Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—It may be the holidays but NorthPort rookie Robert Bolick isn’t letting off the intensity.
Bolick, chosen third overall in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft, showed his wares for the Batang Pier scoring 15 points in their 102-90 win against Rain or Shine in a tune-up game at NorthPort’s practice gym at Green Meadows Clubhouse Saturday.
The former San Beda star wasn’t afraid of going up against the physicality of the Elasto Painters and all the while learning the ropes from one of the best point guards in the PBA in Stanley Pringle.
READ: Robert Bolick signs 2-year max deal with NorthPort
“He’s a great player,” said Bolick of Pringle in Filipino. “Whatever he tells me to do, I’m just going to follow because he’s that great of a player.”
Bolick, a three-time NCAA champion with the Red Lions, is considered as one of the best floor generals in college and he’s now under the tutelage of Pringle who’s often considered as one of the top point guards in the PBA.
Pringle averaged a league-best 21.0 points-per-game among local players with 6.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
NorthPort’s superstar is also in the running for the MVP plum after accumulating an average of 35.5 statistical points across 33 games, the top mark in the league and 2.4 points ahead of four-time winner June Mar Fajardo.
Batang Pier head coach Pido Jarencio also has high hopes for the backcourt of Bolick and Pringle for the upcoming PBA season.
“Bolick is an intelligent player, an A1 player and he’ll be a good complement for Stanley,” said Jarencio in Filipino. “Also Stanley likes the type of Bolick who can understand his style of play.”
Bolick said he’d be a keen student of Pringle throughout the season.
“I’ll just continue learning from him because that’s the most important thing right now,” said Bolick.