Hotshots train under American shooting coach

MANILA, Philippines – With emphasis on speed and shooting, the Star Hotshots spent the past week honing their offensive skills under American shooting coach David Nurse.

 

Nurse, a well-traveled shooting coach, is back in Manila to help the Hotshots prepare for their first season under rookie coach Jason Webb.

 

A world record-holder for the most numbers of three-pointers made in the 45-second, 60-second and five-minute time challenge, the former Western Illinois shooting guard worked on the Star’s individual shooting, along with some conditioning drills.

 

“He’s (Nurse) working with us that’s why we decided to have two a day so we can do individual and team concepts,” Webb told Philstar.com shortly at the conclusion of the team’s twice-a-day practice on Tuesday at Ronac gym in San Juan.

 

“You just always want to see players improve and get their confidence back, finding their way and somehow getting better. That’s what we strive to do.”

 

Star’s twice-a-day practice included a lot of running and shooting, similar to what college basketball teams do.

 

But Webb had a reason for the lung-busting practice.

 

“We try to make it difficult, try to make them (Hotshots) reach what we want to reach in terms of conditioning of the players,” explained the 41-year-old Webb, who didn’t hide the fact that the Hotshots will be pushing the tempo under his watch next season, a complete contrast to the triangle offense they ran under former coach Tim Cone.

 

With the core of James Yap, Peter June Simon, Joe Devance, Marc Pingris, Mark Barroca, along with Fil-Americans Alex Mallari and Justin Melton all back for the team’s title redemption, the freshman Star coach intends to maximize the rich talent base he has.

 

“I think we’re just gonna be an opportunistic team,” he said.

 

“We will take what the defense gives us and we will try to work on what our strengths would be with different lineups,” added the former TV broadcast analyst-turned-coach.

 

The Hotshots failed to defend all their three PBA crowns last season, finishing seventh in the Philippine Cup, third in the Commissioner’s Cup and fourth in the Governors Cup.

 

Star wound up with a 25-20 win-loss record overall in the 2015 season, which also proved to be the final season of Cone, who has since moved on to coach Barangay Ginebra.