Alex Stepheson has been a steady presence for the Meralco Bolts in their first two games, averaging 14.5 points and 22.5 boards. But despite those stats, head coach Norman Black shared that he has yet to get back into shape.
But as the Bolts played on Friday night against the TNT Katropa, the 29-year-old, in his own words, seemed to have responded well to Black. And, his numbers coincided hugely with his personal progress.
In their 94-89 victory over the Katropa, that also marked their third straight win, Stepheson imposed his presence in the shaded lane once more. He led the Bolts with another monster outing, posting 20 points and 27 rebounds.
And the University of Southern California product believes that his progressing condition has contributed greatly to his performance.
“I lost a little weight because of the running, and also the humidity and heat, so each game I felt a little better, so today, I felt pretty good.
“I’ve just been trying to eat right, sleep right, keep working on improving, and get where I should be to help my team win,” added Stepheson, who played for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China months ago.
And the Los Angeles native believes that his conditioning will still improve as the Commissioner’s Cup progresses — a scary sight to see knowing what he’s capable of doing, especially to the opposing team’s frontline.
“I definitely can still improve my conditioning,” claimed Stepheson.
“I have moments where I kind of maybe disappear for a second or two, but it’s all coming back. I was out for two months, so it’s a process, but I’m getting there.”
