Happy Birthday! Rizaldy “Zaldy” Realubit ( Feb 18 )

It's the genes. That's what makes Zaldy Realubit real. Father Godofredo (Fred) Realubit played with the Ateneo blue Eagles in 1959-60 alongside Steve Watson's uncle, Rafael Carvajal and YCO's Cris Arroyo. Mother, Noemi Pabillo-Realubit belongs to a basketball family as well. And Zaldy's uncles--with their own individual stints in commercial basket- ball leagues -- have at one time or another, also contributed to Zaldy's basketball knowhow. Zaldy was born in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte on Feb. 18, 1967. Just barely into the fifth grade, he began to show the initial spark of basketball talent, according to his father. And true to his karmic life path, he took to the ball and learned to do magic with it. In high school he was on the basketball team that represented Northwestern University in the Palaro in Tacloban. Everything would be on the up and up after that. He lived for a while in Cagayan de Oro, training like a Ninja under his uncles who took pride in molding the youngest basket- ball talent in the family. That's where scouts from Mama's Love - Cebu's jumpingest team-- saw him and recruited him for bas- ketball action in Cebu. That was the begin- ning of Zaldy's public life, so to speak. Because when Mama's Love joined the PABL in 1986, it captured the imagination of the Manila crowd and the metropolitan sports press. Soon the basketball loving world began to train its sights on this tall, cool player named Rizaldo Realubit. Zaldy's power at the boards, his strong and silent ways all of a sudden made him a much coveted young cager in 1986. Soon he was making waves with the 1986 RP Youth Team. Eventually he was taken in by RFM-Swift which claimed many champion- ship trophies for itself in the PABL. This year, as one of the PABL's star rookies in the draft pool, he was acquired by Presto and has already shown his worth with brilliant performances that have made him run third place so far in the Rookie of the Year race behind Shell's Benjie Paras and Alaska's Paul Alvarez. Zaldy off the court is shy and soft spo- ken. But mention the word "basketball" and he begins to unfurl, like a flower. He says -- slowly and in charming Taga- log with Cebuano tones--that he owes a lot to Joe Lipa, who did much to develop his defensive talent. He also thanks Turo Valen- zona who really helped him become a power under the boards. At Presto, he looks up most to Abe King, who never ceases to give him pointers and pays attention to every aspect of his game. "Pinapalakas niya ang loob ko. Lagi niya akong sinasabihan na 'Kaya mo yon":"Gawin moyon'. Binibigyan niya ako ng confidence." He was surprised but thrilled no end during a magic moment of an end game against Shell when the score was tied and only eleven seconds remained. Bobby Parks had just converted on an unexpected three points, but Presto had possession. "Kay Manny ang play," he began his story, still half-relishing the moment. "Si Abe o si Manny sana ang nasa posisyon. Tinirani Manny pero hindi pumasok. Ako, padating pa lang. Nasalubong ko ang bola at walang nakaharang. Pagtalon ko, ayon nakuha ko ang rebound. Sumyut ako. Nagulat ako dahil pumasok. Siyempre, ang saya-saya ko."