Isaac knows Sumang’s worth, hopes his good run continues

Roi Sumang goes for a drive. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Coach Leo Isaac wasn’t surprised at all with the way his bench unit played on Wednesday in Blackwater’s 99-91 win over GlobalPort.

With top dogs Mac Belo and Art dela Cruz resting on the bench early in the fourth period, the reserves kept the ship afloat and worked to maintain the Elite’s 10-point lead until the starters checked back in midway in the frame.

“Those players coming off the bench, guys like Roi Sumang, Dylan Ababou, James Forrester, Reil Cervantes, James Sena, and Raymond Aguilar, together with Ael Banal, at any time they can be elevated to the first unit. It’s just that the players in the first unit, they are the most consistent, but any of our players who can give a solid performance will be given the incentive or reward of being elevated to the first unit,” Isaac said.

But it wasn’t just that stretch they they delivered, as the Blackwater bench mob outplayed its GlobalPort counterpart, 38-28.

Isaac continued, “We don’t play favorites in our team. We reward players who excel and give 100-percent in their performance. Those players played well despite our starters who were resting.”

One of the standouts in that bench crew was Roi Sumang, who had his best outing of the conference finishing with nine points, two rebounds, and two assists against the team that drafted him back in 2015.

Though the former University of the East stud slipped past mediamen, Isaac only had good words for his 26-year-old guard.

“We knew that Roi would click not just for this game. We knew what kind of player he is going back to his collegiate days with the UE Red Warriors,” he said.

The mentor further explained that Sumang’s injury woes truly set the 26-year-old’s development back, something which the Elite handled with care.

“Going to the start of this conference, he was on the injury list. That’s why we got guards from other teams like (Nard) Pinto from Mahindra, Denok (Miranda) who was released by TNT, and why we got Ael Banal in the draft. We were just waiting for Roi to fully recover before we inserted him back into the line-up,” he said.

With the way the young guard performed against the Batang Pier, Isaac is hopeful that this will be the start of Sumang’s long awaited ascent in the pro league.

“I’m happy for him. He has moved past the hump that has been bothering him. I wish that his good run will continue,” he said.