PBA: Kyt Jimenez bids goodbye to long hair and hello to championship

San Miguel Beermen’s June Mar Fajardo holds on to teammate Kyt Jimenez’s pony tail after their team won the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Kyt Jimenez became a man of his word after San Miguel won the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

Right after the Beermen’s heart-stopping 104-102 win over Magnolia to win the conference title, June Mar Fajardo immediately looked for rookie Jimenez in the middle of the celebration.

Why? Well, the two swingmen made a deal at the beginning of the season that if San Miguel wins a championship, the rookie would have to cut off his long hair.

READ: Social media star Kyt Jimenez ‘in heaven’ after San Miguel pick

Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened in the Beermen’s locker room with Fajardo holding Jimenez’s ponytail and Chris Ross doing the honors while his other teammates poured beer on him.

Kyt Jimenez gets a haircut from his teammates in the middle of the San Miguel celebration inside the locker room. –MELO FUERTES/INQUIRER.net

“My hair was so long [it reached my back.] When I got drafted ino San Miguel, me and kuya June Mar became close and it became our deal that if we become champions, automatically, I will have my hair cut,” said a soaking Jimenez in Filipino.

“Come Philippine Cup maybe, I’ll have a new hairstyle.”

Jimenez didn’t seem to mind about his hair that had been growing for a while.

READ: San Miguel, an All-Filipino power, adds to collection of ‘reinforced’ crowns

It was a great trade-off, anyway. Lose your hair, gain a championship—in your rookie year, no less.

Though the shifty guard barely saw action for San Miguel this season, he was still pretty ecstatic about winning a title right away, not just in his first season but in his first conference in the big league.

“I’m just a rookie but already a champion,” said Jimenez. “It really feels good because almost everyone knows that I only played in ligang labas, dumadayo (local leagues) but for me, the Lord created a good path on how to get here. I’m so thankful for all the supporters.”

With the PBA All-Filipino Cup looming, San Miguel may have more minutes to assign the first-year slasher, especially with Terrence Romeo battling ankle injuries.