ATTITUDE & WORK ETHIC HIGH ON KIA COACHES’ CHECKLIST
If NLEX and Blackwater zeroed in on preparing for their future, fellow league newcomer KIA took a new approach in building its squad for the 40th season of the PBA.
“Nag-focus kami sa attitude at work ethic,” said KIA assistant coach Glenn Capacio, who is overseeing the practice sessions of the team in the absence of head coach Manny Pacquiao. “Skills-wise, halos pare-parehas na lang naman yan. Syempre mas may name ang nakuha ng Blackwater, pero kami, nag-focus kami sa magaganda na attitude ng mga players, tsaka maganda ang work ethic.”
After the Expansion Draft that landed them with 12 players from the free agent and unrestricted pool, Capacio said that everything in their team is still up in the air, considering that the management, led by team manager Eric Pineda, is still in the process of negotiating contracts of their new studs.
“Wala pang lineup kasi under negotiation pa yung kontrata na nakuha namin sa dispersal,” he said. “Sa ngayon, mga four or five na yung nakapirma, pero mga seven siguro yung mga shoo-in dun from the Expansion Draft, pero di pa naka-sign lahat.”
But Capacio added that things can still change from now until the start of the new season, as 20 to 25 players are still bidding for the precious spots on the KIA roster.
“Jump ball pa ito kung sino ang makakasali sa team,” he said.”Magbubuo kami ng pool ng 17 to 20 players, at dun namin ibe-base kung sino ang magfi-fit sa system namin. Dun kami kukuha ng 12 players, and two reserves,” he said, which would be announced two weeks before the season starts.
But if there’s one thing Capacio wants from his players, he said that it will be their fighting spirit.
“Ang binubuo namin talaga ay yung never say die na spirit dapat. Yun ang gusto ni coach Manny,” he said.
“Alam ko naman na di ‘to ganun ka-talented na team, pero gusto namin yung lumalaban. Magko-compete talaga kami at ibibigay namin lagi yung 100-percent.” (RL)
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