Gilas Pilipinas Basketball

One of the revelations for Gilas Pilipinas when the squad beat Indonesia, 76-51 on Friday in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers third window in Pampanga is the new style of play of 24-year-old Justine Baltazar.

The De La Salle center stepped up and top-scored with 11 points for the national team, while also grabbing down nine rebounds. He was also a plus-20 for the match.

From his traditional big man role, pundits have noticed a switch to a stretch forward position.

This was more highlighted when head coach Tab Baldwin went big to start the third quarter, putting 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto and 7-foot Ange Kouame together on the floor while the 6-foot-8 Baltazar played the wing.

It worked well for Gilas, with Baltazar even knocking down two triples in the contest.

After the game, Baldwin offered his candid thoughts on how Baltazar is changing the way he’s playing the game, saying it can be beneficial for the team in the long run.

“I actually think he’s made the transition pretty smoothly particularly the offensive end,” the mentor said.

“He has a great offensive skill set but I think he’s potentially even a better defender especially at this point.”

Baldwin noted that instead of defending “smaller, quicker” players in Asia, Baltazar might have an advantage when he goes up against European players and further counterparts.

“I think when we get up against the European players, they won’t have the jitterbug quickness that the Asian guards have so it will be more comfortable for Baltazar defensively,” Baldwin added.

Baltazar drew comparisons on social media likening him to former GIlas player Troy Rosario given the way he performed against Indonesia.

As Gilas prepares for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament where it faces Serbia and the Dominican Republic, Baltazar will be presented another opportunity to showcase what he can do against taller and bigger players.

For his part, the frontcourt starter is also wary he can do the task for the long-term.

“Matagal ko na kasing pinraktis ‘to. Sabi ng coach namin, kaya ko naman maging wing man so kailangan ko trabahuhin para pagpasok sa court, medyo mataas height natin (five on the floor),” Baltazar said.

It was only a one-game sample, but the signs point to a great future ahead of Baltazar for his career as a national team member and as a basketball player in general.

“This is a process that takes time but I don’t see any problems for him,” Baldwin closed. “He’s a smart player, he’s a tough player, he’s going to bulk up some more, he is going to get physically stronger, and I think that’s going to present real problems for other teams and that’s going to help him to match up in the European theater when we get over there.”

Written by Levi Verora Jr.

Photos from FIBA