Rey Suerte was quick to make an impression in his PBA debut when Blackwater took on Terrafirma in 2021-22 Governors’ Cup action, Saturday.
So noteworthy was his performance that head coach Ariel Vanguardia saw flashes of the ‘Cebuano Hotshot’ from the prized rookie.
“He reminds me of a young Dondon Hontiveros,” the veteran bench tactician shared to Tiebreaker Times.
The Bossing’s second pick in the 2019 Gilas Draft came off the bench and provided more firepower, as he had 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
He also collected six rebounds, three assists, and a steal against only one turnover in the 21 minutes and 12 seconds he played.
But it’s too unfortunate that such a performance went for naught.
Blackwater was just a little over five minutes away from laying its historic skid to rest when it led by 12 points but blew the opportunity away.
The Bossing collapsed, 103-109, and absorbed their 25th straight loss.
Suerte’s performance, though, is just one of the positives that the team is looking at despite the heartbreaking defeat that dropped them to 0-6.
“We have a good addition in Suerte,” said Vanguardia.
Moving forward, the 49-year-old mentor expects the two-time CESAFI Most Valuable Player with UV to play better.
“Rey is a competitor,” he said. “Sky’s the limit for him.
“It’s a good debut for him, and I expect him to do even better.”
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