LASER FOCUSED: San Miguel sets up camp earlier

LASER FOCUSED: San Miguel sets up camp earlier | Daily Tribune

San Miguel Beer is leaving no stone unturned in its bid for redemption in the coming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 Governors’ Cup.

In fact, the Beermen returned to the barracks earlier than usual to jumpstart their preparation for the season-opening tournament kicking off on 18 August following a heartbreaking loss in the Philippine Cup finals two months ago.

“We started early, we started July 10 so we could prepare for this coming season,” San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent said.

“I’m sure it’s going to be tough because we now have imports. We just don’t know the calibers of the other imports but I’m sure a lot of teams got good imports. We just have to pick up and start early.”

The Beermen are looking to use their all-Filipino conference championship loss to the Meralco Bolts as fuel for their drive to get back on top.

Actually, San Miguel had a great start in the Season 48-ending tilt after winning its first 10 games before coming up short in its attempt to record an eliminations sweep at the hands of the Bolts.

Although the Beermen had a tough time turning back Terrafirma in the quarterfinal, they got through the finals after slipping past Rain or Shine in the semifinals in four games.

Fancied to win it all with an all-star cast led by presumptive season Most Valuable Player winner June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz, San Miguel absorbed a massive upset as Meralco wrapped the series in six games for the franchise’s first-ever crown.

“Definitely, that loss hurt but you just can’t win them all. In this coming conference, we’re going to prepare more and try to win the championship,” Gallent said.

San Miguel has yet to win the Governors’ Cup crown since bagging it in 2015.

The Beermen are bringing in former Memphis Grizzlies Jordan Adams as their import, replacing original choice Lithuanian Tauras Jogela.

The 30-year-old Adams is fresh from a semifinal stint in the Indonesian Basketball League for the Dewa United Banten.

San Miguel also signed free agent streaky shooter Kris Rosales following his release from NorthPort.

“It’s gonna be tough but we just have to play as a team and play our own brand of basketball. Just forget about the Meralco loss in the finals and pick up this coming conference and I think we’re gonna be OK,” Gallent said.