Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Not only will San Miguel Beer have to make do without June Mar Fajardo, the Beermen will also have to cope with an incomplete coaching staff during the PBA Philippine Cup restart.
With only 25 individuals allowed per team inside the bubble, San Miguel had to leave behind three of its assistant coaches in Boycie Zamar, Biboy Ravanes and Dayong Mendoza.
“Our entire coaching staff is already like a lineup so we can’t really bring everyone,” said SMB head coach Leo Austria in Filipino on the PBA website.
“We’re really lacking in personnel, but we understand the situation,” added Austria. “We don’t want to have so many people for each team to limit the number of persons for the safety of everyone.”
The Beermen have decided to include only Ato Agustin, Jorge Gallent and Peter Martin to accompany Austria in the bubble.
But everyone in the coaching staff still has a job to fulfill whether or not they’re part of the bubble.
“I’ve talked to the coaches who are left behind. They’re going to still be focused on every game and they will share whatever comments or inputs they have,” said Austria.
“I wish we have them because in the past five years, our coaching staff has been intact, but of course, we’re only allowed a certain number of persons in the bubble so we just had to make it work.”
The Beermen play their first game in the bubble at Angeles University Foundation gym on Tuesday against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.