Is Baser Amer ready to step up and be the leader of the Meralco Bolts? Head coach Norman Black and Jimmy Alapag think so.
“Baser Amer stands out on my mind right now,” said Black moments after the Bolts’ 94-86 win over Mahindra in the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup opener. “He has really matured between the two conferences.
“It seems that he has a better grasp of the PBA and it came out today.”
Black has every right to praise the 6-foot point guard after Friday night’s victory. He had fielded Amer in the starting lineup against the Floodbuster, and the 29 minutes he logged on the floor were top-quality.
The product of the San Beda College basketball program led the Bolts’ charge with a team-high 19 points on a 61.5 percent clip, shooting 8-of-13 from the floor. He also added three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
And following Black’s praise about him, the 24-year-old could not be more thankful.
“Thank you. Thank you kung nasabi niya yun,” said Amer.
“Naging aggressive lang ako, kahit sa practice para madala ko sa game. Aggressive lang ako sa offense at defense.”
And the Davao native’s stellar outing was a product of him trying to prove himself as one of the Bolts’ leaders — one of the plugs Meralco has been trying to fill-up since Jimmy Alapag retired from the game last year.
“Siguro naging leader lang ako sa loob. Kasi yun siguro yung kulang sa team.
“Kailangan namin maging leader — ako, si Newsome, si Anjo — para mapasunod namin sila sa gusto ni coach,” explained Amer.
Amer’s showing against Mahindra can be a glimpse of what he can be this conference. Last Philippine Cup, Amer averaged just 6.5 markers and 18.9 minutes.
Being a team’s leader is a daunting task to fulfill, especially for a young guard like Amer. But he shared that Alapag has been constantly telling him to seize the moment.
“Lagi niya lang sinasabi sa akin sa practice na ‘This is my time.'”
“‘Di naman ganun kadali [mapunan] yung pagkawala niya. Dinadahan-dahan ko lang. Pinag-aaralan ko lang yung sistema ng team,” Amer admitted.
And Amer hopes that he will be able to sustain this performance of his as the foreign-laden conference rolls deep.
“More confidence lang talaga. Sana tuluy-tuloy na.”
