STARTING TO SHOW TRUE WORTH
IN so short a time, Dylan Ababou has learned to fit into Barako Bull coach Koy Banal’s system.
The former University of Santo Tomas gunner, who has spent much of his time at the bench of Barangay Ginebra the past three seasons, is showing a career resurgence at Barako Bull.
The 6-foot-2 Ababou is averaging a career-high 12.0 points, while hitting 53.7 percent of his shots from the field in Barako Bull’s solid 3-0 start in the Governors’ Cup.
The former Smart Gilas mainstay fired a personal conference-high 17 points, knocking down three triples, and finishing the game with 7-of-10 shooting from the field to help Barako Bull clobber Talk ‘N Text, 100-87 last Friday.
Ababou said reuniting with Barako Bull coach Koy Banal this conference gives him a lot of confidence, more so since the latter has been running pretty much the same system since their time at Magnolia in the defunct Philippine Basketball League.
“Si coach Koy, naging coach ko na siya nung nasa Magnolia pa kami sa PBL, so halos yung sistemang ginamit namin nuon, pareho din lang dito sa Barako,” said the soft-spoken Barako Bull wingman.
With little adjustment to make under Banal, the 28-year-old Ababou has started to show his potential, on the way to being named the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of May 11-17.
The sweet-shooting Ababou became the second straight Barako Bull player to earn the weekly citation after JC Intal.
“Sana mas mag-flourish na ako dito sa Barako since sa Ginebra, talagang masikip. Wala rin ako sa rotation. So dito, mas may opportunity ako,” he added.(RD)
(Credits: Paul Ryan Tan, AKTV)
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