DANNY Ildefonso is once again handling a big man that could turn out to be the future of Philippine basketball.
The Converge assistant coach has been working closely with Justine Baltazar since the No. 1 draft pick in the 49th Season joined the team in the Commissioner’s Cup.
So far, Ildefonso likes what he is seeing.
As far as listening and his willingness to learn go, Ildefonso said Baltazar is already comparable to a big man that could go down as the best ever.
'Absorb lang ng absorb'
“Madali siyang turuan,” Ildefonso told SPIN.ph of Baltazar.
“Para siyang June Mar, absorb lang ng absorb. Kasi ‘yun naman ang sekreto sa isang player. Makinig ka sa mga nauna sayo kasi wala kang ibang dadaanan, pupuntahan kundi dadaanan mo rin ‘yung pinagdaanan nila.”
Ildefonso was, of course, referring to June Mar Fajardo, the eight-time PBA MVP who he took under his wings when they were still teammates at San Miguel from 2012 to 2013, the formative years of Fajardo’s career with the Beermen.
Ildefonso said Baltazar’s desire to learn, the quality that Fajardo also owns, goes perfectly well to the skills that he already possesses along with a mindset that he still needs to improve even though he is already an accomplished player even before he made the move to the PBA.
With the right attitude, Ildefonso sees that Baltazar can soon be a dominant player like what he did din the MPBL where he copped two MVP plums.
“Bright future kasi masipag tapos athletic. Importante kasi sa isang player ‘yung gustong matuto, masipag, maaga sa practice, alam niya kung ano ang kulang niya at kailangan niyang i-work out,” said Ildefonso.
“Kilala naman natin si Balti, kailangan lang niya mag-transform at madala niya ‘yung pagka-dominante niya sa MPBL. Kaya naman niya as long as willing siya matuto."
READ: Top prospect QMB in awe watching June Mar Fajardo: 'What a guy'
Ildefonso said that bulking up is one of the first priority for Baltazar so that he can take the physicality in the PBA.
“Unang-una, kailangan niya magpalaki. Mga post moves naman, mga galaw naman sa loob, meron naman na rin siya nun. I-gaguide na lang siya,” said Ildefonso.
In Baltazar’s current form, Ildefonso said an asset of the Converge big man, aside from his moves around the basket is his outside shooting that helps him be versatile and fill in different spots for Converge whether in an all-Filipino or import-reinforced conference.
“Maganda ‘yung meron din siyang outside (game) kasi puwede siyang mag-4 (power forward), ‘yung mga perimeter. Sa team namin, perfect na perfect siya kasi puwede siyang mag-4. ‘Yun ang kulang namin lalo na sa all-Filipino. Si Arana number 5, siya number 4,” said Ildefonso.
Baltazar’s true game is now starting to show after a couple of games with Converge.
The Pampanga native played his best offensive outing on Christmas Day when he had 16 points in the FiberXers’ 110-94 win over Meralco. In previous games, Baltazar has also grabbed double-digit rebounds when his scoring isn't clicking.
Ildefonso said the challenge right now for ‘Balti’ is to find a way to post double-double numbers, something that was almost a routine for him during his MPBL days.
“Palagi ko sinasabi na ‘Balti, naka-double digits ka na.’ Set naman na mag-double-double uli. Lagi mong tatandaan na hindi naman ‘yan mahirap para sayo. Pilitin mo ng pilitin na mag-double-double ka kasi sabi ko, malaking bagay kasi sa big man na double-double,” said the 48-year-old PBA legend turned mentor.
Baltazar is in for a much more rigorous work from Ildefonso especially with Converge not playing until January 11 where it faces the Governors’ Cup champion TNT.
“Mahaba-haba ‘yung pahinga namin… Kasi January 11 pa. So malaking bagay ‘yun. Then, marami yung oras namin pagbalik namin sa practice na mag-one-on-one kami,” Ildefonso said.
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