WATCH: Vince Hizon – The Prince of the Gin Kings!

Retired PBA star Vince Hizon is one of the most recognizable faces in Barangay Ginebra’s club history.

Recalling the days before turning pro, Hizon said he first encountered the team he would be forever associated with during a practice session he attended at PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

He was still in university then.

“I was in Ateneo and Dodot (Jaworski) was my (Blue Eagles) teammate, we’re joining one of the practices that (Ginebra) had,” Hizon said in an interview on “The Link” podcast.

“They said, ‘Hey, do you want to join us in the scrimmage?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ I’d never forget, I got the ball on the left side, I remember Macky de Joya guarding me, so I went down the middle,” he recounted.

There, Hizon was met by Ginebra’s 6-foot-5 enforcer Sonny Cabatu and one of the Loyzaga brothers, who slammed him.