Being competitive not enough for Isaac as Blackwater looks for 1st win
Blackwater’s Reil Cervantes goes for a layup against Alaska during their game on Friday at Mall of Asia Arena. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Blackwater’s winless start to the season won’t really show how the team has been playing in only it’s second season in the PBA.
The Elite only lost by four in their opening game against the NLEX Road Warriors and by eight to the Alaska Aces last Friday.
Blackwater, though, has no room for moral victories this year with head coach Leo Isaac not treating those close losses as accomplishments having been in those situations before during the franchise’s inaugural season.
“Still, ang frustration namin, hindi pa rin namin ma-convert into a win,” Isaac said after his team took an 87-79 loss at the hands of the Aces. “Yung sinasabi naming we want to be competitive nagagawa namin but we need another word for it para kumpleto namin. We need the word win after the word competitive.”
Isaac said that his team isn’t mature enough yet to have what it takes to win close games down the stretch. But he is convinced that his players are up for the challenge.
“Kulang pa kami sa maturity at depth ng players who could really perform during crunch time. Kailangan magkaroon tayo ng players who would really give us a good game performance. Hindi yung isa, dalawang quarter ka lang. Players who would step up their game for the whole 48 minutes,” said Isaac.
“Sabi ko nga sa mga players, ‘sinong mga NBA idol niyo? Yung mga NBA idol niyo, pansinin niyo, they perform with the same intensity, the same level of play for the whole game.’ We’re trying to instill that to the minds of our players.”
Isaac is hoping to get those qualities from his first round pick Art dela Cruz, who won championships in the NCAA as a key member of the San Beda Red Lions.
“I’m just keeping my hopes high that Art dela Cruz will be a player who can help us in the four position. He’s young, talented, and has good basketball basics.”
Dela Cruz is set to join Blackwater in practice on Sunday and could suit up in the Elite’s next game against the Meralco Bolts on Wednesday.
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