Watson a good fit for grand slam seeking SMB
IN ALL the tournaments he played for, Terrence Watson has been regarded as a proven winner.
He has led his team, Hapoel Kafar Saba to a championship appearance while averaging 16 points and 10.7 rebounds per game before he was tapped by the grand slam seeking San Miguel Beermen to become their third reinforcement in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
His winning pedigree is one of the reasons why he was recruited by the Beermen in quest for the triple crown and on Sunday, he showed his potential by finishing with 28 points and 17 boards.
“He’s a big help. He’s a big factor. His impact in the game showed against Ginebra and that’s because he wasn’t scouted well,” San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria told Business World.
Mr. Watson had to prepare for three days, but the adjustment period wasn’t much of a problem as the Beermen have a loaded all-Filipino lineup.
But if there’s one thing noticeable on Mr. Watson, it is his unusual wingspan, which could help them up front while going up against bigger players, most notably Greg Slaughter.
“Despite his size, I think he could match up against a sevenfoot player like Greg Slaughter. His wingspan is long, taller than his height and longer than Yancy de Ocampo. I’m happy for him. In his first game, he played well,” added Mr. Austria.
“He’s also a proven winner. Every tournament he participated in, the least finish he had is semifinals. He just led his team to the finals in Israel.”
Mr. Watson is coming in a critical condition as the Beermen are now in deep hunt to make a playoff push. At 5-3, the Beermen are tied in fourth to fifth spots with the TNT KaTropa. They’ve been in an unfamiliar territory and the new reinforcement knows he has a big role in helping the squad in reaching their ambitious goal.
A lot of pressure now rest on the shoulders of the ex-Ball State standout.
“For eight years, I’ve been playing professional basketball overseas and the pressure of winning a championship is something I’ve been dealing with. Players get cut off each time they don’t deliver and I know it. But I love the dealing the pressure of winning a championship,” added Mr. Watson. —