Still hoping to get in the mix
“THE SAN Mig Super Coffee Mixers are burnt out,” a fellow scribe covering the PBA told the Inquirer when he was asked to explain the severely anemic performance of the team in the ongoing PLDT My DSL Philippine Cup.
Coming off a championship in the last conference, the scribe said this is what usually happens especially if the break between conferences is short.
“The players of the champion team don’t have time to recoup their energy. Their bodies are not given enough time to heal and recover,” explained the scribe, who has documented at least two decades of the PBA.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Mixers were on the brink of elimination (3-7) before last Sunday’s win over league leader Barangay Ginebra, which catapulted them to fifth place in the company of Meralco, Alaska, Globalport and Barako Bull at 4-7.
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The scribe said that with the way they had been playing, the Mixers didn’t seem to stand a chance against the Ginebra Kings.
Article continues after this advertisement“They lost two games before the New Year break. In their game against Alaska last Dec. 27, Mixers coach Tim Cone was seen leaving the venue early, not even bothering to give the usual post-game sermon inside the locker room. Despite their horrible loss to the Aces, 88-75, James Yap had a good game that night, but got no support from his teammates.”
In the game versus Rain or Shine last Dec. 29, the scribe said Cone turned over the coaching reins to his assistants Jeffrey Cariaso and Richard del Rosario at some point as they were losing horribly.
“Jeff diagrammed the play on the white board, but still they got blown out by the Elasto Painters, 101-88. It must have been a bleak and gloomy New Year break for Cone and his Mixers.
However, after last Sunday’s win over the Gin Kings, Cone must have heaved a long sigh of relief—for now at least.”
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According to the scribe, Ginebra is the strongest team in this conference.
“The Kings have the tallest players in the league, with twin towers Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar, who has fit in nicely with the Ginebra style. Japeth has become aggressive, he has absorbed the Kings’ never-say-die attitude, as proven in the Kings’ two won games where Japeth scored the winning shots.”
Aguilar is playing better than anyone expected in this conference, said my colleague.
And what about Slaughter, who still has to prove himself in the PBA? My colleague said the 7-foot behemoth doesn’t even have to play.
“All he has to do is stand in the post and cast a giant shadow, that’s all. Ginebra’s post presence, post threat and post plays are awesome. All coach Ato (Agustin) has to improve on is his post-game interview,” the scribe said.
