JSAG OPEN Team Falls Short of Expectations

Our Open Division Team this year looked very good on paper, but due to last minute back-outs (mostly for personal reasons) we showed up with a depleted line-up… and this factor alone spelled major disaster for our team.  Our grand plans to have a strong line-up this year composed solely of local boys failed to materialize, but nevertheless, Coach Eric, in the true spirit of a veteran basketeer, decided to keep the show going.

Starters Phil Dudt and Ryan Poblete, along with reliable veterans Gino Conejos, Joshua Gutierriez and upcoming former Juvenile player Roger Tan were among those who did not showed up in Chicago .  The last minute addition of guests JC Abuan and Benny Sarmiento helped offset our woes, but in the end, it was not enough.

This year’s roster was composed of Ian Reyes , Benny Po, Henry Ong, Rich Buzeta , playing Coach Eric, newcomers Ren Raymundo, Jay Bustos , John Tano and our two guest players from Jersey City .

The first game set the tone for our woes as we were pitted early on against defending champions SIPAG ( New York ).  SIPAG dominated the game from the very beginning and did not look back from that point on.

The second game against last year’s runner-up Toronto further compounded our woes.  However, we were able to keep within striking distance for most of the game.  Of special mention was the exceptional performance of former UAAP and MBL player Henry Ong.  Henry stepped-up his game and led our team with his pin-point perimeter shooting… but once again, in the end, it was just not enough.

The immediate future of our Open team does not look very promising unless we can get the commitment of all the local boys to our program.  The core of our team, composed of Ian, Benny, Henry, Rich and Eric are not getting any younger and we need the newer batch of players to step-up their game to the next level.  The Open Division has always been a special one, since this is where the highest level of competition is played and where potential recruits to the Philippine amateur and professional leagues are taken.  In short, the Open Division is THE showcase team and it is the most visible measure of just how successful our basketball program is. 

With no committed good players in sight, we may have to revert back to the desperate practice of recruiting outsiders just so that we can form a viable and truly competitive team.  Now, we don’t want to do that again, do we?  Just my candid opinion…

 Here are some shots I took of their game against Toronto :

Jump ball with Center Ian

Star player Henry Ong keeping an eye on the shooter

Time out Huddle with Coach Eric