THERE'S a world of difference between the PBA and the MPBL.
This was the short but impactful message former PBA MVP Arwind Santos shared to former Pampanga Giant Lanterns teammate Justine Baltazar in light of the PBA No. 1 overall pick’s underwhelming first two games in the league.
“Malayo ang MPBL sa PBA. Malayo. Alam ko kasi naglaro din ako sa MPBL," said Santos in an interview in the Playback Live program of this writer. "Mas may sistema sa PBA. Hindi ko minamaliit yung MPBL ha, sinasabi ko lang pagkakaiba."
COLUMN: No worries, Balti is bound to be a dominant player in PBA
“Iba yung sistema ng MPBL sa PBA, ibang yung laro, iba yung diskarte, iba yung counter, kasi yung mga coaches dyan and players, matataaas ang quality, yung game preparation yung scouting, ibang-iba,” he said.
Santos bared that he feels bad reading negative comments from fans after the 6-foot-7 two-time MPBL MVP averaged a measly 4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 20 minutes of action in his first two games with Converge.
The numbers were way below his MPBL stats of 16.4 points, 16.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in the 2023 and 2024 seasons of the regional league founded by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
Asked if he has an advice for his struggling kabalen who is also from the same stable of Gov. Dennis 'Delta' Pineda that nurtured PBA stars Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang, Santos did not mince any word.
“Payo ko lang, magtiwala siya sa sarili nya, kesa magdahilan siya (na pagod siya), mas mag-focus siya sa dapat nya pang i-improve. Hindi pwede na sabihin mo na lahat nakuha mo na sa MPBL, na-achieve mo na, kayang-kaya mo na.
“Iba rito sa PBA, kailangan kung ano yung effort na ginagawa mo sa MPBL, sa PBA kailangang doblehin mo yan. Dapat ganun,” added the former PBA MVP.
“Kailangan ni Balti na patunayan ang value at kakayahan nya, kasi lahat nasa kanya na eh: tiwala ng management, first pick siya, hinintay siya ng team, kaya dapat hindi siya magdahilan ng ganyan, ipakita nya kakayahan nya,” he said.
Santos also shot down claims by fans that Baltazar is too skinny for his position, saying he was of the same built when he entered the PBA as a second overall pick in 2006.
“Hindi mo masasabi na payat si Justine, manipis kaya mahihirapan sumabay sa PBA, kasi ako patpat din naman ako nung pumasok ako sa PBA. Diskarte at kumpanysa lang,” he explained.
“Nung magkasama kami sa Pampanga, lagi ko siyang sinasabihan na kayang-kaya nya ang PBA, improve nya lang shooting nya, mag-weights pa siya, kasi marami siyang makakalaban na mas malalaki, sila June Mar Fajardo, sila Beau Belga. Dapat n'yang paghandaan,” he said.
And what is his take on Baltazar’s claim that he was exhausted after a long grind in the MPBL?
"Kailangan nating respetuhin yung dahilan ni Balti, kasi syempre, katawan nya yan, mas nararamdaman nya na pagod siya o hindi. Pero nung ako, nung time ko (wala akong reason na ganyan),” he said.
“Hindi ako ganyan (na nagbibigay ng dahilan) kasi sanay ako sa laro, minsan nga practice kami (araw-araw), tatlong game sa isang week lalaro pa ko sa ligang labas. Pero syempre iba yung katawan ni Balti sa katawan ko,” said 'The Spiderman’.
And while Baltazar tries to find his footing in the PBA, Santos urged his kabalen not to dwell so much on what he reads in social media.
“Ang bashing and expectation ng fans laging andyan, kung babasahin mo yan, mas lalo ka mawawala sa focus," he said. "Si Balti kilala ko yan, napipikon siya sa ganyan, kaso kung hindi makakatulong sa kanya ang comment sa social media, mas mainam, wag na lang siya magbasa, mas improve na lang nya game nya at patunayan ang kakayahan nya. May pressure rin kasi yung bata, maraming nag-aabang.
'Lalabas [rin] laro n'yan'
“Pero lalabas ang laro nyan, andyan naman si Gov Delta, pero kung hindi lalabas, wala nang ibang may kasalanan kungdi siya. Kung naka-ilang games na hindi pa nya nailalabas laro nya, nasa kanya na ang problema nun, kasi playing time, tiwala ng team, break, asa kanya na lahat eh,” said the outspoken nine-time PBA champion.
Asked if Balti is a ‘Romel Adducul or Sam Eman 2.0’ as claimed by critics, Santos quickly shook his head.
“Hindi. Magiging reliable player 'yang si Balti. Marunong pumasa yan, marunong magdala ng bola, kaya n'yang umiskor kung gusto nya pero sa ngayon, hindi pa siya pang-superstar, role player muna siya mag-start, pag nakuha na nya ang kumpiyansa nya, dun na nya isipin ang superstar status,” he said.
Santos also believes that for Baltazar to thrive in the PBA, he should play the 4 and 5 position.
"'Huwag siya mag-focus sa 3 kasi mabibilis ang players sa PBA sa 3," said Santos. "Gamitin nya height n'ya at reach. Kung ako si Balti, kwatro ang ima-master ko kasi andun ang advantages ko.”
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