Com’s Cup youngest player isn’t blinking

Bay Area Dragons starter Hayden Blankley is the youngest player in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup but like what older athletes often declare, age is just a number to him. He’s fresh from playing three seasons at West Texas A&M, a public university known for producing more professional wrestlers than professional ballers although NBA legend Maurice Cheeks is a celebrated alumnus.

West Texas A&M plays in the Lone Star Conference in D-2. Among the professional wrestlers who attended the school were Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana, Barry Windham, Dory Funk, Jr., Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody and Dick Murdoch. Blankley was never a star with the Buffaloes varsity. The 6-6 off-guard averaged 3.2 points, 4.8 and 7.6 in three consecutive seasons.

Because his mother Wang Li is Chinese from Tianjin, Blankley qualifies as an Asian heritage player with Bay Area. His father David was born in Leicester, England. Blankley’s parents were married in 1998. Blankley was born in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia. The Dragons’ two other Asian heritage players are Warren Liang and Kobey Lam, both Chinese-Canadians. Since China disallows dual citizenship, the PBA made an exception in permitting the three Asian heritage players to suit up in the Commissioner’s Cup even if they hold non-Chinese passports. However, the PBA ruled that only two may be on the court at the same time.

Both Blankley and Lam are 22 but the Chinese-Australian is four months younger, making him the “baby” of the Commissioner’s Cup. The youngest local PBA player is Phoenix’ Encho Serrano who turned 23 last month. There are four other players who are 23 but months older than Serrano – Phoenix’ Kaleb Wesson, Converge’s Justin Arana, Rain or Shine’s Gian Mamuyac and Blackwater’s Cameron Krutwig.

Blankley said when offered the opportunity to play for Bay Area, he worked harder in the gym knowing the competition would be tougher in the pros. It’s his first pro stint and Blankley said sharpening his sights from distance was a priority. Obviously, the hard work is paying off. In the Commissioner’s Cup, Blankley is averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 29.5 minutes in six games. He’s hitting 58.3 percent from two-point range, 42.4 percent from beyond the arc and 85.7 percent from the line, missing scoring in double figures only once.

Bay Area plays Terrafirma next on Oct. 21 then will take a 13-day break before engaging Meralco on Nov. 4, Rain or Shine on Nov. 22, NLEX on Nov. 13, Magnolia on Nov. 19 and TNT on Nov. 23. So far, the Dragons have lost only to Ginebra, 111-93, last Oct. 9. With the break coming up, coach Brian Goorjian is giving the players a few days off and it looks like most are headed for Panglao, Bohol, where the Dragons’ Italian strength and conditioning coach Francesco Berre lives in the offseason with Russian wife Irina.