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Barroca Filling Big Shoes With Batang Pier
By JP Abcede (November 27, 2008)

Mark Andy Barroca garners attention. But why would he not, as he had splendidly quarterbacked Harbour Center in the ongoing PBL 2008 PG Flex Linoleum Cup.

As a Far Eastern Tamaraw in the UAAP, from averages of 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg in 24 mpg as a rookie in 2007, he spiked it up to 10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.8 apg in nearly 27 mpg the following year. It is inevitable somebody would take notice.

And Batang Pier head coach Jorge Gallent was one of those who saw a hardworking diamond in the rough.

"He is playing well maski naman sa practice," Gallent relayed. "Very disciplined din. Hindi kami mananalo kung walang disiplina."

Proof of this is that Gallent claims his prized ward is working double time for FEU and for Harbour, practicing a combined five hours in a day split between the two squads during the semestral break. Barroca manages because he has a goal in mind. He treats every game and every practice as a learning experience, thus motivating himself to improve every step of the way.

"Sa ngayon gusto ko mag-improve every year," Barroca stated. "Sa akin kulang pa ito."

Coming from a line of point guards that left their mark in the Tamaraw sports program, Barroca sees his playing style resemble Denok Miranda the most.

"Gusto ko iyong hustle at intensity niya," he pointed out.

Gallent concurs by saying that like Miranda, Barroca is a good defender and is a good distributor, making everybody look good. That is why his role for Batang Pier is to pressure the opposition's point guard and deliver assists.

"Lampas-lampas pa (is what Barroca contributes)," Gallent exclaimed. Besides the level of competition being a few notches higher compared to college ball, there is also an expectation for him to deliver since the franchise he is playing for produced quality guards, most recently TY Tang and Jason Castro, who are both strutting their stuff in the big league.

"Kay Mark parang hindi ako nawalan ng TY Tang na court general," Gallent remarked. "Spot up jumpshot kapag libre at magaling magdepensa."

And by playing good defense, Gallent emphasizes, they get rewarded by being able to get easy baskets from their run and gun offense.

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