By Dennis Principe
Retired PBA player Rudy Distrito believes Puerto Rican import Renaldo Balkman deserves the reprieve he got from PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial.
Balkman, who made his PBA return as San Miguel Beer’s latest import when the Beermen faced the Alaska Aces last night in Dumaguete City, was meted a lifetime ban in 2013 after the choking incident involving him and Arwind Santos.
Like Balkman, Distrito himself was banished from the league in 1995 after a dangerous midair tackle on Alaska guard Jeffrey Cariaso.
“Nag-aapila ako sa kapwa ko player na pagbigyan natin. May pamilya din yan. Nagka-mali, nag-sorry. Bigyan natin ng chance,” said Distrito in a telephone interview. “ Kahit si God nagbibigay sa atin ng chance. Kasi ako, marami din ako kasalanan, napag-bigyan naman ako.”
Distrito, who turned 60 last May 17, played the best years of his career with Ginebra San Miguel from 1987 to 1991 and is known for his toughness and intense style of play.
Now based in Bacolod City, Distrito in some ways can relate to Balkman’s situation as he himself was involved in memorable skirmishes during his 14-year PBA career, something that endeared him to basketball fans specifically the diehards of Ginebra.
“Basketball lang naman yan. Wala naman siya ginawang masama, away lang naman yun. Ang emotion kasi sa basketball pag andiyan ka, parang lahat ganun eh, aawayin mo lahat. Pero pag tapos na, easy ka rin,” said Distrito.
Distrito also gave weight to Balkman’s stint as one of two imports of the San Miguel-backed Alab Pilipinas squad which recently won the Asean Basketball League (ABL) crown.
“Nagbigay naman siya ng serbisyo sa atin nung naglaro sa Philippine team. Nakita niyo naman, nagpapakamatay din (sa laro),” said Distrito. “Kaya bigyan naman natin ng chance kasi gustong-gusto niya naman din dito sa atin.”
Meantime in a separate interview, Balkman admits he considers this latest PBA stint as his chance to redeem himself from the 2013 fracas which affected his marketability at that time.
“I do see it as redemption. Redeem myself what I lost first time I was here. Everywhere I go from here now, I gotta be a different person. I cannot be the same person I was before,” said Balkman.
In general though, Balkman says he already has fully recovered from whatever damage the 2013 incident has done to his basketball career.
The last five years, the 33-year-old Balkman has played extensively in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the NBA’s developmental league known as G-League.
“I had my second chance when I was able to play again after the incident and now I’m still playing so that’s my blessing. That I am able to play basketball at my age, at a high level and continue to play,” said Balkman.
“The good thing about it is I kept playing basketball. I kept going on with my career and I didn’t stop and since then, it’s all been up. I won championships, MVPs and look at me now, still going,” added Balkman.
