‘Spiderman’ keys Petron’s turnaround

MANILA, Philippines - Now that the coaching situation is clear, Petron star Arwind Santos said the other day he expects the Blaze Boosters to play with more fluidity, clarity and conviction. Head coach Olsen Racela was given full rein by management to run the show after a 2-3 start and Petron celebrated the decision by trouncing Global Port, 110-98, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Friday.

Racela previously took a backseat to consultant Rajko Toroman who was tasked to lay the foundations of discipline, focus and work ethic during the offseason. The Serbian drillmaster will no longer sit on the Petron bench.

“We showed our trust for each other, heart and confidence on the court against Global,” said Santos. “Coach Olsen gave us the freedom to play and it was successful. We hope with coach Olsen, we get stronger and go far this season.”

Racela said there is no substitute for a positive relationship with the players to generate chemistry. “We just have to continue to build a positive and constructive relationship with one another,” he said. “I read about Arwind and Alex (Cabagnot) showing up at the national campus journalists fellowship in UST and I think the guesting gave the two time to rebond. I hope we can sustain this.”

Cabagnot echoed Santos’ sentiments. “It was a great team effort,” the Crunchman said, referring to the win over the Batang Pier. “I hope we can continue it and be consistent. We also shared the ball well.” The Blaze Boosters compiled 27 assists against Global with Cabagnot issuing nine. In five previous games, Petron averaged 21.4 dishes. It was the first Petron outing this season where at least seven players scored eight points or more, indicating a balanced offense, with five in double figures.

San Miguel Corp. sports director Noli Eala said Toroman remains consultant of basketball operations. “His role with Petron from the start was consultant with a ‘direct and active’ role,” said Eala. “After over two months, management felt he has already prepared coach Olsen adequately to take over. He will remain consultant but with a less active role with Petron.”

Toroman said he never wanted to usurp Racela’s responsibilities. “My role was to prepare the team for Olsen,” he said. “I told him that from the start. That’s why an hour before every practice, I met with the coaching staff to explain what we were going to do then we met the players. I’m only here for a transition period, to lay the groundwork, to share whatever I’ve learned from experience. I shared my playbook with Olsen. I didn’t hold back anything. I’m confident about Olsen’s future. He’s a very smart coach. I can see that he’s developing his own basketball philosophy and that’s good for Petron.”

Santos said there’s no substitute for positive thinking in a game. “If you think negative, nothing will happen,” he said. “If you think you can’t shoot, you won’t be able to shoot. I remember in my last year in the UAAP, I wanted to finish strong so I could be drafted. Luckily, I was successful. With Petron, we’ve been down to eight or nine players because of injuries but we never gave up. As a professional, my objective is to win every game and make the fans happy.”

At the UST forum, Santos said he will always cherish his FEU career. He took a pair of Finals MVP trophies and a season MVP award while leading the Tamaraws to a three-peat. “My FEU family supports me all the way, through thick and thin,” he said. “In the PBA, I thank God for giving me the talent to play as a professional. I do what I have to do to improve, to reach my goal. Every day at practice, I give it my all so I can play better, at an even higher level.”

In Petron’s last three games, top draft pick and rookie center JuneMar Fajardo was in the injured list recovering from surgery to drain a blood clot in his scrotum. Fajardo, 22, gave a glimpse of his upside when he collected 16 points and 13 rebounds in Petron’s 88-86 loss to Alaska last Oct. 19. Since that setback, Petron has won two in a row.

Santos said Fajardo is the future of the PBA. “We’re hoping he becomes a dominant player,” said the Spiderman. “We try to set a good example. At practice, we push and teach him. Like after getting a rebound, I tell him not to bring the ball down. Just a little more training, he’ll be a solid player.” Cabagnot predicted Fajardo will be a star. “He’s the biggest guy around,” he said. “We want to stay positive around him. He’s athletic and he has skills. He gets a lot of inspiration and encouragement from Arwind.”