source: pba.ph
Anybody can be bitten by a 20/20 hindsight vision and Powerade-Team Pilipinas mentor Yeng Guiao is no exception.
He also has the eyes of a hawk when it comes to pinpointing those who he feels exceeded expectations and others who failed to meet the bar in the recent 25th FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China.
In fact, Guiao feels that knowing what he does now, it would have been a different team he would have fielded, one that would have done well in the kind of competition international play provides.
“Two-way players, me opensa, me depensa,” said Guiao. “Iyun kasing pagbukas ng isip mo pagdating sa possibilities, walang tigil ‘yung gulong ng ideas sa isip mo. Ito pwedeng gawin, ito hindi. Ito pwedeng isama, ito hindi,” he added.
In fact, Guiao stated all he needs is for another FIBA-Asia to come around in another two months’ time and he is ready to come up with a team that could give Asia’s traditional favorites and emerging powerhouses a run for the region’s three slots for next year’s World Championship in Turkey, one that is drastically different from his team that wound up eighth in the tournament formerly known as the ABC.
“Titingnan mo na rin kung sino ang mga nandiyan na, sasamahan mo na lang ng iba na p’wedeng-p’wede ang style sa international play,” he said.
The loss of Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes to a blood disorder and hamstring injury, respectively, told heavily on the Nationals’ campaign.
“Put in Kelly and Ryan, instant lakas ulit tayo, both ends,” he stated. “Kasi isa pang pino-problema ko, ‘yung mga tres (small forwards) ng kalaban ang lalaki. That’s why ang tres natin si Gabe (Norwood) at Jared (Dillinger). Ang mga tinatao nila mas malalaki sa kanila.”
Those absences turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the likes of Willie Miller, Cyrus Baguio and Sonny Thoss, whose inclusion were questioned by some quarters before they turned out to be the brightest spots for Team RP.
Miller emerged as a leader on court and off it while acting out his role as a transplanted two-guard while playmaker Jayjay Helterbrand tried to recover from a hamstring injury.
“Gusto lang kasi nung iba sa atin eh yung mga players na puro porma,” said Miller, who went 5-of-5 from three-point range to key the quarterfinal-clinching 77-70 win over Chinese-Taipei.
“Para sa bansa na ito. Hindi na puede porma-porma dito,” he added.
Baguio easily became the most consistent among the Nationals, combining some daredevil offensive plays with an in-your-face defense that belied his reed-thin frame. He scored in twin digits in six of the Nationals’ nine games and averaged a team-leading 11.5 ppg.
“Si Cyrus kasi makes up for his lack of size with agility,” noted Guiao.
Thoss, also a first-time RP Team member like Baguio, Miller and Dillinger, became the Nationals’ acknowledged tower of strength despite his 6-foot-7 height many thought was too undersized for a center.
“Napakalaki ng in-improve ni Sonny,” said Guiao, who also utilized Thoss as a big forward and even gave him the license to aspire for triples.
“Sonny really played consistently throughout the tournament,” said Mick Pennisi, a statement that drew a smile from the erstwhile frowning Thoss.
“I thought I let the team down,” said Thoss, whose short stab of a followup rimmed out in the last seven seconds, enabling Korea to escape with an 82-80 win over the Nike-sponsored Filipinos in their battle for seventh last Sunday.
“But hearing these things from coach and some of my teammates, it’s kind of heartwarming,” Thoss quipped.
Dillinger also became a potent force on both ends at times and said he had hoped for a better team RP finish.
“In a heartbeat,” was his reply when asked if he would like to represent the country anew.
The same sentiment was aired by the rest of the team, including James Yap and Kerby Raymundo, who performed not as well as expected. Ditto for Helterbrand, who struggled for the most part of the tournament.
Norwood, Arwind Santos, Pennisi and skipper Asi Taulava were mainly disappointed with themselves for also falling short, especially the last two who many here feel are in the twilight of their international careers. Leaving raw Japeth Aguilar and a still undetermined naturalized player to accompany Thoss and Raymundo in carrying the brunt for future RP frontliners and anchor their attack. (NCo)
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