The ongoing PBA On Tour has given several aspiring players a chance to gauge themselves against pro-level competition and, so far, several have answered the call.
On Friday night, it was Jolo Mendoza's turn to shine.
Mendoza, a former high school and college sharpshooter with Ateneo, exploded for a team-high 26 points for the depleted Converge FiberXers in their 104-90 win over Phoenix Super LPG, stepping up in the absence of several key players and showing everyone he just may have what it takes to play at this level.
"I got the opportunity," Mendoza said. "Our team was very depleted today.
"A lot of guys were injured. I just wanted to step up for my teammates and the team just to give up because I was given the opportunity to play."
It was only the fifth game for Mendoza out of the eight that Converge has played so far.
He missed the first two after problems with his professional license. Then after playing sparingly in the next few games, he got struck by coronavirus.
"Actually I only worked out twice since Covid so earlier I was really gasping for air," he revealed. "In the fourth quarter I had cramps."
FiberXers coach Aldin Ayo, who coached against Mendoza in the UAAP and saw for himself the guard's ability to knock it down from the outside, was pleased with how his player responded.
"(It was a) breakout game for him," said Ayo. "(It's a) good thing that he responded. We didn't have any players.
"Jolo is known for that, even in college. He's capable of converting those three-point shots. We looked for him, and he made those shots."
All in all, Mendoza buried seven triples, including four in the second quarter to keep Converge in the game.
"We were struggling the whole first half, and it was Jolo who carried us," Ayo admitted. "It's a good thing he hit those shots, otherwise Phoenix might have pulled away."
Mendoza said he just kept himself ready, as he added: "I wasn't really surprised. As a basketball player, we work on our game and I guess this is the work coming to fruition. But that doesn't mean I'm done.
"(There is) still a long way to go. I think this stint in the PBA On Tour showed that I still have a lot of work to do."
The game was also a 'worlds collide' moment for the youngster.
Now playing for a rival coach in college, his breakout performance came against a team whose coach was one of his earliest mentors in high school.
"Coach Jamike -- he's one of the reasons why I'm the player I am today," Mendoza said of Phoenix coach Jamike Jarin, who coached him at Ateneo for several years. "He gave me confidence. I put in a lot of work with him.
"I guess in a way this is just also me giving back, showing him, 'coach Jamike, this is because of you. I'm playing here because of you.'"
Mendoza was signed up by the FiberXers for the Tour, a year after his final UAAP season ended in disappointment both on individual and team levels.
He hardly got playing time in Season 84, and the Blue Eagles were dethroned at the buzzer by JD Cagulangans' historic triple.
While two of his fellow seniors -- Gian Mamuyac and Tyler Tio -- entered last year's PBA draft, Mendoza and another senior, Raffy Verano, decided to stay back another year after consulting Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin.
"I needed some confidence," Mendoza revealed. "After my stint with Ateneo, I just wanted one year to work on my game.
"I didn't want to enter the draft without any confidence in myself. Getting there, getting there.
"I was sure of my decision not to enter the draft. I consulted a lot of people, especially coach Tab. I learned a lot from him in my college days."
Mendoza also gets regular advice from his father, NLEX Road Warriors assistant coach Jig.
"He's always in my ear, like all basketball dads are," he shared. "Especially him because he's very valid.
He coaches in the PBA, so he knows a lot about the game. Even when I'm about to go to sleep, he'd knock on my door and say, 'Jolo, I saw something that you can still work on.'"
Mendoza confirmed that he will join the draft in October.
He's hopeful, but knows he still needs to put in the work.
"Let's see. I hope I get drafted and have a good career," he said. "But it's hard to say. It's not like one game is gonna set my career. (There is) still a long way."
If he had his way, he wants to stay with Ayo and the FiberXers as he mused: "Being able to play for coach Aldin after going against him in the UAAP for so long... he has a different philosophy.
"He trains differently. I'm very thankful I'm able to experience his way of training because I picked up so many things. He's a phenomenal coach."