Noy Baclao was undeniably one of the reasons why Meralco eluded falling into a precarious position in the 2021 Honda PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.
The 34-year-old turned in his best showing of the conference with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting, two rebounds, two assists, and a block in nearly 27 minutes to help the Bolts to a 91-86 win Friday to cut Magnolia’s series lead to 2-1.
His performance couldn’t have come at a better time for a crew shorthanded due to the absence of Raymond Almazan, Trevis Jackson, and Jammer Jamito.
“Noy was big for us tonight defensively. And he was able to add that to the shots that he made on the floor, so he helped us out offensively,” lauded head coach Norman Black.
“That’s the reason why we brought him to the team.”
Beyond the numbers, though, the veteran mentor is elated to see the ball club’s patience pay off with the way the 11-year veteran played.
Looking back, Baclao was picked up by Meralco from the free agent market in April of last year, though he was not part of the crew that saw action in the Clark bubble as he had to recover from a ruptured patellar tendon.
His absence extended all the way to the early goings of the 46th season, where he missed the Bolts’ first three games.
Still, Black and Co. didn’t lose hope on the player he has known — and helped develop — since their time with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
“We knew when we got him, he wasn’t gonna be ready at the start of the conference. We were hoping that he’ll be ready come playoff time,” he said.
Baclao definitely proved as much. And what better way to do so than in a situation where the Bolts badly needed a win.
“At least for tonight, it really paid off for us,” Black said.
