SINCE his move to San Miguel in 2023, earning minutes in a stacked lineup has always been a challenge for Jeron Teng.
With Leo Austria back as head coach and experimenting with his rotations, however, it seems to be more opportunities are coming the way of the 6-foot-2 wing.
And even though they remain winless in EASL, Teng may have just cracked the code to longer minutes after SMB's game against Hong Kong Eastern.
READ: Eastern completes 3-game sweep of San Miguel after EASL blowout
The onetime La Salle superstar recorded four points, two rebounds, and a dime, while also being +7 in 17 minutes of play. A crucial stretch early in the fourth quarter even saw him unleash his iconic spin move for the first time in quite a while.
Can we expect more of Jeron? Austria sure hopes so.
“I hope (it’s a start). One thing that prompted me to keep him on the court is his high energy, especially against this team (Eastern), whose energy is also high from start to finish,” Austria told SPIN.ph.
JT is for Just Trust the process
While the San Miguel shot-caller was glad to see the now-30-year-old deliver quality minutes, Austria emphasized that Teng needs to earn his minutes every game, as the reward will come in due time.
“It will all begin with how we practice. Every player here deserves long minutes; we have a deep roster. But for Jeron, I need a little bit of sacrifice. If something happens, as a substitute, he has to be ready to step up all the time,” he said.
He added: “In this EASL, I had the luxury to change the lineup, so that’s why he got those minutes.”
Before his first taste of a PBA championship in last year’s Commissioner’s Cup, Teng won two titles with the Green Archers in the UAAP.
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