Reigning UAAP MVP Ben Mbala created a name for himself by being the most dominant player in the paint among all college basketball players. He has always been at the frontline slugging it out against other big men and foreign student-athletes like him. But recently, De La Salle University coach Aldin Ayo laid down a challenge.
For their past few games, he was deployed to guard the best scorer of the other teams, whatever position they are in.
“It’s getting easier for me, I won’t lie,” admitted Mbala, “Because I’ve been practicing on my quickness and how to stay in front of smaller guys, and it’s really easy.
“My cardio is way better because I’ve been running a lot, since Coach [Aldin Ayo] told me that I have to guard a smaller guy.”
But make no mistake, it is not a decline in responsibility for the 6-foot-7 big man, because the smaller players that he is assigned to guard are almost always faster than him on paper.
His latest assignment was University of the East Red Warriors ace Alvin Pasaol. Last October 4, La Salle were able to win 106-100 over UE, but Pasaol dropped 49 points during that game.
And although Mbala shared how his job has become easier not being at the frontline, he confessed that guarding Pasaol was a test of his resilience.
“Pasaol is… let’s say he has no conscience.
“If he’s wide open or not, he’ll still take the shot. You can’t really predict when he’s gonna attack or drive or even shoot, so just stay in front and try your best to give him the hardest shot you can give him,” he expressed, “I stuck to the game plan and what Coach [Aldin Ayo] asked me to do, and just give him the hardest shot ever. If he makes that, then he did, but that’s it, I did my job.”
Even with Mbala bothering him, the 6-foot-2 UE forward was still able to make 23 points on 42 percent shooting and nine rebounds.
“Well I felt like I could have done a better job [guarding Pasaol], but I’ll take that. We got the W, and that’s fine with me,” said Mbala, who had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and two steals across his name after toppling UE, 99-78.
He may have shown a hint of disappointment for not being able to completely limit Pasaol, but this only motivates him to improve his game.
“I’ll say that [my job] is getting easier but I still have a lot of things to work on,” the 22-year old said, “We’re trying to go for the back-to-back so we can’t just go out there and be sleeping, and say ‘We’re good already. We went the Final Four.’
“We want to get to the Finals and win everything, that’s what we’ve been working for.”
