BLACKWATER coach Ariel Vanguardia is determined to erase the perception that the Bossing are a ‘farm team’ as they look to stock up through the draft this year.
In a SPIN.ph Zoom In appearance, Vanguardia said he was given the order to form a competitive line-up for next season in a talk with team owner Dioceldo Sy and team manager Johnson Martinez about the direction he wants in the team.
Controversial trades
“When I assumed, I had a good talk with Boss Dioceldo and Boss Johnson and we agreed na hindi madaling i-erase ang label,” said Vanguardia, aware of the chatter among fans after Blackwater got involved in several trades over the years.
“Pero kung nakikita ng tao na nag-iiba na, ma-eerase din eventually.”
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Vanguardia said he has started to put in a program with the blessing of Sy for the team and hopes that it will translate into a playoff appearance.
“I think ma-explain mo ang kung may programa ang team, may direction, ‘yun ang point," he said. "Kung may direction, mas hindi ano ‘yung mga desisyon na spur of the moment.
“Ngayon, every decision, pinagmimitingan talaga. Sana makapag-semis naman kami next season para mas ganahan,” he added.
The coming draft will be a great opportunity for Blackwater to improve its roster. Aside from the No. 1 pick, the Bossing will have two first-round selectionsfrom previous transactions which Vanguardia said the team will use to build a competitive team.
“Kung hindi nangyari ‘yung mga previous trades, we don’t have three first-round draft picks this year. Ito ang produkto ng previous trades. If we could turn that image into a positive. Nangyari nga ‘yun pero nakakuha naman kami moving forward,” said Vanguardia.
Vanguardia said building through the draft is the way to go, citing most of the top NBA teams.
So far, Vanguardia thinks Blackwater has picked well in the draft, and that includes getting Rey Suerte during the Gila draft two years ago.
“Alam naman natin na kahit sa NBA, it’s better to build in the draft than build through trades. Sa trades, at the very best, ‘yung trade, equal. You don’t get better kasi equal lang eh o lugi ka pa. Ang draft pick, you are getting good quality players lalo na kapag first round,” said Vanguardia.
“Nasuwerte na kami kay Rey Suerte who is a first-round draft pick, dadagdagan mo pa ng tatlong first round and the first pick of the second round. That’s five quality players.”
“Nandoon na. Suwerte kami kay Barkley [Ebona], kay Suerte, kay JVee Casio, kay Rashawn McCarthy,” said Vanguardia.
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