What the RP team needs

Who will the gods bless? And whom will Ron Jacobs pick in the first open try-outs for the Philippine team in almost fifteen years?

Size. Need it be said that the first premium will be size? To match up against the seven-foot frontline of China, height and bulk would likely be the first priority. This makes Talk ‘N Text’s Asi Taulava and Tanduay’s Eric Menk prime candidates for the frontline.

Versatility. Our one insurance against injury. Multiple position players will be a key consideration. Candidates to the men’s team must be able to adapt to more than one position, to give the team different looks against opponents like Korea, Japan and Lebanon. If a player can take on two or three spots, that’s a plus. Centers standing 6-5 or 6-6 will have to prove they can handle moving to power forward. But in my opinion, the point guard or shooting guard spot will be the biggest gray area. Should we stick with small, speedy guards who may be a liability on defense, or younger, taller Fil-Am guards who don’t have the experience? Tough choice.

Defense. Jacobs has said that keeping other teams from scoring will be a priority. And this doesn’t mean just shot-blocking, but denying the ball, running through screens and sacrificing your body against bigger, tougher teams that have been playing together longer. Role players always make his teams. You need someone who doesn’t need the limelight, but rolls up his sleeves and does the unglamorous stuff.

Speed. The antidote to size. We need players who can and will run up the floor relentlessly and beat the defenses back. They will only be forty-minute games, after all. Given the cold weather of Korean autumn, fatigue and recovery from injury will become a greater concern, too. Hustle will help us make up for lack of size, too.

Flexibility. Players will have to adjust to a zone defense, playing in a hostile environment in South Korea, and a different set of rules. And they only have nine months to do it in. The Philippines has always been a threat, and the second-tier teams like Lebanon, Japan and Korea would want to keep us out of the running.

Dedication. Many of the players mentioned as prime candidates are already doing very well professionally. Will they lay it all on the line, risk being injured, and play their hearts out for an Asian Games gold? That question remains to be seen. I remember Charles Barkley once saying that, when he started out, he didn’t even have the trimmings like a basketball shoe named after him. But, looking around the locker room before one All-Star game, he was shocked at all the distractions young players had to deal with. Having veterans on the team will certainly settle down the youngsters.

The big question, though, is who will provide the outside firepower? The last time we beat the taller China and the United States (Jones Cup) in the mid-1980’s, Jacobs had Allan Caidic and Samboy Lim firing from the wings. Would he consider a Biboy Simon, Noy Castillo, Chris Calaguio or even a Stephen Padilla to bomb away from long range and keep defenses honest?

And what of the MBA players who won the gold in the last Southeast Asian Games? Will they have a role to play in bringing the Philippines back to Asian basketball glory? The tryouts will be open. But should they make the aspirants, what then?

So many questions, so little time.

As an aside, the demonstration of virtual advertising at last Wednesday’s MBA Northern Conference Finals game in Lipa, Batangas, went flawlessly. Television audiences saw the players walk over the logos of both the Andok’s San Juan Knights and LBC Batangas Blades on the court as if they were actually there. The advertisement boards across the main camera showed animated versions of the league’s major sponsors. And three-dimensional effects, such as a blimp sailing indoors were seen for the first time on Philippine television. Congratulations to Virtual Promotions, Inc., (a member of the LBC group) for successfully bringing the future of advertising to the country.

Note: The producers of The Basketball Show would like to thank Adidas, Columbia International and Pearl of the Pacific for all their support. The Basketball Show is now on at 2 p.m. every Sunday on RPN 9. This week’s episode features veteran PBA referee Bay Ledesma talking about "The Jaworski factor" in the PBA’s history, questions about the RP team, and the Hung Hunks talking about why they love the game so much. Technical support was provided by Data Venture at Shangri-La Mall.