Happy Birthday, Genesis “Donking” Sasuman ( June 25 )

Happy Birthday, Genesis “Donking” Sasuman

Source : Assorted Magazines (PBA Archives Collections)

1994 PBA Rookie Draft 25th overall pick
Letran Knight forward
Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys
1997 Philippine Cup champion

Sasuman, nicknamed 'Donking', wound up signing a three-year contract with the Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys. "I never stopped dreaming of this moment. Sa puso ko kasi, alam ko'ng kaya ko'ng maglaro dito sa PBA. Hihintayin ko lang ang pagkakataon. Siguro lang ay naging instrumento ang panalo ko bilang MVP para muli ako'ng mapansin ng PBA teams," said Sasuman. The first to approach him was then San Miguel Beer coach Norman Black who asked him to tryout with the Beermen. He went to San Miguel and attended several practice sessions. Last December, Black moved over to Mobiline and Sasuman likewise tried to earn a spot on the Cellular Giants' roster. Unfortunately, there was too much competition on that spot and Sasuman felt he'd get lost in the shuffle. Finally, a call from Purefoods coach Eric Altamirano came. The rest, as they say, is history. Altamirano is trying to mold Sasuman into a point guard as chief backup to Dindo Pumaren after Rodericko Racela was released to San Miguel Beer last January. But the 6-0 Sasuman is more of an off-guard and has yet to understand the role being assigned to him. "Mahirap maging point guard lalo't hind ka naman talaga sanay diyan. Pero pinipilit ko'ng gawin. People always remind me of Ato Agustin na hindi naman talaga point guard noong amateur days niya. Dito na lang din sa PBA naging point guard s Ato. Baka daw puwede ko'ng gayahin iyon," said Sasuman. Genesis was born on June 25, 1969 in Cebu City but grew up in Bacolod. He is the fourth of five children of Bob Sasuman and the former Carmen Quijano. The brood include sister Gina, twins Arlene and Erlene and youngest brother Mitch. When he was a young boy, he was chubby and his grandmother had called him Dong King because he resembled something that bounced. With Purefoods, his teammate Jerry Codiñera had quipped that Sasuman is the riches player in the PBA. 'Don na, king pa!"

He wasn't into basketball during his early years. In fact, he was more into soccer and baseball. Bacolod, being a football-crazy place, Sasuman had immersed himself in the sport during his elementary days and played forward. It wasn't until his secondary years at the Mansilungan High School that he really concentrated on basketball. "Nanonood na ako ng television niyan at nakikita ko na ang mga PBA players. Naengganyo na ako'ng maglaro ng basketball," he recalled.  He actually spent one year with the collegiate squad of UNO-R where he was spotted by a representative from San Sebastian College. He was enticed to tryout for a spot on the SSC Stags in the NCAA. Ironically, he went over to the Letran. side because there was no room for him at San Sebastian. "Doon ako napunta sa kalaban ng San Sebastian dahil sa kinausap naman ako ni Mike (Mustre) who is also from Bacolod. May bakante pa raw sa Letran," said Sasuman. So, SSC's loss then was Letran's gain. And Pop Cola's loss in 1994 is Purefoods gain this season. "Kapag nangarap ka at hindi natupad kaagad, dapat ay hindi ka nawawalan ng loob. Iyan ang ginawa ko," said Sasuman of his journey in the pro ranks. "Nang pumirma ako ng kontrata sa Purefoods, akala ko ito ang katapusan ng pangarap ko. Hindi pala. Ito lang ang simula ng pangarap ko. Marami pa kasi ako'ng dapat na matutuhan dito sa basketball. Hindi porke't nasa PBA na ako ay kumpleto na. Hindi ganoon ang players. Kailangan ay patuloy silang nag-iimprove." Dong King is married to Khaleen Moises and is father to two girls fouryear-old Samantha Angela and Natasha Isabela who turns a year old on March 10. "Sila ang inspirasyon ko kung bakit lalo ako'ng nagsisikap na mapaunlad ko ang sarili ko, "he said.