MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra star guard Jay-Jay Helterbrand isn’t sure of extending his PBA career beyond this conference but while retirement may be imminent, he’s not closing the door on other options, including playing until the end of the season.
Helterbrand, 35, is averaging 7.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 21.6 minutes in five games so far in the Philippine Cup. Over the last three years, his scoring clip has dwindled from 17.6 to 8.5 to 5.4. The 2008-09 MVP hit at a career-high 18.1 points a game in 2007-08 and notched a single-game high of 35 in 2008-09.
Last Wednesday, Helterbrand relived his glory days when he singlehandedly powered Ginebra to a 94-90 overtime win despite sitting out the first and third quarters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. He finished with nine points, two rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes. His clutch triple in the dying seconds of regulation sent the contest into extension and he delivered three crucial assists in overtime to ice it. The performance proved that Helterbrand is far from over the hill but the firebrand known as Mr. Fast recently said “it’s time to open a new chapter in my life.”
It was Helterbrand who asked for a one-conference renewal after his contract expired this year. When he celebrated his birthday last Oct. 14, it was more like a retirement party. “I can tell it’s getting close,” he said. “I know I’m not as quick as I used to be. My main concern is family. My family has sacrificed for me so much in my 11 years as a professional player. Now, it’s time for me to sacrifice for my family. I’ve been blessed to play the game I love.”
Helterbrand said his plan is to go back to the US after his retirement from the PBA. “I’ll be going back and forth (to the Philippines),” he continued. “But it’s nothing definite. It’s a long ways away.” His confirmation that nothing is yet set in stone has sparked speculation that he may decide to continue playing beyond this conference, particularly as his contributions to the team are still vital to victory. The recent win over Shopinas is proof that Helterbrand remains a valuable cog in Coach Siot Tanquingcen’s rotation – he was named Best Player of that game.
Reflecting on his career, Helterbrand said his partnership with Mark (The Spark) Caguioa – also known as Mr. Furious – is special. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said during a recent cameo appearance before student writers from all over the country at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex auditorium on the UST campus. “Mark is one of my best friends. We’ve been together on the court through good and bad times. We’ve played on championship teams. I’m just happy we were part of each other’s careers.”
Helterbrand said basketball was his passion since he was a boy. “I got into trouble once in elementary school because during a volleyball game, I dribbled the ball when I got it instead of tossing it,” he related. “My first goal was to play in the NBA. When that didn’t happen, I was blessed just the same to become a professional player in the PBA. It was like a dream come true for me. Basketball has opened a lot of things for me. One of my proudest moments was when my mom came to watch me play in the PBA. My mom was crying in the stands, watching me play on the court, because she knew it was the fulfillment of my dream.”
Making it to the PBA wasn’t easy, said Helterbrand. “It took a lot of prayers, hard work and dedication to the job,” he said. “You just don’t become a good player or a championship player. You’ve got to work hard at it. You’ve got to go out there and want to be the best in your position. For instance, Jimmy (Alapag) is probably the best point guard in the PBA. It bothered me thinking that. I don’t hate him but it’s more of a motivation for me that when I play him, I always try to prove I’m better even if it’s hard to do. You’ve got to have that desire to be better than the best guy out there.”
Helterbrand said learning how to bounce back from a loss is critical in enjoying a long career in basketball or any sport. “With success comes failure,” he explained. “You won’t win every game. It’s the way you bounce back that’s important. Sometimes, you have a bad night, it happens. Your shots just won’t go in and it’s contagious, even if you’re wide open and you normally make those shots. You work on your mistakes, you learn from your loss. Apply the lessons in practice and make sure in the next game, you play better. It takes courage to admit you blew it.”
Helterbrand said when his playing days are over, he won’t likely become a coach. “I can see myself being more of a trainer, like a skills coach,” he continued. “As a coach, you’ve got to know how to listen but I’d rather play than listen. I know Mark and I drive our coach crazy. Look at Coach Siot, he’s going bald. It’s hard to coach when you’ve got guys like Mark and me. Sometimes, things happen in a game and you just take over. It drives coaches crazy. But that’s Ginebra’s style. That’s why Coach lets us play our game.”