Rebirth (In Retrospect 25)

EASTER is a time when Catholics commemorate the resurrection of their Messiah from the dead. In the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, several teams need to resurrect their campaigns before their seasons are nailed to the cross…permanently.

One team I expected so much from is the Barangay Ginebra Kings. While the statistics aren’t that frightening (tops in rebounding and committing the fewest turnovers, 2nd in opponents field goal percentage), what’s scary is outside the numbers.

The Kings have tried all sorts of defenses, from the basic man-to-man to the 2-3 zone, box and 1 and even the 3-2, which is rarely used nowadays. While the Kings have gifted defenders in the likes of Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa at the backcourt and Romel Adducul inside, they just can’t play zone defense. Quite honestly, when the Kings shift to zone, it’s tantamount to giving the opposing teams easy baskets.

Take for instance a specific play from their stinging 103-94 defeat at the hands of San Miguel. When the Kings had a three-guard lineup, Helterbrand, Caguioa and Sunday Salvacion extended to the outside and the team played 3-2 zone. Unfortunately, the three players seemed confused, and all positioned themselves near or even beyond the three-point line, leaving practically the whole perimeter, elbow and key open to cutters. As a result, the Beermen exploited this error, and scored off a gimme.

I’ve been harping on the Kings’ defense for as long as they’ve been losing games because of their amateur-like rotation on zone. If their intention is to give opponents different looks by changing defenses, all they’ve succeeded in is confusing each other. Ginebra looks more formidable when playing straight up man.

Another team on the rocks is Red Bull Barako. My take on this team is that it is too deep for its own good. While coach Yeng Guiao managed to win a title without having a starting and finishing five and instead resorting to a “who’s hot” endgame lineup, it seems that it’s giving them fits this conference.

As an outsider looking in, I feel that several of the players on the team don’t know their roles that well, partly because on any given night, a different set of players start and another quintet finishes. The Bulls have only had the same starting five twice this conference, against Coca Cola and Sta. Lucia. A more consistent rotation is the only way that will make this team more cohesive and confident in the endgame.

Meanwhile, a squad I feel very sorry for as each game passes is Alaska. What’s happening to the Aces? Has multi-titled coach Tim Cone lost the respect of his players? Is a core unit of players (Don Allado, Mike Cortez, Reynel Hugnatan) getting tired of the triangle? One can only speculate, but speculate well at that since there is no other reason to justify this unit’s lack of desire to win games.

The only unit I see rising from the ashes from the rest of the bottom rung teams is Talk N Text. Mac Cardona isn’t surprising me at all. He’s a talented player and is showing it. The system also looks good, perhaps not as well-oiled as Joel Banal’s or even Bill Bayno’s, but enough to see the Phone Pals through to at least a shot at the number five slot.

Expecting a rebirth from Air21 and Sta. Lucia? Don’t get your hopes that high. The Express are scoring “just” 96.1 points a game while giving up a whopping 103.1 per contest. As for the Realtors, well, they’re simply the Realtors, and that’s more than enough reason not to hope.