Bader hailed for fine UAAP debut

by PATRICK SALOMON
Gulf Daily News
October 9, 2007

BAHRAIN'S Bader Abdulla Malabes was easily one of the top five rookies in the recently concluded UAAP men's basketball season, respected professional coach Cholo Martin says.

Bader was a key contributor for newly crowned champions De La Salle Green Archers, and on several occasions had been tasked to make crucial plays with the game on the line.

"Bader played only in his debut season in the UAAP, but was already one of the Archers' most dependable players," Martin told the GDN. "Obviously, there are still areas he still has to improve in, but even as a rookie, he was already given several important responsibilities, which shows how much the coaches trust him.

"Bader was without a doubt among the year's best five rookies, and he is definitely a rising star in the UAAP."

Martin, an assistant coach with the Philippine Basketball Association's Sta Lucia Realty team, added that for Bader to meet his potential, he must constantly work to improve even during the off-season.

"The Archers just won the championship and Bader got his first taste of UAAP glory, but he must not be satisfied with that," Martin said. "He must now strive to become a better player. He already has good fundamentals, but can still develop his overall strength, his shot selection, and his movement without the ball."

The 20-year-old played three different positions for the Archers this year, usually filling the shooting guard and small forward spots but sometimes also assuming the role of point guard.

"When Bader first tried out for the Archers, the coaches saw that he could be a playmaker, but he was rarely used in that role this year," Martin explained. "But with some of their veteran guards now moving on, Bader can now get more time in that role. It will be an ideal position for him because he is taller than most guards, and he can use that size-advantage in many ways."

Martin is close with Bader's father, Manama legend Abdulla Jassim, who he met while coaching in Bahrain for three years during the 1980s. He helped Bader pursue applications with the Archers as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) San Beda Red Lions, but the talented young Bahraini opted to play for the Archers under renowned head coach Franz Pumaren despite being hotly pursued by the NCAA champions.

Special

"Coaches at the collegiate level have a good eye for talent, and when they saw Bader, they knew he was a special player," Martin said.

Bader narrowly missed out on this year's UAAP Rookie of the Year plum to Far Eastern Tamaraws forward JR Cawaling. The season's top individual talents were honoured during a ceremony held on Sunday prior to the Archers' title-clinching 73-64 win over the University of the East Red Warriors.

Among those honoured, Santo Tomas Growling Tigers big man Jervy Cruz was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and National University Bulldogs forward Edwin Asoro was the Defensive Player of the Year. Cruz was also named to the Mythical Five team, which also featured Archers mainstays JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer, Ateneo Blue Eagles star Chris Tiu and Warriors forward Mark Borboran.