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    Real talk from Guiao: 'Pinoy bigs too slow, our guards too small'

    Yeng Guiao's blueprint for success: 'PH must develop tall guards, quick bigs'
    Sep 12, 2019
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

    FORMER Gilas Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao said coaches in the grassroots level must strive develop tall, athletic players that can give future national teams a fighting chance in international competitions such as the Fiba Basketball World Cup.

    Guiao said the traditional Filipino basketball player is no longer at par with the rest of the world, adding drastic measures need to be made at the grassroots level in order to move Philippine basketball closer to the world level of play.

    Guiao stressed that point in a meeting with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executives on Tuesday following the dismal performance of Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba Basketball World Cup where the country finished dead last.

    Guiao said international players have become taller, more athletic, and more skillful compared to the traditional Filipino player. Even quick Filipino guards have become less effective when pitted against foreign rivals who likely possess the same qualities, but are taller.

    “It’s getting very athletic,” Guiao said. “Sa atin, ang traditional [ways] natin, kapag malaki ka, sa loob ka. Kapag maliit ka, sa labas ka. Kapag malaki ka, kahit mabagal ka, basta malaki ka, okay ka. Kapag maliit ka, kahit maliit ka, basta mabilis ka, okay ka. Hindi na ngayon.”

    “Ngayon, kapag malaki ka at mabagal ka, liability ka. Ngayon, kahit mabilis ka at maliit ka, liability ka pa rin kasi ‘yung katapat mo, malaki na, mabilis din. ‘Yung katapat mo naman na big man, malaki rin, mabilis rin,” said Guiao.

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    Guiao said coaches at the grassroots level should now consider teaching guard skills to big man to prepare them for the international game.

    “Kung itatapat mo ‘yung big man natin, big man kayo pareho, ‘yung isa mas mabilis, ‘yung big man na Pilipino, mabagal, lugi na tayo. ’Yung guard position naman, itatapat mo ‘yung guwardiya natin na maliit na mabilis rin, ‘yung kalaban, malaki at mabilis, lugi na rin tayo,” Guiao said.

    “Kailangan na natin i-consider ‘yung training sa mga bata. High school, college pa lang, pabilisin na natin ‘yung mga malalaki natin at palakihin na natin ‘yung mga guwardiya natin. Hanap tayo if it’s international. Ngayon, kung sa PBA, okay lang tayo, masaya na tayo sa ganun. Pero kapag lalabas ka, expect mo na ganun ang type of players kasi ganun na ang kalaban,” Guiao added.

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    Currently, Guiao sees that there are only a few coaches in all levels from high school to the PBA whose system is fit for the international style of play.

    “We need to develop players with height who can play point guard and wings. Ang mga guwardiya sa world level, 6-7, 6-8 na ngayon. Eh ‘yung 6-7, 6-8 sa atin, sentro na natin ‘yun. The other thing is their 7-footers, 6-11, 6-10, hindi mo puwedeng iwanan sa three-point area. They can space the floor and they have that skill.

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      “Kapag titignan mo ang PBA natin, there is nobody there who can take that outside shot with confidence and who has developed that skill. Dito sa team namin, matagal ko na ginagawa kasi na ‘yung bigs who can take the three-point shot and when they get to my team, we make sure that they add that to their skill set. But from high school, to college, to the PBA, very few coaches or very few systems develop that,” Guiao said.

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      Guiao hopes that the recent performance of Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba Basketball World Cup should also serve as an eye-opener to coaches in the grassroots level.

      “That is why just developing the skills that are required to be successful in the world level, kailangan mo na umpisahan sa mga bata, bigs who can run the floor, ibig sabihin, nagfa-fastbreak at hindi sila hihintayin para nandoon sila sa poste,” Guiao said.

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      PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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