By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Ilonggo guard Jaypee Belencion made his PBA return after being signed up to Limitless Appmasters in the 3×3 competition slated this weekend at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The Iloilo City-native three-point gunner will join forces with Marvin Hayes, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Reymar Caduyac in the two-day competition.
Belencion, a former standout of Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix, was brought in to the Appmasters to replace injured Jorey Napoles and Mike Gamboa.
The 35-year-old Belencion was no stranger to 3×3 action and is currently ranked No. 10 in the country. He recently played for Pasig Kingpins in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Invitationals.
Belencion, who played for Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights in the NCAA, was also a top 10 player in 3×3 basketball in the last Olympic cycle.
He had stints in the PBA with the NorthPort Batang Pier and Meralco Bolts. He also played for Tanduay in the PBA D-League and Pasay Voyagers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
The Appmasters will face Purefoods TJ Titans (2:00 p.m.), TNT (3:40 p.m.), Platinum Karaoke (5:20 p.m.), and Zamboanga Valientes (7:00 p.m.) on opening day.
Belencion is the fourth Western Visayas-based cager in the 3×3 event aside from Bacolodnons Nico Paolo Javelona of TJ Titans, Jeffrey Manday of San Miguel Beermen and LA Revilla of Batang Pier./ASC, WDJ