Anatomy of a massacre (Second of two parts)

OKINAWA – It wasn’t a pretty sight to watch PBA Philippine Cup titlist San Miguel Beer and runner-up TNT fall by the wayside in the EASL Champions Week that started in Utsunomiya and ended here last Sunday. They were clobbered black and blue, finishing winless in two outings each. The Beermen’s average losing margin was 41.5 points, giving up the most points by any team in the conference – 142 to eventual winner Anyang KGC of Korea. TNT’s average losing margin was 22.

In yesterday’s column, we singled out five of 10 factors that led to the blowouts. The first five were (1) not used to playing with two imports, (2) not used to defending two imports, (3) unfamiliar conditions, (4) fatigue factor and (5) injuries. Here are the next five.

• FIBA rules. Gilas players are accustomed to FIBA rules but not PBA players without international experience. The EASL plays under FIBA rules, meaning 10-minute quarters instead of the PBA’s 12. In the Champions Week, PBA teams had to cope with the breakneck pace in a shorter game and rules like the unsportsmanlike foul, possession arrow on jumpballs and disqualification on five personals.

• Short rotation. As in FIBA competitions, teams were required to submit lineups from which to choose 12 the day before each game. Seoul SK Knights turned in a pool of 13, Bay Area 14, Ryukyu Golden Kings 16, Anyang 13, San Miguel 12, Taipei Fubon Braves 15, TNT 15 and Utsunomiya 15. San Miguel’s cast was depleted after June Mar Fajardo and Chris Ross went down with injuries in the first game, leaving only nine able-bodied men as Terrence Romeo was out of commission. TNT’s Jayson Castro hurt his wrist in his opening outing and sat out the next. In a 40-minute game, San Miguel and TNT couldn’t adjust with a short rotation particularly as the two imports played at the same time. Anyang, Ryukyu and Fubon alternated their imports, choosing different pairs from their pool.

• Lack of practice time. TNT and San Miguel brought in their second imports a week before the tournament started. Jessie Govan hadn’t played in a year while Daniel Ochefu last game was on Dec. 11. Govan was clearly not in game shape. Compounding the Beermen’s woes was they hardly had time to practice as a team since Fajardo and CJ Perez were busy with Gilas and Jericho Cruz came from playing three games for Guam in Mongolia. The lack of preparation was reflected in the embarrassing routs.

• No chemistry. There was clearly a failure to communicate with the locals trying to adjust to playing with two imports. Against Ryukyu, San Miguel shot 35.5 percent from the field, gave up 96 points and were murdered from beyond the arc, four conversions to the Golden Kings’ 13. Against Anyang, the Beermen were mauled in turnover points, 14-7, points in the paint, 52-42, bench points, 31-13 and field goal attempts, 86-73. TNT hit 33.8 percent from the floor against Seoul and 32.8 percent against Utsunomiya. Castro, RR Pogoy, Mikey Williams and Kelly Williams were a combined five of 21 from the field in the Brex game.

• Locals struggling for form. With two imports playing, it was difficult for the locals to establish their roles. TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa and San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent tried to build a semblance of unity but with little practice time, it was next to impossible to create a common front. Juggling players on a short leash was a struggle.

In the coming inaugural EASL home-and-away season from October to March, the eight contending teams will play six elimination games each. That will be held during the PBA Philippine Cup where the teams play without imports. Maintaining two imports for six months to play six games plus a contest for third or first will be a strain on the pockets. It’s likely the top two finishers of the Governors Cup will represent the PBA in EASL’s first full season. For chemistry purposes, it may make sense for the PBA teams to play with just one import instead of two and roll the dice.