Barracudas coach Bong Ramos: “Zone defense may be Slingers’ weakness.”
By Jan Lin/Red Hoops. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Hoops.
The Barracudas’ American import, Michael Pilgrim (Barracudas, #13), managed 16 points for his team before he fouled out in the Slingers-Barracudas game, which was the ABL season opener for both teams. (Photo 1 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Slingers skeptics will not be convinced that the Slingers’ 87-69 defeat of the Barracudas last weekend was anything to shout about, especially when the home team had four tune-up games prior to their ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) season opener while the visitors had none.
Strategically, the Barracudas had in fact cracked the Slingers in Singapore, but basketball is not a game of pure strategy. The Barracudas’ amiable Filipino head coach, Bong Ramos, had all the right strategy in place only to be limited by a lack of fitness and depth on his bench.
The Slingers were reduced to shambles in the abysmal second period. Defensively (wait, what defence?), the hosts were caught fighting to steal rebounds from each other, while the Barracudas deployed a 1-2-2 zone defense that had caught the Slingers completely off-guard.
“I have planned to play zone defense because I know the Slingers are very tough with good rotation as they have depth in their bench. If I want to protect my imports, then I’ll have to play zone,” revealed Ramos, who was formerly the Indonesian national team coach.
This turned out to be a master stroke after their nervy first period and was a Slingers code cracker, but Ramos was unfortunate not to be able to follow through to the end after two of his imports fouled out, putting pressure on his inexperienced bench.
“We also had plans to play a full court zone press against the Slingers but I was not able to use that. I tried to use that but the players are not ready to do that,” shared Ramos, who hoped his players’ stamina will improve before meeting the Slingers again on 24 October.
“The game was like a tune-up again for us. Unlike Slingers, we haven’t had a tune-up game. My two American imports have been here for around two weeks only. It will be a home game for us when we play Slingers again, of course a lot of changes will be made,” said Ramos.
“Number 1, I’m thinking about my rotation,” he added. “I’ve got 5 imports, not that I’m putting down the locals, who are very talented with great potential but this is their first professional stint. I hope to be able to have a deeper rotation, I may have to study how to protect my imports.”
Besides foul troubles, season opener ambivalence and over-eagerness, the Barricudas were also plagued with injury woes in their first game against the Slingers. Barracudas’ Filipino star import, Francis “Kiko” Adriano, was in fact nursing an injury that had limited his movements.
But after romping to a 94-76 away victory against the KL Dragons on Wednesday, where Kiko stole the show with 23 points and emerged the top scorer, the Barracudas are slowly warming up to the demands and style of the ABL.
While conceding that there is still an unresolved problem with the Barracudas’ rotation, Ramos remained analytical and positive about cracking the Slingers. He said: “Maybe in the next game against the Slingers, we’ll play zone against them – it may be their weakness.”
Slingers’ head coach, Frank Arsego too admitted that his team fell short in coping with the Barracudas’ zone defense strategy in their ABL season opener, allowing them a 13-2 run in the second period that gave themselves only a one-point lead at half-time.
“I credit their coach (for going to zone defense). Zone defense is something that we haven’t had any practice against apart from our own training, and so that was a challenge and obviously our shooting wasn’t up to standard and that allowed them back in,” said Arsego.
The Australian coach continued: “We probably weren’t consistent through the game as well. I thought we were a bit patchy. When we did play well to our strengths, it was really good, but other times, I think we just didn’t hit it with the same sort of energy that we needed.”
“But, I’m hoping that we just keep learning with each game,” he said as the Slingers prepare to take on ABL title-favourites, Philippine Patriots, in the next game. The Patriots tipped-off their ABL campaign with a 76-69 away win against an equally formidable Satria Muda BritAma.
“Obviously, its always a pretty good achievement when you win on the road, that’s going to give the Patriots a lot of confidence, and I’m sure that we will be challenged,” said Arsego on the Slingers-Patriots maiden showdown this Sunday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
If you are in Singapore, check out how you can get the cheapest ticket in town with Red Sports to watch the Singapore Slingers-Philippine Patriots ABL game ‘live’ this Sunday, 4pm.
Tickets for the Brunei Barracudas-KL Dragons ABL match this Sunday, 4pm, at the Brunei Indoor Stadium are available at all EGM outlets and the Indoor Stadium three hours before tip-off.
Baracudas 6’11” American import Lonnie Jones (Barracudas, #45) appeared out of sorts in his first ABL game against the Slingers but he managed a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards in his second game against the KL Dragons. (Photo 2 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Barracudas’ Filipino import Celadon Camaso (Barracudas, #12) was the other fouled-out casualty after managing only eight points for his team. (Photo 3 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
The second highest scorer for the Barracudas in their season opener was Filipino import Leonidas Avenido (Barracudas, #18), who submitted a commendable score card of 15 points and 8 rebounds. (Photo 4 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Barracudas’ captain Francis “Kiko” Adriano (Barracudas, #9) was playing his first ABL match with an injury that had limited his movements. (Photo 5 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
game tactics, scoutings, deceptions, are involved in basketball. its what the rookie teams should learn from the coaches of SEA basketball achievers.
Coach Bong Ramos knows nothing. If he did know anything, Brunei would have won. SEA coaches are all not up to standards.
‘Bong Ramos, had all the right strategy in place only to be limited by a lack of fitness and depth on his bench’ Yea, right!
What if he had the wrong strategy? Wouldn’t the Barracudas get thrashed by at least 50 points?
He had the wrong strategy la.
@slingerrocks,
Frank Arsego corroborated the observations of Bong Ramos. It was clearly stated in the article. Unless you are better than coach Frank, then Bong Ramos does not really know anything.
I hope you will be the coach of Singapore National team or SLingers so you can finally show you are better than these SEA coaches.
What’s your career coaching record, anyway?
A right strategy would be one that wins games or at least bring it to a tight game. That is my definition. If a right strategy ends up in a thrashing, it is definitely a wrong strategy. I believe Bong has the ‘right strategy’ to win every team so far, but haven’t why they been winning games? I’m sure there is a better strategy around.
Right strategy has to work hand-in-hand with good execution or form. I’ve done video analysis with pro coaches, who may then be able to tailor a brilliant game plan for their team but if the team doesn’t ‘show up’ or execute it, they are still failure-bound.
I suppose this game being the season opener for both teams, Ramos didn’t have a realistic assessment of his own players’ fitness level to follow through his strategy, so I’d attribute the defeat to poor execution and since Arsego did not dispute Ramos’ claim.