HAILING FROM Los Angeles (LA), California, freshman point guard Jhazmin Joson finds herself as the newest addition to the Women’s Basketball team in Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Equipped with tight handles and pristine court vision, Joson will be looking to have her mark stamped on the Philippine college basketball scene as Ateneo’s newest floor general by the season’s end.
Although her basketball career began to take its first steps while she was a 10-year old student in northeast LA, the psychology freshman shares that her love for the game started to develop while still a kid living in the Philippines. “When I was in the Philippines, I [would constantly find myself] watching basketball [like the] NBA and stuff like that,” admits Joson. “[My idols were] Chris Paul and Steve Nash.”
At age eight, Joson and her family packed their bags for the City of Angels. There, the young Joson would attend school at Ribet Academy. After years of watching the sport back home, Joson admits that her interest in basketball then took a sudden leap upon her arrival in the United States (US), which eventually persuaded her to try the sport.
After her high school graduation, Joson began to mull over her options for college, as scholarships were put on the table by various universities in the US. However, after reviewing her options and taking non-basketball and academic factors into account, Joson finally decided on returning back home to pursue college education in Ateneo. She says this decision was largely influenced by the charm of independence that studying in the Philippines could afford her.
“My parents are strict, so I thought about my freedom,” shares Joson. “I checked out [Ateneo], tried out for the team, and I actually liked it.”
Young and hungry
According to Joson, her playmaking abilities and ability to orchestrate the offense are her most valuable contributions to the team, turning her knack for reading the game from the backcourt into a vital weapon in the Lady Eagles’ arsenal.
“I think that my edge is the way I see the court—the views,” she admits. “It’s something that I’ve had throughout the years I’ve been playing.”
Although Joson possesses the court vision and offensive facilitating skills that every point guard needs, she notes that defense is still a major loophole in her game, something that she must improve on. While the rookie has proven to be a threat on the scoreboard, the guard has also been building up her defensive capabilities to become a more all-around player.
“In practice, my coach would put in a fast point guard [for me to guard] so I can move my legs, keep up, and get used to it,” confesses Joson.
At first glance, the rookie looks calm and gentle with a seemingly easygoing demeanor, but underneath the facade lies her determination to excel. Ambition and perseverance, however, find their limits in excessive self-critique.
“I have to focus on being a little less hard on myself,” shares Joson. “[Because] that’s me, I get hard on myself, I push myself, [and] at some point it’s bad because you think about it too much.”
With aspirations of receiving the Rookie of the Year award and making it to the elusive Final Four, Joson has the potential and the mentality to make a splash on the Women’s Basketball team. Raw talent, school spirit, and a confident mentality could be the spark to electrify the Lady Eagles and light the flame of victory.
