PBA: Simon Enciso, San Miguel using last conference as motivation

Simon Enciso. PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—Simon Enciso is using San Miguel’s semifinals exit last conference as extra motivation in the Governors’ Cup.

The Beermen, who got bounced by the visiting Bay Area Dragons in four games in the semis, had a rousing debut in the season-ending conference after a 114-93 win over Phoenix last Sunday.

“I can’t speak for everybody, but for me, I try to take what we did last conference and all our flaws and use it as motivation for this conference,” said the guard at Ynares Antipolo Center.

“We’re trying to build on what we did last conference. We know we came up short and the main goal is to get a championship and we’re just trying to start off on that right foot,” he added.

Enciso, who averaged 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the Commissioner’s Cup, did just that with a 14-point, nine-assist effort against the Fuel Masters.

The win also gave Jorge Gallent a triumphant debut as San Miguel’s new head coach after replacing Leo Austria just before the conference tipped off.

Enciso said his role with the team did not change despite the switch from Austria to Gallent at the helm.

“I don’t feel like he’s giving me a bigger role but I think everybody knows what we did last conference and how we came up short so everybody’s just trying to step it up,” he said.

“Me and coach Jorge have a really good relationship and I know he’ll always have my back and I know my teammates have my back.”

Gallent also doesn’t see the need to make drastic changes as far as the system is concerned.

“We just had to fix a few minor things but nothing major. The things we were doing, we just fixed it a little, which is doing good,” he said.