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PBA: MIP is 'family award' for Juami Tiongson

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="TerraFirma" s="" Juami="" Tiongson="" is="" the="" PBA="" Most="" Improved="" Player.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/06/06/juami-tiongson.jpg"/><figcaption>TerraFirma&#x27;s Juami Tiongson is the PBA Most Improved Player. PBA Images.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- If not for the encouragement of his mother, Juami Tiongson might have quit basketball and pursued other opportunities.Thus, it was no surprise that an emotional Tiongson dedicated his Most Improved Player (MIP) award to his mother on Sunday night, after receiving the trophy during the PBA&#x27;s Leo Awards at the Araneta Coliseum.&quot;I don&#x27;t see it as a personal award,&quot; the former Ateneo de Manila University guard said. &quot;I see it as a family award.&quot;&quot;There was a time na muntikan na ako mag-quit ng basketball, but then, it was my mom who pushed me to give it one more chance. This award goes to her. It wouldn&#x27;t be possible without her,&quot; he revealed.It was a well-deserved honor for Tiongson, who elevated his game in the 2021 PBA season and emerged as the top scoring option for the TerraFirma Dyip. With rookie star Joshua Munzon unavailable due to injury, it was Tiongson who helped keep the Dyip afloat. In the Philippine Cup, he grabbed everyone&#x27;s attention when he torched San Miguel Beer for 28 points in a 110-104 victory. He proved it was no fluke when a game later, he scored 31 points in a 95-90 upset of Barangay Ginebra. He continued to produce at a consistent level in the Governors&#x27; Cup, averaging 17.8 points on nearly 43% shooting along with 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/02/21/pba-tiongson-downplays-career-best-effort-against-smb">READ: TerraFirma&#x27;s Tiongson downplays career-best effort against SMB</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/07/21/pba-terrafirmas-tiongson-earns-player-of-the-week-nod">READ: TerraFirma&#x27;s Juami Tiongson earns Player of the Week nod</a></li></ul>But according to Tiongson, he very nearly stepped away from basketball after being bought out by the Blackwater franchise.&quot;There was a time na ni-buyout na ako sa contract ko sa Blackwater. Nag-D League ako for a conference. Sinasabi ko sa sarili ko na &#x27;yun na &#x27;yung last time ko maglalaro,&quot; he revealed. His mother encouraged him to &quot;give it one last try,&quot; and Tiongson followed her advice. It paid off as he was picked up by NLEX as a free agent, where he became a productive player for two seasons before being traded to NorthPort. A day later, he was shipped to TerraFirma where he feels he has found a home.Tiongson said his mother&#x27;s support -- at a time when he most needed it -- paved the way for the success he is now experiencing.&quot;Never niya ako ni-discourage, never niya sinabi sa &#x27;kin na mag-quit na. She always said, give it one last try, give it one last chance,&quot; he said. &quot;If &#x27;di na talaga makabalik, then I&#x27;ll support whatever you&#x27;ll do.&quot;&quot;For me, malaking bagay &#x27;yun kasi mas nagkakumpyansa ako, mas naniwala ako sa sarili ko. Kasi sa support ng mom ko at saka family,&quot; he added.With the MIP trophy in hand, Tiongson is now turning his focus on helping the Dyip achieve team success. Despite the leap he made in 2021, Tiongson was not able to lead TerraFirma to the playoffs. They just missed out in the All-Filipino Cup before slumping to a 2-9 record in the Governors&#x27; Cup.&quot;Now that nagka-recognition ako, now it&#x27;s the recognition for the whole team,&quot; said Tiongson. &quot;Our goal is at least to make the playoffs and see what happens from there.&quot;

If not for the encouragement of his mother, Juami Tiongson might have quit basketball and pursued other opportunities.

PBA: MIP is 'family award' for Juami Tiongson

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PBA: MIP is 'family award' for Juami Tiongson

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 06, 2022 03:34 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

PBA

PBA Leo Awards

TerraFirma Dyip

Juami Tiongson

Most Improved Player

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