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On the side of the kindling hard court, Coach Pido Jarencio of BatangPier shares discrete counsel to Jamie Malonzo. The athlete listens in carefully.
NorthPort is in the best shape it’s been in years, thanks to intangible basics that the Batang Pier committed to completing rather than any new technical innovations on the floor of the court during practices.
In an interview, coach Pido Jarencio details, “We have achieved so much chemistry that coming to practices and games have been a joy for each of us,” and this was prior to GlobalPort Batang Pier’s match against the Magnolia Hotshots. They will be facing each other head to head at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay with NorthPort shooting for a third straight win for the PBA Philippine Cup
“I am very pleased at how the players are performing,” Jarencio went on.
“And that’s something that they themselves committed to do.” ‘Sharing the ball’ is very important in Batang Pier’s method of play.
It is clearly not a secret that Arwind Santos has been vital for NorthPort’s early success this season.
Veterans Arwind Santos, Robert Bolick, and Kevin Ferrer are praised accordingly by Jarencio, he gives each of them a lot of credit. Santos requested everyone to write down what each player’s commitment to the team would be during a team-building exercise at one point.
The coach narrates “A lot of them said that there shouldn’t be egos in the team, and that they should be sharing the ball all the time,” and continues, saying “That’s big, because no one feels like a superstar here and everyone is giving his all—in practice and in games.”
Jarencio said that the 3 p.m. clash Wednesday with the Hotshots would be a real test, especially since Magnolia has lost its first two games and will be parading Paul Lee for the first time this season.
According to Jarencio, the 3 p.m. The matchup with the Hotshots this Wednesday will be a true test, especially considering Magnolia has dropped its opening two games and will be without Paul Lee for the first time this season.
“That’s a strong team,” Jarencio mentioned this while Magnolia’s Chito Victolero indicated Mark Barroca is still a game-time decision due to a calf ailment.
In a reply Victolero states “We’ll see how he (Barroca) feels [that is before the game].”
On the other hand, Barangay Ginebra, another title favorite like Magnolia, faces Rain or Shine at 6 p.m. seeking a second straight victory.
All while treading on thin ice, Coach Tim Cone is working to get his Gin Kings in game shape, and a stern test against the Elasto Painters might be beneficial—win or lose—in regaining Ginebra’s competitive edge.
The Kings are coming off a shaky 85 to 82 win against Blackwater Bossing last Sunday, a win they dragged out of the fire in the final seconds after Cone’s team huffed and puffed for nearly the entire game.
The realistic Cone says just Sunday “When you’re not in shape, you can’t do a lot of things you need to do to win.” He further adds “You can’t sustain your energy, your defense. You’re slowly getting back on offense. You don’t box out when you’re tired.
“We have to figure out a way over these next week or two to get us back in tip-top shape. We’re just not there yet—or anywhere near.”
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