As what the hoopers of today say, it’s all about going back to the lab now for Justine Baltazar now that his first PBA game is in the books.
The 2024 top overall pick is all set on buckling down to work anew with Converge as he has gotten an inkling of how things are in this league after his debut ended up in a 108-101 defeat to NorthPort on Thursday.
“Marami pang kulang,” he admitted after the loss at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the team’s second in four games in the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup. “Saglit ko lang sila nakakasama, so kailangan pa talaga ng amuyan sa loob.
“Uumpisahan namin sa practice, and then ia-apply namin sa game para maging solid kami,” added the 27-year-old, who signed a one-year deal with the club.
Baltazar has only spent two days of practice with the FiberXers as he’s still fresh off a championship run with Pampanga in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, where he helped the Giant Lanterns to back-to-back national crowns.
The two-time MPBL MVP is still feeling the burn of that series they had against Quezon, which saw both teams play the first two games in Dubai before going to San Fernando where the titlists completed the three-game sweep.
That explains the limited minutes — and production — in his PBA debut, as he was utilized for only 20 minutes and 43 seconds off the bench.
‘Balti’ finished with only five points on 2-of-5 shooting from the floor, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal — all without a single turnover.
“‘Di rin ako masyadong makagalaw sa loob. Kasi sunog ako and kailangan ko talaga ng pahinga,” he said. “Pero binibigay ko pa rin yung best ko sa loob.”
But now that his PBA journey has begun, Baltazar is looking forward to the games ahead, looking, of course, to prove his worth.
“Maganda naman ‘yung nilaro namin. ‘Yung fourth quarter lang talaga kami nagkulang,” he said, “‘Yung playing time ko medyo may limit kasi nga galing ako sa kabilang laro, sunog ako. Ready lang ako ‘pag binubunot ako.
“Kulang din kami sa amuyan ng mga kasama ko, kasi two days pa lang ako nagpapraktis sa kanila. Marami pa namang games, so kailangan kong bumawi.”
