‘Walang kukurap’: Rain or Shine, Star collision opens PBA Season 41
Don’t dare blink when Star and Rain or Shine collide Sunday opening up action in the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
No less than the Elasto Painters’ grizzled coach, Yeng Guiao, issued this warning when asked to describe his projections for the game between his team that usually favors a fast-paced game and a Hotshots crew that has opted to deviate more from its usual deliberate system.
“Walang kukurap dahil baka may ma-miss na play,” said Guiao. “Ratratan iyan.”
Guiao based his assessment on the fact Star has all the tools to come up with its running game.
“Mayroon silang (Mark) Barroca, (Justin) Melton, (Alex) Mallari, (Allein) Maliksi at iyung mga old reliables nila like James (Yap) at (PJ) Simon, who can all thrive in a running game, which, from what I hear, gagamitin nila ngayon,” noted Guiao.
“Matagal silang natali sa (former coach Tim Cone’s preferred) triangle offense at gigil ang mga iyan kaya ngayon para silang mga asong ulol na nakawala.”
Star coach Jason Webb himself admitted he wants his team to be quick in both ends of the court and that stance, added Guiao, is to be expected from the son of a former PBA cager and senator who was known as “Fastbreak Freddie” in his heydays.
“It’s in his genes and that showed even while coach Jason was playing,” Guiao pointed out.
Rain or Shine itself prefers a quick-paced style of play and seems to have bolstered that hype by taking in new players both through trades and the draft that made it taller, younger and, hopefully, more competitive.
Jewel Ponferrada has come in to replace undersized Jervy Cruz, Maverick Ahanmisi is taking over from TY Tang and Don Trollano will be filling the void created by the departure of Ryan Arana. Also set to come in is Mapua’s Josan Nimes, who could be a combo guard.
How his newcomers blend in with the likes of Paul Lee, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood and Beau Belga is the one thing that Guiao is keeping a close tab on.
“Maganda kung sa first official game pa lang mag-jell na agad ang mga bago sa datihan, pero ang tinitingnan ko mga after five or six games pa lang magkaka-alaman if the chemistry is really there na,” said Guiao.
Webb has his own player under the microscope in the comebacking Ian Sangalang, who injured his knee right in the first game of the same conference last season and sat out the remainder of Star’s 2014-2015 campaign.
“How he becomes the Ian Sangalang that we have come to know during his rookie season is something we hope will come quickly,” related Webb. “But we’re not going to pressure him. We know that will take time.”
Even with the 6-7 center-forward not his usual self Webb still has other frontliners in Marc Pingris, Yousef Taha, Rafi Reavis and rookie Norbert Torres, who will be ranged against not only Belga and Pinferrada but also JR Quinahan and Raymond Almazan. (NB)
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