Big break for Amer

MANILA, Philippines — If there’s something Baser Amer brings to the table for Blackwater in the PBA, it’s his high quality leadership. Amer, 28, is a tested winner with four NCAA senior, four PBA D-League and two SEA Games championships. Thrice, he made it to the PBA finals in the Governors Cup but Ginebra foiled Meralco each time. Now, Amer is with the Elite, traded by the Bolts for Mac Belo with Bryan Faundo, and the former San Beda star is out to prove himself all over again with a team that didn’t make the playoffs in the Clark bubble last season.

“We have a lot of expectations from Baser,” said Blackwater team manager Jacob Munez. “OK naman siya, he told us he’ll work hard. Whenever I talk to him, he’s upbeat. Siya nga active sa group chat namin.” Losing Belo was painful but Munez said the team is moving on. “I’m sad personally but I think it’s also good for Mac,” he said. Initially, it was a straight trade involving Amer and Belo but the PBA five-man oversight committee added Faundo to the package.

Munez said the team started practice at the Aero Center on Quezon Avenue last week. Several veterans are due for renewals with the coming draft to decide the final lineup. Blackwater has no first round pick but two slots in the second round, the 14th and 15th. In the special Gilas draft, Blackwater has the third slot so it will gain rights to the rookie chosen with the pick by the national team. In the 2019 special Gilas draft, Blackwater bagged the rights to Rey Suerte. Blackwater head coach Nash Racela said he’s looking forward to the draft on March 14. “With Baser joining us and filling the guard spot, we might have to look for a big man and an athletic shooter in the second round,” he said.

There are 15 players split into three groups reporting for practice on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The coaches alternating to supervise each group are Aris Dimaunahan, Benjie Sipin, Gilbert Lao, Ryan Betia, Romel Adducul and Junjie Ablan with Racela observing from a distance.

Comprising the first group of players are Chris Bitoon, Roi Sumang, Mike Tolomia, Ed Daquioag and Paul Desiderio. Ron Dennison, Don Trollano, Richard Escoto, Amer and Carl Bryan Cruz are in the second while Frank Golla, Marion Magat, Jonjon Gabriel, KG Canaleta and Faundo are in the third. Missing from last season’s roster are Diego Dario, Matt Salem and Maurice Shaw. Dario may be retained for the Elite’s 3x3 squad, Salem has been waived and Shaw is still in the US. The first group does workouts from 8 to 9 a.m. and court training from 9 to 10 a.m., the second does workouts from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. and court training from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. and the third does workouts from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and court training from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. Swab tests were administered before the start of practice and everyone tested negative.