Hong Kong Eastern’s Hayden Blankley attacks the basket against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Hayden Blankley is back in the PBA and with a different team this time.
Blankley, who was a vital piece for the Bay Area Dragons team that reached the Commissioner’s Cup Finals in 2023, returned to the PBA on Wednesday and helped Hong Kong Eastern get off to a winning start.
“This is the first time on a team where I feel like I could give some kind of insights to the guys on the team, even though I’m pretty sure I’m still the youngest guy on the team,” said Blankley after Hong Kong Eastern’s 102-87 whipping of Phoenix.
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“I feel like I can still act like a bit of a veteran just because we had the PBA experience before and we can provide insights for other players.”
More accustomed to the PBA’s style of play, Blankley dropped 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
Blankley, however, isn’t the only member of the Hong Kong team that’s had previous experience in the PBA.
His former Bay Area teammates Glen Yang and Kobey Lam also made their presence felt, scoring 13 and eight points, respectively.
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“It’s a fun experience for me because for the first time in my career, I feel a little bit like a veteran and I probably will have to be a bit more mature.”
“It’s an unreal experience being able to get a second chance with some of my teammates in that Bay Area team that I was really close with.”
Cameron Clark, the former San Miguel Beer import, led the way for Hong Kong with 25 points and 11 rebounds.