Guiao eyes solution to Gilas backcourt puzzle
Coach Yeng Guiao has quite a problem on his hands as the battle in the Gilas backcourt escalates.
None of his young guards have been able to eke out a clear advantage as their FIBA World Cup preparations near the home stretch.
Their notable play in practices and games have forced the coaching staff to rethink and hold off on any decision until the final week of August.
“We had some positive developments,” Guiao admitted. “The one and two positions will be tough. That’s the position of the rookies. That’s going to be a tight race.”
Rookies Robert Bolick and CJ Perez have made excellent arguments for their inclusion in the 12-man lineup for China. Bolick’s poise stood out especially in Gilas’ pocket tournament in Malaga, where he anchored the team’s scoring during two games versus Congo and Ivory Coast.
“I didn’t change anything. I just played my game. That’s what I only did, basically. I just played hard. Our opponents were bigger, more athletic so we had to play smart,” Bolick said.
Perez, meanwhile, left his fingerprints all over the other side of the floor by showing a high level of anticipation on defense that belied his age and experience.
“It’s all about the mindset. When I arrived in Spain, my mindset was to defend. Even if I don’t score, my defense was there because that’s what we needed. Dray [Blatche] and Paul Lee are there to score, anyway,” he said.
The Spain camp offered key lessons that the two immediately utilized in their first practice back on Wednesday.
“[I learned that I had to improve] how I can defend bigger players in the post and how I can find my teammates better,” Perez said.
“I just watched how they play, picked some parts and adapted it to my game,” Bolick said. “If I become contented, I’ll stagnate. Even if I excel in one aspect, I try to improve all aspects of my game in any way I can. That’s my inspiration: to be the best player I can be for myself and for the team.” —
“Parkinson’s gait”.
Stiff, unsteady and twisted gait – this could be a sign of multiple sclerosis, a disease that causes our immune system to attack our central nervous system, which includes our brain and spinal cord. Because there is a communication breakdown, we lose feelings in our feet, move stiffly, swing our steps and lose our balance often.
Slowing down – medical research says that the way we had slowed down on our walk over time could be a precursor to Alzheimer’s or other memory-related issues. Eventually, our speed slows down as the disease progresses.
With proper exercise and nutrition, we hope we may not encounter these missteps as we advance in age. Meanwhile, let’s continue the easiest, cheapest and satisfying exercise of all – walking.