LEO Austria doesn’t find any conflict calling the shots at the same time for Adamson in the UAAP and San Miguel Beer in the Asean Basketball League (ABL).
Austria was officially named head coach of the Beermen on Sunday, replacing legendary PBA import Bobby Parks, who had to give up the post due to health reasons.
The soft-spoken Austria said the ABL schedule, which opens its fourth season three weeks from now, doesn’t run conflict with the playing calendar of the UAAP.
“Six months lang naman `yung ABL. By the time matapos `yung liga, start naman ng UAAP,” said Austria over lunch with Spin.ph at Greenbelt in Makati a day before Christmas.
And neither is there a prohibition in the ABL disallowing any head coaches from taking on a similar job simultaneously in the college level.
“Ang PBA ang may ganung prohibition. Pero sa ABL wala naman, kaya I don’t see any problem,” added the 1985 PBA Rookie of the Year.
Neither does he see the ABL’s home-and-away format as a cause for concern, stressing the Beermen will only have a total of 10 games on the road.
The current health issue of Parks paved the way for Austria to call the shots for the Beermen while he was still an assistant coach. He was actually named to the head-coaching position last month, but the decision was only made public two days ago.
San Miguel is currently on a break for the holiday season, and will resume practice on the 26th until the 30th.
After another break for the New Year celebration, the team goes back to the gym starting on January 2 all the way till the season opener on January 14 when the Beermen take on defending champion Indonesia Warriors at the Mahaka Square in a rematch of last year’s thrilling Finals.
Austria is confident about the team’s campaign this season – only the second for the franchise – anchored on reigning league MVP Leo Avenido and the imposing tandem of former PBA MVPs Eric Menk and Asi Taulava.
“Let’s just say I like our chances. Maagang nabuo `yung team so `yung camaraderie and cohesion won’t be a problem,” he said.
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