Sta. Lucia —— all about character

Sta. Lucia Realty coach Norman Black said yesterday credit for the Realtors’ victory in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors Cup should go to management and players, not him.

"I don’t look at it as a vindication for me," explained Black. "I’m just appreciative that (team owner) Mr. (Excy) Robles and (team manager) Boss Buddy (Encarnado) brought me in to coach Sta. Lucia last year. We had the same goal – we were determined to win. They were hungry for a championship. Mr. Robles and Boss Buddy never gave up on us. And I’ve been humbled the last few years – at Mobiline and Pop Cola. I wanted to bounce back and become a winning coach again."

And of course, Black paid tribute to his players.

"Throughout the conference, they showed character," he went on. "We had a quick start then ran into some trouble. Character isn’t something you build when you’re winning. It’s something you build from defeat – the ability to get back on track. Look at what happened to us this conference. In the quarters, we came from behind in the fourth period to beat Red Bull. In the semis, we were down 2-1 to Pop Cola and had to win the last two games to advance. In the finals, we were blown out by 33 points in Game 4 by San Miguel. But the guys had faith, they played with a lot of heart – that’s what character is all about."

Black singled out three factors that propelled Sta. Lucia to a 4-2 win in the finals.

"First, Damian (Owens) – he was the backbone of our team," he said. "Second, consistency, particularly in defense. The guys put out every night – their effort was tremendous, except, perhaps, in Game 4. And third, hunger. The players were motivated to win, not just for themselves but for management."

Black didn’t forget his coaching staff – assistants Alfrancis Chua, Franz Pumaren, and Adonis Tierra.

"They contribute in all areas," he continued. "We don’t use a defensive coach or an offensive coach. We work as a team. I asked Boss Buddy to recruit Al because of his specialty – he preaches fastbreak and gets the players to work themselves into condition to run. Before Al came in, we were a halfcourt-type of team, playing deliberate. But with Damian on board, we had to transform ourselves into a run-and-gun team to fit his style. Damian’s a great open court player because of his athleticism. With the fastbreak, we could get easy baskets instead of slugging it out in the halfcourt and Damian could play his game. So Al had two major responsibilities – first, to transform our orientation from being a defensive to a fastbreaking team and second, to work on our point guards, Paolo (Mendoza) and (Felix) Belano."

Black said Chua was his personal choice. "Al and I are very comfortable with each other because we hang out a lot off the court," he added. "He knows that I’d never take offense if he suggests something. As for Franz, he’s been busy lately with his other teams, plus he’s a Councilor. But we’ve been together for years. He contributed a lot to our effort, too. And Adonis, he’s close to the players. He has a good relationship with them. He’s been with the franchise for years and has a feel for the team. I look to him to help in communicating with the guys."

What made the victory even sweeter for Black was his stepson Chris Tan sinking the deciding basket, with 3.3 seconds to go, in the Game 6 clincher last Sunday. Black tapped Tan to check in for Gerard Francisco with less than 30 seconds left.

"I figured San Miguel would double Damian so I wanted Paolo and Chris in three just in case they had to take the shot," related Black. "When I recruited Chris for Sta. Lucia, I realized there would be questions. I knew the situation at Ginebra where coach Sonny (Jaworski) recruited his son Dodot. But Chris didn’t come from nowhere – he’s paid his dues. He was a starter at La Salle, played three years in the PBL, two in the MBA. I took in Chris because he’s a good shooter, a streaky shooter."

After Tan hit the shot of his life, he pointed to Black at the sidelines as if to say that was for him. "It was a good feeling," said Black. "I’m so happy for Chris. He’s worked so hard. He’s trimmed down from 220 to 195 pounds. He’s taking his career seriously. For him, the PBA’s not just a pitstop, he wants to stay in the league. Now, he eats the right kind of food, real healthy, no more fatty stuff."

Black said in the coming draft, he’ll be picking the best talent available. "Damian was perfect for us (in the Governors Cup) because he plays the three-spot where we need to shore up," he said. "So maybe we’ll look for a three-player. But it all depends on who’s available when it’s our turn to draft."

Black said the contracts of Dennis Espino, Francisco, Tan, and Jack Santiago are expiring this year. Santiago, who’s on the reserve list, has expressed interest in starting a career as a coach. Espino, Francisco, and Tan will be rehired.

Regarding his own contract, Black said it expires at the end of next year. "Al told me he’ll honor his contract which is co-terminus with mine although some teams are starting to talk to him," he continued. "Same with Franz’ contract. Al’s contract has an out-clause. All I know is what he’s told me – that he’ll be back."

Black confirmed that he’s offered Owens to come back. "We’ve asked him to play for us in the First Conference and to suggest a partner who’s a big guy because we expect to lose Dennis and Marlou (Aquino) to the candidates teams."

Black, 44, coached San Miguel to nine titles and a 375-269 record from 1986 to 1996. Then his career took a nosedive. He slumped to a 13-19 mark at Mobiline then moved to Pop Cola during the 1997 season. In 1999, Black steered Pop Cola to an 8-25 mark before Robles and Encarnado called.

"I could feel their frustration," said Black, referring to Sta. Lucia management. "They really wanted to win a title for the franchise. They took a chance on me. I’m just so happy for them that after nine years, Sta. Lucia is finally on top of the PBA."