Bannering a formidable team in the upcoming Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Cup 2016, F2 Logistics Cargo Movers head coach Ramil De Jesus sets his sights in performing better compared to his previous PSL campaigns.
During last season’s All-Filipino Conference, his Shopinas.com Lady Clickers finished second while the Meralco Power Spikers did not fare better in finishing in fifth place in a field of six teams in the Grand Prix.
“Last Grand Prix kasi, second to last kami. So kung kaya namin na mas ma-improve ang performance namin why not?,” De Jesus told Tiebreaker Times. “Ang goal is to improve ang performance namin.”
With the De La Salle University Lady Spiker-core of Ara Galang, Kianna Dy, Kim Fajardo, Mika Reyes, and Dawn Macandili comprising the team alongside seasoned veterans Cha Cruz, Aby Marano, and Stephanie Mercado, he now has a lot of tools to work with compared to his past teams.
“Mas madaming mga leaders ngayon, nandoon ‘yung mga Aby Marano, nandoon ‘yung Cha Cruz, may Stephanie Mercado. Isa iyon sa magiging advantage ng team kasi puro leader lahat,” De Jesus said.
De Jesus also shared that assembling his former and current La Salle players negates any chemistry issues within the team both on and off the court.
“Nakakatuwa kasi may mga pangalan na ang players. Anytime puwede silang makuha ng kahit sinong team owners,” De Jesus added. “Siguro, nakita nila siguro na mas makakapag-perform sila ng maayos at makakagalaw sila ng tama kung mas kilala ang teammates nila.”
The multi-time UAAP champion coach is banking on using the momentum they gained from their recent UAAP championship success to another golden run: this time in the Superliga.
“Siguro, makikita natin na mas confident ang players ngayon compared noong hindi sila nananalo sa UAAP,” De Jesus remarked. “Siguro it’s about time na kailangan may mapatunayan na sila sa sarili nila.”
“Naka-champion nga sila sa UAAP [kaya dapat] sa PSL, ma-experience din nilang mag-champion.”