‘Low maintenance’ Trollano big in San Miguel debut

Don Trollano immerses seamlessly into the San Miguel system. —PBA IMAGES

Even with just three days of team practice, Don Trollano felt right at home in his first game with San Miguel Beer.

It showed on Friday night when he figured prominently in the Beermen’s 95-82 triumph over defending champion Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

“I just felt comfortable out there since I’ve been with Jericho (Cruz), the other vets. So they were guiding me. I felt right at home. I felt relaxed,” he told reporters on the heels of a 16-point debut.

“The coaches just told me to be aggressive, to just shoot whenever open. I hit my second try in the middle and then I just got into it,” Trollano said of his 12-point burst in the second period that helped San Miguel gain separation from the crowd darlings.

Chris Ross, the veteran playmaker now concurrently serving as one of San Miguel’s assistant coaches, praised Trollano, whom the franchise acquired in a five-man, three-team deal with NLEX that involved NorthPort’s Robert Bolick.

“Don’s a player, man. I’ve been raving about Don for years now and competing against him so many years, in the Finals. He’s a player,” the defensive whiz said of his new teammate.

“He came in and he was so seamless—he picked up the offense, he picked up the defensive schemes and made big shots. He’s a complete player. He’s low maintenance. Super low maintenance, super quiet guy, but his game is loud. Big help for us.”

“I’ve only reached the Finals with TNT, with [import] Terrence Jones. That series was against San Miguel. Hopefully, this is the time (for me to win a title),” he said. INQ