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Josh Urbiztondo

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Joshua Urbiztondo
File:Ginebra 3.jpg
The Fireball pushing it hard for the win
No. 3 – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
PositionPoint Guard
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1983-02-27) February 27, 1983 (age 41)
San Francisco, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolHillsdale (San Mateo, California)
CollegeFoothill College (2002–2004)
Fresno Pacific (2004–2006)
PBA draft2009: Undrafted
Selected by the Sta. Lucia Realtors
Playing career2009–present
Career highlights and awards

Joshua Urbiztondo better known as The Fireball (born February 27, 1983 in San Francisco, California, USA) is a Filipino–American professional basketball player currently playing for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association.[1] He plays the Point Guard position.[2]

In 2009, Urbiztondo entered the draft for the PBA and was left undrafted. He was later signed by the Sta. Lucia Realtors.In 2010, the Realtors were replaced by the Meralco Bolts. In August 2010, the newly founded team gave away Urbiztondo and its number 3 pick in the 2010 PBA Draft to the Air21 Express.[3] In 2011 Urbiztondo was later signed by the B-Meg Llamados.In 2012 B-Meg was replaced by the San Mig Coffee Mixers who sent starting point guard Josh Urbiztondo to Barako Bull Energy Cola in exchange for a first round pick next year. In 2013, prior to the Commissioner’s Cup Playoffs, Urbiztondo was dealt to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Career highlights

Early life

Urbiztondo was born to David and Gail Urbiztondo in San Francisco. Along with elder brother, Jason, the family moved down to San Mateo. Both boys attended Immaculate Heart of Mary School in (Belmont, California). The IHM basketball team won multiple PPSL League Titles under Coach David, Josh's father. Their win-loss record for grammar school was 100-3.

High school

In 1997 Urbiztondo enrolled at Junípero Serra High School (San Mateo, California) and was awarded the prestigious Serra Freshman Basketball Award.In his sophomore year he transferred to Hillsdale High School and played JV basketball under Coach Randy Metheany. In his junior year he played varsity under Coach Bill Wilkin. Urbiztondo was ranked among the top ten prep players in San Mateo County. He averaged almost 17ppg in his junior year. His senior year he was the league-leading scorer averaging 19.5 ppg. In 2001 he was selected to the All-League Team. Urbiztondo was awarded the MVP Award each year and was voted Best of the Best in the San Mateo County Times.He was also interviewed on a local television show with all the Bay Area Prep sports writers as being one of the best and brightest prep stars in the Peninsula County.The late Merv Harris longtime prep sports writer and editor at the San Francisco Examiner contributed articles on Josh in high school and college.

College

Urbiztondo was scouted by newly hired coach Tony Raffetto, who reluctantly told him after tryouts that he had best red-shirt for the 2001–2002 season because Skyline was already stocked with skilled, experienced guards. He decided to try commuting to Foothill, the Los Altos Hills community college that was reviving basketball after firing a coach and suspending its program because of recruiting irregularities. Urbiztondo became the leading scorer at Foothill College each of his first two seasons, earning All-conference honors both years. He helped lead the Owls under coach Shanan Rosenberg to the state playoffs, netting 15.1 points per game, 3.9 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. Urbiztondo was then offered a full-ride scholarship from coach Mark Yoder to Fresno Pacific University, a Division I school in the Golden State Athletic Conference. He was ranked nationally, averaging 11.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, and 3.3 apg, and shot .822% in free throws. He was awarded the 'Sunbird Award' for Men's Basketball 2005–2006.

Semi-pro career

In 2006, the Joey Concepcion-owned Kettle Korn team in the Philippine Basketball League acquired the services of Urbiztondo. In his debut in the 2006 PBL Silver Cup, he averaged 3.83 apg and was ranked fifth in the league. In the PBL Showcase he finished second in the 3 point Shootout hitting 18 triples. He played the next season with the Burger King Whoopers team under Lawrence Chongson who was soon replaced by Allan Gregorio, and in the 2007 PBL Unity Cup he was named the top "Defensive Stopper" (Defensive Player) of the league and played on the All-PBL Defensive Team. Urbiztondo was also selected to play on the RP Harbour Centre Batang Pier Men's National Basketball Team, which represented the Philippines in the South East Asian Games(SEAG).The prestigious annual basketball tournament (Brunei Cup 2007) was held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei where former PBA team Sta. Lucia also participated. Urbiztondo was also included in a group of seven basketball playing patriots who ventured into Mindanao to introduce a different kind of diplomacy to the war torn sector. The team conducted a cage clinic for the kids and then played an exhibition game at the gym. He returned to the U.S. in the summer of 2008 and was invited to play in the San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League held at Kezar Stadium. Some of the pros included Monta Ellis, Matt Barnes, Adonal Foyle and Jovan Harris.Josh scored 22 points vs Matt Barnes 23 points in the playoffs but his team lost 109-102. Simultaneously he also played in the Dream League National Tournaments in San Francisco, New York and Las Vegas. He helped his team win a couple of championships and was awarded MVP in N.Y and Las Vegas. In the New York Gotham City game he scored a best individual performance for 42 points. He returned to the Philippines in 2009 where he was recruited by Manny Pangilinan to play in the newly formed Liga Pilipinas League.He found himself with Coach Allan Gregorio's Smart Pampanga Buddies where he helped his team win the Manila Leg Championship. Then he moved back to the PBL and played for the Pascual Laboratories,Inc owned - Pharex Generix Team under Coach Gian Carlo Tan and alongside Fil-Am teamate Chris Ross where they made it all the way to the Finals.Chris would eventually become his Best Man at his wedding.

Pro career

In 2009, Urbiztondo entered the draft for the PBA and was left undrafted. And just when he thought it would never happen, he got a call from Buddy Encarnado. The Sta. Lucia boss saw how tough his brand of play was at the Brunei tournament. Urbiztondo was invited into the Realtors' camp where he worked even harder to make the roster. He was later signed by the Sta. Lucia Realtors. Coach Boyet Fernandez eventually gave the undrafted rookie a lot more responsibility when he moved Ryan Reyes to the 2-guard spot, letting Urbiztondo to run the show. There he once exploded for 24 points and registered averages of 8.2 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.9 rpg and 2.0 spg. He led all freshman rookies in assists, steals and free throw percentage and was second in scoring. He was once a recipient of the Accel-KFC Player of the Week honors and made the #1 Play of the Week in assisting Kelly Williams for a dunk. Urbiztondo was also in the race for Rookie of the Year award.In 2010, the Realtors were replaced by the Meralco Bolts. In August 2010, the newly founded team gave away Urbiztondo and its number 3 pick in the 2010 PBA Draft to the Air21 Express. After moving over to the Express at the start of the 36th season, they opened the Commissioner's Cup against SMB. That was two days before his 28th birthday, and Urbiztondo went beserk! Playing under new coach Bong Ramos. he was out to make a big impression. In 27 minutes of action, Josh went 7/8 from the 3-point line to put up a career-high 31 points that came with three rebounds, a block and six dimes to beat the mighty San Miguel Beerman, 92-87.It was during another Wednesday night game at the Big Dome where Josh took the spotlight and was given the moniker " The Fireball". It was a sudden match between the celebrated Alaska Aces and the Cinderellaesque Air 21 Express. The Express found themselves down by 18 early and 13 by the halftime break. Urbiztondo checked back into the game late in the third frame and punctuated a huge 46-point Express outburst by coming up with a hale of threes to score 12 points in 90 seconds. That outburst turned the scoreboard around to see Air 21 up by 13 entering the 4th and proved to break the backs of the Aces as they got the boot. Josh ended up with 17 points in only 18 minutes on the floor. He was also included on the list of awardees in the PBA Press Corps awards night for the 2009-10 PBA All-Rookie Team.[4] With just two days left before the end of the elimination round of the 2011 PBA Governors’ Cup, B-MEG made a key acquisition to bolster its semifinals campaign.The B-Meg Llamados tabbed spitfire guard Josh Urbiztondo. It was here that the youthful B-Meg import Denzel Bowles and guard Josh Urbiztondo channeled some ‘Lobs Angeles’ Chris Paul-to-Blake Griffin connection in the Llamados’ debut victory in the PBA Commissioners’ Cup. “I like to catch lobs, and Josh likes to throw them, and we work on that during practice a lot,” Bowles, the American reinforcement from James Madison University, told Inquirer.net. Point guard Josh Urbiztondo made an incredible shot in the last minute of Game 7 of the 2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals versus the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to help send the game into overtime. The B-Meg Llamados went on to win their first championship under mentor Tim Cone, toppling the previous holders of the PBA Commissioner's Cup, the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, 90-84.The B-Meg Llamados followed with a BACK TO BACK finals appearance in the 2012 PBA Governors Cup title but the Elasto Painters nipped the B-Meg Llamados, 83-76, in Game 7 for its first title in history.The game also set an All-Time Recorded Philippines' Biggest Indoor Sports Crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 5, 2012. The crowd attendance was 21,853. Urbiztondo was also named as the starting guard (39,963)votes for the RSJ team for the 2012 All Star Game. Prior to the start of the 2012-2013 Philippine Cup there was a trade which Tim Cone said broke his heart, San Mig Coffee sent its scrappy starting point guard Josh Urbiztondo to Barako Bull for a first-round pick in next season’s PBA rookie draft. Cone said it still pained him to let go of Urbiztondo, an undrafted Fil-American point guard who defied all expectations by finishing second to Rico Maierhofer in the 2010 Rookie of the Year race and blossomed during Cone’s first season with the Mixers. Josh Urbiztondo powered his Barako Bull squad to the top of the standings and he got the recognition that he deserves for his stellar play. The Fireball was awarded the first Player of the Week honors of the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup as he averaged 20.5 points, seven boards, four dimes, one and a half steals, with 5.5 treys, however, before the start of the playoffs Josh Urbiztondo was informed by Barako Bull management about his trade to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.The deadshot guard immediately expressed his excitement about joining his new team for the playoffs. “I’m honored and excited. We all know Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is the most popular team in the PBA,” Urbiztondo told InterAKTV in a telephone interview. The Filipino-American guard, who helped the B-MEG Llamados to the Commissioner’s Cup last season, is expected to boost the Ginebra backcourt, which is still missing injured superstar Mark Caguioa. Josh was also selected to the 2013 PBA Digos, Davao del Sur All-Star Lineup with PBA Greats: Dondon Hontiveros, Mark Cardona, Mike Cortez, Peter June Simon, Joe Devance, Noli Locsin, John Edel Cardel, Rodney Santos, Vince Hizon, Jerry Codinera and Bong Hawkins.

Personal life

Urbiztondo married his wife Alexis Nicole Urbiztondo (née Lagonoy) at the Casablanca Private Mansion in Tagaytay City, Philippines on February 5, 2012. Coach Tim Cone and his wife were Principal Sponsors.Chris Ross was his Best Man along with fellow Brotherhood ( Groomsmen)- Shawn Weinstein, Solomon Mercado, Gabe Norwood and Joe Devance. Josh and Alexis gave birth to a daughter, Celeste Kaileia at Medical City Hospital. She weighed 7.3 lbs.She was baptized at Christ The King Church in Quezon City, Philippines.

References

  1. ^ "PBA: Rain or Shine, Coca-Cola set for duel". abs-cbnNEWS.com. January 24, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  2. ^ "Joshua Urbiztondo Profile". Philippine Basketball Association. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  3. ^ "Meralco Bolts wants Taulava". August 24, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  4. ^ http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/236655/maierhofer-leads-rookie-year-race

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