WHAT AILS SUPER COFFEE MIXERS?
Championship hangover.
Key players of the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers point to this as the culprit behind their slump as after they lost to the Petron Blaze Boosters, 91-78, on Wednesday and slumped deeper into the cellar with a 0-3 slate.
“Parang dala-dala pa rin namin yung pag-champion namin eh,” said Marc Pingris. “Sa isip namin, parang lumaki yung ulo namin at feeling namin na kaya na namin lahat ng kalaban kahit hindi kami magpractice kaya napapaghandaan kami ng mga kalaban namin.”
The “still on Cloud 9” demeanor and unpreparedness of some players might have affected the collective mindset of the team, resulting in this dismal start for the Super Coffee Mixers.
“Nagbakasyon yung iba at na-relax, tapos nabigla kami kasi akala namin sa December pa yung game namin,” said Mark Barroca. “Yung iba nagbabakasyon tapos yung iba nag-e-ensayo, so di pa talaga naka-jell yung team.”
The problem of chemistry was so evident that Barroca said that their rookies have not yet caught up with their system of the triangle.
“May kakulangan din kami kasi di nila alam yung defensive mindset namin, kung pano mag-handle ng screens. Yun yung mga dapat nilang matutunan. Nako-confuse pa sila kung paano sila gagalaw,” he said.
Pingris added, “Nagsa-struggle ng konti yung team eh. Kailangan naming bumalik sa basic na triangle. Kailangan lang talaga naming mag-focus sa practice kung ano yung mga dapat gawin para maging solid ulit yung samahan namin.”
Add to those woes coach Tim Cone and San Mig Coffee are facing is the injuries to vital cogs in their lineup.
Joe Devance (knee), Peter June Simon (ankle), Allein Maliksi (ACL), and rookie Justin Melton (hand) are all watching helplessly on the sidelines, while Pingris (hamstring) and James Yap (elbow) played hurt in their game against the Blaze Boosters.
“Kulang din kami sa scoring from our wings, kasi umiiskor ako pero kulang talaga yung scoring kasi injured si PJ (Simon) at si James (Yap). Hindi nagiging balanced yung scoring,” Barroca said. “So ang focus namin ngayon is sa depensa. Dun talaga kami kulang kanina eh. Nakakadepensa kami pero kulang pa.”
The third year point guard also said that their feisty coach doesn’t take excuses from the team, even if they are missing key parts in their squad.
“Sabi nya na talo kami ngayon, pero hindi namin dapat isipin na parang wala lang ito. Hindi porket may injured sa team, hihintayin lang naming makabalik sila. Hindi excuse sa amin ito eh. Nagalit si coach kasi nagkulang kami sa depensa, mas lalo na noong last seven minutes. Nakabalik na kami sa game pero nagkulang pa kami kaya ulit kami nalamangan,” he said.
Though still early in the conference, the Mixers hope that they can still salvage their season as the veterans are now willing to take responsibility for the team’s losses
“Dapat maging model kami sa team,” Pingris said. “Dapat ipakita namin sa rookies na lumaban lang kahit kulang kami. Laban lang kahit sino yung ipasok sa amin. Ganun yung attitude na laro lang talaga.”
And Ian Sangalang, their prized second overall pick from this year’s Rookie Draft, knows that as rookies, they have to pick up the team’s ideals quick.
“Siguro kulang pa kami sa practice since two weeks pa lang kami, hindi pa kami masyadong nagkakakilanlan sa loob ng court,” he said. “Nakakasunod na kami sa play pero kailangan pa i-perfect yun kasi di naman pwedeng turuan ka na lang palagi eh. Madami pang adjustment ang kailangan naming gawin kasi ang opensa namin, hindi ganung kadali imemorya kaya dapat, mag-focus palagi sa practice.”
Sangalang added, “Ako personally, malayo pa ako sa pag-intindi ng sistema namin. Kailangan talagang sa bawat galaw ng bola, bawat kilos ng kakampi ko, alam mo yung gagawin mo,” which shows how intricate Cone’s triangle offense works, a claim that even Pingris supported, saying, “Kami ngang mga beterano, nagkakamali pa rin eh. Sila pa kayang rookies na ilang linggo pa lang?”
“Konting focus pa sa triangle kasi ilang linggo pa lang kami eh. Yung vision na binubuo namin, dapat maging solid yun. Dapat ituro rin namin sa kanila yun para maging solid kami,” said the energetic power forward. “Ang hirap para kay coach kasi nasa amin talaga yung mali. Si coach, marami nang napatunayan eh. Kumbaga, back to basics na lang kami.”
As they sit at the bottom of the team standings, Barroca believes that they still have the time to turn their fortunes around, saying, “Mahaba pa naman yung conference. Siguro makakapag-adjust pa kami.”
“Sa practice namin, nagta-twice a day kami kaya bugbog yung katawan namin. Naghahabol kami sa kundisyon ng katawan namin,” he said. “Pero yung progress namin, unti-unti lang, padahan dahan. Patience lang.” (RLeongson)
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