Sa kabila ng pagkawala sa koponan ng mga katulad nina Fil-Puerto Rican Sol Mercado, Jason Castro, Beau Belga, Chad Alonzo, TY Tang at Al Vergara, kumpiyansa pa rin si head coach Jorge Gallent sa tsansa ng Harbour Centre sa ‘six peat’.
“I think we still have the elements to win our sixth straight championship,” wika kahapon ni Gallent sa lingguhang PSA sports forum sa Shakey’s sa U.N. Avenue. “The only problem is how we execute our gameplan during the game itself. And if we have the right players to win it, I think we have.”
Paborito pa rin ang Batang Pier, katie up ang Tamaraws ng Far Eastern University, para sa nalalapit na 2009 PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup na hahataw sa Nobyembre 8 sa Ynares Sports Center sa Pasig City.
“We got the core of the FEU team and we got five to six players who have stayed with the team,” ani Gallent. “I think we still have a good chance of retaining the title and going for our sixth consecutive championship.”
Kabilang sa mga tropang binanggit ni Gallent, dating Tamaraws ng FEU, na maaaring pumigil sa hangarin ng Batang Pier ay ang Teeth Sparklers ni Gee Abanilla, Toyota Otis Sparks ni Ariel Vanguardia, Burger King Whoppers ni Allan Gregorio at Bacchus Energy Kings ni Lawrence Chongson.
“I think this will be the closest that we will be making it to the finals since we have nine holdovers from the last PBL conference,” sabi ni Vanguardia sa Sparks na magpaparada rin kay 5-foot-11 Fil-American guard Chris Timberlake, produkto ng University of South Florida at nagmula sa Pampanga. ”If we can get our acts together on the court, the better for us.”
Umaasa naman si Abanilla, pumalit kay Louie Alas sa bench ng Hapee, na papayagan ng Ateneo ang isa man kina Chris Tiu, 6’6 Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao at Eric Salamat. (Russell Cadayona)