Is Bowles a choker?

Before the PBA Commissioner’s Cup began, B-Meg coach Tim Cone predicted a breakout conference for 22-year-old import Denzel Bowles and said the 6-10, 255-pound center will inevitably land in the NBA.

“We’re lucky to bring in Denzel for a conference because I expect him to be in the NBA and we’ll probably never get him to play in the PBA again,” said Cone. Coincidentally, Bowles played his college ball at James Madison University in Virginia where Cone’s daughter is enrolled.

“I watched him play a couple of games with James Madison but never spoke to him,” said Cone. ”It just so happened that he came from the school where my daughter is studying. I think he’s an extremely gifted athlete, definitely an NBA-type player.”

Bowles once said his NBA play-alike is Dwight Howard or at least he’d like to play like the Orlando superstar. And in the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations, Bowles did his best impression of Howard, averaging 29.1 points and 12.6 rebounds to power the Derby Ace Llamados to a 6-3 record, good for a second place tie. He fired 38 points twice and 35 once but was particularly impressive in compiling 29 points and 18 rebounds to lift B-Meg to a 96-94 win over Powerade last March 25.

Then, Bowles’ immaturity and lack of mental toughness started to show in the playoffs. Against Barangay Ginebra in a critical battle for the second semifinals slot at the Cuneta Astrodome last Friday, Bowles suddenly disappeared. He was held to 12 points on 3-of-12 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the line and hauled down nine boards in 37 minutes. James Yap had more attempts from the field with 19 and P. J. Simon had only one less try than Bowles. The opposing import Jackson Vroman played six less minutes but accounted for 15 points and 15 rebounds.

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Last Sunday, Bowles couldn’t carry the load for B-Meg in another playoff bust as the Llamados dropped a 103-81 decision to Meralco at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. He finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes compared to the Bolts’ Earl Barron who had 34 points and 11 boards in 43 minutes. Although Bowles came through with six assists, he wasn’t the dominating import that Barron was. He was neutralized by Meralco’s senior statesman Asi Taulava who is 17 years older.

Bowles was hailed as one of the top 15 prep centers in the US when he finished at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, averaging 20.6 points and 10.8 rebounds as a senior. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in his state league with prep career highs of 39 points and 18 rebounds.

But Bowles rode the bench in two years at Texas A&M before transferring to James Madison where he averaged 20.8 points in 2009-10 and 17.6 points in 2010-11. Bowles came of age in two seasons with James Madison, the school that produced NBA players Linton Townes (1982-84) and Kennard Winchester (1990-92). In his final collegiate year, Bowles shot .582 from the field and .713 from the line while logging 32.2 minutes a game.

Despite his glowing varsity numbers, Bowles was ignored in the NBA draft.

Tommy Dee, writing in the New York Knicks draft blog, quoted an NBA scout in explaining why Bowles was snubbed. “The kid is very talented offensively,” said the scout. “In 2009-10, he was a top 40 pick in a much stronger draft. He’s plummeted because from what I saw, he refuses to play any sort of defense. He can’t guard the post and he’s even less effective in the pick-and-roll. (At James Madison), they would go offense/defense (in situational substitutions) if they needed a big rebound and they’d take Bowles off the floor if they needed that ‘want’ rebound.”

Dee said, “Without question, Bowles has NBA offensive ability… he can score anywhere within 15 feet with a variety of post moves and counters, his mid-range jumper is very advanced as well…but with the Knicks looking at size, rebounding and defensive help up front, it sounds like they needed to look elsewhere, according to the scout’s take.”

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Before moving to the PBA, Bowles played for a Lithuanian club and averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the Baltic league. He shot 58 percent from the floor and 73 percent from the stripe. That was his only previous overseas tour of duty.

For B-Meg, it’s not too late to engineer a rebound. The Llamados are a loss away from being swept in the quarterfinals for the second straight conference and need to beat Meralco twice in a row to arrange a best-of-five semifinal duel against Ginebra. It won’t be easy to derail the Bolts who look rejuvenated with an inspired Taulava and a determined Barron. But if Bowles wants to prove he’s no choker, he plays like Howard or he belongs in the NBA, there’s no bigger stage to make a statement than the playoffs where in Game 2 of the quarterfinals on Wednesday, B-Meg is in a do-or-die crisis.