JONNEL Policarpio hasn’t exactly made a huge impact like his fellow rookies in his draft class but is now in line for a bigger role with NLEX once he gets used to the rigors of playing multiple positions at the PBA level.
The rookie forward out of La Salle is coming off his best game of the Commissioner’s Cup when he had his PBA season-high 17 points and nine rebounds in the Road Warriors’ 108-94 win over Phoenix last Sunday.
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The No. 6 pick in the Season 49 draft has been spending most of his debut year moving from one position to another, but head coach Jong Uichico said the good thing is that Policarpio is not backing down from the challenge.
“Learner naman si Poli. At the start, kwatro. Tres, kwatro. Medyo nahihirapan talaga siya,” said Uichico of the 6-foot-5 La Salle product who also had a similar role during his UAAP days.
Policarpio’s first PBA conference saw him average 13 minutes, and tally 6.6 points and 5.0 rebounds for NLEX in the Governors’ Cup. Entering that Phoenix match, he was only averaging 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Road Warriors.
“Now, nagiging sanay na siya sa dalawang klaseng position. And give him some time kasi rookie siya. Unfair naman sa kanya na palipat-lipat ‘yung positions niya. Sa first conference, kwatro siya. At the start of this conference, kwatro siya. Ngayon, tres siya. Give him some time to make the adjustment.”
“But he is such learning player na makaka-adopt naman siya as the conference goes along,” said Uichico.
Policarpio only hopes that the game against Phoenix is just the start of something good for his pro career.
“Thankful ako kila coach kasi every practice, tinuturuan nila ako. Kahit maliit na pagkakamali, kinokorek ako. Kaya thankful ako kila coach Jong, kila coach Borgie, lahat ng assistant coaches,” said Policarpio.
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