CONSIDER Mac Tallo as coach Yeng Guiao’s next project.
So much so that the seasoned mentor sees some hints of his past playmakers in the Cebuano guard.
“Siguro combination ni Jimwell Torion with his Cebu-style na may pagka-Willie Miller with his body type,” the coach observed. “He’s a strong point guard who can withstand a physical game.”
Tallo made Guiao’s decision to pick him up from the free agent pool as a steal, playing magnificently in his NLEX debut on Friday as he collected 11 points, three assists, three steals, two blocks, and a rebound in his 19 minutes of play, causing the champion coach to remark, “It's a blessing in disguise for us."
After all, a guard like Tallo would be a welcome addition for any team, especially for this Road Warriors squad which lost Kevin Alas to an ACL injury and Kiefer Ravena to the Fiba-imposed doping ban.
“I’m very happy with the way he played. He was kind of excited to play and you can see he has the potential. And that's exactly what we need even without Kiefer and Kevin,” the coach said of the 10th pick in the 2017 PBA Draft.
Just like any rookie, Tallo made mistakes — four in all — but Guiao isn’t surprised at the very least, opting to extend his patience as he hopes to turn this find into a gem.
“To me, kahit na sinong rookie, kahit na sinong bagong salta sa PBA will tend to make those mistakes. It’s expected and acceptable at this point. But later on, we have to demand something better out of his judgment and out of his decision-making. I think that will happen because MVP siya sa Cebu. He’s a go-to guy, he can score, he can pass, and he's a creator for the team,” he said.
That should explain Guiao’s liberal use of Tallo in the game, keeping him on the floor even in the game’s tight moments in the second half. Those decisions, in the NLEX mentor’s mind, should be big in the long run for the 25-year-old cager.
“I just want his natural game to develop. I just want him to be able to grasp the system of the team and the philosophy,” he said. “Kaya rin binabad ko na siya today and played almost 20 minutes. Hindi ko na rin siya masyadong pinagalitan kahit nagkakamali siya kasi ayokong mabigla. I just wanted him to feel it out. So calibrated pa rin yung paggamit ko sa kanya. Gusto ko lang din na maramdaman niya na may responsibilidad siya doon sa loob.”
Guiao, though, tells Tallo and his fans to trust the process.
"Project yan and I will make sure na he reaches his potential.”
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