For two games now, the Blackwater Elite have seemingly lived up to their moniker, looking far different from the team that started the season-ending 2017 Governor’s Cup with three consecutive losses.
And they have import Henry Walker to thank for that.
“The inspiration that he is, Mr. Henry Walker, he continued to be the inspiration of the whole team,” praised Elite head coach Leo Isaac of the PBA veteran, after their second win in a row Friday night against the NLEX Road Warriors.
Ever since the former NBA cager stepped in to replace Trevis Simpson, the Elite improved tremendously. Not because of Walker carrying all the load, but because he has evolved into a more vocal leader.
“Grabe mag-motivate si Henry sa’min,” said Roi Sumang, who had a career-best 32 points versus NLEX. “Sobrang vocal siya, kahit sa practice namin… Lalo na sa game sobrang vocal pa rin siya, kaya siguro ganoon nagiging game namin.
“Meron na talaga kaming leader sa court.”
And with the 29-year-old from Huntington, West Virginia serving as the young Elite’s anchor, the veteran Isaac is beaming with elation, as he is now witnessing his wards grow impressively, especially in the intangibles.
“Everything is on the next level. Their attitude, their confidence, the togetherness of the players, everything is on the next level,” said Isaac.
Walker is clearly the man behind Blackwater’s mini-run, which has now improved their card to 2-3. He may still be a force to reckon with on both ends of the floor, but his impact to the team is way beyond numbers.
And it’s all because of the leadership he brings.
“I’m just trying to lead in a different way,” said the veteran globetrotter, who had stints with the Alaska Aces and NLEX. “I want to help in their success. I want to help them learn, so that’s the sort of thing I’m doing now. Just trying to lead by example.
“You can’t expect me to go and win the game by myself. I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work. We need other guys to step up and make plays,” he added. “I can do some things to get us over the top but I need all the guys to do their part.
“It’s a team sport.”
