Bolts coach Black, import Durham impressed by vast improvement of sophomore point guard Baser Amer
TAKING OVER the spot of Jimmy Alapag, one of the best point guards ever to play in the PBA who emerged as the all-time leader in three-point shots made, is a tall order for young Baser Amer.
In just his second season in the PBA, Baser Amer has come a long way.
From being a reliever and understudy of Mr. Alapag, Mr. Amer quickly became the main man at the point for Meralco.
His biggest test came during Game 4 of their PBA Governors Cup best- of- seven championship series against the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings as his steady performance capped by a crucial three- pointer down the stretch.
Norman Black, head coach of the Bolts, had seen how Mr. Amer has improved by leaps and bounds in just his second season in the PBA.
“Baser Amer’s improvement this year has been extraordinary,” Mr. Black said. “Starting from the second conference on, he’s probably our best player or one of our best players. He has taken control of the team, he has quarterbacked the team and there are areas where he can still improve and gets better playing individual defense, but he has improved so much that he is a completely different player from last year when he’s just subbing in for Jimmy Alapag. Now, he’s the point guard, the quarterback of the team.”
In Game 4, Mr. Amer proved he also has nerves of steel.
His three- pointer off in the closing minute of the game proved to be the marginal basket needed by the Bolts in escaping with a scary win and tying the best-of-seven series to 2-2 apiece.
“That was a good shot by Baser at the corner. Actually, you could say that was the game-winner,” added Mr. Black.
Reigning two- time Best Import Allen Durham could only agree with Black.
“Baser, I told him, ‘ hey, keep on playing, keep shooting. It’s gonna come’ and he made the biggest play of the game with a trey. I’m proud of him,” added Mr. Durham, who saw Mr. Amer wide open for a three-pointer.
For Mr. Durham, Mr. Amer is his own Most Improved Player.
“They said Chris Ross got the Most Improved Player, but if I had to vote I would give it to Baser for sure,” said Mr. Durham.
“Baser’s improvement is night and day. He’s truly one of the top point guards and he could only get better. He’s only in his second season in the league. Like Coach Black said, Meralco, we have a lot to look forward to in the future. Baser being a leader, and all that stuff, he could only get better.”
For Mr. Amer, his moment to shine was made possible by his teammates and trust given by his coach. He flubbed and floundered in the team’s last two losses but bounced back strong in Game 4. —