Blackwater now have the luxury of longer preparation for the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The Elite’s agonizing campaign in the 2019 Philippine Cup finally ended Friday evening, through an 87-97 defeat at the hands of the Magnolia Hotshots. They finished the tilt with a 2-9 card.
That gives the team nearly two months to prepare, as the mid-season joust starts in mid-May. This is something head coach Bong Ramos welcomes, as they only had one tune-up match in the preseason.
“Siguro akin lang, hindi ko kasi nakita kasi isang tune-up nga lang kami, tapos larga na kami.
“Sa game ko kasi makikita yun eh, hindi sa ensayo. Sana noong nagsisimula yung all-Filipino, alam ko na. ‘Ito palang si ganito, pwede kahit bata pa’,” added the second-year Elite head coach.
Ramos said that they are looking for an import who can control the paint in the Commissioner’s Cup, where the height limit is 6-foot-10. And he also hinted for some minor changes in his lineup.
“Sa malaki ka muna,” he said. “Tapos ‘yung mga nagpakita at ‘yung kulang.
“Titingin kami kung sino pwede kunin na available na pwede makuha, para dun sa mga spot na tingin ko kulang.”
Another thing that Ramos and the Elite are looking forward to is the arrival of 2018 second overall pick Ray Parks, Jr., whose Alab Pilipinas stint in the ABL will be finished once the tilt gets going.
Ramos, however, isn’t setting hopes up – for now.
“Rayray… As of now ‘di ko kasi kontrolado ‘yan eh. ‘Di ko alam. No comment ako kasi wala pang sinasabi,” Ramos said.
“Alam ko after ABL dito ‘yan.”
