NONOY BACLAO
Why he’s worth the minutes: As we’ve witnessed in the UAAP, Baclao is an all-heart, hustle player; always ready to dive for the loose balls, poke through defensive screens, alter shots with his hands up, or display leadership in telling where teammates are supposed to be positioned on D. Defense is his calling card, and blocks are his specialty. Once he gets a feel of the new system, expect Baclao to go Andrei Kirilenko on the James Yap’s and the Mac Cardona’s of the PBA. He’s the guy you want defending the opposing team’s best player, and he could probably guard all frontcourt spots. His post and weak side defense have been consistently astounding for a man his size, particularly due to his wingspan. His sound post play is also a reason for opposing defenses to be wary. In essence, Baclao just may be the glue that Air21 needs, especially in situations where they are beaten by offensive put-backs.
Why he will warm the end of the bench: Baclao stands at 6”4, which qualifies as a tweener in the PBA. Implicit PBA standards dictate that Baclao might have to shift down to the small forward position, which will slow his learning curve, because he is a legitimate four. Think Bacon Austria; he had a hard time adjusting to the two/three spot after playing power forward in high school. As it stands, Baclao has a shaky jumper within the perimeter, and a non-existent stroke from deep. He might have sunk shots from three in the UAAP, but he’s going to have to develop a longer range. He’s also on the skinny-side so he will have to stack on some much needed muscle if he has any chance of standing up against the Harvey Careys and the Ali Peeks of the league.
The Verdict: Baclao will have to learn a viable offensive option, since his post moves might not work as effectively as they did in the UAAP. Rico Maierhofer, last year’s top pick and this year’s PBA Rookie of the Year, adjusted easily to the PBA because he had a good stroke from 15-20 feet—something that Nonoy might have to learn. Arwind Santos might prove to be a template for success, given that Noy develops a deadly range. Baclao, however, works his tail off, which will pave his way to making the much needed adjustments. All offensive issues aside, Air21 is blessed to have a defensive stalwart at their disposal; Nonoy is a coach’s kid, and expect Coach Yeng Guiao to make him dive for those loose balls, grab the loose change, and possibly lead his team into the playoffs. Seeing him and Al-Hussaini grow together will be fun, as both complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, ceteris paribus, because the PBA market is more skittish than it has ever been.
