Will Jeric & Jeron cross over to showbiz?

A better script couldn’t have been written. Although a lot of collegiate basketball fans were hoping for an Ateneo-La Salle finals — and for Ateneo to bag its sixth straight Men’s Basketball championship — it turned out differently, as everyone probably knows by now. But despite that, one good thing that came out of it is the newfound popularity of brothers Jeric and Jeron Teng.

This is not the first time that athletes have been considered “showbiz.”

Football-playing brothers Phil and James Younghusband were among the first of this current generation to cross over. Before them was Alvin Patrimonio and even before that, Freddie Webb. Jeric and Jeron, sons of former PBA player Alvin Teng, are actually no strangers to the showbiz scene. They’ve guested on television and taken part in several celebrity events, like the Princess and I Royal Fair basketball game where the screams for them were almost as loud as they were for the celebrity players.

So when they faced the press a few days before the start of the UAAP finals, one of the questions asked of them was whether they would be willing to consider going into show business.

It was their mother Susan who answered first. “Their priorities are studies and basketball. Siguro, yung showbiz hindi. Maybe endorsements or guesting-guesting lang, kasi talagang naka-focus sa basketball.”

For his part, Jeric, the elder of the two brothers, said that for now, he’s concentrating on his studies and basketball, but is willing to entertain the idea of going into showbiz if and when the opportunity presents itself. “If I would be given a chance, if off-season, why not, di ba?” Jeron, who still has a few more playing years in the UAAP left, joked. “Siguro, depende na lang ‘yun kung sino ‘yung mga ka-loveteam. But while I’m in La Salle, I just want to focus on basketball and ‘yung studies ko talaga. Kasi in La Salle, I’m taking up two major courses, so nagfo-focus lang ako d’un.”

Jeric and Jeron owe a lot to their father who passed on to them their love for the game. He also taught them that the attitude they bring to the court is just as important. You could be the best or the tallest or fastest player on the court, but if you don’t have the right attitude, it won’t count for much. “Talagang nire-remind niya kami na our height is normal, na marami kaming ka-height,” said Jeric. “And he tells us also that there are more talented players than us, so we have to out-work them. Hard work talaga ‘yung pinaka-edge namin kumpara sa ibang players.”

Jeron agreed. “Yung dad kasi namin, tinutulungan talaga kami to improve our game.”

Their dad’s constant reminders have never left them. “My advice for them is to be focused always,” said Alvin, who was one of the top defensive stoppers during his time in the PBA. He was especially strict with the boys when they were playing in the finals. “Sabi ko, saka na ‘yung mga good time-good time. They have to prove themselves first.”

Although it is their father who is the athlete, the boys also inherited positive character traits from their mom Susan who, although quiet most of the time, is the backbone of strength for both of them. “Siguro ‘yung tapang, nakuha namin sa mommy namin. Kita naman kapag may games,” shared Jeric. “At saka siguro ‘yung focus. Kasi ‘yung mom namin talaga, kapag may gustong gawin, lahat gagawin niya para ma-accomplish ‘yun. Same goes to me, especially when it comes to basketball. When I really want something, kailangan ko talagang pagtrabahuhan.”

During the UAAP finals, they played on opposing sides: Jeric for the UST Growling Tigers and Jeron, for La Salle. It was an intense series that even had the brothers getting physical with each other at one point. But they’ve also experienced playing on the same team during their high school days at Xavier, where Jeric was a senior and Jeron, a freshman. Both admitted to being competitive, but, according to Jeron, “I think we’re good naman na teammates din kami, kasi n’ung Xavier days, magkasama rin kami, naglaro na kami together and we won the championship for our school. But when we were competing against each each other, it’s also good. Siguro depende na lang. Kahit ano, okay lang sa amin. Bahala na si God.”