Jamike Jarin agrees that familiarity has been a key factor behind Phoenix Super LPG’s successful run thus far in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup.
“Yes, in a way, it is,” offered the first-year Fuel Masters head coach moments after notching their sixth consecutive victory at the expense of a slumping NorthPort, 113-104, on Wednesday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Jarin has been with the ball club since starting out as an assistant in 2020 but the kind of acquaintance he has with the current Phoenix batch is much deeper.
He has two pieces that he coached in the collegiate ranks, namely Javee Mocon and JJ Alejandro in San Beda and in National University, respectively. He won an NCAA championship with the versatile forward back in 2016.
Then there are also those he mentored against during his UAAP stint such as former Ateneo playmaker Tyler Tio, the Adamson tandem of Sean Manganti and Simon Camacho, and FEU winger Ken Tuffin, to name some.
He’s handling one from the national youth team as well in Ricci Rivero, who played for him for Batang Gilas in the 2013 SEABA U16 Championship.
“It’s a plus for me,” said the former Ateneo Blue Eaglets mentor. “Before you coached them, they were boys. They became young men. And now, they’re into their manhood into their careers. I’m just blessed to have them.”
That familial sense within Phoenix has, no doubt, been a major reason behind their unexpected run in the conference, where they are now sharing the lead of the standings with Magnolia as they both tote 7-1 records.
Jarin, however, refuses to be too high with their present position, preferring to keep himself and the rest of the Fuel Masters on an even keel.
“There are still a lot of games to be played,” he said. “I’m just happy to get a victory against NorthPort. The focus shifts to San Miguel on Christmas Day.”
