With the Philippine National Basketball Team coached by Yeng Guiao having played a total of five tune up games already, I thought it was high time to assess this team. I watched all five of their games, including their series against Australia Hoopdreams, which I caught at Araneta Coliseum's courtside.
The Good Stuff
Speed - Man, this team is fast and quick. It looks like Coach Guiao is looking to run opponents to the ground to make up our size disadvantage, and he certainly picked up the right tools. Players 1 through 12 can all run, and if they keep practicing together, they can form a formidable fastbreak attack.
Athleticism - Speed is not all we need to make up our lack of size and athleticism is that missing link. With players like Gabe Norwood, Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams, our team has long-limbed, high-leaping bodies that when motivated properly, will be apt to tap loose balls, gather steals, grab rebounds and run.
Camaraderie - This early, the team seems to have good camaraderie, especially in terms of the players liking each other. Based on what I've seen during games and even during time outs and lulls, the players do genuinely like playing with each other.
Jared Dillinger - Among all the players, I am most surprised and pleased with Jared DIllinger. The 6'4" guard has shown tremendous heart and passion, and I am surprised at his quickness, especially on his drives to the basket. While I thought he might be the first player cut, he looks to be a more complete player than most as he can make long jumpers, drive the ball to the basket, bring the ball down court as a point and defend players from the 1, 2 and 3 positions. I really wouldn't mind seeing him start for our team.
The Bad Stuff
Tentativeness - This has been, in my opinion, the disease that infects all our pro player-enforced national teams. When all these unselfish superstars play together, they play like an All Star team, preferring to keep passing and passing, consciously avoiding being a "selfish" player that takes all the shots. This disease actually makes our teams, including this one, ineffective in the half court game, with everyone passing and passing until the shot clock begins to run out and we are forced into a bad shot. We would be best served to have a couple of players be the designated "go-to-guys" for half court plays. Jay Jay Helterbrand, James Yap or a focused Willie Miller would be good candidates for this job.
In Between Game or lack thereof - While our players can all make threes (except maybe Asi Taulava) and finish strong at the rim, it seems none of our players are comfortable taking in between shots. I know that most teams play zone defense, but having our players take (and make) pull up jumpers could help free up the lane for future incursions or post up plays.
James Yap - My goodness. Has celebrity gone to his head or is he just going through a shooting slump? After his first game against the Australians, Yap has been relatively bad, considering the reason why he is on the team is because he is supposedly our premiere three point shooter. He has been missing consistently, even on open looks and if he can't make those, maybe he should consider playing defense. And yes James, playing "matador" defense, where you look like a Spanish bullfighter is not playing defense. If he keeps missing and not break out of his slump, would it be too late to ask Don Don Hontiveros to join the team?
Overall, the National Basketball Team is on the right track and I think they will look even better with more practices under their belt. Building a running team will take time as the players need to learn the little habits of their teammates so that they will run the fastbreak like they were a team that has been playing forever. When the players get the hang of each other, though, Asia better watch out.
