NCAA: Rey Barcuma impresses former Perpetual star Scottie Thompson

Perpetual Help’s Rey Barcuma leads the Altas’ first win in NCAA Season 98. –NCAA/GMA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Rey Barcuma’s showing so far in the NCAA Season 98 certainly has not gone unnoticed as the Perpetual Help guard caught the eye of former NCAA MVP Scottie Thompson.

Thompson, one of the biggest stars to have graduated from the Altas’ roster, was in attendance for the Arellano-Perpetual Help game at San Juan Arena on Friday.

He revealed Rey Barcuma to be his new favorite player from his former team.

“My idol right now is ‘Peter Pan’ (Barcuma),” Thompson, who now plays for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA, said.

“Maybe if I played today in the NCAA, I’d be challenged by him. He’s so great at pressuring players on defense.”

Barcuma balled out in the Altas’ first win against Jose Rizal University on Sunday, scoring 22 points on a staggering 90.9 percent shooting clip, missing only one shot in 11 attempts.

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The Bukidnon native, however, only scored three markers in Perpetual’s recent loss to Arellano, 61-59.

Thompson, who won his first PBA MVP award last season, also lauded the Altas’ way of play in the season so far.

“I saw great offensive execution in their first game. Their defense is also great. It’s probably because they have experience with one another. That’s the important thing too, not a lot of players left,” he said.

In his MVP season for Perpetual Help, Thompson posted 26.5 points and 10 rebounds per game.

However, he failed to Perpetual Help to a league finals appearance.

The 6-foot-1 playmaker hopes this season will be the year for Perpetual to finally reach that stage in the NCAA.

“For me, I have high expectations with Perps because they reached the Final Four last season. Hopefully, they enter it again and I pray they make the Finals, something I could not give them before.”