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Shell Defends All-Filipino Title
The departure of Pablo and Castillo leaves a gaping hole in the 2 and 3 spots of the team. Here, the front office took in Fil-American Tony De La Cruz, and Brix Encarnacion to fill the void. Ronquillo is thrilled to see De La Cruz in action although he admits that he is not as flashy as the other Fil-Ams who played last year. Once a member of the University of California at Irvine five, De La Cruz will be providing the long-range artillery that the team sorely needs. Pablo's exit paved the way for the coming of former Tanduay slotman Mark Telan and MBA's Art del Rosario. Telan was a college standout for La Salle in the UAAP but failed to make an impression last year as a rookie for Tanduay. In 1999, Telan had to content himself playing back-up to Fil-Am superstars Eric Menk and Sonny Alvarado. However, with the lack of tall men in the Shell line-up, both Telan and Del Rosario are expected to see more playing time. Ronquillo hopes that Telan will do the stuff he is really made of. Last year, the 6-foot-6 Tanduay back-up center played an average of 11 minutes per ballgame, contributing 3.8 points, and 2.3 rebounds. Telan will learn a lot in subbing for the 4 or 5 spot and if all goes right for him, he will be joining Paras, Esplana and De La Cruz in the team's starting unit. Backing up Esplana at the point will be Rommel Santos and the durable Jun Marzan. Santos had been in and out of sick bay during the last two years but once healthy, he could be a dependable court general. One of the most intense players in the league, Marzan shot a lofty 50% from 3-point land last year, and was one of the persistent defenders. And if Marzan stays on the court longer, then the other teams could count on a much harder path to the basket. Undoubtedly Shell's strength lies in its frontline, which in turn anchors the vaunted defense the team has always been known for. Last year, the Zoom Masters and Mobiline were tops in the list of nine teams allowing the opposition to shoot only 41.5% from the field. An advantage, too, is the championship experience that Perry Ronquillo, Benjie Paras and company have despite austere conditions. One look at the Shell roster and you'll now that this team won't stand a chance in winning the All-Filipino Cup. But that was what they said last year before the Zoommasters romped off with the title. Coach Ronquillo has been know for more magical tricks than Efren Bata Reyes and more escape acts than Harry Houdini. For the year 2000, we expect Ronquillo to pull another big actof wizardry. (Source: Scoreboard Magazine)
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