JUSTINE Baltazar should be coming up with a much better performance than in his PBA debut.
Converge acting head coach Franco Atienza sure hopes so, especially with Baltazar and the rest of his crew taking on NLEX Tuesday in the Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Each team is out to bounce back from a sorry loss with the Road Warriors aiming to improve its current 3-2 slate and the FiberXers raring to jack their own record to 3-2.
But while NLEX would have more days to rest in-between games in its upcoming schedule, the same cannot be said of Converge, which takes on Phoenix on Thursday before tangling with Barangay Ginebra on Saturday in Batangas City.
"Kailangan makapag-pondo kami ng wins to make the playoffs," offered Atienza, referring to the quarterfinals where only the top eight teams advance following the 12-game eliminations.
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"We're not even talking about our position in the next round. Just make it there muna and if we want to make the playoffs, we have to take care of business in our remaining games here in the eliminations," added Atienza.
"Gagawin namin iyan by stages so we have to take care of tomorrow first. Then think about Thursday and then think about Saturday."
Led by do-it-all Robert Bolick and quietly efficient Mike Watkins, NLEX is sure to be a handful.
"Alam naman natin na they have a good import, Watkins, and then we know kung ano kakayahan ni Bolick. Tapos nagbabalik na Kevin Alas and okay din supporting cast... nakaka-contribute sila lahat," noted Atienza.
"It would be a very tough test for us."
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Converge's arsenal is just as stocked, with Alec Stockton, Justin Arana, Cheick Diallo, and Jordan Heading, who is coming off a 30-point game in a 101-108 loss to NorthPort their last time out.
The lion's share of the limelight should fall on Baltazar, however.
With little rest following his successful MPBL campaign and only two days of practices with the team that made him the top pick overall in last July's draft, Baltazar debuted with five points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 20 minutes of action.
Although it's now been a week since Baltazar first joined Converge, Atienza knows it is simply not enough to integrate the multi-titled 6-9 forward-center and develop chemistry with his new team.
"For sure may na-gain na siya from the last game namin and we are trying our best to adjust our players with him and him with us. So far so good," said Atienza.
"Maganda naman character ng bata. He knows how to handle the pressure that's on him. He's a pro so he knows his strengths and weaknesses and in no time siguradong makatulong iyan." (NC)
