2017, it has been serving as a stepping stone for aspiring professional basketball players who wish to play in the PBA. And at the same time, it has been serving as a second chance for former PBA players who wish to continue their careers. The league started off with a pre-season tournament which involved 6 teams. Now, there are 31 teams from all over the country and each team is very much competitive. Or at the very least, all teams are capable of winning games. Of course, the league was also hit with some controversies including the game-fixing allegations. Fortunately, Senator Pacquiao, together with MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Durmendes, filed the necessary cases against those involved in the game-fixing even though Commissioner Durmendes himself has admitted to the fact that game-fixing isn't something that is easy to beat. But let's leave that behind, shall we? After all, it's in the past.

As mentioned above, the MPBL has served as a stepping stone for players who wish to be recognized by PBA teams and if we look at the number of MPBL players who were drafted during the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft last December, the league is doing well in terms of producing PBA-ready players. Below are the MPBL players who were drafted last December 8, 2019:

1. Kib Montalbo

2. Aaron Black

3. Mike Ayonayon

4. Chris Bitoon

5. Aris Dionisio

6. Richard Escoto

7. Leo Gabo

8. Arvin Tolentino

9. William McAloney

While Montalbo and Black are familiar to national TV owing to the fact that both played for two prestigious schools in the UAAP, the MPBL is more than just about players who played both in the UAAP, NCAA and other major basketball leagues in the country. For example, who's the third pick in the regular draft of the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft again? 

Mike Ayonayon who played for the San Juan Knights. Incidentally, Ayyonayon was the Finals MVP when the Knights won the MPBL championship in 2019. In other words, the NLEX Road Warriors knew that they can rely on Ayonayon as he was set to be signed to a 2-year deal by NLEX. Clearly, Mike Ayonayon caught the eyes of Yeng Guiao. 

In their Finals conquest against Davao Occidental, Ayonayon normed 16 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a contest.  They are not fancy numbers but if there's one thing that we've learned about Yeng Guiao, numbers don't matter to him. It's the effort that will make Ayonayon gain the nod of the fiery coach. 

Against Iloilo earlier this week, Mike Ayonayon played great defense and blocked a floater in the dying seconds of the game and that was one of the reasons why the Knights came out with a 70-67 win. For the night, Ayonayon finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Not fancy numbers, right? But it's more than enough for San Juan to win the game against a gritty Iloilo side that came back from a 12-point hole in the fourth quarter. 

If Ayonayon can play with the same intensity that he is showing in the ongoing MPBL season once he steps into the PBA, it won't be long until he starts making noise in the big leagues. After all, that is what Yeng Guiao is expecting from him, right? 

Photo is from sports.mb.com.ph