Defense, hard work are keys

"We’re not going to win the gold if we won’t play defense."

With these words, coach Ron Jacobs yesterday laid down his battleplan – or at least a part of it – for the Philippine team that will try to regain the elusive Asian Games basketball title in Pusan, South Korea next year.

Jacobs, the third American to handle the national team to the quadrennial games since Norman Black in 1994 and Tim Cone in 1998, said defense, and a good one at that, will play the biggest factor in the country’s campaign against powerhouse teams like China and Korea.

"It’s very difficult but it’s going to be a challenge. We must dedicate ourselves to do all those little things to win," said Jacobs before a packed PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn Manila Pavilion. "Good fortune comes from hard work. And that’s what we gonna do. We will work hard."

Jacobs, the hands-down choice of PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino to handle the coaching chores in Pusan, said beating China in the regional meet it has dominated for so many years now is a tall order. But with proper handling and motivation, the Philippines stands a good chance to make it.

"There’s a gigantic problem here because every day that goes by, China gets better. Their fundamentals get better. And if we have a pool of 10 million players, they have a pool of a hundred million," said Jacobs.

"We have to outhustle, outdefend and outthink them. You can’t beat them on pure talent. You can’t beat them when you allow them to score 90 points," added Jacobs, who was also given the task of naming 12 players who will compose the national team.

"I’m going to choose 12 players who I think can win the gold. . . players who can fit into the team," he said as he mentioned the names of Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and even an amateur like Mike Cortez of La Salle as possible candidates.

In his decision to hold the tryout, he said: "We have to find out the players willing to make the sacrifice because these players have their families and their careers. And in case of non-PBA players like Mike Cortez. How do you find out how good he is? Is he better than Olsen Racela or Johnny Abarrientos?"

But the American mentor clarified that players who will join the tryouts starting on Jan 3 will be on the basis of recommendation and that he is set to talk to coaches and team managers from the other leagues like the MBA, PBL, UAAP or the NCAA regarding possible candidates.

He said he’s thinking of forming a team composed of two pointguards, two shooters with size, two penetrators in the mold of Samboy Lim, one player who can play the point and off-guard spots and five big guys.

"The door is open for any recommendation because I don’t want anybody to be left out. And I don’t want to put the players in a situation where they cannot succeed," said Jacobs, who also looked at Lebanon as one of the stumbling blocks in the Philippine campaign.

But focus, of course, lies on the Chinese and the Koreans.

"When I coached the RP Youth Team (1982), the Koreans gave us the toughest game. And in the ABC (1986), the Koreans also gave us the toughest game," he said.