Philippine basketball has become a big man’s game as of late thanks to the likes of June Mar Fajardo, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and even Kevin Quiambao, but at its core, it’s a guard’s game. The flair and the diskarte that has become a staple in Philippine basketball games more often than not comes from the players that make up a backcourt. 

You can rattle off names like Scottie Thompson, Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos and SJ Belangel and while they each have something unique to offer, there’s one thing that can be said about them: they have all succeeded wherever they have gone. 

Thompson, Alapag, and Castro became stars in the PBA, but their exploits with Gilas Pilipinas have made them household names as well. Meanwhile, Ravena, Ramos, and Belangel have been holding their own in Japan’s B.League and the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and have earned the respect of their international peers while doing so. 

Now, it seems that there’s a new addition to that esteemed group of players. 

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JD Cagulangan didn’t need much time to acclimate himself to the KBL, as he was able to make the most out of his 22 minutes in Suwon KT Sonicboom’s 78-63 loss to the Seoul Samsung Thunders. Cagulangan may have just settled in Korea, but the rapport with his teammates was evident as the two-time UAAP champion finished with more assists (nine) than points (seven). He got to drive into the teeth of the defense and found ways to create even in tight spaces. 

Defensively, Cagulangan was a pest who wasn’t afraid of the new environment. The five steals he had were indications of his hard work on that end, and his new coaches and teammates should be happy that he’s willing to go all out despite making a big leap both in his life and his basketball career. 

A debut like this should definitely boost Cagulangan’s confidence as he showed he was capable of holding his own. There are definitely areas he has to improve on, such as creating his own offense (33.3 percent shooting) and being more careful with the basketball (four turnovers). The key for him, however, will be his minutes. 

Cagulangan can work on his game during practices, but game experience is different. His efforts will earn him minutes, but he needs the necessary reps to become more patient and efficient. Besides, all that work in practice may not mean much unless he gets to step on the court. It is there he will see how far he has come since day one. Cagulangan’s second game with Suwon KT Sonicboom had much of the same, although his scoring was relatively better. The nine points and three assists could be within what we could expect from the 24-year old, all things considered. 

Looking at the bigger picture, though, Cagulangan’s arrival in the KBL is a testament that the Filipino point guard remains in demand. Save for the US and some European countries, the Philippines has been a good source of players, in particular, guards. Other countries have been able to recruit our players with larger salaries and better benefits, and the returns have been evident both on and off the court. 

And until the PBA can up their game, we may see more players follow the path the likes of JD Cagulangan and Kevin Quiambao have taken. After all, when there’s demand overseas, our talents will be more than happy to meet the supply.

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