James Laput has been looking exceptional for Magnolia in the PBA on Tour, helping the Hotshots string together an unbeaten 8-0 record in the preseason tourney.
In their 94-65 victory against San Miguel, Laput scored 21 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and helped the Hotshots limit the Beermen to just nine points in the fourth quarter.
The 6-foot-10 Fil-Aussie, who joined Magnolia in 2021, averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 boards per game during the regular season. But during Magnolia’s preseason run, Laput posted averages of 10 points and 11 rebounds per night.
“I give credit to the Magnolia culture; we have great veterans, and they have their own routines. I take bits and pieces from them,” he said in the post-game interview following their lopsided victory over the Beermen. “Coach Juno (Sauler) works on me every day. Slowly, we’ve been making progress.”
The big man also thanked his coaches for their positive influence.
This, he said, helped him get through some mental issues that had negative effects on him.
“I’ve been in dark places; I’ve gone through a lot mentally,” said Laput.
“I pulled myself by listening to these people and taking in all the advice from coach Juno, coach Paul (Sorongon), and coach Chito (Victolero). I just kept it going.”
