Mac Tallo was picked 10th by TNT in the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Macmac Tallo just might be getting the shot that he is looking for after he was signed by the NLEX Road Warriors to shore up its depleted backcourt.
Picked ninth in this year’s PBA Draft by Talk N Text KaTropa, Tallo found himself buried at the end of the bench in a loaded backcourt led by high-scoring guards Jayson Castro and the newly acquired Terrence Romeo. With RR Garcia, Jericho Cruz and Ryan Reyes also in that same backcourt, Tallo got relegated to the reserve list in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup.
Tallo disclosed that last week, he got a call from TnT team manager Virgil Villavicencio, telling him to report to the NLEX camp that was keen on giving him a look in the wake of the knee injury suffered by Kevin Alas and the recent 18-month suspension of rookie star, Kiefer Ravena.
Tallo relayed that the tryout went well and he was promptly signed by NLEX on Wednesday. The 6-foot-1 guard was practically gushing when he talked about the opportunity before him.
“Nung nasa TNT palang ako, I’ve been waiting months para makabalik ako sa lineup. I’ve been working hard! Tiyaga at pasensya talaga ang sinacrifice ko. Kaya nung nalaman ko na NLEX na pala ako pinagpa-practice, sobrang saya ko kasi parang ito na yung chance or opportunity na pinagdarasal ko,” said the son of one-time PBA guard, Mark Tallo.
The fact that he is going to be playing for fiery coach Yeng Guiao was not lost on the youngster. However, Tallo was not the least bit fazed by Guiao’s reputation.
“Actually hindi. Kasi nakapunta ako sa kinakaroonan ko sa tibay ng loob ko. Tapos kung sisigawan ako or mumurahin, I’ll falter lang?”
Tallo also vowed to make the most of whatever minutes he will earn on the floor.
“I may not be as talented as Kiefer and Kevin pero I work as hard as them. I’m not a scorer. I’m more of a distributor pero don’t get me wrong. If I’m open, I’m not going to hesitate to shoot that ball,” Tallo said.
The product of Southwestern University-Phinma also bared that the brief time he spent playing against Romeo has done wonders for his defense.
“Playing one on one every day against TR, kaya kung hindi pa ako mag-iimprove dun, ewan ko nalang,” Tallo said with a hearty laugh.