Reyes says next focus is Champions Cup

Coach Chot Reyes said yesterday the next focus for the national pool, made up of 41 players–including 20 from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)–will be the 16th FIBA-Asia Champions Cup to be held here on May 29-June 5.

A coaching staff meeting is set this weekend and the top item in the agenda is to list a tentative 12-man lineup for the 10-team tournament.

"We’ll consider the players who can commit to practice time," said Reyes. "The lineup for the Champions Cup won’t necessarily be the roster we’ll use in other competitions. We expect to make adjustments along the way."

Reyes said the opposition in the Champions Cup will be tough. While the Philippines will play the national team, the others will be reinforced by one or two imports. Singapore Cup runner-up Fastlink of Jordan, for instance, will likely bring in imports Scott Thurman of Arkansas and Orlando Lett of Pittsburgh.

The Philippines is representing the Southeast Asian zone in the Champions Cup. Kazakhstan and India are coming for Middle Asia, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Jordan for West Asia and Qatar and Kuwait for the Gulf Area.

Iran is expected to be represented by the Saba club whose mainstay is 7-4 center Jaber Rouzbahani. Lebanon may send in Al-Riyadi, led by import Tony Madison and 6-11 naturalized player Joe Vogel of Colorado State.

Reyes said the recent two-game Sydney Kings series highlighted the need to focus on three aspects.

"First, the importance of transition defense," noted Reyes. "Coach (Larry) Brown told me the US players had difficulty locating their matchups in the last Olympics because they would come down from being zoned. That’s our problem, too. Against the Kings, we had difficulty locating our matchups which is why (Brad) Sheridan kept getting open for those threes. Second, the importance of getting our pressure defense on track. It takes time to get the guys used to different kinds of defense, the half-court trap, the full-court press, the zone. We could’ve defended the Kings many different ways but we didn’t because of lack of practice time. Third, the importance of offensive adjustments particularly when we’re up against a team that’s pressing."

Reyes singled out Kerby Raymundo as the standout in Game 1 and cited James Yap, Tony de la Cruz, Kelly Williams, Mark Caguioa and Danny Seigle for their contributions in Game 2.

"Kerby was fantastic defensively," said Reyes. "James was super. Tony and Kelly did an incredible job playing point guard, doing the dirty work, and pressuring the Kings ballhandlers. As for Mark and Danny, we know what they can do offensively and they went out and did it."

Reyes said there was no downside to the series except for the injuries. Raymundo sprained his Achilles heel while Brandon Cablay broke a bone in his left hand.

Reyes said when the Philippines rallied from 27 points down to trim the deficit to eight in the fourth period of Game 2 last Tuesday, the team’s spirits got a boost from the fans.

"I got goosebumps," he said. "The crowd was really into it. That’s the homecourt advantage. It was a great feeling. I just wish there were more fans who came out to cheer. I thought the Kings felt the pressure when we mounted our rally. There was that big possession when Danny missed a jumper, Tony got the offensive rebound but missed inside then Romel (Adducul) missed a follow-up. If we made the shot, we would’ve really pushed the momentum."

Reyes said Kings coach Brian Goorjian’s two-hour talk on coaching at the Astoria last Tuesday was a rare opportunity to learn from Australia’s national mentor. Some 15 coaches showed up for the private session. Among the attendees were Siot Tanquingcen, Dickie Bachmann, Ariel Vanguardia, Josel Angeles, Leo Austria and Dayong Mendoza.

"I was impressed by Goorjian’s willingness to share," said Reyes. "He really opened up. He talked about values, getting players to appreciate what the team wants to do, what they want to be known for, what they are as a unit. That’s the starting point. We haven’t done that yet with the Philippine team.

"He didn’t teach a specific play but explained his four offensive principles and the five or six ways to execute. He talked about his non-negotiables in defense and how ball pressure is the team’s god. He’s the type who teaches concepts."

Reyes said Goorjian understands the international game like a master. "There’s no more luxury of getting guys together for three to four months to train for an international tournament," continued Reyes.

"Goorjian told me Australia’s national players are coming from different countries to start training on June 28. He’s scheduling a one-week boot camp then tune-up games then back to camp. They’ve got a month to prepare for the Commonwealth Games. So the international player must have smarts. That’s important because there’s little time to practice. Guys report for training, they’re told what the plays are, they memorize the plays overnight and practice the next day. They’ve got to be fast learners."

Reyes said he would’ve liked to experiment with more offensive plays and more defensive tactics against Sydney but lacked practice time.

Reyes said in offense, he stuck to a basic triangle formation where the center positioned himself high, instead of the low block, to open up the middle for cutters and penetrators. Movement without the ball is essential in the triangle, added Reyes, but smooth execution comes with a lot of practice.