Beau Belga

Beau Michael Vincent Esparrago Belga (born November 30, 1986) is a Filipino professional basketball player[1] for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is also an assistant coach for the UST Growling Tigers of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).[2]

Beau Belga
Belga in 2014
No. 28 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
PositionCenter / power forward
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1986-11-30) November 30, 1986
Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight280 lb (127 kg)
Career information
CollegePhilippine Christian University
PBA draft2008: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants
Playing career2008–present
Coaching career2020–present
Career history
As player:
2008–2009Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants
2009–2010Burger King Whoppers / Air21 Express
2010–2011Meralco Bolts
2011–presentRain or Shine Elasto Painters
As coach:
2020–presentUST Growling Tigers (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2007 Nakhon RatchasimaTeam
FIBA Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Wuhan Team

Early life

Belga was born and raised in Gubat, Sorsogon and is the eldest among the three siblings. His father was a family driver while his mother was a housewife. At a young age, he helped his grandmother sell balut, penoy, and other goods. He finished his high school education in Sorsogon. As a kid, he was very thin and was often bullied; as a way of escape, he focused his attention on basketball.

College career

He decided to go to Manila and study at Philippine Christian University. He was recruited to play for the PCU Dolphins by the school's swimming coach while he was playing billiards with his friends. While at PCU, he, along with future PBA stars Gabby Espinas and Jayson Castro, helped the team win its first ever NCAA title against host school University of Perpetual Help Altas in 2004.

Professional career

He was the seventh overall draft pick by Purefoods in 2008 before being traded to Burger King. He found his niche as a basketball player while playing for coach Yeng Guiao's Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, where he was known as one of the league's toughest players. While with Rain or Shine, he also became teammates with J.R. Quiñahan, and together they formed a duo in the low block, called the Extra Rice, Inc., owing to their weight and huge appetite.

PBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2021 season[3][4]

Season-by-season averages

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2008–09 Purefoods 4015.9.537.258.5354.0.8.5.15.9
Burger King
2009–10 Burger King / Air21 3822.8.426.231.7026.31.2.6.67.9
2010–11 Meralco 4120.1.460.290.6805.11.3.3.36.7
Rain or Shine
2011–12 Rain or Shine 5322.0.423.247.6485.11.3.6.56.8
2012–13 Rain or Shine 5722.3.361.247.6195.91.7.6.36.8
2013–14 Rain or Shine 5922.4.439.295.6275.11.6.6.58.6
2014–15 Rain or Shine 5319.9.378.231.5974.52.3.6.46.9
2015–16 Rain or Shine 5420.4.445.289.6645.21.8.5.48.1
2016–17 Rain or Shine 3821.9.404.333.6575.82.0.4.38.5
2017–18 Rain or Shine 3722.1.390.321.6955.42.5.5.38.7
2019 Rain or Shine 4824.8.396.249.6275.33.0.6.48.2
2020 Rain or Shine 1226.1.432.319.7375.82.0.6.710.9
2021 Rain or Shine 2324.6.385.280.6115.73.2.6.39.9
2022–23 Rain or Shine 3322.0.401.272.7145.13.1.4.28.0
Career 58621.7.415.274.6435.21.9.5.47.7

National team career

In 2013, Belga was added to the Gilas Pilipinas training pool that competed in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, and was considered the "13th man", since he was the last man cut from the 12-man national team roster.[5] In 2014, he was included in the Gilas roster that played for the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, and 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.[6] In 2018, he will represent the Rain or Shine-backed Gilas Pilipinas in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

References

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