MANILA, Philippines — Nadagdagan pa ang mga Filipino stalwarts sa overseas matapos ang pormal na pagpirma ni La Salle big man Justine Baltazar sa Hiroshima Dragonflies sa Japan B. League.
Bagama’t napaulat na ang kanyang desisyon pagkatapos pa lang ng kampanya ng Green Archers sa UAAP Season 84, kahapon lang naging opisyal ang kanyang B. League signing.
“I am confident that the variation of offense will increase. I look forward to the success that leads the team to victory,” ani Dragonflies general manager Shuji Okazaki kay Baltazar.
Para naman kay Baltazar, isang karangalan na ibandera ang watawat ng Pinas sa Japan kasunod ng iba pang Pinoy stalwarts na sina Thirdy Ravena (San-en), Kiefer Ravena (Shiga), Dwight Ramos (Hokkaido), Kobe Paras (Niigata) at Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya).
“Before signing the contract, I was thinking about my family first. Of course, I also had a strong desire to join this team. However, after considering my wife and son, I thought that the Hiroshima Dragonflies was a wonderful team for my family,” ani Baltazar.
Sa Hiroshima ay inaasahan ang parehong tulong ni Baltazar lalo’t nagkasya lang ito sa 29-28 kartada sa ika-12 puwesto ng 22-team B. League.