NLEX gunner Bong Galanza is making the most of his second chance in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Plucked out of obscurity following a forgettable two-year stint with Columbian, Galanza has found a place in NLEX Coach Yeng Guiao’s rotation in the 2019 season.
Galanza logged averages of 16 points, three rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.0 assist in NLEX’s back-to-back victories to earn the Cignal-PBA Press Corp Player of the Week for the period of March 11 to 17.
The 26-year-old native of Isabela had 14 points, three boards and three steals, serving as one of NLEX’s catalysts in their 91-70 demolition of the injury-plagued Alaska last Wednesday.
The former University of the East team captain continued his impressive shooting, this time firing 18 points, lacing it with six triples in handing Blackwater a 122-101 beating on Sunday. NLEX moved up to seventh spot in the team standings after improving to 4-5 overall.
Selected 46th overall by GlobalPort (now NorthPort) in the 2015 Draft, the 26-year-old Galanza toiled for two seasons with Columbian where his presence was hardly felt.
When his contract expired, Galanza took his act to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, managed to show his wares and got his confidence back. He eventually helped the Batangas City Athletics win the inaugural season of the elague last year.
NLEX took note of Galanza by signing him up starting in last season’s Governors’ Cup.
Galanza beat a solid set of Player of the Week candidates led by Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, TNT’s Roger Pogoy, Rain or Shine rookies Javee Mocon and Ed Daquioag, and Phoenix shooter Matthew Wright.
NLEX’s road to the playoffs continues on Saturday when it plays Barangay Ginebra in Angeles City, before wrapping up its elimination round assignment versus Magnolia on April 3.
Petron-Letran, meanwhile, showed its character through an 89-64 win over McDavid to collect its second straight victory in the D-League on Monday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Jeo Ambohot led the Knights with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Jerrick Balanza made 12 points, four assists and two steals in the win that hiked their win-loss card to 2-1.
Larry Muyang chipped in 11 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the field on top of six assists and three caroms.
“Actually it’s a good win for a young team against a veteran team,” Coach Bonnie Tan said. “Again, we’re here to learn and to get experience sa mga ganitong laro.”
Petron-Letran lost hold of a 17-point lead it built late in the second quarter, as McDavid stormed back in the third quarter behind Dahrrell Caranguian and closed within four, 58-54, with 1:16 to go.
But the Knights responded by opening the final chapter with 10 unanswered points to restore order, 70-54, with 7:52 on the clock. They would go on to lead by as many as 26 in the final seconds.
Caranguian was the lone double-digit scorer with 15 points for McDavid, which has now lost its third straight outing.