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SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – As age and injury finally caught up with San Miguel, the alarm is now sounding.
Coach Leo Austria looks forward to the infusion of young blood for next season after seeing the Beermen’s five-year reign as PBA Philippine Cup champions come to an end Sunday night at the hands of the Meralco Bolts. .
“Of course, we are not getting any younger. We will probably talk to management about the composition of our roster next year, ”Austria said the morning after the team’s 68-90 loss in their quarter-final life or death match against the Bolts.
Despite a two-stroke lead, the deposed champion was unable to carry on when San Miguel’s 14-man team was devastated by injuries, and starters Chris Ross, Alex Cabagnot, Mo Tautuaa and Marcio Lassiter played injured.
Also noted was the fact that all Beermen holders are already 30 years old, with Tautuaa being the youngest at 31 and Arwind Santos the oldest at 39.
“I think we are the oldest team in the league and our starters are 34 years old on average,” Austria said. “Our opponents are 27-28 (and) in their prime.
“There’s a lot of clamor from the fans, from the basketball experts, and we’re not getting any younger,” added the four-time PBA Press Corps Coach of the Year. “I hope we realize what we have now.”
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The Beermen went to the bubble without their best player in six-time MVP June Mar Fajardo due to injury and great point guard Matt Ganuelas-Rosser.
Added to his later problems was the early departure of gunner Terrence Romeo, who dislocated his shoulder and had to be pushed out of the bubble for good in the team’s third game of the season.
Austria said the 6-foot-9-inch Fajardo case is already over because he suffered a shin injury before the season.
Romeo and Ganuelas-Rosser, according to Austria, could have been a great help if they had been with the team.
“For Terrence and Matt, they play an important role on the team. We have a scorer and a defender in those two guys, ”he said. “If they are there, I think we will still fight.”
In such circumstances, Austria had to settle for what Saint Michael had left it.
But with half of the elimination games played under a compressed schedule, the cost of having to play almost daily proved difficult for an injured team like the Beermen.
“Maybe in a regular season, we could have adjusted. But here every other day, sometimes for consecutive games. (And) it’s tough for these ‘young players’ namin, ”Austria said.
Still, San Miguel was lucky to salvage a two-goal playoff lead after finishing as the No. 4-seeded team in the playoffs.
Meralco, however, proved to be a much fresher and healthier team, knocking down the Beermen and hitting them twice in a row to finally end their reign as All-Filipino conference kings.
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That should be enough for Austria to call to spades.
“Espero na magkaroon nun,” said the coach when asked if there should be changes to the team’s roster for next season. “We cannot survive because all the teams are getting better and better.”
Less than 24 hours after being sent off, the entire San Miguel team came out of the bubble on Monday.
