Mahindra much better after trade, says coach

Mahindra assistant coach Chito Victolero believes that veterans KG Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos will provide key contributions after being acquired in a three-way trade that sent No. 2 pick Troy Rosario to Talk ‘N Text.

“We need those two guys, especially with our system,” Victolero said. “Aside from that, they are also veterans so malaking tulong yung addition nila sa team. From guard, center and the wing position, maganda yung rotation namin.”

“But compared with other teams, on paper mas malakas talaga sila. Ang medyo maganda lang ngayon is malaki yung improvement ng lineup namin kumpara nung nag-start kami last season.”

The Enforcers, formerly the Kia Carnival, decided to trade the 6-foot-7 Rosario to TNT as part of a three-team deal that also involved the NLEX Road Warriors.

The additions of Canaleta and Ramos highlighted a busy offseason that saw Mahindra getting veteran guard Paolo Hubalde, sophomore guard John Pinto and rookies Bradwyn Guinto and Leo de Vera.

With their new players, Victolero believes that Mahidra can improve on its forgettable PBA debut last season when it missed the playoffs in all three conferences.

“Maganda yung blending ng mga bagong players sa mga holdovers namin. Sa ensayo, so far maganda naman yung nakikita namin ng mga coaching staff sa tinatakbo ng team,” said Victolero, the chief lieutenant of Mahindra’s designated playing coach Manny Pacquiao.

“Ang usapan naman namin ng mga holdovers tulungan kami, para yung mga additional players namin, maka-adapt agad sa system ng team.”

“But we know that it takes time. Marami pa kaming dapat na ayusin lalo sa depensa… yun ang importante para sa amin. We have seven more weeks to get the team ready for the Philippine Cup,” added Victolero.

Mahindra had a baptism of fire in its maiden foray in the pros, beginning in the Philippine Cup when it went 1-10.

The team did make slight improvements in the import-laden conferences with 7-foot-4 PJ Ramos and Hamady N’Diaye suiting up in the Commissioner’s and Governors’ Cups, respectively, but failed to help Kia make the playoffs of both conferences.

The Enforcers have retained LA Revilla, Karl Dehesa, Alex Nuyles, Hyram Bagatsing, Mark Yee, Rich Alvarez, Joshua Webb, Kyle Pascual and Kenneth Ighalo in their bid to make the playoffs for the first time.

Victolero said the goal is to make the quarterfinal playoffs of the Philippine Cup, which for him is doable if they just perform as a team and stay together under one system.

“The big picture, of course, is to make the Finals. Pero para kami makarating ng Finals, we have to make the playoffs. We’ll just take it one game at a time. We believe that if we work hard, if we play and stay together, may maa-achieve kami,” said Victolero.