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Eight months after learning a shot at a sixth consecutive Philippine title would have to be done without June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel’s tune and focus for the 2020 PBA short season has remained constant.
“Is a [tall] order for us because we know in all our championships, June Mar is an important factor. It will be difficult for us, “said head coach Leo Austria in Filipino during the team’s media availability on Sunday.” But I trust our experience. We still don’t know what will happen, and for me this is an open field for everyone. “
Not that they need a reminder. Fajardo, the reigning six-time MVP, isn’t just a “big factor” whose loss could easily be offset by checking Beermen’s depth chart. They know it, and everyone else has known it all year long, even as the coronavirus pandemic once threatened to halt the season and take away that unique opportunity.
“Without June Mar, it gives our opponents some confidence. That is the biggest problem,” Austria admitted. “What I noticed is that they are very eager to play in this conference because we don’t have June Mar, and they think they can win the championship. Give them credit because they work so hard.”
But San Miguel also works hard. Austria doesn’t really see the extra rest as an advantage for the Brewers, who undoubtedly possessed tired legs after winning eight titles in the past five seasons, but it certainly won’t hurt a team known to start slow early in conferences.
“That has always been our concern because we are always in the playoffs. After the final and the championship, the new conference would start immediately. That is why we always had problems in the first games of each conference,” he said.
One advantage they could have, at least, is knowing the level of dedication and professionalism it takes to go all the way, something Austria says they have seen enough of their players during the mandatory break.
“We have to assess our strength, our speed and our endurance. The skills are there. But what I also want to impart to them is the spirit, the mindset. Whatever training you have in this bubble will be wasted if you don’t have a good mindset. preparations of the other teams and ours are always the same, it is the same time and the same amount of hours, “he said.
“I am confident in the experience of the players and their professionalism,” Austria added. “We will do the usual things we did before. No pressure. Just enjoy the bubble, do whatever they want. We will practice in the morning or afternoon. We are not forcing them to exercise, although happy for them because they work on what they believe in. that they lack “.
That kind of determination shone in the first PBA game of the season, where San Miguel defeated sister team Magnolia 94-78 to open their Philippine Cup defense on March 8. Five players, led by Mo Tautuaa (20 points) and Terrence Romeo (19), scored in double figures. Two, Tautuaa (11 rebounds) and Arwind Santos (18 points, 15 rebounds), recorded double-doubles.
“What I noticed in the first game was that the commitment was really there, and everyone stepped up,” he said. “We are happy that in our first game we were able to make some adjustments.”
Even without Fajardo, San Miguel is still relatively deeper than most teams in the league. The usual size advantage posed by ‘The Kraken’ is not there, but the team hopes that Tautuaa, who has six feet eight inches of him, can still present a lot of problems to the opposite front by taking advantage of his own advantages both on and off. out of the paint.
“He doesn’t have to play anyone else’s game. I think by doing that, he could help the team. And the good thing about his teammates is that they understand the situation, they understand Tautuaa’s skills and abilities. In the hope that he will stay focused. “Austria said.
It also helps to have a glut of battle-tested veterans like Santos, the last player to win the MVP other than Fajardo before the superstar center began his monopoly on the award.
“So far, I’m not thinking about awards,” said Santos, who raised the idea of a possible MVP nomination after SMB’s win over the Hotshots last March. “Those awards are something to be thankful for and all players really want it. Personally, I once dreamed of being the MVP. But now, I’ll just use it as a reminder that I need to redouble my efforts without June Mar.
“If my performance and the performance of my team are better as a result, I will be happy with that. But if I do well and am number one in statistics but my team is at the bottom of the standings, I can’t.” be happy about it. Even if I’m not leading the statistical race or not in the top 10, as long as we are contenders, I agree with that. “
The league is packed with contenders looking to prevent San Miguel from winning a second Perpetual Trophy, and on top of Austria’s head, five teams are fully capable of toppling the Brewers.
“For me, there are TNT and NLEX,” he said. Before the season, Alaska (too) was playing really well and they rebuilt their team, “he said.”[Y]You can’t rule out Geneva’s experience, and Magnolia is always in the playoffs. “
“Probably in the first games, once we see everyone playing, we can identify who the contenders really are.”
Santos, however, said they are ready to take on the stakeholders.
“It really depends on what we show in the game. San Miguel has a tendency to relax against smaller teams. That is really our weakness, and we have to avoid that attitude,” he said. “Everyone has been preparing from the beginning, and we have to prepare for each one of them. Since I love basketball, I will play to win against anyone.”
In recent years, the Beermen have emerged triumphant from all kinds of challenges that came their way on their way to a title. But this year, they, and everyone else, have a chance to show that they can endure and prevail in the most complex and unusual circumstances.
“This conference is really important to us. Whoever wins this championship is part of history. This is a unique situation for everyone. It is a special championship,” he said.
San Miguel will play its second game of the season against Rain or Shine on Tuesday, October 13 (4:00 pm on One Sports and PBA Rush), at the Angeles University Foundation bubble in Pampanga.
