Let me tell you something about basketball that took me years to understand - the game isn't about flashy dunks or deep threes, though those are certainly exciting. It's about mastering the fundamentals, and I've seen this truth play out countless times in games where the supposedly "less talented" team comes out on top because they understood the basics better. Just look at that recent game where DLSZ faced Alas - the final score of 60-18 tells a story that goes far beyond the numbers. When you break down those individual performances, with Mben putting up 11 points and Daja contributing 10, you start to see patterns that reveal why certain teams dominate while others struggle.
I remember coaching a youth team early in my career, watching players who could barely make a layup consistently trying to imitate Steph Curry's deep threes. They'd spend hours practicing shots from the logo while their basic footwork was atrocious. The truth is, basketball success begins with what happens before you even touch the ball. Stance and footwork form the foundation of every basketball movement, and I can't emphasize this enough - if your feet are wrong, everything that follows will be compromised. When I analyze Lopez's 6 points in that game, what stands out isn't the scoring itself but how he positioned himself to get those opportunities. His defensive stance likely created transition opportunities, and his offensive positioning probably led to high-percentage shots near the basket.
Ball handling separates competent players from game-changers, and here's where many developing players make a critical mistake - they practice dribbling moves in isolation without understanding how those moves translate to game situations. I've designed countless drills that simulate defensive pressure because the reality is your crossover might look beautiful in an empty gym but fall apart when a defender's hand is in your face. Looking at Gubat's 5 points and Dabao's 4 points, I'd wager their ball security under pressure contributed significantly to their team's offensive flow. The difference between a turnover and an assist often comes down to inches in hand placement and seconds in decision-making.
Shooting mechanics might be the most over-coached yet under-mastered aspect of basketball. Everyone wants to talk about arc and rotation, but I've found that the real secret lies in consistency of preparation. Your shot pocket, foot alignment, and eye focus should be identical every single time. Arejola and Alpapara both scored 2 points each in that game, and while that might not seem impressive statistically, as a coach I'd be looking at how they got those points - were they open looks created by proper spacing, or contested shots taken out of necessity?
Defensive principles win championships, and I'll die on that hill. Teams that commit to defensive fundamentals consistently outperform more talented squads that rely on offensive fireworks. The 60-18 scoreline suggests DLSZ's defensive discipline completely dismantled Alas' offensive schemes. Positioning, closeouts, help defense, communication - these unglamorous elements separate good teams from great ones. When I see players like Borrero contributing 2 points, I immediately look at what else they brought to the court - their defensive stops, screens set, loose balls recovered.
Basketball IQ might be the most undervalued asset in player development. Understanding spacing, timing, and defensive rotations can elevate an average athlete into an impactful player. Those zeros on the stat sheet for Atienza, Alpapara, Tailan, Favis, Espinosa, Dimayuga, and Reguera don't tell the whole story. Some of my most valuable players throughout my coaching career put up minimal points but were instrumental in our success through their understanding of positioning and team concepts.
Team strategies and offensive sets represent the culmination of individual fundamentals. What good is a perfect jump shot if you can't get open within the offense? How valuable is a lockdown defender who constantly gets lost in rotations? The coordination between Mben's 11 points and Daja's 10 points suggests effective offensive execution, likely stemming from practiced sets and clear understanding of roles.
After twenty years around this game, I've come to appreciate that basketball mastery isn't about doing extraordinary things but about doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. The fundamentals never change, but our understanding and execution of them constantly evolve. Those lopsided scores like 60-18 occur not because of some magical secret but because one team committed to the basics while the other overlooked them. Next time you watch a game, don't just watch the ball - watch the feet, the positioning, the decision-making before the action. That's where the real game happens, and that's what separates players who score occasionally from those who consistently impact winning.