Belo makes early Rookie of the Year race statement with Player of the Week plum

PBA (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Blackwater is now officially for real, and it's all because of a freshman.

Mac Belo led the Elite's hot start in the opening week of the PBA Season 42, and that earned him the first Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the 2017 season.

After a near double-double in Blackwater's opener against Phoenix, the 6-foot-4 winger exploded for an all-around domination against Meralco on Sunday, getting 25 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.

With the 21.0 point, 7.5 rebound, and 1.5 steal averages after two games, Belo is now aware that the other teams are set to mark him.

“Kailangan lang patuloy yung pag-improve namin. Kailangan din patuloy lang magpakundisyon kasi mai-scout din tayo ng ibang teams,” said the 23-year-old Midsayap native, who edged June Mar Fajardo and Alex Cabagnot of San Miguel, GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo, TNT’s Ranidel de Ocampo, and NLEX's Bradwyn Guinto and Sean Anthony for the citation.

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