HE may be a part of the Powerade-Team Pilipinas for only a week, but Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said that the squad battling for pride and honor in the Fiba Asia Men’s Basketball Championships in Tianjin, China, is right on target.
“They’re on the right track,” the multi-titled mentor told Standard Today after the team lost to Korea Saturday. “A 2-1 record is better than being down 1-2. I think they’re doing just fine.”
Uichico joined head coach Yeng Guiao and the other members of the coaching staff on the bench when the squad competed in the annual William Jones Cup in Taipei. He helped make the scouting report and became an integral part in the selection process of the Final 12 for Tianjin.
For Uichico, Guiao and his troop can definitely surpass the RP team’s previous ninth-place finish in the same tournament in Tokushima two years ago.
“We have a big chance of reaching the next round. If we reach the next round, that means Top 8 na agad tayo,” said Uichico, who was a teammate of Guiao with the La Salle High School team in the NCAA. “But realistically, we can do better. Another 2-1 record would mean 4-2 na ‘yung record natin and that means we will be at least in the Top 4. Of course, we want to avoid being at no. 4. Our target would possibly be in the top three to avoid a confrontation with the top squad.”
An eight-time PBA champion, Uichico said the Philippines matches up well against Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei. The bigger problem he sees for the Philippines are the teams from the Middle East, as well as host China.
“The Middle East countries both have size and speed and after 35 or 40 minutes, we are all banged up and exhausted,” said Uichico
-Manila Standard Today
0 comments
Post a Comment