HK COACH GOORJIAN: WE’RE NOT PLAYING DEEP INTO OUR BENCH
CANADIAN Andrew Nicholson has been amazing for the Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons. But their coach, Brian Goorjian, isn’t totally happy about the certified National Basketball Association veteran doing so much for the Dragons and playing most, if not all 48 minutes each time.
“We rely very much on Nicholson, and Nicholson played every minute until the game’s over,” Goorjian said. “We’re not playing too deep into the bench.”
The mobile big man who scores with a flourish from inside and out has been flashing legitimate NBA form in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. Although shackled in one hand in Game 1 of the Finals series the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings won, 96-81, he still finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds. In Game 2 which the Dragons dominated with impunity, Nicholson rings around all guards thrown at him and made with 30 points and 15 rebounds for a 99-82 victory that tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
His averages of 28.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in both games certainly are pluses for the Dragons, who go for a 2-1 lead over the home team in Game 3 set at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
A week-long New Year’s break relieved the aches from both sides and Goorjian—who spent the entire holiday season with his players in Manila—is just too happy with that break from battle.
“The seven-day rest somehow is beneficial especially to Nicholson,” said Goorjian, whose most recent success on the global stage was coaching Australia to the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The Dragons have been sweating it out in practice at the Kerry’s Sports Gym at the Shangrila Fort BGC as Goorjian expects a strong rebound from Tim Cone and the Gin Kings— the die-hard Ginebra fans included.
“I’m loving the battle. It’s just respect and it’s really an enjoyable tough game of good basketball,” he said. “I hope the fans like it and I know they want their team to win, but I hope they are enjoying the series.”
Goorjian said Ginebra import Justin Brownlee—who’s averaging 30 points, 12 rebounds and 4.5 assists in in the series—is marked for the rest of the series.
But he said the other Gin Kings— season MVP Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo, Stanley Pringle and LA Tenorio— could step up as well.