BEING more used to tournaments where each team plays much more games than in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, Bay Area coach Brian Goorjian puts a lot of weight in each of the mid-season conference's 12 elimination round matches.
"It's not like a 30- or 40-game season. I've never played a 12-game season before," said Goorjian, who is more familiar with the Australian NBL and the CBA in China.
"So wins (here) are four times as important," added Goorjian, who also concurrently handles the Australian national basketball team.
Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel begs to slightly differ by stating just one win, possibly against the guest team in their match Friday at the PhilSports Arena, would be equivalent to more than 21.
"Malay natin, baka mag-iba ikot ng bola bukas," said Cardel on the eve of the match, which his Dyip hope to use as launching pad to not only snap out of a 21-game losing streak since last season but also cut short their 0-5 start to the tourney.
Sponsored content: "Iyon ang sinabi ko sa kanila, na nothing is impossible," added Cardel. "Kapag nakasilat bukas mabubura iyung 21 losses na iyon."
Cardel though admitted their task remains gargantuan, more so since Juami Tiongson is not yet completely healed from a sprained ankle and Alex Cabagnot would be out due to a pulled leg muscle.
"Sana magkaroon ng chance na makadikit man lang sa kanila. Kasi alam naman nating lahat na malakas talaga iyon at mga higante," admitted Cardel.
"Pero ang sabi ko, huwag na lang nilang tingnan ng ganu'n, na gawin lang namin part namin. Maging aggressive sa individual defense at magtulungan sa team defense. Of course, kailangan pumasok mga tira namin sa labas kasi kapag nag-penetrate mahirap makita ring sa laki ng mga iyon."
Bay Area has indeed been tagged as a force to be reckoned with and further stoked such expectations by fashioning a 113-87 rout over San Miguel Beer last Sunday that bounced the Dragons back from a 93-111 loss to Barangay Ginebra and gave them a 5-1 record overall.
Sponsored content: Goorjian maintains the work still remains far from over for his team, including getting import Andrew Nicholson fully integrated with his teammates.
"Another challenge," said Goorjian. "All of this is a challenge. (I have) tremendous respect for the competition and each one brings a challenge for us." (NC)
