One of the first things I asked him was how Shell did this year. He said that, all things considered, it was a good year. They finished third in the on-going Governors Cup, and lost to a very strong team, San Miguel Beer.
"This was the first year of our rebuilding," he says. "We have two picks in the first round next year (fourth and seventh) and we intend to use the first one to get a big man. We really need a center. Next, we’ll go for someone who can add athleticism to our team."
Shell has limped all along all season, surviving on sheer guts. Injuries to Dale Singson (ACL), Benjie Paras, Rob Wainwright and Chris Jackson have seriously hampered his rotation, and robbed him of any normalcy.
"I feel really sorry for Chris," he admits. "I know he’s in a lot of pain, and can hardly even jump with everything he’s feeling. But I had to ask him to dig even deeper to help us."
This is the first season that Ronquillo has had to adjust to forming a new core for the Turbo Chargers. He lost Vic Pablo and Noy Castillo, and has had to rush his new team’s chemistry. But overall, he’s been satisfied. The question is if any of those projected hordes of Fil-Ams entering next year’s draft will be able to help him.
"They say there are many," he shrugs. "But I haven’t really seen any tapes. But we’ll be doing some scouting."
There are also rumors of platoons of MBA players moving up to the PBA, but only the deadline for applying for the draft will tell who will really make the jump. At the same forum, Batangas Blades center Romel Adducul was asked if he was leaving the MBA. He said he wouldn’t address that until after the National Finals. The Blades are waiting for the winner of the Southern Conference Finals between the Cebuana Lhuillier Games and Negros Slashers.
When I asked coach Perry about the trend to go to the zone defense, he feels it isn’t the answer.
"I think it may take some of the offense away. Thirty to sixty percent of the shots inside will be denied, and we have to be careful we don’t become a jump-shooting league," he says, echoing the sentiments of NBA players and coaches who voiced the same apprehensions.
"And contrary to what people believe, the zone is harder to teach, and it’s harder to learn. Besides, it’s not as exciting as man-to-man."
On another matter, next season, the PBA is making a big sacrifice in playing two teams of aspirants to the national team against the regular member squads reinforced by two imports with a combined height of thirteen feet. Although the possible combinations are intriguing, the prospect of having the imports becoming the whole show is a serious concern.
One question about the national team: since the coaching staff for the national team has invited the MBA’s Romel Adducul (Batangas), John Ferriols (Negros), Rafi Reavis, Omanzie Rodriguez, Chris Calaguio and Bruce Dacia (San Juan) to try out. What happens if they are picked? They won’t be able to play in the MBA until after the Asian Games, some time in October. Will their team owners foot the bill for that one season of service to the flag?
Talk about the ultimate sacrifice.