Hustlin' Harder

Everyday he's hustlin'
(photo courtesy of Inquirer.Net)

There’s more to the Petron Blaze Boosters’ impressive 3-1 start this PBA Commissioner’s Cup than just their heavily tatted (his “Hustle Harder” eyelids included), NBA caliber (and Team Sheryl Reyes) import Renaldo Balkman.

Granted, Balkman is lording it over with team-leading averages of 27.75 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.75 steals and 3.75 blocks a night, but there’s a huge difference in the team’s overall approach to the game. No, head coach Olsen Racela didn’t earn a high level degree in coaching overnight, they are simply back to playing basic, helter-skelter basketball.

 Roles have been defined, and though Balkman’s style inter-(and over)laps with star forwards Arwind Santos and Jay Washington, they have all managed to carry the fight for the Boosters as able finishers at the break. Before Alex Cabagnot went down because of a freak injury in the Ginebra game, he was issuing over six assists a game and wasn’t dribbling the air out of the basketball/ looking for his own shot.

Though some guys are still hurting/ hobbling (Cabagnot, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter), the addition of Ronald Tubid has indeed given the Boosters that much need “intensity” that they seem to be lacking. With Tubid and Balkman in the fold, the Boosters find themselves able to compete in games from blowouts to close calls.

You also have to like the space and freedom given to promising 6”9 rookie JuneMar Fajardo. The Boosters could’ve opted to get a big import just like the rest of league but decided to give their prized Cebuano recruit room to develop and grow as arguably the most dominant force in the PBA since a young Eric Menk in 1999 (sorry Asi Taulava fans, but Menk was more dominant from the get go).

Currently averaging a respectable 11 points and 7 rebounds, Fajardo serves as the Boosters’ primary anchor on both ends of the floor. His defense and rebounding is key to the Boosters’ semi-small ball attack (with Cabagnot, Lassiter, Balkman and Washington all running the length of the hardcourt).

Right now the Boosters are winning more on effort and energy rather than system basketball. They are running, attacking on all fronts and just always active on the basketball. We’d like to see how this team will fare against the more disciplined, elite teams who can press and play zone (Talk ‘n’ Text, Alaska, San Mig Coffee).

Also, Renaldo Balkman vs Calvin Abueva or Kelly Williams would be an instant classic (Calvin because of the expected fireworks, Kelly because he’s arguably the closest thing the Philippines has to an athlete like Balkman).