Junthy goes to Ginebra

Junthy goes to Ginebra

By: Gerry Ramos

Junthy Valenzuela RED Bull lost another link to its illustrious past. Junthy Valenzuela, the blue-collar Red Bull guard who rose to become one of the team’s most dependable stalwarts, was finally let go by the Barakos yesterday following a trade with the Barangay Ginebra Kings, signaling the end of more than a decade of partnership with the Photokina franchise. In the works for more than two weeks, the deal didn’t push through until Monday morning when Red Bull and Ginebra officials pulled the trigger sending the 6-foot-2 guard-forward out of Sala-zar Institute of Technology in Cebu to the Kings, not for Sunday Salvacion as originally proposed, but for a and 2nd and 1st round picks in the 2009 and 2010 PBA Rookie Draft, respectively. By trading away the 28-year-old native of Bago City, the Barakos lost the final piece of the original six-man gang they elevated with them when the franchise made the jump from the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) to Asia’s first ever professional league in 2000. Apart from Valenzuela, the group included Kerby Raymundo, Davon Harp, Lordy Tugade, Jimwell Torion and Bernard Tanpua. Only big man Mick Pennisi, a direct Fil-Am hire by Red Bull that same year, remains out of the original 2000 Barako team that still has Yeng Guiao for coach. Guiao naturally feels sad about the parting of ways. “We will miss him a lot,” said Guiao of Valenzuela, whose hard-nosed, gung-ho approach to the game easily endeared him to his well-respected mentor. “But our team will find a way to fill up his shoes.” Valenzuela has not suited up for any team other than Red Bull ever since he was spotted by the ballclub together with Torion while playing in the 1997 PBL VisMin Cup in Cebu. While he never won a title with the franchise in the amateur ranks, Valenzuela was part of three Red Bull championships in the PBL. In the 2004-05 season, Valenzuela was named member of the league’s All-Defensive team, before being included in the Mythical First Team for the very first time the year after. His move to Ginebra assured the Kings of a stable defensive presence at the 1-2-3 spots, areas the team is at its best offensively behind the backcourt duo of Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa. He’s also expected to boost the morale of a team that is currently off to its worst start (0-3) since the 2002 Governors Cup. Valenzuela attended the Red Bull practice for the last time yesterday, and later on, proceeded to Ginebra’s afternoon scrimmage at the Greenmeadows gym. In the aftermath of the trade rumors that surrounded Valenzuela prior to the start of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup, Guiao opted to use his prized guard sparingly until such a time a clear case is arrived at on whether he’ll stay with the Barakos or not. In his final two games with his former team, Valenzuela averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1 steal in 13 minutes of action. His agent, Danny Espiritu, said they will try to renegotiate with Ginebra management on Valenzuela’s contract that wont’ expire until 2009. Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-04-15&sec=7&aid=56088