There’s a lot of joy to go around following the Strong Group Athletics’ (SGA) clean sweep of the 2024 William Jones Cup, but for the moment, RJ Abarrientos deserves his flowers.

SGA and ROC-A needed an extra period to decide the champion thanks to a last-ditch 9-0 SGA run that erased a 71-64 lead with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter followed by a late score from Taiwan to tie things up. SGA clearly had their backs against the wall as ROC-A had found their 3-point shooting and had the backing of the crowd and at times it seemed, the officials.

Abarrientos was on the court for much of the fourth quarter, but it was during the extra period where the 24-year old really made his mark in the title-clinching game.

Barely 10 seconds into overtime, Abarrietos sprinted to the corner and knocked down a contested 3-pointer to give SGA a 76-73 lead. Those would be the last points he would score, but he more often than not made the pass before his teammates scored (including the goaltending call that went SGA’s way) or went to the free throw line. Along the way, he helped provide the defensive backcourt pressure that made Taiwan think twice about their decisions.

Overall, it was a strong (no pun intended) campaign for Abarrientos, who was coming off stints with the KBL’s Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus and the Japan B.League’s Shinshu Brave Warriors.

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Scoring was never a problem for Abarrientos, who scored a career-high 33 points against the NU Bulldogs in his lone UAAP season with the FEU Tamaraws. Early on, it was clear he could take over games and while his game wasn’t as polished as some of his peers, the star power was nonetheless evident.

That one UAAP season immediately translated into a professional career overseas for Abarrientos, something that really helped him mature into a playmaker of the truest sense. The numbers the third overall pick in the 2024 PBA Draft averaged in Korea and Japan don’t jump out of the screen, but that’s fine because he got a basketball education abroad. Abbarientos learned to run an offense while getting his points and he has found ways to balance his shiftiness and a deliberate pace that is more patient and efficient. At the same time, he learned the value of his mistakes and the impact of his positive contributions.

Of course, this hasn’t stopped him from remaining his flashy self.

All these developments certainly bode well for the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, who under head coach Tim Cone oscillate between running the triangle offense and some modern concepts that nonetheless have some hints of the triangle. Such will provide opportunities for Abarrientos to play within a system while exploiting matchups that could work in his or his teammates’ favor. Abarrientos’ playing style will definitely not be lost on the Gin Kings’ huge fan base, who love a show and come-from-behind wins.

Moreover, Abarrientos only had a few weeks to assimilate himself into SGA head coach Charles Tiu’s system, but the fact that he played decent minutes and was on the floor in the championship game’s crucial moments speaks to his coachability and Tiu’s trust in him. Adversity and tough times don’t faze the Marilao, Bulacan native, and it has only toughened him up for the rigors of the PBA. 

Abarrientos will get the keys to offense not so much because of his talent, but more so because of the circumstances in Ginebra. Scottie Thompson remains sidelined with a back injury, while LA Tenorio isn’t getting any younger. Abarrientos will get the reps and he’ll have the opportunity to learn, mistakes included.

When joining a storied franchise like the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, there is this feeling that learning to win, especially amid adversity, is a prerequisite. RJ Abarrientos did just that in his short yet successful stint with Strong Group Athletics in the 2024 William Jones Cup.

Now, Abarrientos shifts his attention to the PBA, where he can continue the legacy of the Abarrientos name, but also forge his own path, one that is both exciting and one that he has full control of.

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