by Dave Albarado
Does SMB need to panic?
Is there a need for the San Miguel Beermen (SMB) to panic? Just last Friday, the Beermen lost for the 2nd straight game, this time to Alaska Aces. It seems that the Beermen’s line-up shuffle may have caused chemistry problems to a super team that features JuneMar Fajardo, Terrence Romeo and CJ Perez.
It is possible that the loss of Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos may be creating a situation where the players’ morale is low and they are not really motivated to play. They are humans after all. The reality is that Simon Enciso is not going to be a factor in the Beermen’s camp. He is only going to compete for playing time with the likes of Romeo and Perez. Enciso needs to be converted into a point guard to justify why Cabagnot was traded in the first place.
Chemistry is not built overnight and clearly Vic Manuel is like a sore thumb in the court. He is going to make the low post crowded with Fajardo already there. Not to mention the presence of Moala Tautuaa.
It is perhaps time for the Beermen to look at what ails them before it is too late. The Governor’s Cup has been unlucky for the Beermen. It has been 2 years since they have won a title and this is not going to be good for the SMC flagship franchise. Ginebra will be the favorite together with Talk N Text and Meralco. SMB fans should expect less from this conference and should look forward to the All Filipino in 2022. Unless there would be another Beeracle, it is very unlikely for the Beermen to win a crown.
The way the Beermen are playing, they are not the champion team we know. They are far from their best. The defense is wanting and their offense is not distributed well. There is a need for the coaching staff to look at the problem. Probably, there is a need to get coach Jimmy Alapag back from the Sacramento Kings. It is depressing that a team like San Miguel is having a rough time.
Then again, there are nine games left and the Beermen can still get into the playoffs by winning seven out of the next 9 but that would be a tall order. The team needs to take things one game at a time and probably start by winning the next game.
The Beermen is a proud team and it would be a shame if they end at the bottom of the standings. We would not like them to become like Alaska where the Aces languished at the bottom of the rankings in the last conference and was unable to get a ticket to the playoffs.
The biggest challenge facing the Beermen today is how to motivate the players and make them confident on the court. This is the job of the coaching staff and they need to do it ASAP.