Tough love pays off, as Guiao sees an improvement from NLEX’s big men

SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – Veteran coach Yeng Guiao is known for developing big men in the PBA.

During his tenure on Rain or Shine from 2011 to 2016, Guiao turned Beau Belga and JR Quiñahan, the dreaded duo dubbed “Extra Rice, Inc.”, immovable forces under the basket and deadly shooters from the perimeter and even beyond. Of the arc. .

Now at NLEX, Guiao has seen great progress from Raul Soyud and, more recently, Mike Miranda, both of which are by-products of the fiery mouth of the mentor.

Miranda broke out for 22 points built on a perfect 8-of-8 field goal and a 2-for-2 conversion from the line in the Road Warriors’ 124-90 beating of a tired San Miguel team on Friday at AUF Arena.

“I’ve been very tough on Mike, I’ve been tough on Raul and even on (Will) McAloney, but it’s paying off,” said Guiao, whose team strengthened their playoff offer with a third straight victory for a 4-5. blackboard.

The former Gilas Pilipinas tactician admitted he needed to turn Miranda, Soyud and now rookie McAloney into dependable men in the paint after trading Poy Erram in a three-team trade earlier this year.

“We really have no other choice. We lost Poy, so the others must step up. Finding good big men is really difficult because they are a primary good. “If you are a great man, you are definitely fighting for it,” he said.

“You have to create your own great men. You have to be able to develop and train them. And they really have to work hard. These guys are the ones who really work hard, willing to adapt and embrace the system. ”

“They endured my harshness towards them.”

Good for the seven-time champion coach, he has veterans Asi Taulava and Quiñahan to help him coach the younger greats.