Birthday Greetings to Nicanor Bulaong ( Jan 10 ) Toyota Underdog Crowd Favorite player

Nicanor Bulaong of FEU is trying his darndest with the other candidates to pass the try-outs for the RP national squad for the Pesta Sukan. Bulaong contributes no little amount of talent by way of snatching those rebounds. As a center, he is one of FEU's players to really watch. Will he make it to the Pesta Sukan? is the question that is foremost in the minds of other FEU pals who play basketball with him.. Yes, would he really get the nod? 'Let's hope he does,' the hoopsters from Far Eastern U try to keep their fingers crossed for him. These are some of the UAAP lads. Renato Lobo, for example obtained pointers from a known basketeer. His relative, Elias Tolen-tino of YCC. Lobo once wore the jersey of the YCO Redshirts when he was taken in for the Invitationals and the National championships. Just 18, but already tall at 6'1", he studies commerce at the FEU and as a forward-center is one of the 'fighting cogs' of the university, who not only excels in turning out worthy alumni from their roster, but also tries to give their thousands of students a wellbalanced academic diet of sportscum-culture-cum-well-rounded-curricula.

In his PBA Rookie year , Nick averaged 8.80 points per game in his rookie year, 45.51 per cent average from the floor and 76.67 clip on the charity lane. He also had 130 rebounds that season, besides registering 17 assists, 13 steals and 18 blocked shots. In 1978, Bulaong played in only 34 games, posting a total playing time of 439:05 minutes. He notched a lower average of 5.68 points per game, with a 46.86 per cent average from the field and a 70.73 per cent from the 15-foot line. He had 104 rebounds, 9 assists, 8 steals and 10 blocked shots. In 1979, Bulaong's scoring performance in 49 matches dipped further to 4.65 points per game. He fashioned out a 48.17 per cent average from the field and 72.73 clip from the foul line. In that season, be matched his first year's output in rebounds, had 19 assists, 14 steals and 22 blocked shots,

Bulaong even played in fewer games 30. His scoring average was 6.57 per cent. But despite the limited games, he raked in 114 re bounds, 26 assists, four steals and 13 blocked shots. Throughout his four-year stint, Bulaong has played in 163 games and made an overall scoring average of 5.88 points per game. On record, Bulaong was way be low the caterogry of cage stars. But the fact that he has remained with a star-studded team like Toyota means one thing: that his team has always considered his potentials as a fine cager. Finally, this season, Nick has proven himself. Indeed, he becomes a great asset to Toyota. His performance in the conference just ended is incontestable proof that Bulaong has much to offer to his team and his fans. In winning the Open, it can not be doubted that Toyota had partially relied on its shock absorber Bulaong. In the sudden-death play off, Bulaong contributed 13 points, seven of them scored in the first half the same output of Robert Jaworski in the same span of time.