SAN MIGUEL Beer coach Ato Agustin is so pleased with his team’s outlook each game. His troops may not exactly run their plays to perfection but the bottom line is they get the job done.
And for that, Agustin—himself a former SMB star—remains unbeaten since officially assuming his role on October 17.
“So far I’m pleased with the way the players approach each game. But we still have to improve on our defense,” said Agustin, a member of six SMB championship teams including the squad that completed the rare grand slam in 1989.
Since he took over from assistant Gee Abanilla, who took over while he completed his coaching stint with the San Sebastian Stags in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Beermen have won four straight with guard Alex Cabagnot providing the highlight in their last two games by scoring the marginal baskets on buzzer-beating lay-ups.
SMB is tied with Talk ’N Text for the No. 1 spot on 5-1 (win-loss) records, but not for long.
The rampaging Beermen face off with the struggling Meralco Bolts (2-4) on Wednesday and many are anticipating for a breeze by the Beermen to coast to their fifth-consecutive victory by the sheer depth of their bench.
“Basta may game, kung sino opponent namin ’dun kami naka-focus. Kailangan focused kami every game, meron kasi kaming goal,” Agustin said.
Meralco Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio isn’t surprised by the odds. But he isn’t conceding, either.
The Meralco-SMB encounter is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum. It follows an equally interesting matchup between Air21 and Powerade at 5 o’clock.
Gregorio said his team is still looking for ways to stabilize its game and mentioned offense as its waterloo.
He said he understands that the guys Meralco inherited when it bought the Sta. Lucia Realty franchise are not go-to guys. So the team needs to “manufacture points from either fast-break situations or free-throw accuracy.”
And if that’s not enough, Mac Cardona, supposedly the team’s top gun, is listed as a doubtful starter after twisting his right foot early in the second quarter of their 66-81 blowout loss to Powerade on Saturday.
But that’s not enough reason to break Gregorio’s spirit. This guy is a three-time Coach of the Year, remember?
“San Miguel is strong and their confidence is high. Despite the seeming advantage of SMB in roster power, I believe that we can still compete with our defense as our strongest point,” Gregorio said.
“However, a certain balance on our offense must happen to pull off an upset.”
In the case of Powerade, head coach Bo Perasol is urging his players not to be carried away by their convincing victory over Meralco that snapped a two-game skid.
The Tigers’ coach has reasons to be wary. Air21 mentor Yeng Guiao and his Express are coming off a stunning 79-89 upset against Barako Bull on Friday that halted their two-game streak.
That means the Express are coming into the game with a sense of urgency, something Perasol hopes his troops would match.
“We need the same aggressiveness and intensity in all our executions,” Perasol said.
Dave Coros, Business Mirror
