Beermen eyeing Tiongson resurgence
For much of the Philippine Cup, Juami Tiongson’s confidence has been on a rollercoaster.
San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria put it plainly: The Beermen want Tiongson to rediscover his rhythm—and there is no better stage than the Finals of the all-Filipino conference.
“He’s very important because Juami is always a threat, but more than anything, I want his confidence back,” Austria told the Inquirer on Friday night at Ynares Sports Center.
“We all know he can score anytime. He can set the pace, and that’s what we want from him. When his defender stays close, it opens the floor for our big men.”
‘Amazing’
Austria gave Tiongson the starting nod in Game 2 of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Finals—and the move paid off.
San Miguel rolled to a 111–92 victory to even the series at 1-1, as Tiongson finished with nine points, three assists and a steal. His spark in the opening quarter set the tone for the Beermen.
Veteran guard Chris Ross, who started the series opener at point guard but moved to the bench as he managed an aching Achilles, had no doubts about the decision.
“Juami was amazing in that first quarter,” Ross said. “I’m really happy he got his shots to go down.”
Like Austria, Ross believes confidence is the key to unlocking Tiongson’s true worth.
“He’s been a little down on himself,” Ross said. “We’re just trying to get that confidence back because he’s much more dangerous when he’s in his element.”
