TITAN Ultra enters the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup in a transition phase after its top star Calvin Abueva was traded to Converge during the offseason.
With Abueva gone, the Giant Risers have become a young squad, and new head coach Rensy Bajar hopes that it would translate into more victories for them. Bajar, though, admitted the team is a work in progress with Joshua Munzon, Aris Dionisio, and Von Pessumal as three of a handful of the veterans of the squad.
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“Itong team na ito, talagang it’s a young team, young franchise,” Bajar told SPIN.ph on the eve of Titan Ultra’s first game of the new conference. “‘Yung mga players namin, ang veteran players namin halos sila Joshua Munzon and Aris Dionisio. The rest halos third year, second year pa lang. Plus nawala pa si Calvin. Ngayon talaga, we are rebuilding ‘yung character at chemistry na nandito sa amin.”
“Nagkakapaan pa lang sa mga ilang weeks namin ng ensayo. Hopefully, sa mga games namin, maganda kalabasan. Little steps para maging cohesive at buo ‘yung team,” said Bajar.
Three rookies in second-rounder Mark Denver Omega, third-rounder Mark Sangco, and fourth-rounder Bryan Sajonia are expected to make their debut on Wednesday when Titan Ultra faces Terrafirma to open the Commissioner’s Cup.
Despite the young core, Bajar believes the Giant Risers have what it takes to get past the eliminations and into the playoffs as long as they take it one step at a time.
Some of their young players have also come from winning programs in college, including the three rookies in Omega (Letran), Sangco (College of Saint Benilde), and Sajonia (San Beda).
“Ang sinasabi ko naman sa kanila, nandoon ‘yung goal na makapasok sa playoffs. Pero para ma-lessen ‘yung pressure sa bawat isa, every day, every practice, every game, maging competitive ‘yung team namin. Ang nakikita ko, since mga young players talaga, ‘yung experience sa PBA, halos wala pa compared to the other teams. But I see to it na maging competitive tayo.”
“Kumbaga lahat naman ito halos fighter naman mga ito, nakakasama ko sa mga college teams before. Kilala ko naman ‘yung character ng bawat player. Hopefully, this coming conference, mag-mature ng maaga and at the same time, maging competitive kami,” said Bajar.
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