JOHN AMORES GETS ANOTHER PBA SHOT
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Lo and behold, controversial combo guard John Amores has made it back to the PBA as part of the Titan Ultra Giant Risers.
Amores signed a one-conference deal with the Titan Ultra Giant Risers after being cleared by the Games and Amusements Board upon fulfilling all of its requirements. These included community service, charity work, and psychological and psychiatric consultations, all aimed at helping him learn to control his temper and become a better person both on and off the court.
What's even more remarkable is that he virtually takes over the roster spot vacated by Mark Sangco, who has since returned to the MPBL to play for the Basilan Steel.
Ironically, when Amores, then with the JRU Heavy Bombers, charged toward the Benilde Blazers' bench during the infamous NCAA brawl, Sangco was the first player who tried to stop him with his fist. Even before the bench-clearing incident, the two were already going at each other. Amores then confronted Sangco, threw errant punches at Taine Davis, Jimboy Pasturan, and Migs Oczon, before eventually being dragged to the FilOil Arena locker room. The incident became so controversial that the NCAA banned Amores, while JRU ultimately disowned him.
Despite everything, he still made it to the PBA and put together a decent one-and-a-half seasons with NorthPort. When Amores said he had changed, it seemed like he did. However, that narrative took another hit after his involvement in a ligang labas game that nearly ended in tragedy because of a shooting incident, prompting the Games and Amusements Board to suspend his license.
Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, but the episode dealt another major blow to his reputation.
I want to believe that he has changed because the PBA likely wouldn't have allowed Titan Ultra to bring him back if there weren't signs of improvement. Still, I'd rather reserve my praise until after his playing career is over. I don't want to judge his character, but he still has a lot to make up for because of the controversies that have followed him.
One thing that has me interested is when the Titan Ultra Giant Risers face the Phoenix Fuel Masters because of the history between the players involved. While Tony Ynot was still with the San Beda Red Lions when the NCAA incident happened, JC Cullar was the one who tried to shield Pasturan from another Amores punch. Will Gozum was also on the floor for Benilde, although he played more of a peacemaker during the altercation.
JL Delos Santos, meanwhile, stood by Amores during the brawl and was even seen shouting at the heckler who had provoked him. The difference now is that Delos Santos followed Charles Tiu from Converge to Phoenix after Tiu became the team's head coach.
And yes, Charles Tiu, the former Benilde coach, is now calling the shots for Phoenix. While I doubt he lost sleep over the incident, he did have that unforgettable look of disbelief when Amores suddenly went berserk on the court.
The Benilde Blazers have since forgiven Amores for the incident, but it's still one heck of a story. For some reason, everything seems connected.
There was also an NCAA Season 98 incident in which Amores and former Letran Knight Kobe Monje had an on-court confrontation after Letran's victory over the Heavy Bombers. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, but it's ironic that Monje was released by Titan Ultra earlier this season, while the player trying to calm Amores down back then was Letran's Fran Yu, who now serves as the Giant Risers' starting point guard.
Amores was selected 51st overall in the 2023 PBA Draft, while Pasturan went undrafted. Davis also turned pro and had a stint with the MPBL's Muntinlupa Cagers, a team that Amores also played for.
Oczon, meanwhile, spent a year and a half in the KBL with the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus before suffering an injury late in the season, after which his contract was not renewed. Ulsan then signed former NU Bulldog Jake Figueroa for the remainder of the campaign before recently adding former UP Fighting Maroon Gerry Abadiano on a two-year deal. Given his credentials, Oczon could be a potential late first-round or early second-round pick if he decides to enter the 2027 PBA Draft.
At the end of the day, Amores is expected to get playing time with Titan Ultra, and that's both good and bad for the hardcourt bad boy. The biggest question is whether he can finally keep his emotions in check. After the shooting incident, I honestly thought his basketball career was over, so this is truly a make-or-break opportunity for him.
John Amores will always be remembered for his on-court and off-court controversies, but perhaps he can also be remembered as a talented player who made the most of every second chance he received. Ultimately, only Amores can determine how this chapter ends, and hopefully, this time, things turn out differently.
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