If there was one big winner in the Davao Del Sur leg of the 2018 PBA All-Star Week, it was Baser Amer.
The 25-year-old impressed his fellow Davaoeños in the Mindanao All-Stars’ 143-130 thrashing of the SMART All-Star National Team in a match where speed beat size, unloading 22 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists.
Amer and Mindanao not only bested the Nationals on the basketball court, but on the dance floor as well, as they won the traditional All-Star dance-off that took place before tip-off. The Mindanao All-Stars won P100,000 for that.
But definitely the icing on the cake for Amer was that he was named All-Star Game Most Valuable Player — an award that he truly deserved, as he was essential in Mindanao’s 18-0 run in the fourth that put the game away for good.
The Gilas Cadet scored 13 of his output in the payoff period alone.
For Amer, winning one over the Nationals was truly unexpected. And in terms of emerging as the biggest winner in the Davao leg, the Meralco Bolts star couldn’t be grateful enough — he has gained a lot in just his second All-Star foray.
“Unexpected eh kasi sabi lang naman ni coach Tim (Cone) na lumaban kami. Play hard tapos enjoy, yun ang sinabi niya sa’min,” said Amer, whose first All-Star appearance happened in 2017, also with the Mindanao All-Stars.
“So yun, sobrang blessed kasi nanalo against Gilas tapos nakakuha pa ng award na MVP,” added one of San Beda’s all-time greats, who’s currently averaging 13.4 points, 3.4 boards, and 5.4 dimes this 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.
“Kumbaga, another achievement ‘to.”
