Rain or Shine’s ascent from the ashes of a winless start in the PBA Philippine Cup can be attributed to the integral play of one of its veteran players.
Beau Belga has exhibited numbers seldom seen in recent seasons, contributing significantly to victories over Converge and Blackwater, which have propelled Rain or Shine to a better position after losing their initial four games.
“I need to step up a little bit more,” said Belga, whose performances in the two games earned him the recognition as the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for the period spanning from March 31 to April 7.
He maintained an average of 23.0 points on a 56-percent shooting clip, along with 9.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists, elevating the Elasto Painters to a 3-4 record and enhancing their prospects of reaching the quarterfinals of the all-Filipino tournament.
The seasoned big man had to elevate his game at this stage of the eliminations, not only in response to the rough start but also due to the absence of rookie center Keith Datu because of an injury and the need for new signing Papot Paredes to acclimate to Rain or Shine’s system.
However, Belga is grateful that his teammates, such as Santi Santillan, Andrei Caracut, and Shaun Ildefonso, are also making significant contributions during the winning streak.
“Kailangan ko talaga magdouble time dahil si Papot nag-aadjust pa at wala si Keith,” said Belga. “Buti na lang sa tulong mga kasama ko, mas dumadali ang laro.”
The 37-year-old Belga was chosen by the journalists covering the PBA as the standout player of the week, surpassing contenders like NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino and JM Calma, NLEX’s Robert Bolick, and San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez.
