(This is the first of ten
articles called What They Need. Last
year, I made a version where we called out a PBA team’s roster and pick out the
slots they need to shore up. Most of these deficiencies are addressed via the
draft.)
Winning
two of the three conference titles in one season is not a bad thing. Sure, they
lost the grand slam on their last game but what they did right now is not that
easy.
Rooms
for improvement? Fatigue could be an issue. Injuries are another. The Tropang
Texters are the team to beat. Jimmy
Alapag, Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Ali Peek man the starting five while Jayson Castro, Larry Fonacier, Harvey
Carey, Jared Dillinger, and Aaron
Aban are the men off the bench. If things don’t work, they can always rely
on their reserves Gilbert Lao, Mark Yee,
Emer Oreta, and Rich Alvarez.
With Japeth Aguilar joining the squad to
provide size, it’s almost certain that the Tropang Texters are poised to
dominate anew.
So
what now?
TOP
FIVE TROPANG TEXTERS OF THE 2010-11 SEASON:
1
JIMMY ALAPAG
PHILCUP:
14.3PPG – 3.0RPG – 5.7APG – 27 GAMES
COMCUP:
13.3PPG – 3.3RPG – 5.5APG – 18 GAMES
GOVCUP:
8.7PPG – 2.1RPG – 5.0APG – 18 GAMES
2
KELLY WILLIAMS
PHILCUP:
9.6PPG – 7.4RPG – 1.3APG – 0.7SPG – 25 GAMES
COMCUP:
9.2PPG – 7.6RPG – 0.9APG – 0.9SPG – 18 GAMES
GOVCUP:
9.8PPG – 6.7RPG – 1.3APG – 1.0SPG – 20 GAMES
3
JASON CASTRO
PHILCUP:
11.5PPG – 4.0RPG – 3.7APG – 0.9SPG – 27 GAMES
COMCUP:
10.5PPG – 3.4RPG – 3.4RPG – 1.4SPG – 15 GAMES
GOVCUP:
13.5PPG – 3.9RPG – 5.2APG – 0.8SPG – 19 GAMES
4
ALI PEEK
PHILCUP:
12.5PPG – 9.2RPG – 1.1BPG – 27 GAMES
COMCUP:
8.2PPG – 5.9RPG – 0.9BPG – 18 GAMES
GOVCUP:
7.2PPG – 6.5RPG – 1.1BPG – 20 GAMES
5
RANIDEL DE OCAMPO
PHILCUP:
9.3PPG – 3.6RPG – 1.7APG – 16 GAMES
COMCUP:
13.7PPG – 5.6RPG – 1.8APG – 18 GAMES
GOVCUP:
12.5PPG – 5.4RPG – 2.1APG – 15 GAMES
WHAT
THEY NEED:
CENTERS: Sure Talk N Text is a
star-studded team but one thing they lack is size. Ranidel de Ocampo is the
team’s main offensive threat but he is more of a shooter than an inside threat.
Ali Peek is bull-strong but he’s also under 6’5. So are Kelly Williams and
Harvey Carey. Jared Dillinger is listed as 6’5 so that’s something the Texters
need to check out. Lucky for them, Japeth Aguilar is going to give their
frontline size. And no, Gilbert Lao despite being 6’9 is not an inside threat.
FORWARDS: The Texters use their vaulted
3-guard rotation and it has worked for them. One of their big men slide to the
power forward spot and if they want a big lineup, they can always rely on Kelly
Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Jared Dillinger to play the SF spot. And then
there’s Mark Yee, Rich Alvarez, Emerson Oreta, and Aaron Aban just in case they need it.
GUARDS: This is again a position Talk
N Text needs to... not mind for the mean time. Unless injuries hurt the squad,
the pack of Jimmy Alapag, Jason Castro, Ryan Reyes, and Larry Fonacier are
solid in this spot. Maybe they need another guard in their mix?
WHO
SHOULD THEY PICK?
Whoever
Talk N Text picks, expect that rookie to get limited minutes. If it ain’t
broke... why fix it right? Besides, with Japeth coming in, there is no need for
them to pick an extra hand. However there is still a room for improvement at
the TNT camp.
At
number seven, there is still a Smart-Gilas player (or players) left in the
draft. My guess is it would be Dylan
Ababou, Mark Barroca, or Jason
Ballesteros (unless Paul Lee is
still available). The Tropang Texters have the luxury who to pick up whoever
they choose that they will need and would spoil the yearnings of Petron or
Ginebra. Ballesteros is a dream for players that lack size while Ababou can be
at value for teams that lack scoring. Barroca is a wonderful addition for a
squad in need of a quality point guard.
Fact
is though, I can also see the squad trading this pick to claim a top-tier
Smart-Gilas star. The former Air21 squad, Barako Bull, would likely give up the
player they pick third for this pick and another serviceable performer.
By the way...
MARC AGUSTIN TO TNT!!!!
By the way...
MARC AGUSTIN TO TNT!!!!
Game
over.
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