NORTHPORT admittedly wants Greg Slaughter to be its main man.
Batang Pier coach Pido Jarencio is not one to hurriedly drape the mantle of responsibility to the seven-foot center, however.
“Dinadahan-dahan namin siya,” Jarencio told Malaya-Business Insight, referring to Slaughter’s showing thus far in the early stages of their practices in Batangas City that started last Thursday.
“Siyempre, matagal na hindi nakapaglaro, wala pa ang timing n’ya, wala pa lahat-lahat,” added Jarencio. “Basta sabi ko,’Huwag lang tayong magmadali. You will get your timing back. Basta nag-umpisa na tayo ng scrimmages makukuha mo rin iyan.’ Nag-yes naman siya.”
Slaughter has not played competitive basketball since taking a break from the sport in January last year. Shortly after he came back from the US late last year, he was signed to a new contract before being traded to NorthPort for Christian Standhardinger last March.
Jarencio said he has already explained Slaughter’s role to the team and it is up to the big man how he will live up to expectations.
“Nag-usap na kami before ng one-on-one n’yan,” related Jarencio. “It’s how he will perform. Siya pa rin, di ba? Hindi ko naman p’wedeng sabihin na, ‘Ito siya, ito siya, ganito iyan, gan’yan iyon.’ Tapos pagdating sa laro mapapahiya lang ako. Hayaan mo na lang siya.
“Binigyan ko na siya ng: ‘Eto ka, dito ka. Sa team eto ‘yung portion mo. Malaking part ka ng team. Siyempre mga players na nakapalibot sa iyo, kailangan they have to do their part din.”
That is where Slaughter’s new teammates come in and Jarencio is optimistic on that end.
“Kasi ang maganda naman, maraming nakapalibot sa kanya. May (Robert) Bolick, may mga shooters. Meron kang Sean Anthony, mayroon kang (Jamie) Malonzo, may Kevin Ferrer ka.
Tapos may back up centers ka. After him may (Troy) Rike. Tapos may mga guwardiya rin kaming maayos, may (Sydney) Onwubere pa.”
After getting tested anew for the coronavirus, NorthPort plunges into two straight days of practices starting today, before doing scrimmages in the last three weeks of its pre-season preparations.
Jarencio hopes that by then, Slaughter would be in much better shape and the team has developed enough chemistry to be at least competitive.
“Kailangan lang makuha ‘yung balance, magkaroon ng jelling ‘yung team, maging well-prepared, ipasok naming lahat ng kailangang ipasok namin para malaman nila kung ano dapat. Ano ito, execution lang talaga,” said Jarencio.
It should be up to Slaughter accepting the challenge of playing a big role in the Batang Pier’s upcoming campaign, added Jarencio.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Basta importante focused ka. Trabaho lang.’ Iyon Lang naman sikreto diyan. Basta naka-focus ka sa ginagawa mo. Saka huwag mong pababayaan katawan mo, physically, lahat iyan babalik at babalik,” related Jarencio.
“Basta huwag mong madaliin kasi ano iyan, slowly at surely, gawin mo lang routine natin hanggang makuha mo na iyan. At the same time makukuha mo na sistemang gusto natin.”
