Urged by mentor Alapag, Amer delivers for Meralco

Baser Amer. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Meralco rookie Baser Amer missed his first six shots, but his early struggles didn’t keep him from stepping up when it mattered most.

It also helps that he has one of greatest PBA point guards in Jimmy Alapag as his mentor.

“Before kasi ng game nalaman namin na hindi maglalaro si Jimmy, so kami ni Anjo, sinabihan niya kami na mag-step up at mag-double effort,” said Amer after helping the Bolts beat the NLEX Road Warriors, 101-95, on Wednesday.

“Tapos nung hindi ako maka-shoot nung una, sinabi lang niya sakin just keep on shooting so naging ready lang din ako,” he added.

The rookie playmaker started in place of Alapag, who missed the game due to muscle tightness in his calf, and it was in the endgame where he made his mark.

Amer fired all of his seven points in the final one minute and 29 seconds of the game after he was fielded in to replace big man Kelly Nabong, who fouled out near the two-minute warning.

The former San Beda star, actually, scored seven straight points and his 3-pointer and layup sealed Meralco’s fifth victory in eight games.

“Baser came out and hit some big shots in the endgame and most importantly, we got the win,” said Alapag.

He also had seven assists, something that’s right up to his standards.

“Dapat talaga mag-double effort ako every time. Si Jimmy kasi seven to 10 assists siya a game so kailangan mapantayan ko yung ginagawa niya,” he said.

“Good thing naka-seven assists ako and credit din sa kanya kasi kahat nasa bench ako, lagi niya akong sinasabihan na stay aggressive and stay ready.”