From the opposite view, Coach Rajko deserves our thanks

I write in reaction to two columns of Recah Trinidad—“Is it thank you for a national heartache?” (Inquirer, 9/27/11) and “Did Smart allow itself to be outsmarted?” (Inquirer, 9/29/11).  I know he only has the best interest of Philippine sports at heart, so please consider these contrarian views as similarly motivated.

Recah criticized Smart Gilas Pilipinas coach Rajko Toroman’s statement on the game with Jordan, for being “garbled and vague.” But what is garbled or vague about three of our top shooters (Alapag, Lassiter, Tiu) going “0-21” for the whole game? These were not forced or ill-timed shots, mind you, but attempts well within the offensive flow. Proof to me that it was a case of nerves, as Toroman implied.

For Recah to suggest to basketball patron Manuel V. Pangilinan to “try another system,” takes the cake for a wrong conclusion based on shallow analysis.

Yes, our hearts were broken.  But to put things in perspective, against Korea, an Asian champion in recent years, we lost to a team that on any given night could win by 20 points over us. To come within a hair’s breadth of beating them was a minor miracle in itself. Let me just point out that in the second column, Recah took Smart Gilas to task for not stopping what he himself called “an uncontainable jump shot.” In short, it seems we are complaining about getting our hearts broken and blaming Toroman for it, when he was the one responsible for bringing us to the dance in the first place.

Recah should ask the players if Toroman had not taught them to play basketball with bearing and class—something that will serve them even outside of the courts (witness their conduct during the game against the NBA all-stars); if Toroman’s system works, or if he had been remiss in preparing them for all those battles they’ve been through, including the last two; if they think they will ever come as close to slaying the “dragons” of Asia, after last staring one in the face, armed with no superior weapons, except a system that works, and a coach who tells it like it is.

As fans/supporters of the Philippine team, we have to ask ourselves, too: Do we see this fourth place finish as proof that MVP’s program is a total failure as Recah says it is, or is it an initial setback in what is already a bold new direction for Philippine basketball (albeit one inspired by the Northern Consolidated Team of yesteryears)? Do we call for discarding a system that just brought us as close as we have ever come to the peak last scaled 25 years ago, and in a much tougher age where our rivals have full-fledged NBA players?

I would like to end with a quote featured in the Inquirer, spoken by the same coach Recah claims to have outmaneuvered and out-coached Toroman—Coach Thomas Baldwin of the Jordan team: “(Toroman’s) the big reason, maybe the biggest reason they got as far as they did. What a great tournament for the Philippines… Toroman… one of the greatest guys in the tournament.”

So from the opposite side of the fence, Recah, let me just say: Thank you, Coach Rajko!

—DENNISON COBUNSIO, [email protected]