With the 2014-2015 PBA season’s official
rosters released, I found it only logical to look at each line-up and see where
each team stands. In this series of posts, I’ll be breaking down each team’s
bigs, wings, and floor generals while also looking at what kind of damage
they’ll do this season.
Let’s look at roster of the Barangay
Ginebra Gin Kings.
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| Are the Kings ready to reign? |
Overall 2013-2014 Record: 23 wins and 20 losses.
Best Finish:
Semifinals in the 2014 Philippine Cup.
BIGS: Billy Mamaril, Jay-R Reyes, Greg Slaughter,
Japeth Aguilar, Rodney Brondial
- If you’re a Ginebra diehard (and
there are, reportedly, billions out there), then you’re probably salivating at
the size of this team. I mean, at 6’5, Rodney Brondial shouldn’t be the
smallest guy on a Philippine frontline, right? But he is. Remember when this
team topped the 2014 Philippine Cup eliminations? Yes, this huge frontcourt had
a lot to do with that.
- Though I’m no Ginebra diehard, I’m
personally hoping Slaughter continues the growth in his game. He averaged about
15 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block last season, playing about 33 minutes per
game. We should see a slight increase in all those numbers this year, injuries
notwithstanding of course. He’ll play his first full season under Jeff Cariaso,
which should mean less adjustment.
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| Greg Slaughter should be a challenger for the MVP. (image by Paolo Papa/Sports 5) |
- I’m also still pining for Japeth
Aguilar’s big breakout “I’m the best power forward in the country” season. I
mean, he’s 6’9 with great length and freakish athleticism. He has an improved
midrange game, and one has to think his years of playing for Gilas has made him
significantly better, right? Okay, maybe it’s not a bad idea to NOT get our
hopes up too much.
WINGS: James Forrester, Dylan Ababou, Chris Ellis, Mac Baracael, Mark
Caguioa, Joseph Yeo
- This is maybe where the Gin Kings
are at their deepest. Caguioa will go down in history as one of the local
game’s best ever. Ellis can leap over buildings in a single bound. Baracael and
Ababou are mirror-images of the same solid combo forward template. And, well,
there’s Forrester, whose claim to fame so far is being the highest-picked
Fil-Canadian in league history. And then you add Joseph Yeo, who showed last
year how he could be a top-level combo guard.
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| Mark Caguioa is the veteran voice tasked to help some young ones grow up. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA) |
- I have Ellis, Baracael, and Yeo probably
starting more games than Caguioa, but The Spark will probably finish games and
continue being one of the team’s main clutch operators. The casualty, I think,
will be Ababou, who has never really been able to completely recover from a
couple of injuries and has never been consistently productive since leaving
Barako Bull. I mean, this was a UAAP star and once-Gilas mainstay who averaged
just 2.8 points in the past two seasons.
- Still, coach Cariaso can go two,
maybe even three-deep with his wings. This affords him a lot of flexibility in
case somebody goes down with an injury or foul trouble. Other coaches would be
satisfied with much less.
FLOOR GENERALS:
LA Tenorio, Emman Monfort, Jayjay
Helterbrand,
- I love the fact LA Tenorio was
solid for Gilas Pilipinas this past offseason. I say that because I’m hoping it
all translates to better production for “The Lieutenant” this season, even if
the point guard position isn’t exactly the focal point of the triangle offense
coach Jett learned under the tutelage of Tim Cone. Of course, having veteran
Jayjay Helterbrand and spitfire Emman Monfort backing him up will be pluses,
too. Tenorio’s scoring, rebounding, and assists took a bit of a hit last
season, but here’s to hoping he can bounce back in 2014-2015.
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| LA Tenorio better put up the numbers this season for Ginebra. (image by Paul Ryan Tan/Sports 5) |
Final Word: Big
- Biggest fanbase. Biggest
frontline. Biggest expectations. The Kings will have to play much bigger than themselves
to meet their potential. Otherwise, it’ll be another year of big
disappointment.
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