Free Rein

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(Photo credit to the owner)

It is a great time to be a fan of STAR Hotshots basketball.

Sure, you can look at it from the other end of the spectrum since they recently lost their grand slam coach Tim Cone and the walking mismatch that is Joe DeVance, but then you should consider that no triangle means more running and gunning. More points. More fun.

At the very least, that is what we feel Coach Jason Webb is going for.

The Hotshots are not kids forever left alone by daddy (Coach Tim) to fend for themselves. No, the team still has their Big 3 of 2x PBA MVP James Yap, super scorer PJ Simon and the hard-working Marc Pingris. And, while their roster now features a bunch of names who have been in the league mostly under five years, they are all championship proven: Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang and Alex Mallari to name a few. They also added two new guys; Ron Pascual and Norbert Torres, and even those two came from a nice championship background.

So do not sing the Hotshots any sad songs. Rather, rejoice. Since no Triangle Offense means James Yap will be set free once again to score in the 20s mark. That Simon will also be able to wreak havoc on defenses, alongside the young guns. That Ian Sangalang will become the true, quiet pride of Pampanga-- as a modern day, more physically-imposing version of 90s hero Jun Limpot.

Will they miss Coach Tim? Yes. Of course. But they can move on from that. Coaches are replaced every day.

Will they miss DeVance?

That's the tricky part. Since DeVance presented so many options for the Hotshots and was, in a way, the ultimate glue guy (being vastly talented while unafraid of looking like a complete goofball with his constant All Star game dancing and gyrating).

We are going all in then with Sangalang. Better hope that his injury's healed.

We are not entirely sure if Coach Jason has learned enough of the Triangle to still run a few sets. They might, since he still has Johnny Abarrientos and Mon Jose by his side, but we have a feeling that they will run a more free-flowing style similar to Coach Jason's old mentor (and now San Miguel top brass) Alfrancis Chua.

They will slip a bit sure, but the Hotshots' overall talent and starpower suggests that Coach Jason will enjoy a solid debut campaign when it is all said and done.

Hindi naman siguro trigger happy magpalit ng coach si Chua, gaya nung pinalitan niya ano?