IT would take the Philippines years to find the next Triggerman, but Powerade-Team Pilipinas team manager urged that shooters from all levels of basketball must be bred like mosquitoes.
"We need little Caidics," Baylon said, referring to young players in the mold of Allan Caidic, the best pure shooter ever to represent the Philippine team in international basketball competitions. "We need to breed these shooters like mosquitoes."
Baylon, also the board governor of Coca-Cola in the Philippine Basketball Association, said that 3-point and free-throw shooting made a big difference in Powerade-Team Pilipinas' losing game against Korea.
The Philippines shot a horrible 14.8 percent from beyond-the-arc (4-of-27) in a 56-69 setback to the Koreans. Worse, the Filipinos barely made the 50-percent mark from the free-throw line.
In the Pinoys' game against the defending champion Iranians, coach Yeng Guiao's troop went to the line twice and made only two-of-four shots for a 50-percent clip, while shooting 37.2 percent from the 3-point territory.
Such numbers won't give the Philippines a chance to beat heavyweight squads from the region.
"If we could do better by 50 percent from the 3-point region, we have a better chance of winning," said Baylon. "But I am really jealous at the free-throw shooting of other teams."
For professional players, missing a free throw is a cardinal sin, especially when playing in international basketball tournament.
"We should challenge our professional players to have a respectable free-throw average. Kaya nga gift shots yun eh, ibig sabihin bigay na," said Baylon. "Once I return to the Philippines, I intend to come down hard on any Coca-Cola Tiger, who shoots woefully from the line."
Caidic and fellow PBA great and four-time Most Valuable Player Alvin Patrimonio are two of the best foul shooters in the pro league. They said free-throw shooting should be given extra time in practice.
"Dati, kapag endgame na and lamang kami, agawan na kami agad kung sino kukuha ng bola," said Caidic. "We knew that they [opposing team] would foul the guy with the ball immediately."
For Patrimonio, free-throw shooting is a combination of physical and mental aspects.
?Minsan, sa paghawak ng bola, posture and release, alam mo na agad kung tama ?yung ginagawa ng free-throw shooter,? said Patrimonio. ?But I think the mental aspect should also be considered. You should believe that you can make those free throws, any game, any time.?
0 comments
Post a Comment