FINALLY.
Former collegiate standout Roi Sumang is starting to play to his full potential after spending much of his rookie season in obscurity.
Sumang was projected to be taken in the middle of the first round in most mock drafts but was drafted only in the third round at 27th overall by GlobalPort in 2015.
This despite the fact that Sumang was a legitimate star in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. In his sophomore season at University of the East he was among the league leaders in multiple categories: third in scoring (18.4 ppg), second in assists (4.9 apg) and fifth in steals (1.4 spg). He really came into his own in his third year when he made the league’s Mythical First Five. He was also second only to Terrence Romeo in scoring despite playing the point guard position.
The pint-sized Sumang played just 27 games averaging 8.4 minutes and producing underwhelming numbers of 3.4 points, 0.7 rebound and 0.7 assist with the GlobalPort Batang Pier and late in his rookie year, with the Blackwater Elite.
Everything has changed this season with Sumang seemingly right at home with Blackwater.
Coming off the bench, Sumang provided the big spark, firing 17 of his 19 points in the second half as Blackwater pulled the rug from under fancied Alaska, 103-100 for a franchise-best fifth win.
The 26-year-old Sumang showed quick hands and feet, attacking Alaska’s defense repeatedly with hard drives to the basket to help Blackwater establish a double-digit spread in the final period. Although the Aces came back strong, Sumang and veteran teammate Denok Miranda sank crucial free throws late in the game to seal the win.
But more importantly, the native of Tondo, Manila was a steady defensive presence after finishing the game with three steals, while issuing two assists to seal the win for Blackwater.
Sumang’s sterling effort earned him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week, beating the likes of Mahindra guard Philip Paniamogan, San Miguel Beer slot man June Mar Fajardo, GlobalPort high-scoring guard Terrence Romeo, Barangay Ginebra forward Joe Devance, Star wingman Allen Maliksi and big man Ian Sangalang as well as Calvin Abueva of Alaska.
Sumang took home the Best Player of game honors against Alaska. The diminutive Blackwater playmaker then vowed to work even harder in practice as the Elite shoot for a playoff spot in the All-Filipino conference.
Blackwater closes its elimination round assignment against Star on Jan. 25.