Star Hotshots. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Star coach Jason Webb puts premium on health as the Hotshots begin their grind for the season-ending 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup.
“I want them to stay healthy. I think people tend to forget that the number one talent is availability. I want to make sure that my guys are available, not just not but for the remainder of the tournament. We’re hoping to keep the guys healthy,” he said.
Though hobbling for a huge chunk of the second conference, Star managed to make a decent run in the Commissioner’s Cup, pushing San Miguel to the brink before falling in the quarterfinals.
Webb saw a number of his players go down with injuries last conference.
James Yap (calf), Alex Mallari (ankle), and the now-traded Ronald Pascual (knee) missed numerous games for the Hotshots, and in one game of the quarterfinals, Mark Barroca also played through despite an eye injury.
These sacrifices are not lost on Webb, who has learned learned to appreciate the hard work put in by his players to rekindle the lost glory of the franchise.
“Learning never stops and the learning is mutual. What you learn is you appreciate more what the guys go through to be successful,” he said. “Sometimes when we’re just watching the game, we’re too consumed with the success of people that we forget the hard work the guys put in. I’m so proud of the hard work my guys put in to get better.”
Star once again enlisted Marqus Blakely as its reinforcement for the third conference as it welcomes newly-acquired players RR Garcia, Rodney Brondial, and Keith Jensen to the roster.