Martinez, Helterbrand power Imus to victory in Lakan Cup opener

James Martinez driving for the layup for Imus against the Caloocan defense.

The souped-up Imus Bandera-Khaleb Shawarma/GLC kicked off their campaign with a 78-75 overtime victory over Caloocan Supermos-Victory Liner last June 13.

James Martinez torched the hosts with seven triples on his way to a team-high 26 points, but he credits the presence of Jayjay Helterbrand as one of the main factors the Bandera pulled out the win.

The former Red Warrior shares, "At least dumagdag si Jayjay Heltebrand. Nabibigay niya sa amin yung winning attitude. Talagang never-say-die siya. Nadadamay niya kami. Pinu-push niya ako."

He adds, "Siguro breaks of the game na lang and kung sinong gustong manalo kasi nag-overtime, pagod na 'rin lahat eh. Nagpapakundisyon pa lang din. Kinukuha pa namin yung chemistry namin. Kahit papa'no, at least nanalo. Ako naman, gusto ko lagi competitive team and lumalaban sa championship."

The former Ginebra stalwart marked his return to competitive basketball with an all around performance, stuffing the stat sheet with fourteen points, eight rebounds, eight assists, a couple of steals, and a block in about thirty minutes of action.

New Imus head coach Budds Reyes agreed with Martinez on Helterbrand, adds, "We have Jayjay. Somehow, maganda yung experience. He helps out a lot. Sana magtuloy-tuloy. Noong second half, nahirapan kami dahil nagkaroon ng injury rin si Mikee Reyes."

The former Ginebra guard deflected the praise sent his way, says, "It was fun and a good experience for me. We played as a team. All the guys stepped up. Sobrang saya na we got our first win. It was a total team effort. As for me, I have a long way to go. I am out of shape talaga. This league is fast-paced, up and down, kailangan magpa-kundisyon talaga."

Jayjay adds, "As long as we stay humble, focused, and hungry, I think we can do well. As long as we continue to play well and not forget why we won. There are still things we have to improve on. Hopefully we can improve on those things in practice and play better the next game."

Imus looks to make it back-to-back wins when they face Bacoor on June 20 at the Bulacan Capitol Gym.

Former Ginebra teammates sound off on Helterbrand comeback

Impactful debut for Jayjay Helterbrand

With Jayjay Helterbrand ending his retirement from competitive basketball, his former teammates in Ginebra have given their support for the basketball icon.

Helterbrand led Imus Bandera-Khaleb Shawarma/GMC to a 78-75 victory over the Caloocan Supremos-Victory Liner back on July 13, contributing a near triple-double with fourteen points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. He also added a couple of steals and a block in just under thirty minutes of action.

Here are some quotes from his former Ginebra buddies:

LA Tenorio: "I wish him luck. I still see Jayjay playing. He can still play. He is fit to play. I think ginawa niya yun for the fans. Fans are really looking forward to see him play. I wish him well sa career niya sa MPBL and sana injury-free. Yun naman ang gusto natin. Makapaglaro siya nang maayos and makapagpasaya siya ng tao. Sana marami pa siyang ma-inspire na player sa ginawa niya."

Justin Brownlee: "I like to see him coming back to play. A talent like him, I still think he has a lot left in the tank. I miss him a lot but I am proud of and happy for him. He loves the game of basketball and this is another opportunity for him to play. He has been missing it so I am happy for him."

Joe Devance: "I am very excited. I am very proud of Jayjay. I thought it was going to be the end of his basketball career but to see him resurrect himself, he really loves the game that's why it's hard for him to be away. I'm sure he is going to do well in that league. The league is doing well, and making a lot of noise right now. I am happy for him."

All three agree that Jayjay will play an essential role for the Bandera with his basketball IQ, experience, and that trademark never-say-die attitude that made him a Ginebra legend.

Joe says, "He is going to be the same leader he has always been. He is going to bring that same game to that team and for sure it is going to be a lot of fun for them."

LA shares, "Jayjay is a fighter. Sila ni Mark (Caguioa) ang epitome ng never-say-die. I am sure, madadala niya yun sa Imus. And of course, fan-favorite yan eh."

Justin adds, "From what I've seen before he retired, he's still got some speed and he definitely can still score. But I think at this point of his career, his IQ is off the charts and unbelievable."

Imus inks Jayjay Helterbrand for MPBL Lakandula Cup

Imus Bandera, with new backer Khaleb Shawarma.

With the MPBL Lakandula Cup set to commence on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena, the Imus Bandera-Khaleb Shawarma/GLC made a final splash in free agency, as Jayjay Helterbrand on Monday agreed to join the team for the upcoming season.

According to Imus team manager Lou Abad, "We’re happy to have finally signed Jayjay Helterbrand into our roster. His overall experience, basketball IQ, and leadership would definitely provide a huge boost for our bid in the upcoming season."

He adds, "Kaya kayang pa niya maglaro. As you can see, he is still well-conditioned given that he has not stopped in playing regularly sa iba’t-ibang mga liga. He can still keep up with the young guys."

Helterbrand ends his almost two-year hiatus from competitive basketball in joining the MPBL. One of the 40 Greatest Players in PBA history, he spent his entire 17-year career with Barangay Ginebra before calling it a day, not long after they clinched the 2017 PBA Governors' Cup title, his sixth with the franchise. Jayjay also is a six-time PBA All-Star, winning the All-Star MVP twice. He also was a two-time Mythical 1st Team selection and won the Most Valuable Player nod in 2009. The PBA Press Corps also bestowed him as the Finals MVP in the 2007 All-Filipino Cup. 

Now 42, he joins what looks like a stacked roster at Imus, who squeaked their way into the postseason at the Datu Cup with an 11-14 record as the seventh seed in the South Division. The Bandera would then bow out against defending champions Batangas City in the first round, but not before taking the Athletics to a deciding Game 3. The core of the Bandera features the likes of MC Caceres, Chad Alonzo, James Martinez, Floyd Dedicatoria, Khasim Mirza, Mark Doligon, and a trio of former University of the Philippines standouts in Mikee Reyes, Gelo Vito, and Jarrell Lim. Budds Reyes will act as the head coach.

Aside from Helterbrand, Imus also managed to snap up actor Gerald Anderson, who was in the top 10 in the league in steals when he played for the Marikina Shoemasters last campaign.

Abad says, "We’re thrilled to have Jayjay Helterbrand and Gerald Anderson play side-by-side with each other. Their additions, along with the other players that we have, will surely bolster our squad." He adds, "It’s a big win not only for our team, but for the whole league as well as we try to help MPBL grow in terms of competition level and our fanbase."

Imus, which is backed by its local government leadership of Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi, Vice Mayor Ony Cantimbuhan, and Cavite's third district Representative Alex Advincula, opens their Lakan Cup campaign on June 13 against Caloocan at the Caloocan Sports Complex.