Peter June Simon

Peter June Simon

No. 8 – San Mig Coffee Mixers
Position	Shooting guard / Point Guard
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	(1980-06-01) June 1, 1980 Makilala, Cotabato
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	University of Mindanao
PBA draft	2001 / Pick: 43rd overall
Selected by the Sta. Lucia Realtors
Pro playing career	2004–present
Career history
2004-2012	B-Meg Llamados
2012-present	San Mig Coffee Mixers
Career highlights and awards
1x PBA All-Star Game MVP (2008) 3x PBA All-Star (2008, 2009, 2011) 1x PBA Press Corps' Mr. Quality Minutes (2007-08) 1x PBL Platinum Cup MVP (2003-04) 1x PBL Press Corps Final MVP (2003) 1x PBL Second Mythical Team (2002-03) 1x MBA Discovery Player of the Year (2001)

Peter June Simon (born June 1, 1980 in Makilala, North Cotabato) is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association playing for the San Mig Coffee Mixers. In the 2008 PBA All-Star Game, he was voted as the Most Valuable Player.

Amateur career

College

To the uninitiated, PJ Simon was a relatively unknown. But to the hardcore basketball fans, and especially the Mindanao-based aficionados, PJ Simon was one of the biggest collegiate basketball heroes in Davao. He built his reputation as one the fiercest and most exciting basketball warriors down south by joining in various competitions and leaving his marks on them. He collected three Most Valuable Player trophies in the collegiate leagues in Davao City^[1] and reigned five times as the Sultan of Slams.^[2]

Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA)

Having created a status in various collegiate and commercial leagues in Mindanao, PJ Simon was easily handpicked to be a part of the Davao Eagles in the Metropolitan Basketball Association.^[3][4][5][6] Although his career with the Eagles did not start well, he caught fire as the 2001 MBA First Phase progressed. He was at the forefront of the Eagles onslaught in several games. He once sparked a fourth-quarter rally to upset the league-leading Negros Slashers.^[7][8][9] He engaged with Laguna Lakers' Biboy Simon in a fiery shootout and at the same time registering his career-high 25 points.^[10][11] Coming off the bench, he scored a new career-high 28 points as they outclassed Nueva Ecija Patriots during which he made five Blitz Three baskets in the game.^{[12][13][14][15]} In his best outing as an Eagle, PJ Simon fired yet another new career-high 41 points as he defied all guards thrown at him by the Patriots at their own turf.^[16][17]

At the end of the season, PJ Simon's hard work and heroics on the hardcourt paid off as he was named as the Discovery Player of the Year.^[18][19][20]

Also while playing in the MBA, he became a member of the Philippine national basketball team. In his first stint with the tricolors, PJ Simon scored 14 points to backup Reynel Hugnatan as the MBA All-Stars opened its 25th William Jones Cup campaign on a high note, tripping the much taller Russian club Lokomotive Novosibirsk, 78-68, at the Taipei Physical Education College Gym.^{[21][22][23][24]}

Philippine Basketball League (PBL)

Following the disbandment of the MBA in July 2002, PJ Simon was immediately enlisted by Dazz Dishwashing Liquid, the Lamoiyan Corporation's Philippine Basketball League franchise. In no time, he created a big mark in the star-studded 2002-03 PBL Challenge Cup. For his efforts, PJ Simon was selected into the Second Mythical Team during the Individual Players Achievement Awards.^[25] He also helped the team barge into the Finals. In his first PBL Finals appearance, PJ Simon led Dazz in a losing cause by scoring 18 points as they surrendered to the Welcoat Paintmasters in overtime in Game 1 at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.^[26][27][28]

Although Dazz failed to win the title, a change of the team's name had boded well for the Lamoiyan franchise's fortunes. Hapee Toothpaste opened its championship run in the 2003 Sunkist PBL Unity Cup by defeating Viva Mineral Water behind the blazing guns of PJ Simon and Ryan Dy.^[29][30] Then in the deciding Game 5 of Unity Cup finals, Hapee rode again on the heroics of PJ Simon to capture the crown.^{[31][32][33][34][35]} For that, he and teammate Rich Alvarez were later awarded by the PBL Press Corps as co-Final MVPs.^[36][37]

In the 2003 PBL-CBF Dual Meet Finals, PJ Simon and Allan Salangsang combined for 35 points off the bench as they powered Fash Liquid to beat Grachiya Energy Boosters, 86-76, at the Cebu Coliseum.^[38][39]

The following conference, PJ Simon edged out other illustrious cagers to bag the 2003-04 PBL Platinum Cup MVP with the print, radio, and TV media solidly rallying behind him.^{[40][41][42][43]} Joining PJ Simon in the Mythical Team were Jojo Tangkay, Fash teammate Rich Alvarez, and future Purefoods teammates James Yap and Ervin Sotto. He also led his team in another title, beating the Welcoat Paintmasters in a hotly contested five-game series.^{[44][45][46][47][48][49]}

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)

While still playing for Fash in the PBL, Purefoods offered him a two-year contract as a rookie free agent. He was actually drafted by the Sta. Lucia Realtors as the forty-third overall pick in the 2001 PBA Draft. He toiled for a while in the MBA and PBL where he further enhanced his skills.

But like his stints in the MBA and PBL, his PBA career did not start hot as he played behind fellow star rookie James Yap. In Purefoods' seventh game in the 2004-05 Philippines Cup, however, PJ got his game going as he led Purefoods in a come-from-behind win over Alaska, by scoring four of his team-high 18 points in the final eleven seconds of the game.^[50][51]

In his first three seasons in the PBA, PJ Simon only showed flashes of his brilliance far and wide. In the 2007 PBA Fiesta Cup, he was named Accel PBA Player of the Week for the period May 6 to 13.^[52][53][54] He came up with a team-high 22 points in a game against Coke on May 4^{[55][56][57][58]} then on May 13, he exploded for PBA career-high 31 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Purefoods in routing Ginebra, 117-105.^[59][60]

The 33rd season of the PBA proved to be the coming-out party for PJ Simon. While he was still in the giant shadow of his more famous teammates, he created his niche by being the super sub for his team. As Purefoods set a franchise-record of 7-0 to start a season, PJ was the biggest hero in two of those wins. He scored 15 of his game-high 27 points in the first quarter to lead Purefoods to its fifth straight win as they massacred Ginebra, 103-76, on November 4, 2007.^[61][62][63]

Then ten days later, he once more top scored Purefoods by making 22 points in their 100-81 rout on Air21, tying the franchise's best to start in the All-Filipino.^{[64][65][66][67][68]}

In the Finals, PJ Simon had four scintillating games. Purefoods lost however to Sta. Lucia in seven games. But nevertheless, PJ Simon averaged 13.3 points to firmly establish himself as Purefoods' primary offensive off the bench.

Owing to his impressive performance in the 2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup, he was selected in a reserve role to take part in the All-Star Game held in Bacolod City. And PJ did not disappoint those who thrust him into that position as he made the most out of the opportunity. Although he only played for 20 minutes, he scored 29 points on 11-of-14 field goals and 4-of-4 on the line to tow the South team in a thrilling victory in overtime over the North squad, 163-158. With that, he was cited as the Most Valuable Player, his first major PBA award.^{[69][70][71][72][73]}

In the 2009-10 Philippine Cup Finals, Purefoods swept Alaska, 4-0, to be crowned 2009-2010 PBA Philippine Cup champions.^[74]

The Llamados entered the 2010-11 PBA Philippine Cup as defending champions.^[75] In the first round of the tournament, Simon averaged 17.4 points per game, while the team ended the Classification Phase with a 7-7 record. On November 10, 2010, Simon scored a career-high 42 points against the Air21 Express. The Davao City native and two-time MVP James Yap led the team to the quarter-finals,^[76] in which the Llamados scored back-to-back wins against the Meralco Bolts.^[77] For the series, Simon averaged 29.0 points and his contributions helped the Llamados to overcome Meralco in two games. However, they couldn't keep up the momentum in the semi-finals after losing to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in six games.

Personal life

PJ Simon is the youngest in the brood of three of Pedro Simon, Jr., a teacher and the late Cristina. PJ is the only athlete in the family, although his father played some basketball but not in the commercial leagues. After his mother succumbed to cancer, his father remarried. From his father and stepmother Flor, Simon has a half-brother and a half-sister.^[78]

His older siblings are Maricris and Anthony, both have families of their own and are based in Mindanao.

PJ Simon is a member of Victory.

Along with close friend and Purefoods teammate James Yap, PJ Simon guested at ABS-CBN's Pinoy Big Brother on April 23, 2008.

References

External links

• PeterJuneSimon.com - Official Website
• Peter June Simon's PBA.ph profile
• Creative Work 4 Purefoods