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Beau Belga has never been afraid to show his emotions in a game. He always plays with a chip on his shoulder and a determination to never lose. And after Rain or Shine’s audacious victory over Barangay Geneva on Tuesday night, the great man also revealed that he has the heart of a leader.
The PBA veteran emerged as the Elasto Painters’ hero in their 85-82 overtime victory, hitting big baskets late. Belgian scored 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, plus two steals and drilled five straight points in overtime that boosted his team.
“We bounced back from the loss in our last game against Alaska,” said Belga in Filipino. “I personally really thought that if we could have corrected a mistake we could have won. I just wanted to recover personally. I take it as a challenge.”
In addition to wanting to avenge a one-point loss at the hands of the Aces a week ago, Belga also revealed that she had another reason for her stellar performance.
“This morning I had a motivation: a hater who criticized me on social media because all I do is hurt others in the PBA,” said Belga. “And I just want to show it tonight, so that was my challenge.”
Throughout his 12-year career at the PBA, Belga has always been known as an enforcer in the shady area. Weighing in at 6 feet 5 inches and 280 pounds, he can master the painting by size and sheer will alone. He may not be as athletic or as skilled in front of some of his teammates, but his courage to compete cannot be questioned. And at this stage in his career, he has thrived in his role as the genuine leader of Rain or Shine.
“Beau, being the leader of the team, this is probably the best game I’ve ever seen him play,” said Rain or Shine’s coach Caloy Garcia. “He knows how to distribute the ball. He’s been working really hard in practice and trying to show the ropes to the rookies.”
Belga’s drive to excel doesn’t necessarily depend on external factors, but when he does, it creates a different level of competitiveness in him.
“The criticism from the fans is not just for Beau, but for everyone. Even I get a lot of criticism. But you know, it’s basketball, it’s part of the game,” Garcia said, noting that criticism is often right simply because it bases its judgments on what has already happened.
“You know, that’s how strong Beau is. He’s good. He’s stronger than me because sometimes when I’m criticized I can’t sleep, but Beau eats,” he said jokingly.
The games that take place in the PBA bubble obviously have no fans, which also means there is no interference from the crowd. And for someone like Beau who needs that extra fuel, the extra motivation will have to come from elsewhere, including social media.
“Beau really loves the crowd, so every game here is kind of a handicap for him. Because he really likes people yelling at him. I should tell my players to yell at him just to motivate him,” Garcia joked.
Since there is no one in the arena except a handful of players, staff, members of the media and game officials, Belga’s momentum will come mainly from the opposing team right in front of him. That’s what happened when he played phenomenally against Guinevere, a perennial powerhouse and the PBA’s most popular team.
In extra time against the Gin Kings, Belga battled exhaustion and still managed to knock down great shots. He refused to lose and pushed himself in the final moments of the game.
“My heart was the only thing that kept me going: the will to win in today’s game. Good thing we were able to get the win tonight,” said Belga.
As the Elasto Painters bid for the elusive Philippine Cup title, they will ride on the broad shoulders of Belga.
“Where Beau goes, we go because he’s probably one of the best big men in the PBA,” Garcia said.
