Ren-Ren Ritualo

Infobox NBA Player
name = Florendo Ritualo, Jr.
nickname = Renren and The Rainman
league = Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)


height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lbs=165
team = Air21 Express
position = Point Guard/Shooting Guard
birth_date = Birth date and age|1979|6|14|mf=y
birth_place = Manila, Philippines
death_date =
death_place =
college = De La Salle University
nationality = Philippines
draft = 8th overall
draft_team = Air21 Express
draft_year = 2002
draft_league = PBA Draft
former_teams = *Air21 Express (2002-2006)
*Talk 'N Text Phone Pals (2006-2008)
career_start = 2002
career_end =
awards =

*2002 PBA Rookie of the Year
*2002 PBA Sixth Man of the Year
*PBA All-Star
*2008 PBA All-Star 3 Point Shootout Champion

Florendo Ritualo, Jr. (born June 14, 1979 in Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Air21 Express. Nicknamed Ren-Ren and The Rainman, Ritualo is also a member of the Philippine national basketball team, and is the son of former PBA player Florendo Ritualo and Maria Yasoña De Ramos of Lumban, Laguna.

Philippine Basketball League

During his UAAP stint, Ritualo signed up with Tanduay in the Philippine Basketball League in 1998 in a limited role for the team as the Centennial Rhum Masters took a runner-up finish in the 2nd Yakult PBL Centennial Cup tournament. After Tanduay left the PBL, Ritualo was the key player for Tanduay's Colt 45 team in the 1999 PBL Challenge Cup, when the team placed third in the tournament.

After Colt45 decided to leave the league, Ritualo joined Welcoat Paints in late-1999. Ritualo led Welcoat to three PBL titles from 1999-2001 before jumping to the PBA.

In 2003, Ritualo was named as one of PBL's Greatest Players of All-time.

Accomplishments

*PBL Mythical Five
*PBL Most Valuable Player
*PBL Champion (1999, 2000, 2001)
*Member of the PBL's 20 Greatest Players

Philippine Basketball Association

FedEx/Air21 Express

Ritualo was selected as the eight overall pick in the 2002 PBA Draft by expansion team FedEx Express. But before Ritualo was set to join FedEx, he was part of the RP National Training Pool for the 2002 Busan Asian Games. But Ritualo was cut from the team and returned to his mother team.

Ritualo had a strong rookie for FedEx and by season's end, he was named as the 2002 PBA Rookie of the Year and also the 2002 Sixth Man of the Year winner by the PBA Press Corps.

Ritualo also recorded a 40-point output against the same Purefoods team on January 27, 2006 during Game three of the Fiesta Conference Semi-Finals series, held in the Ynarez Sports Complex. Ritualo led Air21 to a third place finish, the highest in franchise history.

Ritualo, also was the first local player in PBA history to have four games in a career with at least eight three pointers in each of those games.

He has also participated in two PBA All-Star games, when he was part of the North All-Stars in the 2005 All-Star Game in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte and the 2006 edition in Cagayan de Oro City.

Talk 'N Text Phone Pals

On May 8, 2006, Ritualo, along with Patrick Fran, was traded from Air21 to the Talk N' Text Phone Pals in exchange for Leo Avenido and two future first round draft picks, which is believed to be in 2007 and 2008.

With Ritualo's addition, as well as the trade that sent Alaska Aces slotman Don Allado to the Phone Pals for Willie Miller and John Ferriols, the Phone Pals are considered as one of the deepest lineups in the 2006 Philippine Cup. However, the Phone Pals never made it past the wildcard phase, ending their season. In the 2007 Philippine Cup, Ritualo is averaged 13.83 points per game in the 18 Games of the Elimination Round.

Accomplishments

*2002 PBA Rookie of the Year
*2002 PBA Sixth Man of the Year
*PBA All-Star
*2002 PBA Mr. Quality Minutes of the Year Award
*2008 PBA All-Star 3 Point Shootout Champion
*PBA 500 Three-Points Club Member

Team Pilipinas

In 2005, Ritualo was a member of the RP National Training Pool. Ritualo was part of the Team Pilipinas squad in the 2005 FIBA-Asia Champions Cup with the host squad placing fifth in the eight nation tournament. During a match against Sagesse of Lebanon, Ritualo's numerous three-pointers in the second half, sparked a short-lived comeback by the Filipinos before losing 100-90.

Ritualo was also included in the Team Pilipinas squad for the Global Hoops Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. During one game, Ritualo drained nine triples in a loss to Passive Lane Sports.

At this time, that Ritualo was somewhat "rumored" to be signed up by the New Jersey Nets after one of the Nets coaching staff saw Ritualo's performance. The Nets have asked 3 tapes of Ritualo's game. The Philadelphia 76ers have also inquired about him.

Ritualo was a member of Team Pilipinas' successful championship in the 5th Sultan's Cup in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam in September.

In 2006, Ritualo scored 17 points as Team Pilipinas defeated the American squad led by former NBA star Dennis Rodman 110-102 on May 1 at the Araneta Coliseum.

External links

* [http://www.air21express.com/new/Ritualo.php Air21Express.com: Renren Ritualo Profile]
* [http://news.inq7.net/sports/index.php?index=1&story_id=75133] INQ7.net: Miller, Ritualo, 4 others traded