Beau Belga

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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 (age 37)
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 place 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima Team
FIBA Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Wuhan Team

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]

Early life[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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.

On December 14, 2023, Belga signed a one-year contract extension with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.[3]

PBA career statistics[edit]

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[4][5]

Season-by-season averages[edit]

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2008–09 Purefoods 40 15.9 .537 .258 .535 4.0 .8 .5 .1 5.9
Burger King
2009–10 Burger King / Air21 38 22.8 .426 .231 .702 6.3 1.2 .6 .6 7.9
2010–11 Meralco 41 20.1 .460 .290 .680 5.1 1.3 .3 .3 6.7
Rain or Shine
2011–12 Rain or Shine 53 22.0 .423 .247 .648 5.1 1.3 .6 .5 6.8
2012–13 Rain or Shine 57 22.3 .361 .247 .619 5.9 1.7 .6 .3 6.8
2013–14 Rain or Shine 59 22.4 .439 .295 .627 5.1 1.6 .6 .5 8.6
2014–15 Rain or Shine 53 19.9 .378 .231 .597 4.5 2.3 .6 .4 6.9
2015–16 Rain or Shine 54 20.4 .445 .289 .664 5.2 1.8 .5 .4 8.1
2016–17 Rain or Shine 38 21.9 .404 .333 .657 5.8 2.0 .4 .3 8.5
2017–18 Rain or Shine 37 22.1 .390 .321 .695 5.4 2.5 .5 .3 8.7
2019 Rain or Shine 48 24.8 .396 .249 .627 5.3 3.0 .6 .4 8.2
2020 Rain or Shine 12 26.1 .432 .319 .737 5.8 2.0 .6 .7 10.9
2021 Rain or Shine 23 24.6 .385 .280 .611 5.7 3.2 .6 .3 9.9
2022–23 Rain or Shine 33 22.0 .401 .272 .714 5.1 3.1 .4 .2 8.0
Career 586 21.7 .415 .274 .643 5.2 1.9 .5 .4 7.7

National team career[edit]

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.[6] 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.[7] In 2018, he will represent the Rain or Shine-backed Gilas Pilipinas in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Painters find import-less Aces easy pickings". GMA News. April 1, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  2. ^ "Beau Belga joins Aldin Ayo staff at UST Tigers as big man's coach".
  3. ^ Terrado, Reuben (December 14, 2023). "Beau Belga signs one-year extension with Rain or Shine". Spin.ph. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  4. ^ [1] PBA-Online.net
  5. ^ [2] Real GM
  6. ^ "Solarsportsdesk.ph".
  7. ^ "Belga says inclusion in Gilas Pilipinas pool a perfect chance to prove his worth | SPIN.PH". Archived from the original on 2014-07-06. Retrieved 2014-07-09.