Black’s Raptors secrets

The day before Norman Black left the Toronto camp to go back to Manila, Raptors coach Kevin O’Neill entrusted the former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) import and TV hoops analyst with probably his most cherished possession–the playbook detailing the team’s offensive and defensive patterns.

You could almost hear O’Neill telling Black to guard the book with his life. Black said he was told to make sure nobody sees it. And yes, Black guaranteed the playbook–running to about 100 pages for offense and another 100 for defense–will be for his eyes only.

"I couldn’t believe it," said Black. "The book puts in writing Kevin’s rules on defense, his seven basic offensive sets and everything there is to know about how the Raptors play. It’s amazing. And I’m so grateful to Kevin for the opportunity to learn from him."

Black was introduced to O’Neill during the Raptors summer camp in Newport Beach a few months back by former PBA coaching consultant Jim Kelly, now Toronto’s director of personnel. He was invited back to attend the club’s training camp for veterans, rookies and free agent invitees.

Black departed Manila last Sept. 30 and took a 23-hour flight passing through Japan and Detroit before landing in Toronto where he was practically whisked from the airport to the Raptors’ practice facility. In all, Norm spent 11 full days with the Raptors and attended 18 practices plus two preseason games against the Washington Wizards and the Greek team Panathinaikos.

Black called it a learning experience. "I’ve gotten to know how they do things professionally in the NBA (National Basketball Association)," he said. "I’ll always cherish this experience and I thank coach O’Neill for it. All your life you dream about getting involved in the NBA and suddenly, I’m in the middle of it."

During his stay in Toronto, Black officially joined the Raptors staff as a stringer scout. His first assignment was to produce a thorough scouting report on the 10 imports now playing in the PBA. The report was fed to the team’s computerized data base and used as a model for the Raptors’ six regular scouts including ex-PBA import Walker Russell. Black said the Raptors’ head scout is Bob Zuffelato and consultant Jack McCloskey was the Detroit Pistons general manager when he played for coach Scotty Robertson in 1980. So Black felt right at home with Kelly, Russell and McCloskey.

The purpose of Black’s report was to determine if any of the imports could play in the NBA. Black wouldn’t disclose how he rated the imports but said he recommended that some at least be given a chance to show their wares in training camp. A scouting report typically rates players into eight categories–all-pro, starting five, support player, bench player, training camp invitee, international player, minor league player and ability to play in the NBA.

What Black learned most from O’Neill was his defensive philosophy. "Coach is known for his defense," he said. "With the Pistons, he was Rick Carlisle’s defensive coach. At practice, I took down notes, almost word for word each time coach spoke and drill for drill. I’m hoping that eventually, I’ll get a chance to share this knowledge."

Black said he often talked shop with the players. He got close to Lamond Murray because they lifted weights together in the gym. "Lamond’s the team’s best perimeter player and outside shooter," he said. "He didn’t play last season because of a torn ligament in his right foot. But he’s fine now."

Black didn’t get to interact with Vince Carter much. He once had dinner with reserve guard and ex-PBA import Rick Brunson.

"Rick liked the Philippines even if he played only one game for Ginebra under coach (Sonny) Jaworski," continued Black. "Apparently, coach Jaworski didn’t like him too much."

Black described Chinese center Batere Mengke, a Toronto recruit from San Antonio, as a fast learner. "I coached against him in the 1994 Asian Games," said Black. "He has an interpreter but I think he understands coach O’Neill’s instructions without translation. He catches on quickly."

Black said the Raptors’ stringer scout in Hong Kong is keeping track of nine Asian prospects–eight Chinese and one Korean–all within the 16 to 18 age range.

At practice, Black noticed how hard the Raptors worked. "You could tell they’re all excited to play for coach O’Neill," he said. "It’s a big change from last year’s coach (Lenny Wilkens) because now, the orientation is defense. Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Carter–all of them work hard. Coach can be tough in practice and he speaks firmly but never offends his players. The players were more serious in this camp than what I attended last summer because the veterans were around. I sat and observed everything–from their stretching, warm-ups, offense, defense to the shootarounds."

Black said he was pleasantly surprised by the PBA’s popularity among the Filipino employees at the Royal Park Hotel where he stayed in Toronto. "About 15 to 20 percent of the employees are Filipino and they all watch the PBA on the Filipino channel," he noted. "They walked up to me and I talked to them in my best Pilipino. On the way to the practice facility from the hotel, I passed a donut shop, a convenience store and a few other shops and there were Filipinos working there. We talked about basketball and home. It must’ve looked funny to Canadians seeing this tall black guy talking in a foreign language. The other Raptors scouts were surprised to hear me talking Pilipino."

Black returned here last Oct. 17 and the next day, flew to Bacolod to cover a PBA game for TV.

Black said he’s excited to share what he learned from the Raptors and his first chance to do it is when he conducts the Burlington clinics for seven straight Saturdays, starting Nov. 8, at the Phelps Dodge gym on Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong. The clinics will run from 8 to 11 a.m. for 12 to 18 year old kids. Eric Reyes and Francis Rodriguez will assist in teaching the kids. Some of Black’s guest teachers will be Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Chito Loyzaga and plyometrics guru Kirk Collier.