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| Reyes: promising big man |
Yes, there has been an influx of serviceable Fil-foreigners here and there such as Asi Taulava, Dorian Pena, Eric Menk and Mick Pennisi-- but there's nothing like having a homegrown talent to idolize and serve as an inspiration for other young Filipino bigs-- that's where the Alaska Aces' Jay-R Reyes comes in.
Once frowned upon for his inconsistent play and sluggish approach, Reyes' star now shines brighter as he completes the Aces' young "Twin Towers" combination alongside Fil-Swiss Sonny Thoss.
We've already seen flashes of Reyes' post game abilities which are, daresay, better than that of Thoss' (who is a solid role player at best), now he's able to utilize it while working in the shadows of his more established teammate and also star guards L.A. Tenorio and Cyrus Baguio.
Currently averaging a 10 points and 9 rebounds stat line in just 30 minutes of action, Reyes has the rare combination of size, speed, athleticism and skill/ creativity that we want to see from bigs. Yes, he wanders away from the game plan from time to time to try and hit a jumper and threes, but when needed, Reyes' has enough game to create inside the shaded area without dribbling off his foot.
In hindsight, the Aces' future doesn't really fall on Tenorio or Thoss' shoulders since the country has never had a shortage of quality point guards (maybe not as good as a Tenorio, but solid nonetheless) and we could always get a role player/ rebounder-- but a big man with legit post up skills? That's the key to the Aces' future title hopes and something that Reyes undoubtedly brings to the table.
Ceiling? Kerby Raymundo version 2.0
Reyes is playing at such a high level right now. Especially on the defensive end. I think his tenacity on the boards this season is reason enough to be considered for the Most Improved Player award.
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