Triangle offense is a system that gives equal opportunity to everyone on the team. So when the Purefoods Star Hotshots players started to do it on their own, their offensive system struggled and that nearly cost them the game against Kia Sorento, which welcomed back playing coach Manny Pacquiao from his triumphant campaign in Macau where he soundly beat Chris Algieri.
Marc Pingris and Mark Barroca had similar observations regarding the Hotshots’ game and why the team had difficulty getting past an expansion squad that has an inferior line up compared to the four-peat champions.
“Excited kami masyado na talunin sila agad, pero hindi namin nagagawa yung trabaho namin,” Pingris told a few media personnel after the game. “Gusto naming tapusin yung game agad pero di naming magawa. Parang nagtataka rin kami bakit ganito yung laro namin.”
For Barroca, it was a case of players having the tendency to go one-on-one.
“Dalawa lang assists namin nung first half, medyo nagkakanya-kanya kasi,” said Barroca. The spitfire guard added that somehow, Pacquiao’s effect on Kia Sorento was one of the biggest reasons why the new team displayed a different kind of energy which was hardly matched by the Hotshots.
“Sinabihan kami ni coach last time na nung last na naglaro si Manny, nanalo yung Kia kaya expected namin na maganda ulit ilalaro nila dahil andito na ulit si Manny,” added Barroca.
Photo by Nuki Sabio of PBA Images
