Andy Mark C. Barroca (born April 25, 1986) is a Filipino professional basketball player who currently plays for the Star Hotshots in the Philippine Basketball Association. He currently wears the number 14 to imply the birthday of his wife.[1]
Professional career
Barroca, along with 33 other rookies led by Smart Gilas teammates JVee Casio, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, and Dylan Ababou applied for the 2011 PBA draft. On draft day, he was taken 5th overall by the Shopinas.com Clickers, who immediately dealt him to the B-Meg Llamados in a three-team trade that also involved the Llamados' Don Allado and fellow rookie draftee Brian Ilad, and the Barako Bull's Elmer Espiritu.
During his rookie season, he did not spend a lot of time on the floor with guards like Roger Yap, Josh Urbiztondo, and Jonas Villanueva all leading the Llamados. Averaging just 17 minutes per game, he was learning from the likes of Johnny Abarrientos and Olsen Racela, now serving as Tim Cone's assistant coaches who are both considered among the greatest backcourt generals in the PBA. He claimed his first PBA championship with the Denzel Bowles-powered B-Meg during the 2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Tides would change however, those three veteran point guards exited. Yap was released, then Urbiztondo and Villanueva were dealt to Barako Bull. That paved the way for Barroca to earn the starting point guard spot in his sophomore season. As the main playmaker of the team, he led the Llamados (now playing as San Mig Coffee Mixers) to win the 2013 PBA Governor's Cup at the expense of the Petron Blaze Boosters.
Barroca played close to 34 minutes of average per game in the 2013–14 PBA Philippine Cup and evolved into a clutch player down the stretch. He led the Mixers to their 11th championship by winning the 2013–14 PBA Philippine Cup, at the expense of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Because of his efforts, he was awarded as the PBA Press Corps-Papa John's Pizza Finals MVP.[2]
During the 2014 PBA All-Star Weekend, he added another highlight to his breakout year by winning the Obstacle Challenge, dethroning fellow FEU alumnus and Air21 point guard Jonas Villanueva.[3]
PBA career statistics
Correct as of August 1, 2015[4]
Season-by-season averages
| Year |
Team |
GP |
MPG |
FG% |
3P% |
FT% |
RPG |
APG |
SPG |
BPG |
PPG |
|---|
| 2011–12 |
B-Meg |
62 | 17.4 | .402 | .277 | .744 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .7 | .2 | 5.4 |
| 2012–13 |
San Mig Coffee |
64 | 29.2 | .404 | .302 | .729 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .1 | 8.7 |
| 2013–14 |
San Mig Coffee |
71 | 30.6 | .396 | .233 | .746 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 1.6 | .4 | 10.7 |
| 2014–15 |
Purefoods Star / Star |
45 | 28.5 | .420 | .343 | .766 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 1.2 | .1 | 10.4 |
| Career |
|
242 | 26.5 | .404 | .284 | .746 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .2 | 8.8 |
International career
Barroca went on to become part of Rajko Toroman's Smart Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team in 2009, together with his other teammates from FEU, Mac Baracael and Aldrech Ramos. He immediately showcased what he was capable of doing of, scoring 36 points in an exhibition game against PBA's Burger King. When Smart Gilas participated in the 2011 PBA Commissioner's Cup where the team finished in second place after the elimination round, he averaged 8.2 points and 2.7 assists in 17.2 minutes of play.
Along with the best amateur athletes, he went all over the globe, training in several camps in Serbia, Australia, United States, and Dubai while playing in prestigious tournaments like the Asian Games, FIBA Asia Champions Cup, FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup, Dubai International Basketball Tournament, and the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship in Wuhan, China that culminated his 3-year stay with Smart Gilas.
Personal life
Barroca is married to former Ruselle Ann Alinea, and has one daughter, named Natalie Faith.[5] Their love story was featured in an episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.[6]
He idolizes Manny Pacquiao and even played with him in a friendly basketball game during his visit to Pacquiao's mansion in General Santos City.[7]
Controversy
Since the day he turned pro, Barroca has been a subject of controversy in the online basketball world. Aside from being involved in the alleged game-fixing during his college days, fans from other teams hurled below-the-belt comments regarding his looks and dark complexion.[8] He was also criticized for being too close for comfort with Sports5 TV courtside reporter Erika Padilla during the dugout celebration after B-Meg won the 2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup.[9] The incident happened when Padilla interviewed him, and while both of them were drenched with water, Mark, being too excited due to the adrenaline rush, unintentionally put his arm on the TV reporter's chest and kissed her on the cheek. The video of that incident went viral online, which caused furor over the netizens, and accused Mark of being too "chancing" on Erika. He has since apologized to Padilla, which the latter accepted and considered it a non-issue.
References
- ↑ Badua, Snow (April 18, 2014). "There's a story behind every jersey number. Find out what No. 14 meant to San Mig guard Mark Barroca". Spin.ph. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Indomitable Barroca stands tall as San Mig wins title with emotional Game Six win". Richard Dy, Spin.ph. February 26, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Mark Barroca adds another highlight to breakout year by winning Obstacle Challenge". Richard Dy, Spin.ph. April 4, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ↑ Player Profile at PBA-Online!
- ↑ "As San Mig stands on brink of title, Barroca's wife admits furor over 2012 dugout scene a traumatic experience". Snow Badua, Spin.ph. October 22, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ "Manny Pacquiao, nakatapat si Mark Barroca sa isang friendly basketball match". GMA News. March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ↑ Ruselle Barroca on husband's fine play amid 'insults:' 'Itinaas s'ya ng Diyos, kasi may mga taong nagbababa sa kanya'
- ↑ Barroca pleads with TV commentators to stop 'dugout jokes,' says it's already hurting his family
