The Right Gear

No joke.
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

So who’s laughing now?

Around this time last season, the Mahindra Enforcers (then Kia Motors/ Carnival) were being ridiculed not entirely for their poor performance (which was expected of a debuting franchise) but mostly because they opted to parade global boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as their playing-head coach. To make matters worse during the off-season, the team decided to trade their 2015 PBA Draft 2nd overall pick (which Tropang TNT would turn into wonderkid Troy Rosario) to acquire the services of journeymen: sideshow dunker turned sniper Nino Canaleta and one-time Gilas reserve Aldrech Ramos.



This PBA Commissioner’s Cup however, the team is carrying a 3 wins – 1 loss slate and is looking quite impressive, near playoff darkhorse even, under the tutelage of Chito Victolero. Leading the charge is import Augustus Gilchrist (40mpg 22ppg 11rpg 2apg) who is providing the Enforcers with a little bit of everything on both ends of the court. The locals: Karl Dehesa (28mpg 10ppg 3rpg 4apg), Canaleta (25mpg 17ppg 4rpg 1apg), Ramos (28mpg 14ppg 5rpg) and LA Revilla (26mpg 12ppg 4rpg 4apg) are getting the job done as well with the aide of John Pinto, Brad Guinto and Michael diGregorio, to name a few.

Simply put, this team went from being an absolute joke and into a respectable unit that actually cares where they are on the standings.

We love how Victolero is using Revilla, who often freelances and showcases his true point guard genius by making everyone else look good. The former DLSU Green Archer has been so good, that he often has a hand in most of Canaleta and Ramos’ outside sniping. We also appreciate the fact that Victolero doesn’t press the panic button right away whenever opponents would want to go at Revilla’s defense,  knowing that his young guard will make it up on the opposite end. AND, should the opponent’s guard be too much for Revilla, Victolero was wise to bring in the burly Pinto whose moxy and defense reminds us of old PBL favorite Eugene Tan.

DiGregorio and Guinto are also promising, and we’d argue that Guinto would probably enjoy more minutes had this been an All Filipino tournament. Right now, he’s being forced to sit on the bench mostly because Gilchrist controls the paint so much that it would be better/ wiser to pair the import with hybrid forwards like Ramos and Canaleta who can pull their defenders outside.

How far can this team go?

While a Finals appearance might be a bit of a tall order, it is definitely something that the Enforcers can continue building on.

Just leave Pacquiao out of this. Please.