Last night, inside the Linndale Basketball team facility…
Pio Reina: OK, Allnite. Lead things off. Your take on our guards, ball security, and shooting.
Air Allnite: Pugh, Baymakhanov, and Audinys need the most work. No worries about Colenbrander.
Shooting wise, Masuecos, Onrubia and Gubatanga need a bit of tweaking. Ball security is a work in progress. As far as quantity, this is the best bunch of shooters we’ve had come through here all at once.
PR: Marshall, wings and defense.
Marshall Richards: We have the talent. Gubatanga, Hairigyan and Kenet vow to join the two-way club. Defensively, we should be solid. Two anchors defensively and Hairigyan wants to be the third.
PR: Byron?
Byron Helm: We’re thin up front. We have some quality pieces, so I’m not too worried. Another big body would be nice. The best thing we can do is roll with what we have and develop them. I anticipate you want to protect Furka and Gareca. We can do that.
Roberto Gurgone: Apologies for the interruption, gentlemen. I just got you another guard. Should provide added depth. I’m putting his scouting report and film on screen now.
AA: This kid is raw, but interesting. He’s not up to the standard yet.
PR: He reminds me of me.
RG: Coach Reina?
PR: Allnite, I don’t want to hear about what he can’t do. His defense plays right now. We’ll protect him. Thanks, Roberto. Any chance we can get a rebounder and a scorer?
RG: I’m always looking, but I think we have what we need. You guys carry on; I’ll see myself out.
PR: Let’s talk Dallas.
BH: Furka and Gareca.
MR: Onrubia at the small.
AA: Colenbrander and Baymakhanov in the backcourt.
PR: That makes the second unit tonight of Audinys, Payelle, Gubatanga, Hairigyan, and Masuecos. Kenet and Billings serve as thirds at power forward and center.
AA: Why Audinys and not Pugh at point?
PR: Who are your consistent scorers on the second unit? That’s been a sore spot for a while. Get him up to speed on offense and maybe he can change that narrative.
MR: At the same time, any improvements Audinys can make could change the calculus at other spots on the floor.
PR: Where do you see the battle, Marshall?
MR: Shooting guard. It becomes more of a mix or match. Payelle doesn’t bring the offense Baymakhanov does, Audinys is more complete defensively but isn’t as offensively balanced as Payelle. Neither can touch Payelle on defense. The problem is there is a very real scenario that leaves Pugh all the way out. I could see Payelle or Audinys as the backup point.
AA: So what you’re saying is even if I win, I lose. One of my guys just doesn’t get the floor.
PR: It’s a matchup issue, Air. We ride with whoever has the skills we need that night. And the standard rule is…
AA: If they can’t defend, they don’t play.
BH: Tonight’s second unit ought to be loaded for bear defensively.
PR: We’ll see. We’re going 2-3 zone tonight. Trying to protect Gareca a bit.
BH: You’re not fooling me; you’re looking to see how the shot blocking is coming along!
PR: It’s a useful skill to have!
AA: It's getting late. We should probably wrap this up and go grab a bite to eat.
MR: I'm having dinner with the broadcast boys. Byron, you down?
BH: Nope. Take Air; he just loves those guys. I got a few things to do still.
PR: Tell Happy and the rest I'll see them Tuesday. Byron, go home. We're done here. We can pick it up tomorrow.
BH: Fine. See you tomorrow.