Ginebra rookie Troy Rosario makes his PBA Commissioner’s Cup debut. –PBA images
When the opportunity arose to sign with his childhood dream team, Troy Rosario didn’t hesitate to make his dream come true.
“Why not?” Rosario told the Inquirer on Wednesday before making his Barangay Ginebra debut in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup game against NLEX at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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It’s also a new beginning for Justin Baltazar, who will finally see action at the Converge on Thursday against undefeated Northport at the same venue.
Baltazar was added to the Fibre has been officially decided.
But while Baltazar prepares for the challenge of proving his worth as the No. 1 overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft after dominating the local scene for the past two seasons, Rosario hopes Ginebra will solve his need for a replacement. He was trying to show off his talent.
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Rosario became an unrestricted free agent after playing two years with Blackwater and reportedly had offers from his former teams TNT and Converge.
But Rosario felt that being with Ginebra was something she couldn’t share.
“Why should I pass up the opportunity to make my childhood dream come true when I had the chance to choose it?” [that]? ” Rosario said in Filipino.
“Smooth transition”
The deal with Rosario was made official in the last week of November through a low-key announcement of the official roster for the midseason tournament.
Ginebra has high hopes for Rosario, who could fill a need with a physical presence in the paint and offensive versatility.
Rosario seems to be fitting in well with his new team, but admitted there’s still work to be done, and not just after Wednesday’s tussle with NLEX.
“It’s been a smooth transition, but at the same time there’s a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “Of course it takes time to understand a system that has been in place for years, but I have only been with the team for a few weeks. But I will do my best to make up for my shortcomings. .”
Meanwhile, the FiberXers are expected to ease Balthazar gradually until he fully integrates into the team.
However, the Converge coaching staff is confident Baltazar will have little trouble getting through the adjustment phase.
“Balti knows each other’s games well, so he will learn quickly,” FiberXers assistant coach Charles Tiu told the Inquirer. “I have coached him in the past.” [with Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai Invitational] Also, some of our sets are similar to those in Pampanga. ”
Tiu mentioned Rajko Toloman, a Converge consultant who helped the Giant Lanterns successfully retain the MPBL title, which ended with three consecutive wins over the Quezon Huskers in the national finals.
We’ll find out how long or short Baltazar will play in his debut, having just completed an eight-month MPBL season, once the FiberXers parade the floor against Batan Pier.
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“We have to see how much he plays in the early stages, considering he hasn’t had much of a chance to rest,” Tiu said.
