Beau Belga is not going anywhere.
The loyalty of the veteran center was rewarded as the Elasto Painters offered him a one-year extension in the Philippine Basketball Association.
Belga’s agent, Danny Espiritu, said the 37-year-old Belga agreed to stay with Rain or Shine for another year — or few more years depending on his performance in the coming conferences.
“He signed one year, but he’ll have an opportunity of getting extended if he performs well,” Espiritu said in a telephone interview.
Taken by the Elasto Painters with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 Rookie Draft, Belga played key roles when they ruled the 2012 Governors’ Cup and the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup together with Filipino-American swingman Gabe Norwood.
But in his new deal, Belga will not just be tasked to make an impact inside the court but off the court as Guiao assigned him to help them in the development of their young big men like Keith Datu and Luis Villegas. Although he missed some games due to injury, the 6-foot-8 Datu has been solid in the early stretch of the Commissioner’s Cup as he averaged 13 points and five rebounds.
Villegas, for his part, has yet to suit up as he still nurses a knee injury that he suffered while playing for University of the East in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
“I see a bright future with this team,” Guiao said.
“We’ve already prepared getting young big men like Keith Datu and Luis Villegas and we have also added another young talented guard in Adrian Nocum.”
