PBA Release – Hatfield Not Interested In Coming Back
Gary Mercado September 19th, 2008 (Visited 1317 times)
PBA PREVIEW -
GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL Jong Uichico, not a man to give up easily, is ready
to throw the towel at the possibility of Rudy Hatfield coming back.
That is if the Barangay Ginebra coach hasn't already. "Ayaw na
talagang bumalik ni Rudy. Mukhang masaya na talaga siya roon (in the
States) with his family and his work," Uichico said.
Hatfield, known for his relentless hustle and defensive prowess, was
an integral part of the Ginebra team that won the Philippine Cup two
years ago, and Uichico would move heaven and earth to have him back.
"It's not a matter of offering him big money," Uichico said.
"We're prepared to bring something to the table, but Rudy simply
isn't interested anymore in playing basketball." The situation
gives Uichico something to ponder on deeply. "We need a big man to
play center or a tough player like Rudy to play the No. 3 or No. 4
spot," he said. The arrival of seven-foot Chris Alexander five
games into the Fiesta Conference a few months ago filled up the big
void in the middle of the Kings' rotation, an addition that resulted
in a breathtaking winning streak and Ginebra winning its eighth
Philippine Basketball Association championship – a seven-game epic
against the Air21 Express.
Two weeks before the opening of the 34th season and the staging of the
2008 Philippine Cup – a non-import tournament – Uichico is unearthing
stones every (sic) in search of an acceptable trade to boost their
sagging frontline. "We need somebody like Chris or Rudy to do the
job at the post," said Uichico, who also won his eighth title and
his second with the Kings. Efforts to land Mick Pennisi, the 6-9
center Red Bull traded to San Miguel Beer, and 6-7 Jay Washington, who
Talk 'N Text exchanged for the Beermen's No. 3 pick in the rookie
draft, failed to get past the initials talks. "They just didn't
materialize," Uichico said of the deals. "But we're still
hoping to land a big man."
Another thing bugging Uichico just before he left for Bohol yesterday
with his family is the spate of injuries plaguing the Kings: Mark
Caguioa (kneecap), Jayjay Helterbrand (hamstring), Rafi Reavis
(shoulder), and Eric Menk (knee rehabilitation). "Injuries are
what really hurt us at the start of last season's Philippine Cup, and
here we are again," said Uichico. The Kings, running on the
unstable presence of Caguioa, who was suffering from a painful
shoulder injury last year, were thrown into the perilous wildcard
phase and eliminated. At practice for the forthcoming season, Caguioa,
as well as four others, missed the team's first scrimmage at the Green
Meadows gym in Ortigas. "'We're just hoping everybody can recover
in time," Uichico said. At the backcourt for Ginebra, other than
its "Fast and Furious" tandem, are Ronald Tubid, named co-Finals MVP
with Menk in the Fiesta Conference, Paul Artadi, Junthy Valenzuela,
Sunday Salvacion, and Chris Pacana. And at center-forward will be
Menk, Reavis, Billy Mamaril, Alex Crisano, and the returning Mike
Holpher. Comparatively, Barangay Ginebra could be dwarfed by other
ballclubs.
But come game time, when the chips are down, expect the Kings to get
up from their "diminutive size" and rise to the challenge.
October 31st, 2008 11:58