PBA: GlobalPort Batang Pier Philippine Cup preview

Last Philippine Cup: Despite having the worst record among all the quarterfinalists, Powerade pulled off a huge upset, knocking out top-seeded B-MEG, to advance to the semifinals. There, they survived a seven-game series against another young, up-and-coming team, Rain or Shine, but ultimately fell short in the Finals versus the veteran Talk 'N Text squad, who won 4-1. Offseason Moves: After their magical run to last year’s Philippine Cup Finals, Coca-Cola Management decided to break up the core of that team to continue the rest of the season. Out when Doug Kramer and Marcio Lassiter, and then during the offseason, Sean Anthony and Jvee Casio followed, leaving only Gary David from their old starting five. Casio was actually traded by the new management, following Mikee Romero's purchase of the team. The former overall number one draft pick was a key component of a multi-team trade that netted the Batang Pier Willie Miller. The former MVP brings veteran leadership and additional scoring punch to the new franchise. Unlike last year when they had two picks in the top five, the Batang Pier had to make do with a lower picks this time in the first and second round of the 2012 PBA Draft. They made some draft day moves, including trading away the aforementioned Anthony to be able to select PBA D-League Aspirants Cup MVP, Vic Manuel, a powerful big man who finishes strong at the rim. They also drafted Jason Deutchman in the second round, another big with athleticism. Three keys to being successful in the Philippine Cup 1. Mr. Pure Energy and The Thriller have to play in harmony - GlobalPort now has two primetime scorers in Willie Miller and Gary David. Both are streaky scorers who can put up the points in bunches when they get hot, both like taking big shots during crucial moments of the game, and coming into this season, both will have to accept changes in the way they play. Miller has to understand that this is David’s team, not his. He will have to take more of a playmaking role and make life easier for David. On the other hand, David has to realize that he doesn’t have to carry the team all by himself. He now has another deadly scorer playing alongside him. It's not a stretch to say that the trust and chemistry, or lack of it, between David and Miller, will dictate the success of the Batang Pier. 2. Rabeh Al-Hussaini, elite center - Powerade made a huge gamble when they sent away promising rookie Marcio Lassiter for sophomore center Rabeh Al-Hussaini prior to the Governors' Cup. While Al-Hussaini has shown flashes of brilliance, which help justify the trade, he’s been largely inconsistent on offense and has been a liability on defense. In a league where a true inside presence is a rare commodity, Al-Hussaini stands out as one of the few players with both post skills and an outside touch. GlobalPort will need his production in the paint as well as added toughness on defense to give the team an extra dimension. He will have to play on a different level this year to take his place as one of the top centers in the league. 3. Glenn Capacio, rookie head coach - A lot is riding on coach Glenn Capacio coming into this season. He will have to develop a system and build the team identity of the Batang Pier. His tasks include balancing the minutes and egos of his two stars, tapping the potential of his hot-headed center, and maximizing the production of the rest of the team. Now, that’s a lot to ask from any coach, what more a rookie coach? Capacio can’t be passive. He has to take control of the team the moment the season starts. A good performance by the Batang Pier will help Capacio shed the “interim” tag next to his position. What’s the one thing that scares GlobalPort fans? The one thing that should scare both Globalport and PBA fans is if Gary David can’t duplicate his sensational performance last season. David was the main reason the Powerade Tigers were competitive, plus, regardless if you were a Tigers fan or not, his nightly explosions amazed PBA fans and kept them coming back for more. Whether it be age finally catching up to David or wear and tear from his international stint, if he can’t put up similar numbers to last season, fans should start worrying. Right now though, all signs points towards another explosive start to the season for Batang Pier's marquee player, but could fatigue catch up to him in the third conference? Maybe even the second conference? Hopefully not. How this will likely play out: It’s hard not to compare this year’s team with last year’s Cinderella (Tiger-ella?) squad that made it all the way to the Philippine Cup Finals. As much as it’s unfair though, the Batang Pier will be judged against their counterparts from last year. That said, it's not hard to imagine a similar scenario working out for GlobalPort, even if the cast of characters is different. If Gary David can once again pick up the scoring cudgels and drop 30, 40 point games, who’s to say they can’t make the Finals again? That’s the glass-half-full scenario. The realistic scenario is that the Batang Pier will experience growing pains to start the season. They have new management, a new head coach and a different core. They should be competitive but GlobalPort will most likely end up at the bottom of the standings at the end of the conference. - AMD, GMA News