GlobalPort satisfied with PBA PH Cup performance despite exit

GlobalPort Batang Pier. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Head coach Pido Jarencio believes that despite the semifinals exit, GlobalPort’s performance in the 2016 Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup is a glimpse of bigger things to come for the team.

The Batang Pier reached the semis for the first time in their young franchise history before bowing out to a more seasoned ALaska, 4-1.

“Baka ito na yung start. Start ng taon na nasa semis kami, siguro we can build on this, na baka mas maging maayos pa kaming team sa mga susunod na conference,” he said after the Batang Pier’s blowout 118-89 Game 5 defeat to Alaska on Tuesday.

And the charismatic coach has every reason to think such, with the way Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle took on the challenge to be the leaders of this cunning GlobalPort squad.

“It’s hard to go up to the semis and reach the final Four. I have to commend the players’ effort,” said Jarencio, noting that the semis defeat to Alaska is something the team can really build on towards the future. “We’re charing this to experience. We were facing an experience team and they’re deserving to make it to the finals. For us, we tried but that’s just how it goes, it wasn’t for us. We are going to learn from this and we have a lot to improve on.”

Crashing the Final Four has also allowed GlobalPort to pocket lessons which, in the long term, would be beneficial if they make it this far again.

“In the playoffs, you can’t afford to be slow and relax. You can’t just watch there. You need to be all out and your energy should always be there,” said Jarencio.

Team manager Erick Arejola expressed his satisfaction with the feat GlobalPort has accomplished.

“Even with the loss in the semis, we’re happy rin because we reached the semis for the first time. As they say, baby steps. This is a learning experience for a young franchise like us, so hopefully, we learn something and make the right adjustments in the offseason,” he said.

Arejola also said that is is a huge stepping stone for GlobalPort for the remainder of the season, where the Batang Pier now looks to find an import suitable to the guard-centric system of Jarencio.

“We’re very happy with the core right now. We’re just looking for the right import that will compliment Stanley and Terrence,” he said. “We’ll see in second conference.”