Aljon Mariano

Aljon Escalona Mariano (born August 3, 1992) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 PBA draft by the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Escalona and the surname or paternal family name is Mariano.
Aljon Mariano
No. 31 – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
PositionSmall forward / Power forward
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1992-08-03) August 3, 1992
Mandaluyong, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolSan Beda College
CollegeUniversity of Santo Tomas (2009–2014)
PBA draft2015 Round: 2 / Pick: 16th overall
Selected by the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Playing career2015–present
Career history
2015–presentBarangay Ginebra San Miguel
Career highlights and awards

College career

Rookie season

Mariano joined the Tigers in 2009. Mariano played limited minutes with the Tigers during his first season with the team.[1]

Second season

In his second season, Mariano became a starter for the Tigers, while averaging 7.1 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game.[2] Unfortunately, the inexperienced Tigers failed to return to the Final Four and finished 7th in the standings at 4–10 ahead of the UP Fighting Maroons.

Injury and return

Mariano sat out the entire season in UAAP Season 74 due to a fractured ankle which kept him out of action for 6 months.[3]

Mariano returned to the Tigers the following season. In a game against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, Mariano scored a career-high 21 points and 13 rebounds as he led the Tigers to snap a 12-game losing streak against the Blue Eagles 71–70.[4] In a game against the De La Salle Green Archers, Mariano scored all of his 15 points in the 4th quarter and in the two overtime periods, including the game-winning basket with 7.1 seconds left as the Tigers defeat the Green Archers in double overtime 84–82.[5] Then in their second round meeting against the NU Bulldogs, Mariano set another career-high 22 points, including the game winner with 4.4 seconds left in overtime as he led the Tigers to an overtime victory against the Bulldogs 58–57.[6] The Tigers were able to advance to the UAAP Final Four as the #2 seed with a 10–4 record in the elimination round, they were able to defeat the NU Bulldogs to advance to the UAAP Finals and faced off against the Ateneo Blue Eagles but were swept in the Finals 2–0 as the Blue Eagles completed their five-peat.[7] Mariano finished the season averaging 13.3 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game on 42% shooting from the field, 36% shooting from 3-point range and 67% free throw shooting.[8]

In the Philippine Collegiate Champions League later that year, Mariano would play a key part in the Tigers run in the tournament as they first won the Metro Manila-Luzon tournament by defeating both the Letran Knights and the Adamson Soaring Falcons to enter into the PCCL Final Four with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, San Beda Red Lions and the Southwestern U Cobras. The Tigers would finish with a 2–1 record in the Final Four to set up a rematch with the Blue Eagles in the Finals, where the Tigers exacted their revenge against the Eagles as they were crowned the National Champions after winning the title in a tightly contested three-game series.[9]

Fourth season

In his fourth season with the Tigers, Mariano fought through an ankle injury throughout the season as the Tigers struggled throughout the season after coming off their runner-up finish the previous season and their national championship run.[10] Despite the injury, Mariano would be a key catalyst to the Tigers' run throughout the season as the Tigers made a stunning bid to return UAAP Finals where they battled the De La Salle Green Archers. Mariano however would struggle during the Finals against the Archers. In Game 3 of the Finals, he missed the title-clinching jumper that sent the game into overtime and would turn the ball over in the final moments that led to the title-clinching jumper by Almond Vosotros as the Archers won the title with a Game 3 win over the Tigers 71–69.[11] Mariano ended the season averaging 11.4 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game on 40% shooting from the field and 66% shooting from the free throw line.[12]

Final season

In his final season with the Tigers, with new head coach Bong dela Cruz taking the helm from Pido Jarencio, Mariano was named the captain of the Tigers with the departure of Jeric Teng last season. However, the Tigers were riddled with injuries late in the season as Mariano ended his college playing career with the Tigers missing the Final Four.[13] Mariano in his final season with the Tigers averaged 11 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 1.4 assists per game on 34% shooting from the field and 30% shooting from three-point range.

Professional career

On August 23, 2015, Mariano was drafted by the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2015 PBA draft as the sixteenth overall pick.

PBA career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2020 season[14]

Season-by-season averages
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2015–16 Barangay Ginebra 2610.6.460.000.4292.6.5.1.12.3
2016–17 Barangay Ginebra 3510.2.462.000.6102.6.3.2.13.1
2017–18 Barangay Ginebra 4214.9.463.250.6513.41.0.3.14.9
2019 Barangay Ginebra 4511.1.468.000.5452.5.9.2.13.2
2020 Barangay Ginebra 2226.0.455.200.7546.12.0.5.38.5
Career 17013.7.462.105.6443.2.9.3.14.1

References
  1. UAAP Season 72 - University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers » inboundpass.com – Covering Philippine college basketball: Archived 2012-08-24 at the Wayback Machine
  2. UAAP Season 73 - University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers » inboundpass.com – Covering Philippine college basketball: Archived 2011-11-19 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Tiger Pride: Returning Mariano plays career game to help UST top Ateneo Archived 2012-07-21 at the Wayback Machine Interaksyon.com
  4. UAAP: Growling Tigers end 12-game drought against Blue Eagles GMA News Online
  5. Mariano carries UST in double-overtime escape over La Salle Archived 2012-08-07 at the Wayback Machine Interaksyon.com
  6. UAAP: Tigers dispatch Bulldogs in overtime GMA News Online
  7. Five-peat complete, as Ateneo sweeps UST
  8. UAAP Season 75 - University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers » inboundpass.com – Covering Philippine college basketball Archived July 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  9. UST edges Ateneo in Game 3 to clinch PCCL title Inquirer Sports
  10. Aljon Mariano reveals season-long injured ankle amid criticism of poor play in UST defeat Archived 2013-10-15 at the Wayback Machine InterAKTV
  11. La Salle wins OT thriller to claim UAAP crown ABS-CBN News
  12. UAAP Season 76 - University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers » inboundpass.com – Covering Philippine college basketball: Archived October 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  13. Aljon Mariano quietly ends his UAAP career Rappler
  14. Real GM
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