Balkman rejoins San Miguel Beer
PUERTO Rican Renaldo Balkman returns to the Philippine Basketball to reinforce defending champion San Miguel Beer in the ongoing Season 43 Commissioner’s Cup.
Balkman will first see action against Alaska on Saturday in Dumaguete City
After terrible 0- 2 start, San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria said that the 6’8 Balkman would replace Troy Gillenwater as the team’s import. The Puerto Rican is set to join SMB’s practice on Wednesday at the Acropolis gym in Libis, Quezon City.
“Balkman is already our import on Saturday and Gillenwater did not practice with us anymore today (Tuesday) because he was already informed that he was replaced,” Austria told
in a phone interview. “Balkman will help us a lot because he played really well in the ABL (Asean Basketball League).”
Balkman, with an average of 24.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks powered Alab Pilipinas’ 3-2 win vs the Mono Vampire of Thailand
Balkman was supported by fellow import Justin Brownlee.
“His defense is really excellent and that’s what we have been looking for. A player who can play defense, can score and can intimidate
for our system,” added Austria. “It happened that the ban on Balk- man was not yet lifted and Charles Rhodes had other commitments.”
“But if the ban was no longer in effect during that time, we would probably get him since Rhodes was not yet available too.”
Balkman, who also played for the Puerto Rican national team, was slapped with a lifetime ban
mate Arwind Santos during
- a
Commissioner’s Cup.
Balkman recently apologized to former PBA commissioner Chito Salud about the incident. As Willie Marcial ascended to the post as new commissioner, the ban was lifted last March 27.
Austria is still optimistic despite a dismal 0-2 win-loss record.
“We are still positive at this stage even we’re down 0-2 because it happened to us before,” added Austria. “In the 2015 Governors’ Cup, we started 0-2 and we ended up at No. 2 before winning the title with import AZ Reid.”