Sporting Chance

Breaking up is hard to do. And for Shell coach Perry Ronquillo, it was hard to let Vic Pablo go to another Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team.

"It's a big blow, a big loss," sighed Ronquillo. "I didn't want Vic to leave. He was our most versatile player. We relied on him for offense and defense. He was next to Benjie (Paras) in our go-to heirarchy. He did lots of things for us -- rebound, shoot, play defense, drive to the basket. Malungkot ako at wala na siya. But I can't blame him. Of course, I would've wanted him to stay. I assured him whatever is his decision, I would support it. Vic talked to his family. He's 29 now and he told me he wanted to provide a more secure future for his family -- you can't go wrong with that. It was a good parting of ways."

Another loss was Noy Castillo.

"Noy's a very good person, a really good human being," continued Ronquillo. He's a true professional. We talked about his future. Eventually, I see Noy playing the No. 1 spot and in our team, that's Gerry's (Esplana) spot -- no question about it. So we looked for a situation where Noy could get the playing time he deserves. We also wanted to free up our salary cap because Benjie's and Gerry's contracts are expiring this year."

Pablo went to Mobiline and Castillo, to Purefoods.

To compensate, Ronquillo brought in Mark Telan from Tanduay, Fil-Am Anthony de la Cruz from Los Angeles, Brixter Encarnacion from Pop Cola via Alaska, and Art del Rosario from the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).

"This year will be a big test for us," said Ronquillo. "It's like a repeat of 1998 when we didn't know what to expect before the season. The guys are eager to prove themselves. It's a big challenge for me. Our team is taller and bigger. We're trying to work in the new guys, get them to know our system and learn to play with each other. It's important that we believe we can win, that we have faith. You know me, I never back down from any challenge -- lalaban tayo, that's for sure."

Ronquillo, 34, singled out Paras, Esplana and Chris Jackson -- his contract was recently extended -- as the veterans who'll set the tone for Shell this year. "They're consummate pros," said Ronquillo. "I don't even have to tell them to help out the new guys. I'm proud of them. On their own, they're reaching out to the new guys and adopting the 'mentor' system."

Ronquillo said when Shell got Mark Telan from Tanduay and Bryan Gahol from Mobiline in the 3-way Pablo trade that also involved Jeffrey Cariaso, he realized the team suddenly became superfluous. Telan and Gahol are both post-up players. So when Alaska called to suggest a deal, Ronquillo traded Gahol for Encarnacion -- the last piece to complete Shell's puzzle.

The jury's still out on de la Cruz but he may yet turn out to be Shell's surprise package. He played two years for the University of California at Irvine, an NCAA Division I school. Although he hardly made waves at Irvine (averaging 0.8 of a point in 10 minutes a game), the fact that de la Cruz was a legitimate varsity player is an indication of some degree of talent. The 6-3 1/2 Fil-Am -- his father is a full-blooded Filipino -- plays the No. 2 spot and is supposed to be a pure shooter.

"Tony's still learning," said Ronquillo. "In due time, his talent will come out. At the moment, he's struggling with his shooting, adjusting to his new role and making rookie mistakes. But once he settles down, he'll be in good shape. He plays good defense, always works hard at practice, and hustles. I remember Noy was just like Tony in his first year."

De la Cruz will play the All-Filipino Cup for Shell then plans to return to the US to finish his undergraduate studies. Ronquillo said de la Cruz will skip either the Second or Third Conference to go back to school. Once he earns his degree, de la Cruz will rejoin Shell.

Ronquillo called the 6-5 del Rosario "a blessing." He explained: "Hulog sa langit si Art. Nonnie (Mediarito) brought him to us last December. His MBA contract has expired. He'll help out Benjie. We're happy he's here."

Shell's holdovers include Rommel Santos (now Esplana's chief reliever), Jay Mendoza, Jun Marzan, Joel Dualan, Arnold Rodriguez and Erwin Luna.

Regarding his back-to-back Coach of the Year award, Ronquillo said it's an honor but his goal in coaching isn't to get awards. "I love the game -- that's all," he noted. "I'm lucky that I've reached this far. Every game is a challenge and I love it. As a coach, you're only as good as your last game. So if you coach for fame and adulation, forget it -- you'll just lose your balance. After a big game, you're a genius. But after a big loss, you're an idiot. That's how it is in coaching."

Last season, Ronquillo piloted Shell to the All-Filipino crown, to second place in the Commissioner's Cup, and to a disappointing slump in the Governors Cup to finish out of the semis. Shell wound up the campaign with four straight losses in a harsh tailspin.

"It's my fault we did poorly in the Third Conference," admitted Ronquillo who has two more years left in his Shell contract. "I picked Lester (Neal) as our import -- that was my call. If we had gotten (John) Morton earlier, maybe we would've done better."

In the coming All-Filipino Cup, Ronquillo said chemistry will play a big role in determining who'll make it to the top. He picked San Miguel Beer "(they can start a dynasty"), Mobiline ("they've got a tall lineup"), and Tanduay as among the favorites.

"I don't want to sell any team short," he said. "Look at Tanduay in the All-Filipino last year. They came in from the PBL (Philippine Basketball League) and went straight to the Finals. It's all about chemistry and pride which is hard to teach and letting your new players, particularly the rookies, develop without putting too much pressure on them."