Cowboys building character

BY this time, the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys are going to host their second straight home game in two weeks and third staging at Ilagan City's Capital Arena in the last month and a half.

But while playing the role of being gracious hosts, the Cowboys, the expansion squad in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), who just joined in this season, are also building team character.

They've been experiencing growing pains — no doubt.

Prior to their home game against the Batangas City-Tanduay Rum Masters, the Cowboys had won only three of their seven games, including losing a tough 83-90 decision over the GenSan Warriors.

In their game against the Warriors, the Cowboys started flat, even trailing 6-22 in the first period, and gave up 28 points in that quarter — a moment which many-time PBA All-Defensive Team member and current Ilagan Isabela team consultant Glenn Capacio doesn't want to see.

"That's too much," said Capacio, referring to the 28 first-quarter points the Cowboys gave up to the explosive Warriors, who ended up finishing with 14 three-point shots.

Despite the struggles, the Cowboys were still able to make repeated rallies, even pushing their rivals to the limit, but falling short.

Head coach Louie Gonzalez admitted that while he was pleased with the character shown by his players as they worked so hard to compete, they cannot afford to have another slow start, knowing that they don't have a deep personnel like the powerhouse teams.

What the Cowboys must realize is, the team is still a work in progress.

True, they have one of the best players in the league in Arth dela Cruz, who's been the league's leading rebounder at this early stage of the tournament with 11.3 caroms per game, but as a team, the Cowboys need to work collectively, both in offense and defense.

Allen Mina might be the dead shot Ilagan Isabela expects him to be, but consistency will be the key for the former Letran star. JR Oligario has been the spark plug the Cowboys had been looking for and has truly become a fan favorite.

The rest of the team members need to chip in any which way they can to provide the much needed help of their three key players.

However, this team could only get better and one breakthrough performance is what Ilagan Isabela needs to get itself going — and the Cowboys are hoping it could come anytime soon.

Perhaps, a victory over the Rum Masters, a former league champion, could jumpstart their campaign and turn things around for this expansion squad.

There is more than meets the eye for the Cowboys as they move along. The more they push forward, the more they'll be able to learn.

But what's positive about the team is the all-out support being given by the host city headed by Mayor Jay Diaz, Councilor Jayve Diaz, Board Member Evyn Jay Diaz and team owner Jeao Diaz.

The family loves sports and is determined to make Ilagan, Isabela the country's newest sports hub by staging not just national but major international events in the future.

And it will all start with the Cowboys, who not only serve as the city's representative in this nationwide basketball event, but as ambassadors.

They could only get better.