While injuries are never a good sight for a team, seeing other players step up is always a welcome development.
With Globalport Batang Pier’s backcourt duo of Terrence Romeo (calf) and Stanley Pringle (foot) still nursing injuries, players next in line in the backcourt rotation have elevated their games to provide the Batang Pier with ample help.
One of them is Paolo Taha, who is currently averaging 17.8 minutes/game in the on-going Commissioner’s Cup.
The 29th overall pick by Kia in the 2014 PBA Draft, Taha only averaged 1.6 PPG in 6.8 minutes/game in his rookie year. But under Globalport, Taha is starting to blossom as a regular rotation player, averaging 8.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and a 51.4-percent clip from the field.
Photo courtesy of PBA Images
“Sabi nina coach kailangan mag-step up dahil wala si Terrence at Stanley. Defensive-minded ako so sila nag-a-assign talaga sila sa akin ng mga players. Yung offense ko, bonus na lang yun, buti pumapasok yung mga tira ko pero bonus na lang yun,” Taha said Saturday night after Globalport lost to Alaska.
For most of the fourth quarter, Taha was defending Calvin Abueva, and such exposure only boosts his confidence even more, in spite of a loss.
“Siyempre yung confidence ko tumataas na, nag-go-grow na ako as a player, so tine-take advantage ko ung binibigay sa akin,” he shared. “Tine-treasure ko talaga. Kaya trabaho talaga ako sa court, lahat na, defense, rebound, hustle, steal, lahat.”
“Minomotivate nila ako, binibigyan nila ako ng confidence, so buti nagbubunga. Maski hindi pa visible sa ngayon dahil talo, may growth. Sana (magtuloy-tuloy).”
Also making good strides as of late with the Batang Pier is Jeric Fortuna, who was acquired via a trade earlier in the conference. Reuniting with his college head coach Pido Jarencio, Fortuna shares, is a key factor in playing comfortable inside the court.
“It is very, nakakataas ng kumpiyansa. Mas comfortable ako sa loob ng court kasi alam ko na may coach ako who trusts me,” Fortuna said.
Perhaps the only adjustment Fortuna has to make is to condition himself even more as he will be playing more minutes under Jarencio.
“Ako, alam ko naman ung hinahanap no coach Pido sa point guard. Nag-a-adjust pa ako sa teammates ko, ngayong second game nakapag-adjust naman Makuha ko lang conditioning ko, every game baka mas maganda pa yung ipapakita ko,” he said.
In two games under Globalport, Fortuna is averaging 28.5 minutes. Against Alaska, he had 11 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, doing a fine quarterbacking job while the Slash Brothers were out.
With Fortuna and Taha playing well, Globalport’s rotation is only getting deeper. Although the Batang Pier are down 2-5 in the team standings so far, getting the youngsters more exposed and involved is good for the team in the long run.
“Siyempre hindi naman natin gusto na may ma-injure pero basta kapag binigyan (kami) ng chance, step up lang kasi andyan yung opportunity,” Fortuna added.
