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PBA: Coach Ariel Vanguardia hopes Phoenix's progress continues

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src=" http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/02/07/ariel-vanguardia-020717.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Phoenix coach Ariel Vanguardia (C) watches from the bench as the Fuel Masters play against the Star Hotshots in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals. Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports.</div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines — Phoenix head coach Ariel Vanguardia is keeping a positive outlook following the Fuel Masters&#x27; elimination in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals, where Vanguardia&#x27;s crew was swept in two games by the Star Hotshots.With its offense struggling to find creases in Star&#x27;s airtight defense, Phoenix fell in Game 2, 91-71, to see its promising campaign end on a disappointing note.&quot;As hard as it seems, it&#x27;s part of growing up,&quot; Vanguardia said. &quot;The team has not matured yet, and we have to work on our chemistry.&quot;The Fuel Masters showed promise over the course of the conference, and they remain the only team to have beaten defending champion San Miguel Beer. Rookie Matthew Wright has the tools to be a star in the PBA, and young players Norbert Torres and Simon Enciso are promising, too.However, the players still clearly lack the big-game experience to help them deal with tough situations, Vanguardia said.<ul class="op-related-articles" title="Read">	<li>READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2017/02/06/semis-return-set-star-hotshots-sweep-phoenix-21481">Semis return set for Star as Hotshots sweep Phoenix</a></li></ul>&quot;The biggest thing is adversity,&quot; he said. &quot; &#x27;Yun ang No. 1 problem namin — playing against adversity.&quot;&quot;When things are going well, malakas kami,&quot; he noted. &quot;(But when) things start to go the other way, doon kami nawawala. Kumbaga, nagka-kanya-kanya, nawawala &#x27;yung sakripisyo.&quot;&quot;We have to develop leaders as a team. &#x27;Di pa ganoon katagal nagsasama-sama, so nagkakahiyaan i-correct &#x27;yung isa.&quot;(When things start to go the other way, that&#x27;s when we start to struggle. We start playing individually. Nobody wants to sacrifice. We haven&#x27;t been together for that long so the players are reluctant to correct one another.)Vanguardia hopes that the experience is just part of the growing pains for a Phoenix franchise that finished eighth in the 2016 Governors&#x27; Cup, but improved to sixth in the Philippine Cup.&quot;Rome wasn&#x27;t built in one day,&quot; Vanguardia pointed out. &quot;It&#x27;s just my second conference, and we improved from No. 8 to No. 6. Hopefully, we move two places again our next conference. That&#x27;s our target.&quot;I just hope we continue to progress.&quot;To help his players reach the team&#x27;s goal, Vanguardia is tapping the services of Will Voigt, the head coach of the Nigerian basketball team whom he met while he was still coaching the Malaysia Dragons in the ASEAN Basketball League.&quot;We&#x27;re trying to bring him to help us . . . I always like to get someone to look at the team,&quot; he said. &quot;(He can see) what we&#x27;re lacking, team-wise, or what we can improve.&quot;In the meantime, Phoenix will take an eight-day break. The team expects to have an import for the Commissioner&#x27;s Cup by February 24. If Vanguardia&#x27;s plans work out, Voigt will arrive in March to help him assess the Fuel Masters. (For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

Vanguardia is keeping a positive outlook following the Fuel Masters' elimination in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

Vanguardia is keeping a positive outlook following the Fuel Masters' elimination in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

PBA: Coach Ariel Vanguardia hopes Phoenix's progress continues

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PBA: Coach Ariel Vanguardia hopes Phoenix's progress continues

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 07, 2017 07:16 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 07, 2017 08:22 PM PHT

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PBA

Philippine Cup

Phoenix Fuel Masters

Ariel Vanguardia

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