THEY say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.
Not in the case of big man Beau Belga.
The veteran Rain or Shine center is seen lately taking one-handed shots when on the free-throw line, a move that surprised not only basketball fans but his fellow players as well.
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The change in shooting style, according to him, was his own initiative but had the blessing of the entire coaching staff.
He said his old free throw shooting style is already geared towards being a one-hander, only it has a slight support of his left hand.
“Actually during the start ng conference, dalawang kamay pa rin naman ang gamit ko. Pero kasi parang naba-bother ako,” Belga admitted.
“So nung kalagitnaan, sabi ko i-try ko nga. Wala namang masama, e.”
READ Beau Belga shoots free throws with one hand - and makes 'em
So he began doing the trick in practice infront of coach Yeng Guiao and his staff.
“Sinabihan ko yung mga assistant coaches namin na susubukan kong mag one-hander. And nakikita naman nila sa practice na isang kamay lang ako mag-free throw,” said the 37-year-old Belga.
“Kumbaga hindi na rin sila nagulat. Kasi siyempre baka mamaya bigla akong mag one-handed shot sa game, magulat si coach Yeng, sabihin nun bakit one-handed ang tira nun. Baka pagalitan ako.”
But so far, it’s been working to his advantage.
In its 116-105 win over Terrafirma, Belga went 2-of-4 from the line and finished with 18 points.
Come the next game, he was a perfect 5-of-5 from the stripe and contributed 16 points in a 119-112 win over TNT that clinched for the Elasto Painters a berth in the quarterfinals.
“Ang importante dun nasu-shoot, e. Kung dalawang kamay nga maganda yung pukol mo, pero mintis naman. Ang importante dun kahit na one-handed or two-handed, ang mahalaga nasu-shoot,” he stressed.
“Ngayon hindi ako naba-bother. Kasi yung isang kamay hahawakan mo lang siya, and ipupukol mo lang siya. Pag namintis problema mo na yun,” Belga added. “Yung stroke naman makukuha mo sa practice. Good thing nasu-shoot. Minsan 50-50, pero sabi ko nga pag nagamay 'yan, gaganda rin 'yan.”
He admitted people has been asking him about it.
“Si Kelly (Williams) nagtatanong din, why do I shoot one-handed with my free throws? Sabi ko lang I’m just experimenting. Good thing may positive effect,” Belga said.
Told that sophomore forward Jeremy Sochan of the San Antonio Spurs also shoots one-handed from the foul line, Belga said the Polis-American could be comfortable doing it.
“Baka dun din siya kumporatable. Kumbaga kung saan ka kumportable. Hindi mo naman siya gagawin out of nowehere na ‘ah trip ko one-handed ngayon, tapos the next game two-handed naman,’” he added.
“Pag prinactice mo yun, siguro naman magiging maganda ang resulta at hind pangit.”
Given his early success shooting free throws with a single hand, Belga said he’ll continue doing it for the entire season.
“So far wala akong planong baguhin. Siguro hanggang matapos na yung career ko,” said the product of Philippine Christian University.
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