3 Nelbert Omolono
Small Forward / Shooting Guard
Name: Nelbert Omolon
Nick Name: Bitoy
Monicker: N/A
Birthday: June 30, 1980
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 185lbs
Position: Small forward Second position: Shooting guard
Jersey No: 3
Year drafted: Chose by the Realtors in the 2004 PBA rookie draft as eighth overall pick
Years Pro: 4 years
College: Philippine Christian University
Hobbies: N/A
Hometown: Talakag, Bukidnon
Player’s note: A very versatile player who can score inside and outside when he was drafted – eighth overall – in the class of future rookies like Rich Alvarez, Jean Marc Pingris, James Yap, Ranidel De Ocampo, Gary David and Wesley Gonzales in 2004.
Omolon, 26, is not known as a scorer since his amateur days but a strong stopper.
The Realtors, who coached by Alfrancis Chua and now Boyet Fernandez, have developed Omolon to a potent all-around player who can defend. It looks like other teams now realize his true value.
In fact, Omolon is also a great finisher – you can name it, fast break points even in any given crunch time.
Achievements: Represented the country many times in different overseas events like the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi , Vietnam , where Philippines captured the men’s gold medal in 2003.
He made it to the All-Defensive Team last season.
Defining moments: Omolon scored a personal high 40 points – on 11-of -16 shooting in two-point area and hitting 4-of-5 beyond the arc — with nine boards as Sta. Lucia earned its first ever outright semifinals slot last January 13, 2008 with a 123-106 rout of Air21.
More about the player: Omolon did not learn how to play when he was a kid. He never even liked the game until he grew from 5’7 as a high school freshman to 6’2 as junior. That was when Omolon realized he might have a future in basketball.
Omolon , the youngest of three boys, was born and grew up in Talakag, Bukidnon, about a 30-minute drive to the Cagayan de Oro airport. His father Gilbert tends to the family’s 30-hectare rubber plantation while his mother Nelia does the house chores.
Omolon played alongside with Alaska reserve Bernzon Franco in PCU. From there, he took his sneakers to the Philippine Basketball League where he suited up for Osaka-La Salle and ICTSI under Coach Franz Pumaren and Welcoat under Coach Leo Austria.
Statistics: He is the most consistent player and it seems to be getting better and better each year after he was named the team’s Mr. Quality Minutes by contributing 10.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 46 games with just 13 starts last season.
His 54.8 percent 2-points field goal clip and 1.2 steals were No. 7 in the league.
In the end of 2008 Smart Philippine Cup elimination round, Omolon averaged 12.7 points (second in team), 6.1 rebound and 1.6 steals in 18 games – his best so far since he debuted in 2004.
