TOP rookie pick Justine Baltazar’s potential is fast coming into play as he gets accustomed to the PBA’s brand of action and Converge is gratefully reaping the fruit in the Philippine Cup.
After getting his feet wet in the Commissioner’s Cup, the 6-foot-9 Baltazar has asserted himself as a major frontcourt force, using his size and length to help the FiberXers win extra possession under the boards and extinguish the threat of penetrating opponents.
Baltazar’s value as one-half of Converge’s vaunted “Twin Tower” combo with Justin Arana was in full display when the FiberXers dominated Rain or Shine 107-97 for their third straight win and 4-2 overall in the All-Filipino conference eliminations.
The 29-year-old big man, who joined Converge in the mid-season conference after completing his stint with MPBL titlist Pampanga Giant Lanterns, hauled down a personal season-high and league conference high 22 rebounds to go with 13 points.
He also accounted for three assists, three blocks and one steal in a brilliant performance that earned him the nod as the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for April 30 to May 5.
Baltazar outshone TNT’s Calvin Oftana, who dished out a monster 23-21 game in leading his team to a breakthrough 89-84 win over San Miguel; NLEX’s Robert Bolick, who delivered in the crunch as the Road Warriors rolled to a third straight win at the expense of Blackwater 80-72; and Zav Lucero, who posted 17-9 in unbeaten pacesetter Magnolia’s 127-94 thrashing of Terrafirma, for the weekly citation.
