Hotshots rookie Torres getting early pointers from Sangalang
The Star Hotshots picked Norbert Torres as the eighth overall selection in the 2015 Gatorade PBA Draft last month. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Part of Star’s cornerstone for the future alongside third-year big man Ian Sangalang, rookie Norbert Torres can’t wait to get his PBA career going.
“It’s a great honor to be mentioned as a core member of the team for the future, lalo na that I’m starting pa lang eh. It just means I have a lot of work to do to live up to what they envision,” he said.
Analysts saw Star’s move of pairing up Torres and Sangalang as a counterpunch to the twin-tower revolution that has swept the league, with Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar and Talk ‘N Text’s 1-2 combo of Mo Tautuaa and Troy Rosario already putting the league on notice.
Though Torres has yet to speak with Marc Pingris, who is currently with the national team, he and Sangalang have already formed a bond during training camp, with the latter guiding the newcomer as the beginning of his professional career nears.
“I’ve been speaking with him with the changes I need to do in the PBA. It’s been great naman so far,” he said.
Like Torres, who was tabbed eighth by the Hotshots in the Rookie Draft last month, his head coach Jason Webb is also on a fresh start as Star begins its new chapter with the departure of former coach Tim Cone.
“It’s his first time as a head coach so he’s hungry. It’s my first time as a PBA player, so we have something in common there, and maybe we can grow together with the team,” Torres said of Webb.
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