For 'MJ-esque' effort, Rain or Shine's Clarito gains PBA Player of Week nod

MANILA, Philippines – His Rain or Shine teammates lovingly call him “Michael Jhonard”, and last season’s Most Improved player Jhonard Clarito does his very best to dish out MJ-esque effort, if not numbers, each game. 

And such was in full display last week when the 6-foot-2 Clarito played a key role in the Elasto Painters’ 2-1 head start against Magnolia in the best-of-five PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series. 

The hard-working guard banged in 20 points with five rebounds to back up the 24-20 of import Aaron Fuller as ROS drew first blood versus the Hotshots, 109-105. 

Clarito again stepped up in pivotal Game 3 when the Elasto Painters needed a quick bounce back from the previous match’s 69-121 blowout to regain control. Despite sustaining a bloodied nose in the highly physical Game 3 tiebreaker, Clarito produced 18 markers and eight boards and submitted the highest efficiency of +11 in helping ROS escape with a 111-106 overtime win and get on the hill in the race-to-three. 

For such performance, Clarito (14.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game) earned the nod as the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for the period September 25-29. 

"Siyempre gusto namin patunayan na kaya naming makakarating sa goal namin. Laging sinasabi ni coach Yeng (Guiao), kailangang makarating kami sa pinakamataas," said Clarito, who was the first recipient of the POW citation in the quarterfinal phase as he upstaged big guns such as San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and TNT’s RR Pogoy. 

Guiao, for his part, was all praises for the 28-year-old, who took Best Player of the Game honor in their go-ahead victory in Antipolo. 

“Si Jhonard played with his heart out and, ano ito, blood, sweat and tears, literal. So, kanina, dinugo ilong pero laro pa rin," said Guiao, as he lauded his do-it-all ward. "Pwede mong gamiting panlaban sa import, pang-depensa, pwedeng pang-opensa. Magaling din magluto ito, kung gusto niyong magluto ito. Kahit saan puwede 'to si Jhonard,” he said, smiling on the last part.