Tactical error

Can't win 'em all

Now that the smoke has cleared and the dust has settled somewhat, the losing part of last night’s epic PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 7—the  Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters should keep their heads unbowed for putting up an awesome display of heart and fight.

They were ahead by nine points midway in the fourth quarter in a grind-it-out game they had no business in winning since it wasn’t their style. The overtime forcing free throws off a foul by Kelly Williams on B-Meg super import Denzel Bowles shouldn’t be taken against the former PBA Most Valuable Player.
In the end, the Texters were simply beaten man for man by a team that was hungrier and healthier—heck, Bowles, Finals MVP James Yap and Marc Pingris all looked like they could’ve gone another five minutes while the Texters’ overtime five were breathing through their mouths like they were about to collapse.

But if you’d really like to play the blame game and nitpick, Game 7 could’ve gone the Texters way had Coach Chot Reyes opted to make use of his stacked bench early rather than riding out his short rotation of stars.

Of course, had the Texters won, Coach Chot would’ve been hailed a genius (rightfully so, much like Tim Cone is), but hey, they lost, this is KKS, and it’s always fun to play the “what if” card.


Foul-troubled frontline
All throughout the game, Coach Chot went with the two guys that worked best defensively against Bowles: import Donnel Harvey and undersized big man Ali Peek. Say what you want, but last time we checked, Bowles is a 6”10 athlete with a rock solid mini-fadeaway J, while Harvey’s strictly a 6”7-8 rebounder. Peek is even worse at a measly 6”4. Try asking your tallest basketball playmate to shoot fadeaways over your already outstretched hands and see if you can reach it—yeah, damn hard isn’t it?

Harvey fouled out in the 4th, Peek in overtime and that was that. Kelly Williams will fight, but he’s not 6”10, nor an established post defender.

Coach Chot could’ve gone to undersized Harvey Carey early, just to mix it up and keep Harvey and Peek’s fouls in check but he didn’t. Yes, Bowles would’ve scored buckets on Carey, but those are six extra fouls and another set of bruising elbows that could’ve been used to slow “Super Bowles” down.

Guard play
Jimmy Alapag was on fire. But once the third quarter ended, we all saw him hollering at Coach Chot like he needed a break. Coach Chot rewarded his veteran guard and reigning MVP with that but it proved futile. While Alapag was resting, the Llamados were clawing back into the game. Alapag came back and made a bucket, but soon succumbed to cramps. Ryan Reyes was doing an excellent job on James Yap as well, but as always, broke down in the end (hope he’s in good shape and that it was just a pulled muscle and nothing serious). Ditto with “True Grit” Jayson Castro. Coach Chot could’ve remedied this by sending in Jarred Dillinger and Larry Fonacier (with he did at times but not fully) as his big PGs. Unfortunately, Coach Chot has always preferred to play his three best guards—who should really be alternating for each other, all at the same time.

The Japeth Factor
No, I don’t think that Japeth Aguilar could or would stop Bowles the same way Marc Pingris did on Ranidel de Ocampo. But that’s not only an extra set of six fouls there, but someone who at least has the height to be on eye level with the Llamados’ mighty import. Also, how do you expect the country’s most athletic big man to ever develop if he’s always glued to the bench? This is the very same argument I have on 6”8 Filipinos and up. Send them overseas to train (much like how San Miguel has Junmar Fajardo playing versus imports in the ABL) so they can compete. Aguilar, well, he’s stuck at wanting to play small forward, but he could’ve been useful at the very least. Him, or another Texters big reserve, Gilbert Lao.

Again, we’re only nitpicking here and the series could’ve gone either way easily. Coach Chot opted to stick with the guys that were ready to win—as opposed to Coach Tim Cone who trusted guys like Joe DeVance (who was seriously underperforming in the Finals) and Andy Barroca (non-factor and outplayed by Jonas Villanueva) to stretch his rotation.

Great series, tough match-up both from a player's and coach's perspective.