Known as a pure-scorer in his days with University of the East Red Warriors, Bonbon Batiller showed another facet of his game as he shadowed San Beda star Robert Bolick in Letran’s 76-80 loss, last Friday.
“‘Yung mindset ko talaga, dumepensa. Kasi gusto ko nga, para sa akin personal, gusto kong pahirapan [si Bolick],” said Batiller in an interview with The LANCE.
The Knights’ sixth man came into the game with one goal in mind, which is to limit the King Lions’ production.
“Hindi ‘man ma-stop, gusto ko lang siyang ma-limit or pahirapan sa loob ng court si Bolick, kasi nga si Bolick talaga ‘yung go-to-guy nila,” he said.
A lot of trash-talking and bumping can be seen from the two, especially when Bolick drained a three-pointer in the face of Batiller.
“Akala kasi nila ‘pag ginaganun ganun nila ako lalo akong maa-ano [maaasar] eh. ‘Yun nga ‘yung gusto ko eh, ‘dun ko gustong i-labas ‘yung laro ko eh kapag ka ganun [‘yung sitwasyon],” Bolick said.
“‘Yun ‘yung trabaho niya [Batiller] eh, he did his job well so alam ko na kung ano makikita ko sa kanya next round. Again, good job for him, he did his job, pinahirapan niya kung sino ‘man bantay niya,” explained Bolick, as he turned the ball over seven times in the game.
Batiller admitted that he had a hard-time guarding the 2018 Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Basketball Player of the Year. “Nahirapan ako syempre, sobrang galing ni Bolick, kumbaga sobrang hinog na niyan para sa PBA. Para sa akin, gusto ko lang pahirapan talaga siya,” said Batiller.
Though Batiller went scoreless for the entire game, he recorded three assists and three steals; including one from Bolick in the crucial minutes of the fourth quarter.
“Kaya okay na sakin kahit wala akong opensa, talagang ‘di ako maka-shoot pero okay lang, atleast malaki natulong ko sa depensa,” he added.