Player of the Week: Ronjay Buenafe

RONJAY Buenafe keeps validating his coach’s trust in him.
Buenafe proved this by coming up with a couple of
scintillating performances in the week that was, helping Rain or Shine fan its
Governors Cup quest and earning the Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Player of the Week
for the period July 25 to 31.
The former second round pick has cranked up his game a notch
in the semifinal round and proved that by playing a key role in the Elasto
Painters’ back-to-back wins that fueled their drive to at least a playoff berth
for a finals slot.
“Ronjay’s game has matured. He has more confidence in his
game. He has improved his shot selection and his defense,” said Rain or Shine
coach Yeng Guiao, instrumental in acquiring the 6-foot-2 shooting guard from
Air21 before the season.
“I have no regrets taking him in a trade that was the
subject of criticism and doubts. He works hard and can only get better,” added
Guiao.
The former Emilio Aguinaldo College standout, tabbed at No.
11 by Coca-Cola in the 2007 Rookie Draft, upheld Guiao’s belief by notching a
career-best-tying 30 points (anchored on 6-for-9 three-point shooting and a
perfect 4-for-4 from inside the arc) in a 102-86 repeat win over Petron Blaze
in Digos City last Saturday.
With that output and in the absence of available data, Buenafe
is perhaps the only player to score 30 points for all three teams he has so far
played with. He set his personal scoring standard first with the Tigers in 2008-09
and again with Burger King/Air21 the following season.
Buenafe did not show any inkling of what he was set for by
putting up 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, helping the
Painters beat league-leader Talk N Text, 96-81, last Wednesday.
Those numbers helped improve Buenafe’s averages in the semis
to 17.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists, up from his 11.5, 2.0 and 0.25
norms in the eight-game eliminations.
Also, those victories against its more highly-touted rivals jacked
Rain or Shine’s win-loss record to 6-5 and gave it two routes to realize a first-ever
championship stint.
If they win their last two assignments the Painters could play
off for the second finals slot by virtue of the four-of-five incentive. Or they
could make it outright against early finalist Talk N Text if no other team
notches eight wins.
For sure, Buenafe and his teammates are not giving up on
that hope.(pr)