Rudy flashes vintage form, named week's best

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran Rudy Hatfield showed he still got what it takes to win ballgames, flashing vintage form against the PBA’s most fancied team to claim the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honors for the period March 12-18.

The 34-year-old Hatfield, nicknamed H-Bomb, was at his best Sunday, leading Barangay Ginebra to a crucial Commissioner’s Cup win against Talk n Text. The hard-working power forward notched a new career-high 30 points and added 14 rebounds, two assists, as many steals and a block as the Kings outlasted the Tropang Texters, 94-91, in overtime.

More important for coach Siot Tanquingcen, Hatfield’s all-around performance was punctuated by a high energy level on both ends of the floor that seemed to rub off on his teammates, enabling the crowd favorites to snap their back-to-back losses.

“He brings energy to the team,” said Tanquingcen. “It’s really hard to quantify, but that is basically what he brings. Medyo give and take, kasi shooting-wise, may mga ma-mi-miss siya. Pero energy-wise, ang laki ng naibibigay niya.”

Hatfield, who rejoined the team this conference after leaving it last season due to personal matters, actually shot better than most of all the other players fielded that night. He made 14 of 21 field goal attempts.

He did miss a wide open three-pointer, but that hardly mattered as he scattered 13 of his points in the fourth period, including his team’s last five points in regulation, and added two in the extension to break his old career-best 28 set with Tanduay in his 2000 rookie year.

The victory over the defending champion is also big for other reasons. 

It improved Ginebra’s record to 4-3, moving it alongside Powerade for third-running spot and primed the Gin Kings going into their remaining eliminations assignments against Barako Bull and Air21.

Should the Kings score a sweep, they would get a shot at an automatic semifinals berth.

For sure, Hatfield will again play a major role in Ginebra’s last two elims games for the coveted Final Four incentive.