San Miguel Beer is treading carefully in the PBA preseason games given their lack of manpower.

Without the likes of June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez, who are doing national duty with Gilas Pilipinas, coach Jorge Gallent has limited options to choose from.

Adding to his worries are Mo Tautuaa and Terrence Romeo, who joined Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross and Vic Manuel on the sidelines due to injury.

“Usually, seven or eight [players] lang kami. Siguro mga close to a month na,” Gallent, whose wards faced Blackwater Bossing yesterday, said.

“Kaya ‘yung mga practices namin very light na. Puro ano na lang ‘yun… skills, 5-on-3, kasi wa-walo nga lang,” he said.

“Baka may mangyari pa sa kanila, so better na lang na mag-rest sila para maka-recover sila fully,” he added.

The Bossing are looking to follow up their 92-90 win over Phoenix Super LPG last week and improve their record to 5-3.

Meanwhile, the Beermen have lost four straight games and are now at 2-5. Gallent said they have a different objective for now.

“We’re giving chances to the 3X3 guys kasi malapit na rin ‘yung start ng tournament nila,” he said, referring to the event’s Season 3 First Conference’s first leg that kicks off on Monday, July 3.

“Tinutulungan namin those players, to get them ready for the 3X3 and sa tingin ko nag-i-improve naman sila,” he said.

“Learn and improve kami ngayon, that’s our motto,” Gallent said.

“We’re also trying to do some new things na pwede naming madala sa regular season and if we keep on doing that, then we’re okay,” he added. (ABS-CBN News)