San Miguel looks to get past adjustment period under returning coach Leo Austria

In a seven-game stretch that the San Miguel Beermen has played in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup, the franchise has already changed its import twice and head coach once.

These tweaks saw the Beermen losing three games, falling just outside the top eight with a 3-4 win-loss card with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of a streaking Barangay Ginebra on Sunday.

And if the defending champions want to keep their title defense bid on track, the Beermen need to do better in their last five games, four of which are against squads higher than them in the team standings.

"Syempre nakaka-frustrate kasi ‘di ako maka-shoot e, and dami naming mintis," SMB big man and reigning eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo said.

"Makaka-adjust din kami. Kailangan lang naming mag-regroup."

[Of course, it's frustrating because I couldn't make a shot and we had a lot of misses. We will adjust eventually. We just need to regroup.]

San Miguel opened its campaign with Quincy Miller as its import and the American reinforcement went on to play just three games before he was replaced by Torren Jones. The latter would then appear in a pair of games, averaging 26.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.5 blocks.

Jones, though, was let go by the Beermen as the latter introduced Jabari Narcis just before their game against Eastern last December 22, which they lost by a narrow 99-91 defeat.

Aside from import switches, San Miguel has also decided to reinstate Leo Austria at the coaching helm as former coach Jorge Gallent has been tapped as consultant instead.

Though Austria is already a familiar face in San Miguel after steering the club to nine PBA championships, the team admitted it is still adjusting to his system.

"It’s more of I feel kasi na bago pa lang pinasok si Coach Leo, in the middle of the season so lahat kami adjusting pa lang sa gusto ni Coach Leo," Juami Tiongson said.

"‘Yung sistema ni Coach Leo different siya sa sistema ni Coach Jorge eh so lahat kami adjusting pa naman. I feel like na towards the right direction naman kami."

[It's more of a feeling because we only brought in Coach Leo in the middle of the season so we all are adjusting to what he wants. His system is different from the system of Coach Jorge so we are all adjusting. I feel like we're facing towards the right direction.]

San Miguel has a tough schedule ahead of it, taking on an equally-hungry Magnolia on Sunday before plunging into a grueling stretch against Meralco, NorthPort, Converge, and TNT.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News