Despite acknowledging his admiration for Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar as well as San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo, the seven-time MVP of the MPBL, Justine Baltazar, the two-time Most Outstanding Player of the MPBL, says he isn’t considering entering the upcoming PBA draft in the near future.

Baltazar can undoubtedly distinguish himself in almost any league because of his consistent period averages of 17.1 points, 16.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.

The big man, 27, Is aware of his importance to the province, though, and he worries that losing him would hinder the team’s advancement.

No team that makes up the MPBL’s six-year past event has ever won back-to-back titles; instead, the team from Batangas City, Proceed over Gold San Juan Knights, the team from Davao Occidental, Nueva Ecija, and now Pampanga have split the five titles evenly.

Baltazar responded quickly when asked if he didn’t wish he could earn a higher salary in leagues outside of the Philippines or the PBA.

Converge guard Mac Tallo’s partial tendon tears will keep him out of action indefinitely

A source shared online that Mark Tallo will not be spending much time with the Converge FiberXers until he recovers from a left knee injury.

Thankfully, the most significant ligaments and meniscus of the knee remain intact despite the 5-foot-11, 187-pound point guard suffering “only a portion of tears within his proximal and distal patellar tendon.”

“There’s no set timeline for a comeback,” an unnamed team representative stated.

The most recent injury to the Cebuano guard was verified by Tallo’s agent, JR Guevara.

 “Given the fact that he became part of the team late, I believe Converge realized Mac needed to make a big improvement in his conditioning before the PBA season began.

Tallo, who rejoined the team in October immediately following being poached by Aldin Ayo, has played in each of Converge’s five Commissioner’s Cup games to date.

During 21.3 minutes of play per game, Tallo, 29, who is ranked as the top 3×3 player in the Philippines, averaged 7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2 assists.

“He is okay, the moment he is in a good mindset. He patiently awaited a year for an opportunity to play PBA. The last couple of weeks remain nothing at all, he’s merely continuing to continue working harder on his treatment and preparing and be once more recovered than before,” Guevarra stated.