Work in progress

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has zoomed to a 6-1 record in the PBA Philippine Cup but coach Ato Agustin will be the first to admit the team is still a work in progress. The positive thing is it’s on the right track and the way is clear for the team to keep improving.

What appears to be statistically improbable is despite the imposing presence of 6-9 Japeth Aguilar and 6-11 Greg Slaughter, Ginebra is last in second chance points allowed at 12.3 points a game. Alaska is No. 1 in this defensive category, giving up only 7.9 points. On the flip side, Ginebra leads in blocked shots with a whopping average of 7.14 swats. Petron is a distant second with 4.7.

In hacking out a 78-69 win over Air 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena last Wednesday, Ginebra yielded eight second chance points, four less than usual which is an improvement. A cause for concern, however, is Air 21 matched Ginebra’s offensive rebounds at 17 each as the Express’ Asi Taulava and Eric Camson grabbed four apiece. Chris Ellis had the most offensive boards for Ginebra with five. Aguilar had four and Slaughter, three. It’s understandable why Aguilar and Slaughter don’t account for too many offensive boards because when they’re close to the basket, the probability is they’ll score.

One reason why Ginebra is yielding so many second chance points is the downside of looking to block every shot that comes along. No doubt, Aguilar and Slaughter are two of the most intimidating rim protectors in the league today. Against Air 21, Aguilar had eight blocks and Slaughter, three. As a team, Ginebra compiled 12 swats to Air 21’s three. That made a huge difference in giving Ginebra the advantage in a low-scoring game as Air 21 was held to a field goal percentage of only .345.

More often than not, a shot blocker doesn’t get possession. He swats it away for a teammate to get the ball or at least that’s how it’s supposed to play out. It’s possible that if Aguilar or Slaughter elevates to block a shot, he loses rebounding position and if his teammates don’t box out, the other team might get a second chance opportunity.

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Another reason is Ginebra isn’t boxing out consistently, relying more on the athleticism and size of Aguilar and Slaughter instead of establishing position to secure the rebound. It’s important to remember that in dominating the boards, timing and positioning are as critical as athleticism and size. Aguilar and Slaughter don’t have to get every rebound. They’ll be just as effective boxing out to allow jumping jack teammates like Chris Ellis and even Emman Monfort room to haul down the rebound.

One other problem confronting Ginebra is transition defense. The Barangay is surrendering the most fastbreak points in the league at 13.4 a game. Rain Or Shine is No. 1 in this department with only 6.4 points. Aguilar and Slaughter may not be expected to be first to sprint back because they play close to the rim on the offensive end. But their teammates must cover for them particularly racehorses like Ellis, L. A. Tenorio, Monfort and James Forrester.

If Ginebra is to seriously contend for the championship, the team must toughen up both in transition defense and protecting the defensive boards to take away second chance opportunities. On the plus side, Ginebra is No. 2 in assists with an average of 19.7 second to Petron’s 20.1. The Barangay is turning the ball over at a rate of 15.3 a game so there’s lots of room for improvement in the efficiency department although the assist-to-turnover ratio is more than a passing mark.

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Agustin, who was once Petron coach, said he’s now settled in with Ginebra. He has defined roles clearly so there is no overlapping. Aguilar, for instance, is Agustin’s fixture at four, not three, not five. There’s little room for confusion or disorganization. Agustin likes to play Slaughter and Aguilar together because they complement each other and don’t step on the other’s toes. The results are evident. Aguilar is averaging 19.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.1 blocked shots while Slaughter is norming 14.6 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. It’s to Agustin’s credit that he has the Twin Towers working in tandem like two wreckers.

Agustin said the win over Air 21 proved that Ginebra isn’t just an offensive machine. Defense is his priority and it showed in the way Ginebra limited the Express to 69 points. Air 21’s hotshot MacMac Cardona, averaging 15.5 points, was held to only four. Ginebra also allowed only 10 free throws and it wasn’t because Air 21 wasn’t challenged in going to the hole because the Express shot only .345 from the stripe.

Team manager Alfrancis Chua has done a solid job keeping the team humming. Morale is high and the players are working selflessly as a unit. The mix of veterans and youngsters is definitely clicking. Mark Caguioa and Jay-Jay Helterbrand remain the stabilizers but they don’t mind sharing the spotlight with Ellis, Mac Baracael, Dylan Ababou and Forrester. It’s the same thing with Aguilar and Slaughter who get relief from Jay-R Reyes, Billy Mamaril and Bryan Faundo and with Tenorio and Monfort who are backed up by Josh Urbiztondo.

Nobody’s talking championship yet, it’s too early for that. Ginebra, after all, is still a work in progress but the elements seem to be in place for a serious title run.