Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone marvelled at how Greg Slaughter has been playing so far with NorthPort early in the Honda PBA Philippine Cup 2021.
The league’s most accomplished mentor met his former student for the first time on Friday evening, when the Gin Kings collided with the Batang Pier. And the 7-foot slotman made sure to perform against his former team.
Slaughter produced 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, alongside 14 rebounds, two assists, and a block in nearly 42 minutes.
It was just unfortunate, however, that his efforts went for naught. His side bowed, 85-87, on a last-second shot by Christian Standhardinger, the one he got dealt for in a blockbuster offseason trade that occurred last March.
Still, his performance didn’t go unnoticed by Cone, who shared many triumphs with the Cebuano big man — from winning four PBA championships to striking gold with Gilas Pilipinas in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
“Greg is playing really well. He’s very active on the floor,” he said moments after the match at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. “He spent a lot of time during his off-time really working on his game.
“I know the coach that he worked with and I know that he’s a really good skills and development coach,” he added, as Slaughter worked with renowned NBA scout Gary Boyson while he was in the States last year.
Friday marked Slaughter’s second game since his sabbatical, and it was also the second time that he produced a double-double.
In his season debut last Sunday versus June Mar Fajardo and San Miguel, the 33-year-old made 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting and 17 rebounds. However, the Batang Pier also lost to the Beermen, 86-88.
“He’s [added] some more weapons to his game, and he was absolutely dominant against San Miguel,” Cone offered.
So, he now has faced the reigning six-time Most Valuable Player and the tandem of Standhardinger and Japeth Aguilar in his first two games, which, for Cone, would be his toughest opponents.
“His first game was against June Mar, and now the second game was Christian and Japeth who were tag-teaming him. Those are gonna be the toughest opponents for him, personally,” said the 63-year-old.
But then again, Cone only has nothing but praises for Slaughter. And he believes, too, that the Batang Pier will become a solid contender with what he called the ‘1-2 punch’ of Slaughter and young star Robert Bolick.
Bolick, who willed his side back into the game after falling behind by seven with 2:03 left, finished with a team-high 23 points on four treys.
“Things are gonna work really well. That 1-2 punch of Bolick and Greg is just gonna grow and get better and I think they’re really gonna be a contender.”
Cone looked back on how the last two games versus the heavy favorites have turned out for Pido Jarencio’s wards, and those close losses have made him convinced that they’re going to cause problems in the league soon.
“They lost to San Miguel by two points on a last-second shot by Arwind [Santos], and then now they lost again by two points on a last-second shot by Christian.
“Those shots eventually are not gonna make it in, and they’re gonna win basketball games. As long as they’re gonna continue playing the way they’re playing, they’re gonna be tough for anybody to beat,” he said.
