Balkman exits with a bang

Petron import Renaldo Balkman made good on his promise to go out with a bang wherever he plays because it could be his last game. True to form, he went ballistic in an unforgettable tantrum with 21.6 seconds left and Alaska safely ahead of the Blaze Boosters by eight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Friday.

The PBA Commissioner’s Cup leading scorer looked nowhere like the unstoppable predator who torched Barako Bull for 33 points in a 91-78 win by Petron only less than a week before. Against Alaska, he was cuffed, stifled and barnacled. Balkman went 3-of-16 from the field and 0-of-4 from the line to finish with six points in 41 minutes. He plucked down 17 rebounds. Adversary Robert Dozier totally outplayed him with 18 points, 26 rebounds and five blocked shots in 46 minutes.

As the game clock wound down, Balkman took a shot in the lane from about 10 feet and missed. He complained of a foul but the referees didn’t blow their whistles. Balkman confronted one referee, then another and a third. While he was forum-shopping, Petron assistant coach Biboy Ravanes and teammates Roland Tubid and Arwind Santos tried to pacify him. Things got out of hand when Balkman made physical contact with a referee then shoved everyone in sight, even putting his hands around Santos’ neck. Balkman’s personal chef Tim Brooks darted out of the stands to pipe him down. When order was restored, Alaska made it official, 83-73.

Last Monday, PBA commissioner Chito Salud met with Balkman to hear his side for about an hour at the league office. Salud then consulted basketball operations manager Rickie Santos and special assistant Willy Marcial for close to three hours before deciding on Balkman’s fate. It wasn’t an easy decision and Salud sorted out a lot of issues and circumstances in the process of slapping a lifetime ban on Balkman plus a P250,000 fine. Was the penalty too harsh or was it justified?

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If Balkman stayed, he would’ve become a box office hit – whether you love or hate him. But for Salud, that wasn’t a consideration. He was concerned that the league’s image would suffer because of Balkman’s eruption and unsportsmanlike behavior. He thought Balkman went over the edge in expressing discontent on the court and had to bite the bullet in making him pay the price. 

A one-game suspension and a P500,000 fine could’ve been an option but it was a risk for Balkman to stay in the league because of previous tantrums in the NBA and the FIBA Tournament of the Americas. In the NBA, Balkman was suspended a game without pay for a flagrant foul stemming from an elbow he planted on Sasha Vujacic’s jaw during a Los Angeles Lakers-New York Knicks game in 2008. Two years ago, Balkman was also suspended a game for headbutting Greivis Vasquez in a Puerto Rico-Venezuela game in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas. Vasquez held on to Balkman who spun away for a basket and couldn’t finish because of the foul. Balkman walked up to Vasquez and butted him. At that point, Puerto Rico was up, 85-62, with five minutes left. Because of Balkman’s history of temper eruptions, it was likely Salud didn’t want to take a chance on another incident. Besides, Salud wanted to send a strong signal to all imports, now and in the future, that he won’t hesitate to crack the whip on wrong-doers.

A two or three-game suspension would’ve been like a knockout blow and a signal for Petron to replace Balkman anyway. Petron’s next three games are against Rain Or Shine this Saturday, Talk ‘N’ Text on March 22 and Alaska on March 27. In this case, Petron could hire an interim import until Balkman serves out his suspension. But that’s all moot and academic now.

Balkman apologized in public for crossing the line. He even went on TV to express remorse and regret with Santos acknowledging the comedown. Some fans felt he deserved a second chance because of his appeal for forgiveness. Others didn’t care to give him the benefit of the doubt. Balkman submitted a letter of apology to Salud himself. Perhaps, he didn’t come across as being credible during his meeting with Salud.

The PBA commissioner minced no words in announcing the ban. Balkman was cited for “grave misconduct and serious unsportsmanlike and offensive on-court decorum ... amounting to a blatant and utter lack of respect for the game, his own ball club, the league, the fans and his host country.” There would be no chance for redemption.

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Petron coach Olsen Racela and team manager Hector Calma visited Balkman in his Oakwood apartment on Ortigas after Salud announced his decision. Balkman said he’d like to travel to Panabo, Davao del Norte, to cheer for Petron against Rain Or Shine on Saturday. Balkman and Brooks will leave on Monday. Balkman intends to go home to Florida and rest a week before reporting for work in the Puerto Rico league. Balkman’s mother is from Puerto Rico and that’s why he plays for the Puerto Rico national team.

Balkman had planned to bring his father Michael over to watch him play in the PBA and enjoy Filipino hospitality. He admitted to falling in love with the country and even had a huge tattoo made on his left thigh by a Filipino artist to keep the Philippines close forever. But with the lifetime ban, Balkman is leaving for good.

“He’s trying to keep his spirits up but he’s down,” said Brooks. “I don’t know how this will affect his playing career. It’s something to be worried about. Renaldo is deeply hurt by his actions and regrets everything. However, he wants to put this behind him and play basketball with Petron. He really likes it in the Philippines and loves his teammates and coaching staff.”

Brooks dismissed speculation that Balkman deliberately went wild to trigger his expulsion from the league to accept an offer to play elsewhere, perhaps back in the NBA. “That’s not the case at all,” said Brooks. “Renaldo wants to stay in the PBA and win a championship for Petron. I’ve sent tapes of Renaldo’s games in the PBA to his agent but there is no offer to play anywhere else. Renaldo made a commitment to the PBA. It’s just too bad that things didn’t work out.”