Petron Blaze Boosters Basketball Updates

Photo Credit: Jan Dizon, NCAA

While the SMC Management has yet to formalize the appointment of Ato Agustin as the Beermen’s new head coach starting next season, it’s already known that he will handle the team after former Beermen headcoach Siot Tanquingcen was sent to Ginebra to become one of Jong Uichico’s assistant coaches.

Agustin currently is completing his coaching responsibilities with the San Sebastian Stags in NCAA. Once his duties with the Stags are done, he will take control of the Beermen squad. Assistant coach Gee Abanilla was reportedly going to handle the team in practices while Agustin is not yet around.

I welcome Ato’s appointment as a new start for the Beermen who were handled for a while by Siot. I love his idea of forming a running team while also paying premium on defense. I guess we already seen this last season from the Beermen so there’s really not much changes except that the Beermen need to speed up more as well as play better defense in Ato’s system.

Kindly read the feature story below for more details.

‘Ato-m Bomb’ hopes to explode in the pro league
Source: Zean Macamay
www.journal.com.ph

AS a player, Renato ‘Ato’ Agustin wouldn’t forget his 1992 PBA season with San Miguel Beer.

If everything goes according to plan, the coming 2010-11 season may turn out to be another memorable one for the 47-year-old head coach.

Burdened with the heavy load of trying to fulfil a target San Miguel Beer failed to achieve last season, Agustin on Wednesday said that he will not concern himself with any thought steering the powerhouse franchise to an immediate championship conquest, preferring to entertain step-by-step measures first.

“Ayokong pine-pressure ang sarili ko. Pag na-pressure kasi ako baka hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko,” said Agustin with a smile shortly after guiding his San Sebastian Stags to a come-from-behind victory over Jose Rizal College in an NCAA match the other day.

Agustin admits that the team he will now mentor in the pro league has ‘very good talents,’ one that deserves a shot at a title. But the 1992 MVP isn’t thinking that far ahead.

“Mahirap isipin ang championship agad,” said Agustin. “My main and realistic goal with San Miguel is to make the semi-finals first.”

Agustin, one of the biggest surprises to come out from the Draft (11th pick, 1989 by SMB), was the one SMB management decided to tap as head coach to replace Siot Tanquingcen shortly after the 2009-10 season that ended in disappointments.

San Miguel failed to win a championship last season despite fancied to win in both the Philippine Cup and in the import-laden Fiesta Conference. The Beermen didn’t advance to the championship round in the all-Filipino tournament, beaten by sister-team Derby Ace in the semi-finals, before getting the shock of their lives in a 4-2 defeat to the Alaska Aces in the Fiesta.

In assuming the head-coaching job for the Beermen, Agustin will now dictate what kind of system he desires for the 18-time champion team.

He did not drift far from what San Miguel Beer has been known for. Agustin, who also guided the Beermen to the 1992 All-Filipino championship, wants a running team that likewise puts premium on defense.

“Ang style ko kasi is a running game, but I’m particular on defense,” said Agustin, a Lyceum product. “Ang konting kulang lang sa tingin ko sa San Miguel ay speed.”

His concern in that aspect should be resolved anytime soon since the Beermen are almost certain to acquire Paul Artadi from sister-team Derby Ace in exchange for Jonas Villanueva, the former Finals MVP (2008-09 Fiesta Conference) who was forgotten in the title series against the Aces.

The only thing that needs to be done is for the two ball clubs to find a third party that will act as a conduit since the Beermen and the Llamados cannot trade directly.

Other than the speed factor, Agustin has strong faith in his team.

“Buong-buo ang team,” said Agustin, who captured three championships in a five month period bridging 2009 and 2010, two of those with San Sebastian (NCAA and National Games) and one with Excelroof in the PBL. “It has very good talent.”

Agustin also said that San Miguel will have to take care first of keeping the core intact by re-hiring key players. Yesterday, Denok Miranda, a defensive specialist, signed a two-year deal with the Beermen.

The man known as the ‘Atom Bomb’ during his prime as a PBA player, though, will not officially assume the post until after the wars in the NCAA, which prohibits its coaches to mentor anywhere else during the duration of its tournament.