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PBA: New Blackwater coach confident Amer can regain peak form

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Blackwater Bossing guard Baser Amer. File photo. PBA Media Bureau." src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/11/04/pba-images7.jpg"/><figcaption>Blackwater Bossing guard Baser Amer. File photo. PBA Media Bureau.</figcaption></figure></div> MANILA, Philippines -- Much was expected of Baser Amer when he was acquired by the Blackwater Bossing in February, but the veteran guard&#x27;s first conference with the franchise didn&#x27;t quite go as planned.Amer found himself mired in a slump throughout the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup, where he only averaged 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting a woeful 23.7% from the field. He played in just eight games, as the Bossing lost all 11 of their assignments to extend their losing streak to 19 games -- a record for futility in the PBA.Thus, boosting Amer&#x27;s confidence and helping him regain his form were among the priorities of Ariel Vanguardia, who took over as Blackwater&#x27;s interim head coach after the conference.&quot;Ang inuna kong kinausap talaga, si Baser,&quot; Vanguardia revealed in a recent interview on &quot;Power and Play.&quot;Vanguardia, who previously coached Phoenix Super LPG, has thought highly of Amer as a player ever since his days with San Beda University in the NCAA. Amer was drafted by the Meralco Bolts in 2015 and became an integral part of their rotation before his trade in February. Meralco acquired Mac Belo in the transaction.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/04/21/pba-mac-belo-headed-to-meralco-in-exchange-for-amer-faundo">READ: Mac Belo headed to Meralco in exchange for Amer, Faundo</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/08/21/pba-baser-amer-filled-with-gratitude-as-he-moves-on-from-meralco">READ: Baser Amer filled with gratitude as he moves on from Meralco</a></li></ul>&quot;Ang tingin ko sa kanya is the Kiefer Ravena of the NCAA eh. So kung ano &#x27;yung na-achieve ni Kiefer (sa UAAP), na-achieve din ni Baser sa NCAA,&quot; said Vanguardia. &quot;So I followed his career, and tingin ko, mababa nga &#x27;yung nilaro niya for Blackwater.&quot;Amer was honest in his exit interview with Vanguardia, who was tapped by Blackwater management to take over the squad after Nash Racela was let go. &quot;Sinabi naman niya… hindi daw nagging madali &#x27;yung transition niya from Meralco to Blackwater,&quot; said Vanguardia. &quot;Medyo may konting sama pa ng loob, and then medyo &#x27;yung … sistema na nakasanayan niya, na parating nasa kanya &#x27;yung bola, &#x27;yung mga ganoon. &#x27;Yung siya &#x27;yung magti-timon.&quot;&quot;And sometimes meron ding mga pagkakataon na pinalalaro siya ng ibang position, so &#x27;yung mga ganoong aspect,&quot; he added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/19/21/pba-vanguardia-named-interim-blackwater-coach">READ: Racela let go, Vanguardia named interim Blackwater coach</a></li></ul>Amer was reportedly given a contract extension by Blackwater in September despite his poor performance in the All-Filipino Cup, and Vanguardia is hopeful that he can unlock the guard&#x27;s full potential.&quot;At least, nalaman ko na agad kung saan siya kumportable, and how we can work with him, kumbaga, para mag-fit doon sa sistema namin, and mag-fit, mai-adjust namin &#x27;yung iba para magkasundo kami ng maayos. So okay naman,&quot; he said.Blackwater has made plenty of moves in the offseason, starting with the acquisition of Rashawn McCarthy from TerraFirma in late September. Last month, they traded for veteran point guard JVee Casio and young big man Barkley Ebona from Alaska.Team owner Dioceldo Sy said the moves were part of their rebuilding process, and Vanguardia said in previous interviews that Casio will be a &quot;mentor&quot; for Amer.Blackwater will field import Jaylen Bond in the upcoming Governors&#x27; Cup that will start later this month.

Much was expected of Baser Amer when he was acquired by the Blackwater Bossing in February.

PBA: New Blackwater coach confident Amer can regain peak form

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PBA: New Blackwater coach confident Amer can regain peak form

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 04, 2021 06:04 PM PHT

Read More:

PBA

2021 PBA Philippine Cup

Blackwater Bossing

Baser Amer

Ariel Vanguardia

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