AS THE February window of the 2021 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup qualifiers approaches, Head Coach Jong Uichico is once again tasked to assemble a 12-man roster who will represent Gilas Pilipinas in the regional tournament. With a pool of professional and collegiate players, Uichico has an abundance of star power to choose from in building the right team. However, as evidenced by Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, a team of stars may not necessarily translate to success. Having the right mix of role players is equally crucial as their well-defined responsibilities and team-friendly ego push a team over the top.
Defined roles
Oftentimes in basketball, people notice the team’s top scorer. However, unknown to casual fans are the other aspects of the game that affect winning like defense, attitude, and basketball IQ. These qualities are often what coaching staffs look for in constructing a roster. According to Gilas Pilipinas and Ateneo Blue Eagles Assistant Coach Yuri Escueta, having superior talent does not always guarantee a spot in the team. For coaches, a player’s attitude and his adaptability are equal parts of the criteria in forming a team. In particular, Escueta specified toughness, diligence, teachability, and humility as qualities they look for in players.
“[We] want to have tough players [because] when tough times arrive, they strive and are able to scrap for loose balls and sacrifice their bodies. [In addition,] we want the players to be teachable and humble,” said Escueta.
On the other hand, a player’s fit within a coach’s system is dependent on what the coaching staff is looking for to complete the team. For example, in the November window of the 2021 FIBA Asia qualifiers, Uichico’s team featured several athletes who moved well off the ball like Javi Gomez de Liaño and Rey Suerte as they deployed a motion-heavy offense.
Aside from attitude, the best role players also successfully fulfill their roles without overextending their play on the court. A player who embodies this well is Will Navarro, who has shown the ability to make occasional jumpers but mostly sticks to his role as a reliable defender, screener, and rebounder.
However, role players are still encouraged to expand their skill set beyond what they specialize in so that they can switch roles whenever necessary. “For example, if you’re Ange Kouame, your job is to rebound and to set good screens. But if another big man enters the game and Ange plays the power forward, your job becomes providing space and being ready to shoot,” Escueta said.
The value of role players
While role players contribute through their specialized roles, they provide valuable impact to the team. One such example is providing energy off the bench whenever the starters go to the sidelines. This was evident in the first matchup of Gilas Pilipinas against Thailand as Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño and Isaac Go came off the bench and went on a scoring run to build an insurmountable lead in the second quarter.
Another way role players help the team is by coming in to play for an unavailable starter. In Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), Navarro stepped up in the absence of Raffy Verano, who was ruled ineligible to play right before the season began. Although Navarro’s statistics did not jump off the page, his value was evident by his mastery of his role in setting screens, switching onto guards in the pick and roll, and altering shots at the rim.
Occasionally, role players also help the team during crunch time when the defense focuses on the star players. In a UAAP Season 80 Final Four do-or-die matchup against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, Go sank a clutch three-pointer to force overtime and banked in a short-range dagger to send the Blue Eagles to the finals. Go continued his heroics in Game Three of the finals by knocking down a three-pointer to secure the championship.
However, a role player’s arguably most important impact is their team-friendly ego that prioritizes the success of the team over individual output. “It builds camaraderie and teamwork. If you like your teammates, it’s easier to play with them. You’d fight for them knowing that you can trust them,” Escueta said.
For example, the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ team effort resulted in a 16-0 sweep in UAAP Season 82 despite their leading scorer only averaging 12.9 points per game and only two players averaging more than 10. In contrast, a lineup filled with multiple ball-dominant star players may lead to the offense having little ball movement, resulting in low-quality shots.
The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons are an example of this as their stagnant offensive possessions often resulted in bad shots, ranking only fourth in scoring and assists in UAAP Season 82. Despite having a roster filled with talented players, the Fighting Maroons ultimately fell in the semi-finals.
Fitting the system
While role players are often overlooked, their excellent attitude, infectious energy, and perfect fit to a coach’s system are vital elements in a winning team. As Uichico assembles the Gilas team in the next few days, knowing the importance of role players can help us appreciate his roster construction better. With role players providing steady contributions in specialized roles and providing meaningful impact off the bench, they will ultimately be the key for Gilas to beat Asian powerhouse South Korea.
