Hugnatan is strongest Ace
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Reynel Hugnatan does not just look strong, he really is very strong. In the benchmark test for strength conducted by Alaska trainer Gus Vargas the 29-year-old native of Bacolod City completed the most number of bench presses, cranking out 12 repetitions while bench pressing 185 lbs.
Sonny Thoss and Tony Dela Cruz cranked out 10 repetitions while Willie Miller managed six repetitions.
LA Tenorio topped the Speed and Agility Test completing the course in 15.5 seconds. Close behind him are Miller and Jeff Cariaso who submitted times of 15.8 and 15.9, respectively.
Ang main areas that the players should develop are their strength; their verticality or ability to jump high; their laterality or yung ability to change direction fast without losing their balance; their linear speed or the ability to sprint up and down the court; and then ang kanilang multi-directional or the ability to change direction while sprinting, said Vargas.
Once he has completed collating the data Vargas will compare the abilities of the Aces in a standard comparison against scores of NCAA Division I collegiate players and NCAA players in the pre-draft camp for NBA players.
The Alaska trainer says the goal is for the Aces to approximate the abilities of these NBA-caliber athletes.
Vargas has six weeks until the opening of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Oct. 5 to improve the numbers submitted by the Aces.
Other than basketball drills and scrimmages Vargas will make the players undergo workout routines in the gym tailor-made for their specific needs.
After the six-week period Vargas will again evaluate the players.
Magkakaroon tayo ng re-test before the conference starts to see kung ano ang naging improvement. I know they will aspire to approximate the standard and set goals, said Vargas.
According to the Alaska trainer players in different positions have different abilities. For example it would be very important for point guards to be able to run fast and change direction fast. For big men it may be more important to be stronger and be able to jump higher.
Other tests include the 30 meter acceleration run where players are made to run from the baseline to the opposite free throw line or about ¾ of the court.
Surprisingly wingman Eddie Laure clocked 16.3 seconds in the Speed and Agility Course. Ariel Capus finished the course in 16.5 seconds.
Other players are Dela Cruz, 16.5; Hugnatan, 16.6; Jun Cabatu, 16.6; Larry Fonacier 16.9; John Ferriols 16.9; Thoss 16.9; JR Quinahan, 17.4; Poch Juinio, 17.8; Eric Canlas 18.1; and Mark Andaya, 18.1.
The player who could reach the highest is free agent Canlas who could reach up to 11 feet one inch. Next is Thoss with 10 feet, 10 inches.
Other players are Eddie Laure, 10 feet 7 inches; JR Quinahan, 10 feet 7 inches; Cabatu, 10 feet 5 inches; Juinio 10 feet 5 inches; Fonacier, 10 feet 4 inches; Miller, 10 feet 3 inches; Ferriols, 10 feet 3 inches; Dela Cruz, 10 feet 3 inches; Hugnatan 10 feet 3 inches; Capus 10 feet 3 inches; Cariaso 10 feet one inch; and Tenorio, 9 feet 6 inches.
