Blackwater Bossing’s rookie big man Ato Ular has been a huge reason why the team is surging in the ongoing PBA Season 47 Philippine Cup. And for that, he has been named as the league’s Player of the Week for the period of June 29 to July 2.
After going through a miserable stretch over the past few seasons, Blackwater has turned things around and is in third place in the standings with a 4-1 card, trailing only powerhouse teams San Miguel Beer (6-1) and Barangay Ginebra (5-1).
And while the team had a bevy of heroes to thank for the impressive showing, Ular has risen to the occasion and made the biggest difference for the franchise so far. The hardworking Ular, a second-round draftee from Letran, made heads turn in his first five games, highlighted by a huge double-double in a dramatic 90-89 win over contender Meralco.
The notable performance earned the 6-foot-4 forward from Tarlac the Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.
Ranged against the veteran frontline of Raymond Almazan and Cliff Hodge, Ular did not back down and finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds – both conference highs – while shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
Ular also delivered in the crunch for the Bossing, hitting the game-tying basket in the last 48 seconds, before setting a solid screen for teammate Baser Amer, who drained the game-winner to beat his former team.
The Blackwater player thus became the first rookie to win Player of the Week citation this season, and the first freshman to achieve the feat since Northport’s Jamie Malonzo did this in the last Governors’ Cup.
The 13th pick in the last draft, Ular is also the first Bossing to be hailed as POTW since Ray Parks earned the honor in the first week of the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup as he makes an early case for the Rookie of the Year plum.
“Lagi kong pinagha-handaan kapag may game. Sobrang aga ko lagi sa court, nagsho-shooting at nag gi-gym. Pinagha-handaan ko lagi. Kung pinagha-handaan man ako, mas pinagha-handaan ko sila,” said the determined neophyte.