Resbak ng Barangay

Ang gulo ng barangay ninyo.

Pero hindi namin kayo masisi, maraming turuan, bulungan, palakasan at anjan na din yung "ano ang nagawa mo para sakin/ samin" na pag-iisip. Ngayon, susubok na naman kayo ng bagong liderato na ang paniniwala ay magbabalik sa dating sigla ng barangay. Ilang beses na ba kayo nagpalit ng pinuno sa loob ng isang kampanya? Paanong magkakaroon ng pagbabago at progreso kung halos tatlong buwan pa lang e palit na agad ng sistema?

Mabuhay ka, bagong Ginebra head coach Frankie Lim!

Thoughts on The Jet's Firing

The Jet in action
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

After weeks of speculation, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has finally decided to part ways with Jeffrey Cariaso who was tasked to introduce a new, "winning" culture just April of this year.

The move comes as somewhat of a surprise, considering the fact that almost everyone bought into the idea that the "Triangle Offense" made popular locally by Cariaso's mentor, and Purefoods head coach Tim Cone, takes time to truly show results. Apparently, two conferences and a mediocre 12 wins in 23 games total was all the Ginebra Management could afford to spare for the considerably young head coach.

So what prompted Ginebra Management to pull the plug on the Triangle-preaching Cariaso and return to old hand Ato Agustin?

Chinito

May pagka Rukawa din tong
Chinito ng Ginebra e no? Supladong magaling.
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Kelan nga ba huling nag parada ng kilalang Chinito ang koponan ng Barangay Ginebra San Miguel? Ang naalala ko lang talaga noon, si Wilmer Ong at Benny Cheng. Halos dalawang dekada na ata ang nakalipas, ilang manlalaro na ang nagsuot ng jersey ng Barangay, pero iilan lang ang tumatak sa mga puso at isipan ng madla.

Mapait man ang sinapit na kapalaran ng Barangay, wag sana natin ibaon na lang sa limot na bago pa lang ang sistemang ipinatutupad ng head coach na si Jeffrey Cariaso. Hindi lang bago, kundi komplikado. Hindi ito basta na lang takbo tapos tira. O kaya kasing simple ng basta libre, pasa, tira. Hinde, maraming anik anik ang kinakailangan sa Triangle Offense na kami man ay hindi pa lubos itong naiintindihan. Mga bagong manlalaro, mga bagitong superstar-in-the-making. Pero itong conference na ito, nakita din natin ang isang player na umangat ang laro ng husto.

Si Joseph Yeo, bagong Ginebra player. Swerteng napunta sa Ginebra dahil sa tinatawag na "Gentleman's Agreement." Nag iba ang laro ni Yeo mula ng nabigyan ng puwang maging main man ng Air21 nung nakaraang taon matapos mabaon sa bangko ng San Miguel Beermen (na pinasakit niya sa pagtawag dito na #LarongMayaman.

Barangay Ginebra's Growth Spurt

More Air-time for Air Force Ellis
Photo courtesy of Sports5

Standing tall with a 3 wins 1 loss slate, there are several reasons for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel faithful to celebrate. Though they've been in a similar position just last season, this year's version is looking even more formidable with head coach Jeffrey Cariaso and his Triangle Offense in place.

The young core of Japeth Aguilar (17 ppg 12 rpg 3 bpg), Greg Slaughter (15 ppg 12 rpg 1bpg) and Chris Ellis (11 ppg) are leading the charge while veterans Mark Caguioa (8 ppg 3 rpg 1 apg) and L.A. Tenorio (4 ppg 4 rpg 5 apg) provide the steadying "bail the kids out when needed" presence every now and then. What's different here is how systematic the team looks under Cariaso, how they all know who are their main guys (Aguilar and Slaughter) or basically the guys who can make the whole game easier for every one else. It's no longer Caguioa shouldering all of the offense or Tenorio putting on his Superman cape and doing it all-- it's inside, out, Triple Post, disciplined basketball.

At times, we see Slaughter serving as the Triangle's anchor with Ellis and Aguilar working off him. Some times, we see Aguilar out of that mix and freelancing-- looking for the easy drop pass or just sneaking his way inside for the putback slams and easy deuce.

Trust the system

Ang bagong tanod
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

This is no longer your father's Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

The plays are not as simple as dumping it into the post, having one guy dribble the air out of the basketball for the Michael Jordan play or just relying on pure, helter-skelter, hit or miss we'll take it offensive "sets" of the storied Robert Jaworski, Sr. era that won more on heart and passion for the game rather than deploying an educated enough strategy to neutralize the opponent.

This is Jeffrey Cariaso's Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. They are in the process of running the complex triple post offense commonly known as the Triangle Offense. And for once, they don't look like an undisciplined lot waiting for a savior.

A Brand New Day

Ginebra? Running the Triangle? Ok...
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

I was a Ginebra die-hard.

From the moment I picked up the sport some time in 1995, during the 2nd of what would eventually become 3 Michael Jordan eras (although the last one was more of an irrelevant, yet nostalgic, time), I would ultimately learn about the Philippine Basketball Association and watch games until I was won over by a certain team and its passionate, charismatic approach to the game.

No, my parents weren't Ginebra fans. My mom was Alaska all the way, primarily because of Jojo Lastimosa and his sexy legs. My dad never had an inkling for the sport so yeah. I wasn't "born and bred" a Ginebra fan much like today's kids are or claim to be.

Earn your keep

Will Cone ever convince Urbiztondo
to stop with the heat checks?

When Tim Cone was brought in by the San Miguel brass to helm the suddenly flailing BMeg Llamados in the PBA, he wasn’t signed to develop a champion team for the future. He was brought in to win, and to win now.

How else could you explain the sudden revamp of the line-up, trading away key player Kerby Raymundo for the uber-athletic JC Intal and the releasing another team leader Roger Yap to the ABL San Miguel Beermen? Yes, the Intal move was a push for a younger line-up, but it also put a clear premium on a “win now” mentality.