FIVE years after his first PBA stint was cut short by an infamous choking incident, Renaldo Balkman is set to return for San Miguel Beermen to fulfill his unfinished business – to win a PBA title.
Joining for the first time at the Beermen’s practice on Wednesday morning, the Puerto Rican import said he is more than excited to help his squad on its title-retention bid in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“I feel great. It’s great to be back in the PBA. It took a long time, but I’m here,” said Balkman. “They’re a great group of guys, all the more positive. I’m happy to be here and be a part of them right now.”
“The main goal here is for us is to win another championship. And that’s what I’m here for,” he added. “They’ve seen something in me that was positive, and they picked me. I’m trying to win another championship. That’s my main goal while I’m here.”
Balkman, who previously played for the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks in te NBA, said he is not going to waste the chance given to him by PBA after Commissioner Willie Marcial lifted the lifetime ban imposed on him by former commissioner Angelico Salud.
“Everybody calls it a second chance. It’s just another job for me. I’ve been playing all over the world throughout my career. You know, I did what I did, in earlier years when I was young. But you know, I’m a little older now,” Balkman said.
“And since then, I’ve had several jobs. Even the job, like I said, in the ABL. But it’s just another job for me. I go out there and look into the future. I don’t look into the past,” added the 33-year-old import.
Balkman will make his debut for Beermen in their out-of-town match against Alaska Aces tonight in Dumaguete City. The defending champions have yet to win a game this conference.
ILOILO MAYOR’S CUP
Action is heating up in the Iloilo City Mayor’s Cup Basketball Tournament 2018, organized by the Iloilo City Government, which is being held at the La Plaza Gym in Iloilo City.
The basketball tournament, which opened last April 29, 2018, had four categories namely Inter-Agency, Open, 40-Up and Barangay Officials.
Playing in the Inter-Agency Category are the Iloilo City Gov’t., BFP, ICPO, Philippine Coast Guard, BJMP, GSIS, DBP, SWAT, DOLE and NAVY. Teams in Open are Iloilo Mission Hospital, Solane, Team Sales Promotion, Double J Builders, Conlu Custom Brokage and Lennard.
The 40-UP Category is composed of NBI, Kris DB Deocampo, CPU Agahan, MASA, UK Sports, Iloilo Tuesday Club, Iloilo City Gov’t., Legends, Double J Builders and Duterte Starr, while Barangay Officials Category is composed of La Paz, Jaro, Molo, Mandurriao, Lapuz, City Proper and Arevalo District.
“The event is designed to promote the spirit of camaraderie, sportsmanship and for character-training, gaining such virtues as discipline, perseverance and courage among the players,” said Moises Salomon of Iloilo City Sports Development Division.
“Also this kind of event allows to de-stress themselves from their demanding and energy-draining work,” he added. “You can really notice and feel the eagerness in them to win the game.”/PN
