Cameron Clark. PBA IMAGES
ANTIPOLO CITY — Having played with another franchise in the last PBA Governors’ Cup, San Miguel import Cameron Clark already has a leg up compared to other imports in this season-ending tournament.
And that was evident on Friday night when he sustained his stellar play for the Beermen, accounting for 31 points and 14 rebounds in the 122-102 rout of Terrafirma at Ynares Center here.
“I went out there trying to be aggressive and get to my spots. I’m still trying to pick and choose them,” said Clark, who was just three points shy of tying his scoring best at NLEX—the other club he backstopped last year.
The American forward feels he owes his splendid play to a longer prep time with the Beermen.
“[With] NLEX, I was [there] for a bout a month—right [into] the playoffs. I feel like it was better for me to start at the beginning and just get accustomed, adjusted to the guys. I’m just trying to fit in where I can,” he said.
Clark, for the third straight game, made his presence felt without getting in the way of San Miguel’s other stars.
And that was borne out of the understanding that he’s surrounded with equally capable players.
“[There’s] a lot of guys who can score the ball, you know. June (Mar Fajardo) is a six-time MVP. Lots of shooters [too]: Jericho (Cruz), CJ (Perez)—you know what I mean?“ he said.
“‘Cio (Lassiter) who can shoot it. A lot of guys who can put the ball in the basket. I’m just trying to pick and choose my spots and defend the import as good as I can,” he added.
Clark was swift at quashing the idea that he has an easier job at San Miguel. If anything, he’s still looking to refine parts of his game to better contribute to the Beermen’s cause, which is sandwiching this season with another crown.
“I wouldn’t say it’s easier,” he said with a grin. “I’ll never say that. But as I’ve said, I like my teammates and I’m still trying to adjust.”
“It’s early in the season and we still got a lot of work to do,” he added.