Expect changes within the Blackwater Bossing—that’s after Pat Aquino took over coaching duties from Jeffrey Cariaso, whose tenure was marked with loss after loss after loss.
But rather than make wholesale, sweeping changes, Aquino will be instituting them gradually while keeping his adjustments simple—at least for now.
On Tuesday, in his debut against powerhouse TNT Tropang 5G, Pat Aquino already made one slight tweak: He started Sedrick Barefield, Christian David, and Dalph Panopio—arguably his three best players—which was a departure from Cariaso’s practice of having one or two of them come off the bench.
“We’ll keep the adjustments simple,” Aquino said after that TNT game, which Blackwater narrowly lost, 99-94. “We’ll do it gradually, not ‘yung super change lahat. But we know we could do more.”
Pat Aquino Challenges His Bossing
For most of that TNT game, though, it didn’t look like the Bossing could, indeed, do more, falling behind by double digits and looking like easy prey for the Tropa. But, little by little, the Pat Aquino-helmed squad started eating away at TNT’s lead in the fourth quarter, even getting to within 95-94 in the waning seconds.
Blackwater ultimately fell short, but the fight it showed in that fourth-quarter comeback should be an encouraging sign for Aquino, who was humble enough to admit later on, “Hirap pala mag-coach sa PBA.”
But Pat Aquino is not one to shy away from a challenge. And he’s a coach who’s won for most of his life, winning six titles in the UAAP and three in the WPBL, while also steering Gilas Women to three SEA Games gold medals and the country’s promotion to Level 1 of the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship since 2017. So, rest assured he won’t stop working until he turns the Bossing into winners, too.
“As I’ve told them before, ‘I’m gonna work, [so] you should work. I’m a winner, and you should be winners,’” Aquino further said, effectively laying down a challenge to the Bossing.
That might be a lot to ask, but that’s the plan—and it will be a gradual, steady process with Pat Aquino leading the way.
