PUR - Balkman, Puerto Rico's new spark plug

CARACAS (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - When disaster seems to hit Renaldo Balkman's life, life and Renaldo, turn this around. Disaster, becomes a blessing.

After a great NCAA career at the University of South Carolina, Balkman went on to play in the NBA.

Known as a fierce competitor and relentless defender in college, he did not get much playing time with the Denver Nuggets or the New York Knicks and was left to survive as a practice and role player.

When he found out that although born and raised in Staten Island, New York, he has Puerto Rican heritage and is eligible to play for Puerto Rico, things changed for Balkman.

Much needed in a national team that lacked height, he fell in love with a country that loved him from the minute he stepped onto the court wearing its colours.

Balkman is all heart and soul, will hustle for every loose ball and go after every rebound which is what makes him a crowd favorite everywhere he goes.

"It's been wonderful to represent Puerto Rico, it's a dream come true," he said.

"It has brought me back to life."

Early this year, while playing in the Philippines, he hit rock bottom when letting his rage get the best of him, getting into trouble with his own teammates the referees and his coach.

He was suspended, fined and banned from the PBA league and suddenly had nowhere to go.

"I did not have a good playing time in the NBA and my abilities just perished," he said.

"By playing as a starter in Puerto Rico (with Brujos de Guayama), my game came back and it shows so far in this tourment,

"I'm the guy that played at college, my energy and my abilites are back."

And Balkman has very clear ideas of the goal he wants to achieve with Puerto Rico while in Caracas.

"There is nothing I want more than to qualify my team to Spain's 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, something I never dreamed of, because I was not national team material."

Balkman singled-handedly crushed Brazil in Puerto Rico's 72-65 win on Friday by scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

On Saturdady, after some early foul trouble, he came back and exploded when his team needed with 18 points and 11 rebounds in their 83-67 win over Canada.

"It's funny, because teams don't know that I'm back. I can score on bigger centers. They are bigger, but I'm faster," he said.

"I have a new career, and whether it's in Puerto Rico, the NBA or in Europe, I will play to my limit. I'm relentless."

Renaldo is such a character that you can feel the "Balkmania" not only in the fans, but within the whole national team.

He made some caps that say "Balkmania" on the front and "Hustle Harder" on the back. That says it all. He is the new spark plug for his team and at 29, he still has some good years to offer.

For full and in-depth coverage of the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, go to the official website http://www.caracas2013.com/en/default.asp?lang=en.

FIBA