What happened to Cangrejeros de Santurce?
David Rosario took over as head coach of Cangrejeros de Santurce four weeks ago and found a divided team, with some players upset about their limited playing time.
The veteran coach had been brought in to rescue Santurce after a disappointing first half of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) season under Nelson Colón's leadership.
Despite having one of the most talented rosters in the tournament, Cangrejeros de Santurce were at the bottom of Conference A with a 7-12 record in Rosario's first game as coach.
How did Rosario improve the team?
Rosario confessed that he found a team that was a bit divided, with some players upset about playing time and others about having the ball in their hands. The first thing he did was fix the team's mentality and emotional state, because tactics only work if the spiritual and emotional aspects are in place.
It took me a few days for them to believe in it, Rosario said. I worked on it in practice, talking to them, and they understood the message that they had to take on a collective responsibility, because here there were no more valuable players than others, but rather the collective was the most valuable.
What is the current situation for Cangrejeros de Santurce?
With the results of Wednesday's game, Santurce took absolute control of the fourth spot in Conference A, pulling two games ahead of the Mets de Guaynabo (13-16), after improving their record to 15-14.
Additionally, they are now just half a game behind the Gigantes de Carolina-Canóvanas, who are in third place with a 15-13 record.
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Cangrejeros de Santurce | 15-14 |
| Mets de Guaynabo | 13-16 |
| Gigantes de Carolina-Canóvanas | 15-13 |
What's next for Cangrejeros de Santurce?
Santurce has lost only two of the 10 games they have played under Rosario's leadership, and their current 15-14 record marks the first time the team has played above .500 since April 9.
They have only five games left in the regular season, but they are facing the final stretch with all the confidence in the world due to the good momentum the franchise is experiencing.
Two of those five games will be against the Gigantes de Carolina-Canóvanas, which could be crucial in defining the fourth spot in Conference A.