DETERMINED, FOCUSED & READY

Banking on a three-game winning streak, people might think that Barangay Ginebra San Miguel must be ecstatic for the good start this conference.

But coach Jeffrey Cariaso shuts down that assumption.

“Right now, it’s everyone’s goal to make the top two. I know it’s a cliche but were taking every game as it comes,” he said.

Carrying a 5-1 slate and at solo second place midway through the eliminations, Ginebra has been a nightmare for the opposition, looking like a well-oiled machine under the tutelage of the young coach.

Aside from tweaking their system, Cariaso said that the biggest change the team has done is in their attitude towards the games.

“The guys are playing for each other. I keep repeating that but it’s true. If you want to be a championship-caliber team, you have to be willing to make sacrifices. A lot of guys starting from the vets all the way down to the bench are making sacrifices on their own all for the good of the team,” Cariaso said.

“When you start off and you’re struggling, the best way to get way to get out of struggling is to keep going at it, keep pushing. And I think that’s one thing the guys are learning. Every day at practice is crucial, every day at practice is important. Being able to focus despite the loss, despite you missing a shot, despite you making an error, you’re learning how to play from there and moving on.”

The Ginebra mentor also doesn’t want his wards to be fooled by their early season success, which is reminiscent of what had happened to them many times before.

“It’s good where we are right now. We’re at 5-1, and we expect the next five games to be very tough,” he said. “Right now, it’s just too early to be overconfident. No matter where we are in the standings, we’re going to approach this next game the way we should, which is being determined, being focused, and being ready.” (RL)

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