David out to prove he has other weapons aside from scoring

WITH a new team comes new responsibilities. But for high-scoring wingman Gary David, his primary job wherever he goes, has always been to score.

However, with the Meralco Bolts, if head coach Ryan Gregorio is to be believed, that is not a priority as of the moment.

“We’re not really giving Gary all the pressure in terms of scoring majority of the baskets,” shared Gregorio during the press conference of the league’s opening games in Cebu. During the offseason, David was acquired by the Bolts along with AJ Mandani from GlobalPort in exchange for Chris Timberlake and their 2016 and 2017 second round picks.

And while David has gained a lofty reputation as the league’s top scorer, Gregorio preached that he did not want the other guys to just stand around and watch the two-guard go to work.

“We also want to make sure that the other four guys that are playing around him, remain threats. So Gary will not just be the focal point of the defense.”

Gregorio heaped praises upon his new wingman but tempered expectations in encouraging David to play two-way basketball.

“With Gary, we all know that he has been the best scoring option the last two seasons. Right now, we just want him to be a contributor. We want him to score but at the same time, we want him to focus on the other aspects of the game,” Gregorio added.

David himself, admitted that he is still getting acclimated to his new teammates and said that developing the team’s chemistry was his top priority.

With a backcourt that also includes veterans Mike Cortez, John Wilson, Sunday Salvacion and Jared Dillinger, Gregorio was giddy with the big potential of his squad but hoped that the other players were also prepared for David’s contributions.

“He can be very productive for us if he plays tough defense and also, he can facilitate scoring opportunities for his teammates. I just hope the other players will be ready because Gary will really be a multi-dimensional player this season,” Gregorio said. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio