AS the losses keep piling up, perhaps the only consolation for NLEX in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup is the emergence of undersized frontliner Eric Camson as a force to be reckoned with.
The 6-foot-4 power forward has so far emerged as one of the few silver linings for the lowly Road Warriors, who absorbed a third straight loss on Friday night, 89-81, at the hands of Mahindra at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The product of Adamson averages 9.0 points per game – hitting a high of 14 points in the team’s 113-105 loss to Rain or Shine – to emerge as the No. 2 top scorer for the team behind Garvo Lanete (9.3 ppg).
He also averaged 5.3 rebounds while playing 16 minutes per game.
Camson said he’s just repaying the trust being given to him by coach Yeng Guiao, who has a preference for players who don't hesitate to mix it up on the court.
“Kaya ako nakakapag-deliver ng ganun kasi may playing time ako,” said Camson after contributing eight points and six rebounds in the Road Warriors’ loss to the Floodbuster.
“I think kahit sino namang player, kung mabibigyan talaga ng playing time, makaka-contribute din naman.”
[See James White delivers double-double as Mahindra extends NLEX misery]
But Camson doesn’t deny he’s really found a second wind in his career since Guiao assuming the NLEX coaching job. The 26-year-old native of Lemery, Batangas played for only nine games and averaged 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in nine minutes of action per outing last season.
The 16th overall pick in the 2013 draft (second round, Air21) said he thinks he’s just on the same page as Guiao.
“Ganito talaga ang style ko na tingin ko fit talaga kay Coach Yeng,” Camson said. “Kaya malaking pasalamat ko talaga sa kanya.”
Now if only NLEX could start translating Camson’s surprising play into victories.