Siot Tanquingcen’s zone gamble works as Ginebra stops Rain or Shine attack

by **geraldasakura** Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:54 am

Siot Tanquingcen’s zone gamble works as Ginebra stops Rain or Shine attack

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen is not the most popular guy among the Gin Kings faithful after the team’s roller coaster run through the Philippine Cup finals.

But the embattled coach deserves plenty of credit for his defensive adjustments Friday against Rain or Shine, which allowed Ginebra to rally from a halftime deficit to win Game Two of their best-of-three quarterfinals series, 79-77. The victory forced a do-or-die match between the two teams on Sunday.

With Ginebra trailing 41-33 after the first two periods, Tanquingcen switched up the Gin Kings’ defense. Ginebra played a hybrid matchup zone, confounding the Elasto Painters as the Gin Kings’ alignment switched from a 1-3-1 to a 2-3 formation.

The tactic worked, as Ginebra lured Rain or Shine into throwing up 33 three-point attempts. The Elasto Painters made just nine shots from beyond the arc, for a woeful 27 percent.

It also allowed the Gin Kings to get out on the break off long misses, triggering their fastbreak attack that fed off the crowd’s energy.

But Tanquingcen was quick to deflect credit after the game, saying he didn’t do anything special. “It’s always been in Ginebra’s arsenal,” the coach told InterAKTV. “It’s something we’ve been doing all conference.”

It was a risky gambit, as it allowed Rain or Shine’s shooters like Jeff Chan numerous attempts at the basket. But it worked for Tanquingcen, at least for one night, as Chan missed eight three-point shots, including a potential go-ahead basket in the dying seconds that rattled in-and-out of the game.

When asked whether it was a gamble he’d be willing to take again, Tanquingcen was coy.

“We’ll see on Sunday,” he said.

Source: AKTV