Jio Jalalon facts for kids
Jalalon with the Magnolia Hotshots in 2021
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| No. 28 – NorthPort Batang Pier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Point guard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 2, 1992 Cagayan de Oro, Philippines |
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| Nationality | Filipino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School (Cagayan de Oro) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 150 lb (68 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Arellano (2013–2016) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PBA Draft | 2016 / Special draft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Star Hotshots | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2016–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | PBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2024 | Star/Magnolia Hotshots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | NorthPort Batang Pier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jiovani Nacawili Jalalon, often called Jio, is a professional basketball player from the Philippines. He was born on August 2, 1992. Jio plays as a point guard for the NorthPort Batang Pier team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Dreams
Jio Jalalon was born on August 2, 1992, in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. He is the third of six children in his family. His parents are Vicente Jalalon and Jocelyn Nacawili.
Jio's father loved basketball but never got the chance to play professionally. This inspired Jio to chase his own basketball dreams. Jio also has a younger brother, Jericho, who plays basketball too.
Jalalon went to Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School in Cagayan de Oro. Later, he moved to Manila to try and join a college basketball team.
College Basketball Journey
Jio first played college basketball for Informatics College. This was in the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU). He then moved to Arellano University to play for the Arellano Chiefs team. This team is part of the NCAA.
Rookie Season and Growth
In his first year with the Chiefs, Jio was a backup player. He supported the main point guard, John Pinto. Even coming off the bench, Jio was one of the team's top scorers.
By his second year, Jio became a star player. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. Because of his great play, he won the Most Improved Player Award. He also earned a spot on the NCAA Season 90 Mythical Five team.
The Arellano Chiefs made it to the NCAA Finals for the first time ever that year. However, they lost to the San Beda Red Lions, who had won five championships in a row.
Continued Success and Recognition
Jalalon played even better in his third year. He made the Mythical Team again. But the Chiefs did not make it to the Final Four. They lost a playoff game despite Jio scoring 37 points. He also had 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals in that game.
In the next season, Arellano reached the NCAA Finals once more. But they lost to San Beda again. Jio played very well all season. He earned his third spot on the Mythical Team. He was the only local player and non-center on that special list.
Many people thought Jio should have won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. However, the MVP award went to Allwell Oraeme, an international player. This led the NCAA to think about changing how they choose individual awards in the future.
Even before finishing college, Jio was known as the best point guard in Philippine college basketball. His playing style was often compared to Jayson Castro, a famous PBA player.
Playing in the PBA D-League
Jio also played in the PBA Developmental League (PBA D-League). This league is for players who are still developing their skills. He played for KeraMix in 2015. In 2016, he joined the Caida Tile Masters.
Professional Basketball Career
On October 30, 2016, Jio Jalalon was chosen by the Star Hotshots in the PBA draft. This was a big step in his career.
He had a great first game in the PBA. He scored 11 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and had 1 assist and 1 steal. He played for almost 22 minutes. In his next game, he scored 13 points, had 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. In his third game, he scored 17 points, had 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. These were all impressive starts to his professional career.
Jio Jalalon has continued to play well in the PBA. He has been a PBA All-Star five times. He also won a PBA championship in 2018 with the Magnolia Hotshots. In 2022, he was named the PBA Defensive Player of the Year. He has also been on the PBA All-Defensive Team three times.
