With 7.6 seconds remaining in regulation during the NLEX Road Warriors’ game against the TNT Katropa, Garvo Lanete had a towel draped over his head, and his eyes were a bloodshot red.
Prior to this scene, the Road Warriors had just given up a 29 point lead against the TNT Katropa, with the game-tying triple happening on a missed switch by the 6-foot-2 guard. Afterwards, Lanete, who was in the left corner — his trademark spot — fumbled a pass coming from Kevin Alas that resulted in a crucial turnover.
And this string of mishaps did not go well with first-year head coach Yeng Guiao, as he scolded the sophomore on the way to the bench.
“I think he needs to process that, experience that,” Guiao said after the NLEX Road Warriors suffered its fifth setback of the conference — 10th straight overall, 126-121, against TNT, Friday evening.
His frustration with Lanete stems all the way from seven days ago during the Road Warriors’ heartbreaking loss to the Star Hotshots. It was the former San Beda Red Lion who had been manning Jiovani Jalalon during the game’s final play that saw the latter knockdown the buzzer-beater.
“For the last two games, I’ve given him a chance to finish games and prove himself.
“Yung game against Star, siya rin yung tao ni Jalalon nung nakawala eh. Dito naman, he failed to switch when our agreement, the instruction was for him to switch the guard-to-guard ball-screens. Dumaan si [Jayson] Castro sa kanya, nai-kick sa corner kay Ranidel [de Ocampo], so if he had switched on Castro, that would not have happened because Sean Anthony would not have been forced to help and leave Ranidel open,” Guiao recalled.
“The other instance was he was open at the corner and then he fumbled the pass from Kevin. It was not the prettiest pass, hindi naman siya perfect pass, but it was a catchable pass. On both ends, on two consecutive plays, it was really a mental lapse,” the six-time PBA champion mentor furthered.
Guiao is expecting a lot from Laneta, who was sixth overall pick in the 2015 Draft. This conference, he is averaging 21 minutes per contest. And he hopes that the 28-year-old native of Ormoc, Leyte responds well to this.
“Marami na [akong nakitang ganiyan]. But it’s how they learn from responding from it. It’s not the emotional response that is important, it’s the response after that.
“Going to practice earlier, they have to work a little harder, making sure that it won’t happen it again. Of course, there’s no guarantee of that not happening again but to lessen the probability of them happening again,” the seven-time PBA champion coach furthered.
But for tonight until next Wednesday, Guiao wants to make sure that those plays linger in Lanete’s mind over and over again.
“That’s why you have to make his responsible for that, and make him mark it in his memory. Kailangan maalala niya at mag-marka sa kanya yung experience na yun,” said Guiao, who has been a coach since 1990.
“And that’s going to make him a better player in the future.”
