.
Josh Urbiztondo: All BIZness
by: Patricia Bermudez-Hizon (June
13, 2009)
 He
was all BIZness in the Finals. Scoring 19 points including
crucial baskets down the stretch in a win or go home
battle that helped the Pharex Bidang Generix force the
series into a rubber match is one astonishing feat.
Despite the outcome of the PBL Unity Cup championship,
Josh Urbiztondo’s finals performance will augur
well in his bid to enter the pros.
This 25 year old, half Filipino, quarter
Greek, quarter Irish baller hails from Daly City but
traces his paternal roots to Bulacan. He’s as
sociable as any Greek, and as intense as an Irishman.
But despite the worldly traits him and
his older brother Joshua have, they are more Filipino
and have even influenced their mom Gail and their American
relatives to embrace our culture and ways.
 Josh’s
father David, who migrated to the US when he was 16
years old, has been the one who shaped the cunning guard’s
passion for basketball. “My dad was my coach from
the 3rd grade to 8th grade. He started out as my coach
then eventually became the school’s athletic director”.
Josh also recalled how in all those years he played
for the Immaculate Heart of Mary under his dad, they
only lost 3 games, and he received numerous awards.
His father also brought Josh to Jason Kidd’s high
school games, so naturally he’s become his NBA
idol.
Even after Josh went on to play for Hillsdale
High School and won two league championships there and
led the county in scoring, then played for 2 years at
the Foothill College where he was again an all conference
selection, his father never missed a game, filmed and
critiqued all of them.
Guranteed in the Urbiztondo video library,
his playing days in the Fresno Pacific Univesity where
he started in all but two games in his junior and senior
years are still well preserved. That’s where the
battles between FPU and Biola were hardfought and epic.
In the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association,
he even got to play against the younger Sol Mercado
but neither of them acknowledged or knew they were Filipino.
(note: they’re friends now and hang out)
 Josh
would come to the Philippines to vacation with his family,
but the first time he really considered coming to Manila
to play ball was in 2004 while in junior college. His
coach there was the one who suggested it, and connected
him to an old college teammate who played here - Jeff
Flowers.
But a full scholarship in FPU was offered
to him which he could not resist. He eventually was
given a scholar-athlete award for making an impact in
school sports and for maintaining a 3.0 grade point
average. After he acquired his business management degree,
he contacted Jeff Flowers again found himself playing
in the 2007 PBL season for Burger King where he was
recognized as the best defensive player of the conference.
His stint was put off for a while as he
returned to California to attend to some personal matters.
While back there, he played in Pro-Am leagues and numerous
Filipino leagues. He came back here in between conferences
of this season’s PBL and played for another league
until his services were needed by the Pharex Bidang
Generix. Coach Carlo Tan soon learned how his newly
acquired guard has the makings of a good leader, a reliable
ball handler, and a sharp shooter and a great defender.
|
Custom Search