Balkman boasts he’s indestructible

Petron import Renaldo Balkman has reason to gloat. He’s the leading scorer of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 28.0 clip and the Blaze Boosters’ top rebounder with a 13.0 average. More than his outstanding individual stats, Balkman is providing the leadership to lift Petron back into championship contention after the team stumbled out of the playoffs with a 6-9 record in the previous Philippine Cup.

Balkman, 28, is a dervish on the court. The human dynamo is all over the floor, diving for possession, moving without the ball, deflecting passes, jockeying for position and displaying a high level of intensity. His approach to the game is clearly infectious as Petron’s locals are now just as energetic on both ends. 

When Balkman played for the New York Knicks, he was a crowd darling at Madison Square Garden because of his devil-may-care style. The Big Apple fans appreciate a player with a fighting heart and Balkman says he’s the same way in the PBA. He’s like Dennis Rodman with Carmelo Anthony’s moves.

“I’m indestructible,” says Balkman as if to stake his claim as the import yardstick in the PBA this conference. There’s a tattoo on his thigh that lists attributes under the word “character” and it’s what he lives by. One of the attributes is attitude. Under the list are the words “Iron Breeds Iron” which defines his indestructibility. That’s his favorite tattoo. Balkman says he’s lost count of how many tattoos he has on his body. On the back of his lower legs are tattooed the words “Hustle” and “Harder” which describe his approach to the game.

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What makes Balkman a perfect fit for Petron is his versatility in playing multiple positions. He starts at four with JuneMar Fajardo at five and that’s an automatic mismatch against a local defender. When coach Olsen Racela sits Fajardo, he slides Balkman to five and brings in Arwind Santos and Jay Washington together. Because of Petron’s depth, Racela has a slew of options available in shuffling combinations. For instance, he has the luxury of going small with Balkman at five, Santos or Washington at four, Marcio Lassiter at three, Ronald Tubid at two and Denok Miranda at one. That’s not even considering the availability of Alex Cabagnot and Chris Lutz who are both sidelined at the moment.

Balkman says he draws from his experience in the international game with the Puerto Rican national team, having played at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey in 2010. He challenges himself to play hard in every game and it shows in the way he has dominated the Commissioner’s Cup despite being the shortest import. Balkman says size isn’t a handicap because he has the biggest heart.

Although he’s earned over $9.3 million in a six-year NBA career, Balkman isn’t your average rest-on-his-laurels multimillionaire. He still plays the game with hunger, passion and reckless abandon, like he’s out to prove himself all over again after being drafted on the first round by the Knicks in 2006.

Against Barako Bull at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday, Balkman was unstoppable. He finished with 33 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a blocked shot in 37 minutes as Petron crushed the Energy Cola, 91-78. At least thrice, he tapped the ball loose on defense and ran like mad to the other side for unmolested dunks. Balkman, of course, got the opportunity to steal because his teammates put pressure in the backcourt, leading to anticipated passes.

Balkman says even if he produces glowing stats, the reason why Petron is on a hot five-game winning streak is because it’s playing as a team. And it doesn’t matter if he’s playing alongside Fajardo or Santos or Washington. He likes to think he brings out the best in his teammates whoever they are. In the Barako game, the Blaze Boosters chalked up 22 assists to the Energy Cola’s 12 and had the edge in rebounds, steals, three-point shots and fastbreak, second chance and turnover points – indicators of team play. 

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In the last two games, Petron has been unforgiving in defense, limiting Air 21 to 53 points and Barako to 78. Racela says Tubid and Miranda are setting the tone defensively with their pressure on the opposing guards. That was so evident against Barako as they hounded Josh Urbiztondo from the onset. Urbiztondo, averaging 17.4 points and four triples, was held to only six points and two treys. Racela adds that Chico Lanete and Joseph Yeo are also doing their fair share in the backcourt.

But Racela is quick to point out that the Boosters are missing Cabagnot and Lutz. Cabagnot hasn’t played in the last three outings with a sprained ankle while Lutz in the last five because of a banged-up rib. Petron is showing resiliency in making do without Cabagnot and Lutz but Racela says Petron is a much better team with the two in harness. That’s not to mention Danny Ildefonso who is also sidelined with a shoulder injury. 

Petron is No. 2 in the conference in offense (89 points a game) and defense (79), striking a healthy balance on both fronts. It’s No. 1 in least turnovers (14.7), opponents turnovers (20) and turnover points (19). The stats reflect a growing chemistry that Racela has painstakingly sought to develop since taking over command of the ship from Rajko Toroman after five games in the last conference. On Friday, Petron faces league-leading Alaska, still unbeaten with a game against San Mig Coffee tomorrow, in its biggest test. For sure, Balkman will be armed and ready to battle as the Aces try to prove he’s only mortal.