Cortez helps Kings sustain big surge

Cortez helps Kings sustain big surge

MIKE Cortez is on a roll and so is Barangay Ginebra.

The 2003 top draft pick continued to crank up his all-around game, helping the Gin Kings stretch their winning streak to five and winning the Accel-PBA Player of the Week honors for Dec. 5 to 11.

The citation is only the second for Cortez since Jan. 2-8 of the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference, while he was still with Alaska. Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen was foremost among those glad to see him playing without the injuries that have left him with a roller-coaster career.

"Mike has always been a good player," noted Tanquingcen of the guard who led the way in their back-to-back wins over Barako Bull and Talk N Text last week.

"I think he’s back playing comfortable with his teammates and he is being aggressive, which is good for him because he has the capability to make an impact in the game."

The time the player called "Cool Cat" has been spending long after practices are over is also paying huge dividends. "He is reaping the benefits of his hard work," stated Tanquingcen.

Cortez had a two-game average of 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks that helped jack his conference statistics to 10.3 points, 3.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

His points are just behind Mark Caguioa’s 13.9 and ditto for his dimes to Jayjay Helterbrand’s 3.7. But what made Cortez more lethal was the fact he has been shooting at a sizzling 21-for-42 from beyond the arc, the best in the conference.

Not bad for the 31-year-old who has also played for Magnolia, San Miguel Beer and Air21 before being acquired by Ginebra late in the 2009-10 season.

Cortez’s brilliance came at the most opportune of times, like when he made two of three three-point attempts and issued four assists in the final quarter to help the Kings peel away from an erstwhile tight game against the Tropang Texters en route to a 96-82 win last Sunday.

Source: Malaya