Ginebra Kings cope with injuries

MANILA, Philippines — For Barangay Ginebra, the health issue is a major concern as coach Tim Cone struggles with player injuries in bidding for a third straight PBA Governors Cup crown but despite a decimated lineup, the team known for its Never Say Die mantra manages to string up wins while waiting for Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and Sol Mercado to heal.

Last Sunday, Cone used a 10-man rotation as Ginebra downed San Miguel Beer, 110-102, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The win raised Ginebra’s record to 4-1. Aside from Slaughter, Aguilar and Mercado, the other players in sick bay are Jervy Cruz, Art de la Cruz, Julian Sargent and Raymond Aguilar.

Assistant coach Richard del Rosario yesterday gave a medical update on the injured players. “Greg is suffering from a bone bruise and will start practicing Oct. 5,” he said. “Sol underwent a procedure in the offseason to clean up his knee of bone spurs and will also start practicing in a few weeks. Japeth hurt his calf in the last two minutes of the national team’s game against Qatar and will be out one more week to recover. Julian just had shoulder surgery so he won’t be able to play until next year. Jervy’s out for about three to six months. Art is now practicing 5-on-0, not yet 5-of-5. He wants to start playing but we’re not rushing him. He went through a second surgery on his Achilles heel so we’re careful not to reactivate him until he’s 100 percent ready. Raymond was in a freak accident in his garage at home. His father accidentally moved his car towards him, pinning him against the wall. Luckily, Raymond had no fractures but at first, he couldn’t walk. He was in a wheelchair then used crutches.  He’ll suit up against Phoenix in Cagayan de Oro on Saturday but it’s doubtful he can play.”

Del Rosario said even as the health issue is a damper, Ginebra is out to win the championship with Justin Brownlee leading the charge. Brownlee, 30, is in his fifth conference with Ginebra. He’s the only import in franchise history to deliver multiple titles, now with three. “There’s no slippage in his game,” said Del Rosario. “Nothing has changed. He’s a special player. He’s coachable, his demeanor is exemplary. Right now, he’s in town alone, no family, no distractions, 100 percent focus. When we advance to the playoffs, he’ll probably call in his family. I remember last conference, his brother came over.”

With Cone at the helm, Ginebra has captured three titles to add to his all-time record of 21, including 13 with Alaska and five with the Purefoods franchise. Del Rosario said Cone’s perspective has given Ginebra a direction towards growing as a team. “For coach Tim, it’s not about achieving goals, it’s about growth,” he said. “When you’re growing, it’s unlimited. If we grow as a team, championships will follow. Coach Tim always looks at the big picture. Right after winning a championship, he’s already thinking about the next practice. He reminds me of how Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan were. The story goes that the day after winning a championship, they would go back to the gym to work out, looking for new ways to improve.”

Since Cone started coaching in the PBA in 1989, he has evolved with the game. Cone used to be a strict triangle offense disciple, now he’s improvised to find other ways to win with the talent available. “The game has changed,” said Del Rosario. “What makes coach Tim even more special is he listens and has an open mind. With players, he has a father-and-son relationship and is ready to give advice and guidance. With his assistants, he asks what we think. Basically, he’s a systems coach while I’m an adjustments coach which is probably why we work well together. I’m learning from the greatest basketball teacher there is so I’m soaking in everything like a sponge.”   

Del Rosario said Cone has resculpted the Ginebra culture with his right-minded approach. “Coach Tim always stresses the team concept, that everyone benefits if we work as a team,” he said. “He doesn’t look at a season from a conference by conference standpoint. He looks at it like a book with several chapters and we go from one chapter to another, improving, growing. With Ginebra, it isn’t just basketball, it’s a way of life. Fans grow up making Ginebra a part of their lives, going back to the Jaworski era. When you play for Ginebra, you don’t only play for the franchise, yourself or your family, you play for millions of fans, those who come from the provinces to line up for tickets to watch the games. The fans believe in the Never Say Die spirit and that’s why we play with a higher purpose. We affect people’s lives. We are given the opportunity to make millions of fans happy and that’s a blessing. Ginebra is a phenomenon.”