Defense, not triangle, is Cone’s priority

MANILA, Philippines – Ginebra coach Tim Cone said the other day his priority in guiding the franchise back to PBA championship contention is to play tough defense and while it’s taking some time for players to adjust to new team rules, there are positive signs that the Barangay is headed in the right direction.

Last Tuesday, Ginebra improved its record to 2-3 with a decisive 89-64 win over Meralco at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan. The Barangay held the Bolts to 31 percent shooting from the field and their lowest output in five Philippine Cup games. In the second period, Ginebra limited Meralco to only eight points as Mark Caguioa blanked Gary David, who had exploded for 10 in the first quarter. Meralco failed to score more than 17 points in any of the first three periods.

For Cone, taking on the Ginebra job could be the biggest challenge in his PBA coaching career that started with Alaska in 1989. “I’ve been coaching now for 26 to 27 years,” said Cone who has captured 18 PBA titles, the most in history. “I live for challenges. It’s one of the greatest challenges to coach a team as popular as Ginebra. There’s enormous pressure which comes with the job. The expectations are high. We’re still in a period of adjustment. We’re getting familiar with a new system. I’ve told the guys to stay disciplined. We can’t win all the time and as the cliché goes, we’re taking it game by game. It’s not so much playing the triangle. It’s more getting used to playing our kind of defense. Our game is driven by defense.”

What makes Cone’s task even more daunting is Ginebra’s long title drought. The franchise hasn’t claimed a crown since the 2007-08 Fiesta Conference during the Jong Uichico era. That was 16 conferences and seven years ago.

Cone said the win over Meralco brought the sparkle back in the players’ eyes. “The result showed what we can do if we play together,” he said. “Before the game, I told the guys I didn’t care if we won or lost. I asked them, how do we want to play? We’ve relied on Greg (Slaughter) and Japeth (Aguilar) a lot because they’re our strengths but we wanted to show we’ve got other strengths. It was a very encouraging result but that was just one game. At least, we’ve got a model to build on. The real test is still to come.” Slaughter and Aguilar are leading the charge for Ginebra, averaging a combined 47 points and 26.8 rebounds.

  Cone said there’s a big role for the Fast and the Furious in Ginebra’s new scheme of things. Mark Caguioa, 36, and JayJay Helterbrand, 39, have carried the Ginebra torch for a combined 29 years. But their careers are far from over. “Mark’s style is tailored for the triangle,” he said. “Mark can post up a guard or hit the mid-range shot. What you also like about Mark is his defense. In the Meralco game, he stuck to Gary everywhere he went on the court. His defense was a big factor. As for JayJay, he has the ability not only to score but also to influence the flow of the game. They’re our leaders and they’ve taken the younger guys under their wing.”

Cone said Ginebra’s rookies Scottie Thompson, Aljon Mariano and Dennice Villamor are showing a lot of potential. “Scottie is a special player,” he said. “He came late during the preseason to finish off his NCAA obligations and joined us two months into our training. But he’s found his way into our rotation. AJ is a skilled player with a great mind for the game. He picks up quickly and is very intelligent. Dennice is a great shooter who can knock down shots. He gives us added firepower.”

Quarterback L. A. Tenorio remains a key figure, said Cone. “L. A.’s the type of guy who can dominate the game without scoring a point,” he said. “He’s got the Johnny Abarrientos ability. He’ll make the great pass, set the right tempo, get the big steal, big rebound and big stop but might not score a lot of points. L. A. has lost a bit of his confidence, got it back with Gilas and now, he’s back on track. We’ve been together for so long. We’ve stayed close. The year after I left Alaska, L. A. went to Ginebra. He knows me quite well so it’s easy for him to be my extension on the court.”

As for Joe De Vance, Cone said his triangle specialist is slowly regaining his form. “Joe wasn’t himself in our first four games,” said Cone. “During the offseason, he wasn’t sure whether to play on or retire. He eventually decided to continue playing then he was out for two weeks with a knee injury. He’s doing extra work with (skills and conditioning coach) Kirk (Collier) and it’s paying off.” Against Meralco, De Vance played a solid all-around game with eight points, two rebounds and three assists off the bench.

Jervy Cruz’ arrival from Barako Bull was a welcome development for Ginebra. “It was hard to give up Rodney (Brondial), a high character guy with a huge upside,” said Cone. “But we needed a veteran who could contribute immediately, a player who could play with Greg and Japeth in the triangle like a Joe. Jervy’s an offensive force who can score in multiple ways. He can shoot a straight-away jumper or post up and has size. Jervy can play three or four and has a mid-range game that’s perfect for the triangle. On the other hand, I think Rodney will develop quicker with Barako Bull and the trade is beneficial to both players.”

Ginebra’s next game is against Mahindra at the Ynares Center in Antipolo tomorrow. Then, the Barangay faces Globalport at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday and Rain Or Shine on Sunday, Nov. 29, also at the Big Dome.