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Blackwater Elite coach Leo Isaac believes in time-tested basic basketball

Blackwater Elite coach Leo Isaac (in black jacket), during the 2014 PBA Draft. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)
Blackwater Elite coach Leo Isaac (in black jacket), during the 2014 PBA Draft. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

Leo Isaac, who will lead Blackwater Elite against Kia Sorento during the PBA’s season opener on October 19, has been coaching for the last 16 years. Yet to mainstream PBA fans, here’s his enduring image: Isaac, wearing jersey number 9 for Ginebra, running down the floor alongside “The Big J” Robert Jaworski. It’s an unshakable image. But Isaac believes his desire to coach is just as unshakable. While he’s thankful for the mythos created by his playing years with Ginebra, he surely wants to create another lasting persona: Isaac, prowling the sidelines, as a determined, successful, winning PBA coach.

MH: How would you describe your new challenge as a returning PBA coach?

LI: I’m happy considering na karamihan ng players ko galing dispersal draft. Nararamdaman ko, these players they want to prove something. It’s either they want to show that they can win or they want to show the PBA that their playing careers are not yet over.

MH: Your excitement to be coaching again in the PBA, nababawasan ba siya because most of your players come from the dispersal draft or walang epekto yun?

LI: Ang maganda kasi nakaka-relate ako sa kanila. Naiintindihan ko yung sitwasyon nila. So sa daily practice sessions namin, nararamdaman ko kung ano yung nararamdaman nila. We build on that relationship. Maganda yung samahan namin.

MH: Bakit mo nasabi na nakaka-relate ka sa kanila?

LI: Kasi dati din akong player. Alam ko yung status nila ngayon. Para i-release ka ng mother team mo at ilagay ka sa dispersal draft parang masakit yun eh. Parang eto ako ngayon, parang ako ang sumalo sa kanila. Ang ganda ng dating ng Blackwater, out of nowhere, the team is saying to the players, ‘O ituloy natin yung career ninyo. Meron pa kayong ipapakita.’ Parang ganoon ang dating ng Blackwater sa mga players namin ngayon. Ang pakiusap ko lang sa mga players, ibalik niyo ang dating sigla ninyo noong nag-uumpisa kayong mag-basketball at hindi yung sitwasyon na iniisip niyo pa-retire na kayo. Yun ang challenge sa amin ngayon.

MH: Speaking of sigla. Kasi matagal ka nang nag-co-coach. Paano hindi nauubos yung sigla mo to coach? Whether it’s in the NCAA, PBA, the PBL or the D-League and ngayon PBA ulit, paano hindi nauubos yung sigla mo?

LI: It’s the same craft. Ang nag-iiba lang is the quality of players. The way na nag-coach ako sa NCAA, sa D-League, sa PBL, is the same pero ngayon mas mature ka na, mas kontrolado ka na sa sarili mo. So ang pagkakaiba lang is the quality of players ngayon kasi karamihan sa kanila ngayon mga beterano at mga ilan taon nang naglalaro sa PBA so may mga pangalan na rin sila. Unlike sa D-League, mga fresh out of college, so kailangan i-hulma mo pa, kailangan i-guide mo pa. Mas lalo na noong nasa NCAA ako kasi puro college players na kailangang turuan.

MH: Ano ba ang main philosophy mo as a coach?

LI: Ang sa akin, as a coach, kailangan organisado ang team. Yan ang trabaho ng coach mapa-opensa, mapa-depensa. Kaya I keep on asking my assistant coaches and even my players na baka meron pa tayong hindi napag-aaralan or na-di-discuss na pwedeng mangyari sa game. Kailangan all the time alam ng coach ang sitwasyon ng team.

MH: Has your coaching style changed from the time you started coaching in 1998?

LI: Ganoon pa rin. Ako kasi I go for basic basketball. Kung saan mas simple, mas madali, doon ako. Ayoko ng masyadong maraming requisitos. Mas doon ako sa simple, na madali, na epektibo. Kapag meron akong kine-kuwento sa mga players na eto old school ‘to, natatawa sila eh. (Laughs). Pero masarap i-share sa kanila yung mga natutunan ko noon mula kay Charlie Badion, Turo Valenzona, Jaworski. Sinasabi ko sa mga players, eto old school ‘to kaya tingnan niyo na lang kung epektibo. Nakakatuwa rin.

MH: You’ve played under great coaches. You’ve played with great teammates. Hindi ka ba nagsasawa magkwento sa mga batang players?

LI: Hindi naman kasi they ask questions. Ito ngang si Sunday Salvacion tinanong ako, ‘Coach, inabot mo ba si Bal David tsaka si Marlou Aquino sa Ginebra?’ Sabi ko hindi. Sabi ko after noong last year ko, tsaka dumating si Marlou at si Bal. Sabi ni Sunday, ‘Si Marlou at si Bal na lang kasi inabot ko coach eh.’ (Laughs). Isa pa na mahalaga sa akin, I always see to it na masaya ang ensayo. Kahit mapagod mga players pero sa dulo ng ensayo gusto ko makita yung mga ngiti nila. Gusto ko makita na masaya sila sa naging takbo ng practice for that day.

MH: On your team, sino ang lumalabas na court leader? Yung player na pinapakinggan ng lahat and parang halos kanang-kamay mo na sa loob ng court?

LI: Alam mo si Eddie Laure ang lumalabas na may leadership sa loob ng court. Very vocal si Eddie Laure. Talagang hina-huddle niya yung players pag nasa loob ng court. Merong ganyang qualities din si Paul Artadi and si Sunday Salvacion pero hindi sila kasing-loud ni Eddie Laure. Nakakatuwa si Eddie Laure. Loud si Laure.

MH: What is the objective of Blackwater in the first conference?

LI: Sa akin, to be competitive with the other teams. Gusto ko lang to compete with the other teams na I’ll be able to see a winning line going to the end of the game. Now if we’ll have that chance to go for a win, eh kung pagpapalarin naman and mabibigyan ng suwerte, bakit hindi? Kukunin namin yung panalo na ‘yon. Considering na we’re starting from scratch compared to other teams na laging lumalaban sa playoffs, gusto lang namin to compete. As we go along, dahan-dahan yan, makakakuha tayo ng tamang piyesa, ng tamang panahon, nandoon na din tayo.

MH: What is the defensive game plan for KIA playing-coach Manny Pacquiao?

LI: Mataas ang respeto natin kay Congressman Manny Pacquiao. Pero basketball ‘to eh. We have a job to do. Sinabi ko kay Salvacion o kaya kay Ogie Menor, kung ma-tiyempo na kayo ang babantay sa kanya, eh doon lang tayo sa trabaho natin. Hindi naman puwede na sumobra taas ng respeto natin at bigyan natin ng magandang lay-up si Congressman.