Coach Cariaso gave us an idea of what the Blackwater Bossing’s new core will look like.
After another forgettable campaign in the PBA wherein they finished with a 1-10 win-loss card in the 2023 Governors’ Cup, the Blackwater Bossing decided to bring in Jeff Cariaso to be their new head coach. The 10-time PBA All-Star who also had coaching stints with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the Alaska Aces, and the Converge FiberXers has recently been signed to a three-year contract by the struggling franchise.
On the sports program Power and Play hosted by Noli Eala, Cariaso discussed several topics about his new coaching gig, which included his squad’s current roster.
The incoming Blackwater headmaster showed his excitement over coaching some of the team’s best players, and its most promising talents as well.
“It’s exciting to have guys like Baser Amer. He is in his prime right now at 30,” the 8-time PBA champion said.
“We still have Troy Rosario there. Troy, we’re hoping to bring out his best, still. I think he still has more to show us. He has shown that he can be a top-level guy. So, he’s going to be a big part of what we do,” Cariaso spoke of the veteran big man.
Aside from the dynamic floor general and the former TNT Tropang Giga stalwart, Coach Jeff also made special mention of a couple of battle-tested cagers such as Mike DiGregorio and Yousef Taha. The 50-year-old tactician then gave props to the team’s highly impressive young guns.
“We’re excited to see RK Ilagan. We’re excited to see Tyrus Hill. I think Tyrus will be given an opportunity to blossom here with me,” Cariaso revealed.
Coach Cariaso wasn’t only enamored by the top dogs. It was clear that he had done his homework when it comes to his personnel as he expressed his willingness to work with the club’s unheralded but promising role players.
“I’m really interested to see how guys like [Joshua] Torralba performs. See how I can help him. And [Rashawn] McCarthy is still there. We really have some good pieces that have been through the wars. It’s really just about helping them get over the hump,” Cariaso elaborated.
There’s not much to celebrate about the recent performances of Blackwater. But given, the team’s new leader, and the enthusiasm he displays, the team might be headed in a different direction. Exciting times might be ahead, especially for the players who were spoken highly of.