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    Vanguardia calls out ‘Missing-In-Action’ Eboña heading to PBA playoffs

    Blackwater coach also calls out 6-foot-8 Rosser for zero-rebound effort vs Magnolia
    Jul 23, 2022
    Barkley Ebona Ian Sangalang Magnolia vs Blackwater
    Barkley Eboña failed to make the most of his starting gig against Magnolia.
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascaño

    ARIEL Vanguardia urges Blackwater big man Barkley Eboña to rise to the challenge.

    Vanguardia calls out Barkley Ebona

    The Bossing mentor called the attention of the third year Cebuano following an uncharacteristic showing in the team’s 75-66 loss to Magnolia at the end of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations Friday night.

    Eboña played 21 minutes as a starter, but ended up scoreless after not making an attempt and failing to grab a single rebound.

    The performance came two days removed after the Far Eastern University product failed to convert a wide-open basket in the dying seconds that could have forced overtime in the team’s heartbreaking 92-90 loss to Converge.

    He finished with six points, three rebounds, and three assists in the game against the FiberXers.

    But Eboña was nowhere active against the Hotshots as the Bossing suffered their fifth straight setback to wind up at no. 8 (5-6) heading into their playoffs showdown with top seed San Miguel Beermen.

    “He played 20-plus minutes without a single rebound and single attempt, so he got to man up,” said Vanguardia.

    “I’m calling him out. This is professional basketball. You’ve got to love your job. There’s no excuse.”

    Eboña has been playing with a protective mask this conference after suffering a broken nose early on.

    “But Kevin Alas is playing the same way (with protective mask),” Vanguardia pointed out to the tough-playing NLEW guard who’s also playing with a nasal fracture.

    The Blackwater mentor isn’t singling out Ebona in the team.

    “When Brandon (Ganuelas-Rosser) had zero rebounds, I also said the same thing. I said, ’Brandon you’re 6-8, and you had zero rebound the whole game.’ So he’s got to man up,” Vanguardia said.

    The Blackwater coach also hinted about Eboña being a little bit envious of the playing minutes being received by rookie Ato Ular.

    “Barkley has been absent the whole conference because nag-umpisa doon sa playing back up to (Ato) Ular instead of Ular being the back up to Barkley, his confidence is low, nag-miss pa siya ng tying basket sa (Converge),” Vanguardia related.

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      But he stressed everybody is an important piece to the Bossing, and the team needs the old Eboña if it is going deep into the all-Filipino playoffs.

      “If we are to advance to the next phase, we need the old Barkley Eboña from last conference,” said Vanguardia, noting how the 25-year-old power-playing big man won for the Bossing its final game in last season’s Governors Cup against Magnolia that snapped the franchise’s league record of 29-game losing streak.

      “The one who’s active, and not the one who had zero rebound. I’m just challenging him. We need him.”

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      Barkley Eboña failed to make the most of his starting gig against Magnolia.
      PHOTO: Jerome Ascaño
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