Meralco exorcises the ghost of Marlou Aquino

Pretty sure that Meralco Bolts team manager Virgil Villavicencio is patting himself at the back, succeeding in where his predecessor Buddy Encarnado (of the now defunct Santa Lucia franchise) failed-- ridding his team of one Marlou Aquino.

Granted, Aquino was the country's marquee big man for about six-eight years (from his PBL Stag Pale Pilsen and PBA Ginebra stints; the moment he was dealt to Santa Lucia, everything went downhill after a year or two) but the guy has been an absolute ghost. Trust me, I've been a fan of the "Skyscraper" at one point, and he is the epitome of the word "lazy" and best embodies the type of players who would dominate one year, get a huge contract, and coast the rest of the way (or until a renewal is around the corner).

In case you haven't heard, Meralco traded Aquino, slow-footed point guard Pong Escobal, rookie Khasim Mirza and their 2012 first round draft pick to farm team Barako Bull in exchange for solid power forward Mark Isip and volume scorer Reed Juntilla.

The trade allows the Bolts to commit to a more uptempo approach-- similar to their head coach Ryan Gregorio's old Purefoods teams. It opens up the floor for Chris Ross-- who is starting to blossom (by simply slowing a step or two down) and athletic bigs Hans Thiele, Gabby Espinas and even Beau Belga.

Another silver lining is Juntilla, who could develop into what PJ Simon is for James Yap. It's no secret that Mac Cardona is "THE MAN" on the Bolts' roster, but the team clearly needs a 2nd and 3rd option to go to (with Espinas being the only consistent player around).

As for Aquino, either he provides the Bulls with an interior presence and shows that he still has somet left in the tank OR he fades into obscurity, never living up to what he could've been (or was once was)-- a crafty Pinoy low post player complete with skyhook, kili-kili shot and goggles.

The "Dynamite" is back

Much can and probably has been said about the San Miguel Beermen's recent success in the PBA Philippine Cup (despite losing in tonight's game against Alaska, 92-89, after a courageous 31-point deficit comeback). One can attribute it to the team's loaded line-up, Jay Washington's continued stellar play, Alex Cabagnot's steady quarter-backing, head coach Ato Agustin and even Olsen Racela's inspirational play despite his old age.

But another factor that hasn't reached the headlines just yet is the steady play of veteran Danny Seigle. With an injury-riddled career averages of 17 ppg and 6 rpg, I've always looked at Seigle as being a solid player (but never one who should be labeled as a superstar, the same way James Yap is right now- solid, but not great). These days, Seigle is averaging around 11 ppg and 4 rpg in only 20 minutes of burn-- which is as good as it gets for a vet who's coming off the bench behind arguably two of the league's top three small forwards (Washington and Arwind Santos).

In today's game against Alaska, Seigle did what he has always done in the past-- bully smaller opponents to get easy buckets for himself. Once Tony Dela Cruz sat, Seigle did a lot of damage and got his 19 points against guys like Mark Borboran (too thin) and Joe DeVance (who probably doesn't know Seigle's game, giving him so much space out in the perimeter- enough time for DS to set-up his low-arc jumpers, and, well, JDV doesn't play defense at all to begin with).

There was even a Seigle dunk sighting mid-game!

Nostalgia aside, it's always nice to see a veteran (specially one that is injury-prone) being able to do his thing against some of today's "questionable" stars.

P.S.

Yes, it was that hard to find a "Seigle in action" picture that I had to Google for a much older picture (see Talk N Text's old blue uniform and Meralco's Pong Escobal and Yousif Aljamal on the TNT bench).

What we’ve learned so far (NBA)

While I’ve grown to become somewhat reliant on statistics, it’s nice to just kick back, relax and write about what we see on the tube from a fan’s perspective (in other words, I’m game to write about the basketball games I’ve seen on tv, but is just too lazy to do added research and will leave that to the experts). That being said, here are a couple of things we’ve learned so far about the league that we all love:

Spurs up!

The San Antonio silver and blacks are back atop the NBA with a nice 13-2 slate thanks in large part to a number of key offensive adjustments. 1) Manu Ginobli is starting and playing five more minutes per game, more than making up for Tim Duncan’s diminished production 2) Richard Jefferson has finally learned how to play the “Bruce Bowen” role, sinking in corner 3s while doing his own thing on the break 3) Matt Barnes is shooting an insane clip from downtown and 4) everyone’s HEALTHY.

Blake Griffin IS better than Dwight Howard

In case all you’ve seen of the Clippers’ prized rookie are the highlight, Youtube worthy dunks, take time to really dissect his style of play. He can play with his back to the basket, rebounds has acceptable handles for a big and plays adequate defense. Granted, his team is at the bottom of the standings, but that’s what you get when your team is waiting for its’ once franchise point guard (Baron Davis) to get in shape. Think Amare Stoudemire’s offensive game (minus the jumpshot) with Dwight Howard’s strength but with Charles Barkley’s tenacity.

King Dwyane, Queen James and court jester Chris

If they ever get their acts together, this is still a championship-caliber squad with an orchestrator (James), a solid role player (Bosh) and a closer (Wade). So what’s a little drama here and there? Like it or not, Miami’s less than stellar win-loss record is more of a reflection of LeBron James’ transition than anything else. He’s being asked to shoot less (or shoot more but provided that it’s in the paint), pass more (in this case, making the extra pass and not the “assist” pass) and learn to play solid defense. He has frowned on playing heavy minutes and playing “point guard” full time, but if Erik Spoelstra can lead him to the right direction, then James could and probably would be on his way to another MVP-worthy run. As for Dwyane Wade, the player I admire no longer looks like the “Jordan-esque” Wade of old. If anything, the guy is clearly deferring to James and is content in riding his spotlight (which is ironic considering Wade made his switch from Converse to Jordan to help build his “brand”—so how can he if he’s clinging on someone else?).

Lakers’ slump

Kobe’s doing it again. He’s out to prove that he’s the best, and in doing so, derailing what was once a fluid offensive game plan for the Los Angeles Lakers (give the ball to Gasol, play in-out basketball). It’s not enough to convince me that this team won’t be in the Finals yet again (unless the Spurs remain healthy all season long which remains to be seen), but it is enough to maybe, just maybe, say that Kobe is no longer the Lakers’ best player—given the rule changes, opponents and circumstances. Think about it. If you took Kobe out of this team, the Lakers would still win based on the composition of the team alone (solid on all positions). If you took Pau Gasol out, then the Lakers would be in the same boat as maybe, Denver and Oklahoma (solid PG, scorer, no inside presence).

Detroit’s dilemma

On some nights, the Pistons have arguably the best offensive line-up in the NBA with known scorers Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey and even the ghost of Tracy McGrady at their disposal. On others, they look just as lost as having a natural shooting guard masquerading as a point guard (which would work if they surrounded him—Stuckey, with role players, not scorers). personally, I believe that this team is a young, solid point guard and a championship diva-less (Rip Hamilton) away from where they want to be.

The fight we’d (also) like to see: Pacman VS Dinamita

Okay, so if the super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn’t pan out due to blood testing regulations, purse split, bankruptcy/ domestic assault and eventual incarceration (on Mayweather Jr.’s part) or whatever comes out of the woodwork, then I’m one of the many fight fans who wouldn’t mind a third encounter between local icon, Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and “the last of the three Mexican legends” Juan Manuel Marquez (retired boxers Marco Antonio Barrera and Eric Morales being the others).

The first fight was deemed a draw, despite Pacquiao being able to floor Marquez on multiple occasions. At the same time however, Marquez should be credited for putting a valiant effort and pushing the fight to 12 rounds. The second time they met, it went the distance yet again, with Pacquiao winning on points—which I felt should’ve been another draw based on the way the two fighters looked like they could’ve gone an extra four or five rounds at fight’s end.

We all know what happened next: Marquez pined for another match, while Pacquiao had other plans (say, moving up in rank and winning titles in different divisions).

Now, the stage has been set. There’s no one left for Pacquiao to fight other than Mayweather Jr. at whatever weight his handlers want him to be in, while Marquez has made a name for himself in the lightweight ranks—owning the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight titles.

One of my colleagues and long-time boxing afficionado, Pimpo Timog, would point out that if Pacquiao could take punches from heavier fighters and unleash beatdowns ala the late great Fernando Poe Jr. does against movie baddies left and right, then who’s to say that Marquez would stand a chance at all?

Well, I believe that Pacquiao hasn’t met a puncher with at least half his speed in those heavier divisions. Oscar De La Hoya “couldn’t pull the trigger” (as Pacquiao coach Freddie Roach would say), Miguel Cotto’s heavy-handed yet slow, Joshua Clottey is a glorified sparring partner while Antonio Margarito has lost some of his swagger.

Also, while watching Marquez “school” Michael Katsidis—there was definitely something in the Mexican warrior’s game that has always been Pacquiao’s weakness on the defensive end: the uppercut.

Don’t get me wrong here, Katsidis is no Pacquiao—maybe more of a poor man’s Ricky Hatton—less power, but he does have the same, gung-ho, carefree approach as Hatton. Early on, Marquez was having some trouble with Katsidis’ flurry of punches but kept breaking the Australian down with choice jabs and, you guessed it, uppercuts.

In the Clottey fight, Pacquiao was exposed (though minimally since Clottey doesn’t really throw a lot of punches) with some timely uppercuts. And if that’s any indication of things to come, then Pacquiao would really be in trouble with the counter-punching Marquez.

Pacquiao likes to weave in and out, but he still needs to engage—something that Marquez has no problems with. I can see Marquez going down early, but not enough to stop the fight. In a close exchange, I’d give the advantage to Marquez, since stronger punchers need space to add force to their shots (in Filipino: “bwelta”). Marquez doesn’t have that problem, his punches have all been well executed throughout his career.

Pacquiao’s dreaded combinations may not work this time, since Marquez would simply cut the ring enough for Pacquiao not to enjoy as much space as he'd like (since Pacquiao likes to draw some of his punching power from his legs).

For all the talks, maybe De La Hoya should throw his old horse a bone here and bite on Pacquiao’s “guaranteed purse” offer if that’s all that’s needed for a fight between this two legends to push through.

If Pacquiao wins, consider this a good tune-up match for his fight against Mayweather. If Marquez wins, then this is the vindication he’s long sought following that decision loss to the Filipino.

Whatever the case, this would shut a lot of people up and leave them pleased/ content with one of this decade's best boxing side-stories.

Sixth best in Asia

It’s almost over now.

Another year, another middle-of-the-pack finish despite: having a solid sports program to build on, a collection of committed players (not necessarily the best), and being funded by no less than the local business sector’s “IT” man, Manny V. Pangilinan.

The Smart Gilas campaign took yet another telling blow, failing to land fifth against the athletic Qatar national team 81-71. Despite another “vintage” effort from aging big man Asi Taulava (13 points, 19 rebounds), the Philippine contingent was relegated to sixth—behind leaders China, Iran, South Korea, Japan and Qatar.

To be quite fair, SG was missing gunner Sol Mercado and overhyped but still an athletic 6”9 Japeth Aguilar (who I saw just last night having dinner at a posh hotel in the metro sporting a bulky knee brace) and had to rely on two of the PBA’s offense-less past Most Valuable Players Taulava and Kelly Williams. This forced the team to rely heavily on threes (half of which they couldn’t convert) and the erratic playmaking of non-traditional point guards JV Casio and Chris Tiu (who are spot-up shooters by trade).

If Smart Gilas wants to win, then they should first do away with Serbian coach Rajko Toroman. Yes he led Iran to a title, but so did his replacement—which leads this writer to believe that it wasn’t the coach, but rather the players who have been together for so long (and who have enjoyed a natural, if not freakish, growth spurt).

There are more than enough adequate names who can coach this team if they are given the same leeway and patience as Toroman. Tim Cone can coach this team, as with Norman Black (who I believe would do an excellent job on the international stage). Local, “winning” names such as Koy Banal, Franz Pumaren (who retired in the UAAP to concentrate on politics but is a lock to “steal” players and have them suit up for DLSU) and even Eric Altamirano are competent enough to lead. Hell, if Yeng Guiao was given a sure three to five years with this team, they’d be a winner easily, and even if they weren’t they’d play with balls.

You could also point out that Toroman failed in developing either Aguilar or Greg Slaughter (who scored 18 points against North Korea). Granted, that may not have been asked of him, but as head coach, he has the power to at least get someone to train his young bigs (that’s what assistant coaches are for). The two guys could easily be the answer at the power forward and center positions for the next five years—Aguilar as a hybrid forward and Slaughter as your traditional, back-to-the-basket big.

And for all the love thrown Chris Tiu’s way, he is not a superstar basketball player. He plays with heart and dedication, but he’ll never be “the Man.” He wasn’t with Xavier (that title belongs to one Joseph Yeo) and not even with Ateneo (Intal, Al Husseini were). He can be the team’s spiritual leader, but someone should just step in and say, “hey, player x is a better SG than you.”

The teams need to develop its bigs, and play them heavily. There’s no shortcuts for big men, and getting beefy imports won’t do much help. Why? Because you’d play your imports more, and not allow your own local bigs to develop on the big stage. In reality, SG should’ve gotten guards for imports—guys who can create their own shots and as proven time and again by American imports, can make slow-footed Asian defenders look silly.

Think about it. What if this team, this SG team, went with a line up of Casio at PG, Baracael at SG, a 6”6 import—say Anthony Johnson at the wing, Williams at the four and Taulava at the five.

That line-up would get buckets on teams trying to stop Johnson alone. It would also open things up for Casio, and we’ve seen how well Johnson and Williams play together on the court (at times, even trying to “out-dunk” each other). Also, it’s not like it’s unheard of or anything, Jordan (or was it Qatar) parades Rasheim Wright at the two right?

Sigh, if only.

If there’s one silver lining here, it’s that it doesn’t look like the “olympic dream” is going to end soon. Not with MVP continuing to rise in the ranks of the country’s power players, and his continued support to the basketball cause (which I guess, we should thank Chris Tiu for *wink, wink*). 

NOT “The-White Howard.” BETTER.

A number one draft pick sidelined his entire rookie year by injury finally makes a smashing debut in the NBA!

No, not Greg Oden (and probably will never be, sigh). But one Blake Griffin.

There were a lot of hoopla for the Los Angeles Clippers pick last season—a power forward who has the freakish athleticism (absent in most Caucasian players) to compliment a polished post game (absent in today’s “Best Center on the Planet Dwight Howard”) but all those were sidelined following a leg injury that may or may not have been stretched for the entire year to add even more draft picks (conspiracy theory).

Despite carrying an abysmal 2-13 win-loss record, Griffin has shown a lot of spunk and fire that most Clipper fans haven’t seen since they had Elton Brand and “rented” savvy Sam Cassel earlier this decade. Monstrous, rim-rattling, BOOM SHAKALAKA dunks aside, Griffin has shown that he has more in his arsenal this early and is more than capable of handling business in the paint, averaging around 18 points and 9 rebounds (not bad for a rookie big).

For years, we’ve pined about Dwight Howard’s lack of post moves—even the simplest pivot in the paint warrants a travelling call to this day. How and why Howard, for all his physical gifts, has been recognized as the league’s best center are just some of the things that would leave a bad taste in the mouths of old school bigs such as Hakeem Olajuwon (who worked with Howard this season), Tim Duncan, George Mikan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain among others (hell, even Shaq-prime had more post moves).

Now, we finally have a highlight-reel worthy big with substance on our hands. If only the Clippers could ship Davis out, get a solid point guard (heard Denver’s Chauncey Billups is on the trading block as well) and maybe add a defensive-minded wing, then they can build on an Eric Gordon-Griffin combo for years to come.

Should Kirk Long be allowed to play in the PBA?

There’s an ongoing poll on the Philippine Basketball Association’s website that asks whether or not the league should allow Ateneo de Manila University’s Kirk Long into the next PBA draft. At present, the count stands in favor of the NO’s with 116,014 against the YES’ 115,761.

Team Pilipinas’ blog even posts an article by Joaquin Henson, who quotes Long’s college coach Norman Black, that mentions the American’s strengths as a player and even how long he’s been staying (and playing) in Manila. Granted, the PBA disallows players with no Filipino bloodline to enter the league, but those who are pushing for Long argue that the PBA needs to soften up specially for foreigners who have been residing in the country for more than a decade.

While this idea may protect the league from foreign recruits like Sam Ekwe and Sudan Daniels who only play in college, this will undoubtedly weaken the local basketball scene. Foreigners who have no skill but have been blessed with natural gifts such as speed and athleticism would undoubtedly be considered over solid players. That’s not a knock on basketball programs all around, but if you’re coaching a title team and have only one roster spot and were being made to choose between a 6”9, freakishly athletic Nigerian/African-American/American/European who would dribble the ball off his foot seven out of ten times and a 6”3 Homegrown center with the moves of Dennis Espino—who’d you pick? Don’t lie now.

Also, the PBA would risk further distancing itself from its fans. Outside of Metro Manila, the PBA has been dying a slow death not only because the commentaries are in English, but also because fans from the provinces don’t connect as much as with Fil-foreigners. Perhaps that’s why the Visayan-heavy line-up of Derby Ace Llamados have the same/a bigger fanbase than Barangay Ginebra (Ginebra owns Metro Manila, DAL owns the south).

If the PBA would ever consider foreigners to play in the league, then here’s a nice suggestion that would benefit us all:

A 10 year residency wherein the foreigners are required to play for a certain school, have legit grades that haven’t been doctored or is a by-product of going to a sham of an institution AND suit up for the Philippine National Team either as part of the main roster OR the tune-up squad for AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.

That way, we are all assured that foreign players don’t use the country as a simple springboard to jump overseas, and that the players themselves also enjoy a sense of familiarity with local fans. It would also help develop a sense of Pinoy pride—something that is absent with most of today’s PBA Fil-foreign players.

I for one, wouldn't mind if Long, Ekwe and Daniels were sent to reinforce Smart Gilas. Long would be an upgrade over either Casio and Tiu, Ekwe at the 4 and Daniels as a 3.

Or they could just skip the whole thing, marry a Filipina and be naturalized.

Still behind

If anything, the current non-televised Asian Games is proving on a basketball level that, though we can compete, we still cannot win enough to reclaim our spot as one of the sport’s powerhouses this side of the continent.

A blowout 48-65 loss to Iran, win over Qatar, 58-60 loss to Japan

So far, we were blown out (48-65) by back-to-back FIBA Asia champions Iran which played minus its star center Hamed Haddadi but still dominated enough inside to limit SG center Asi Taulava to ONE rebound. Then came the relieving win over Qatar which always had the athletes, but never the system to truly be a contender, before finally bowing in a tight game versus Japan 58-60.

What’s wrong?

A lot of things, since it’s been two-three years and we still haven’t won or at least made a dent in anything. Though SG looks much sharper when it comes to basic half-court plays, you could see that most of the players look tentative and hesitant—almost like they’re waiting for someone to takeover.

Whatever happened to Andy Barroca’s iso-offense? That used to be Toroman’s only play on offense (when SG participated in the PBA and also in other earlier tournaments). How about the “improvements” of Greg Slaughter? Having him buddy-up with Asi Taulava will only hurt his game, if only because Taulava doesn’t have a solid post game to speak of and skill-per-skill, is not even a better player than the PBA’s Barako Bull’s Dennis Daa (but height and heft does make a big difference in the PBA so…).

Surely, you’d think that Sol Mercado would’ve been plugged into the Barroca role by now since how hard is it for a coach to give his best ball handler the basketball, tell everyone to get the F out of the way and create?

Also, I have a difficult time believing that Chris Tiu is this team’s best player. I still feel that this team, the plays and the whole system, is being centered around, with all due respect, MVP’s favorite pitchman—who despite his big heart, cannot even be considered as a future PBA starter (too slow to run the point, too short to play SG against the pro’s best).

Conspiracy theories aside, SG needs to play with more fire and less fear of making mistakes. We all know that Mercado is a ball-hogging volume scorer who tries his best to orchestrate (when his true calling is that of a Nelson Asaytono heir), so let him be. Kelly Williams needs to run, Tiu is the de facto spot-up shooter while Slaughter and Taulava need to learn to bang in the post. Casio is a solid back-up point guard, but not against tall, quick players. Perhaps they could try playing Mercado and Tiu together more, with Mercado orchestrating and creating, while Tiu serves as his kick-out option.

Or perhaps, the best solution now that there’s an actual program to build on, is to retool and get BETTER players.

Life at the top

(A fan's view of why the PBA is currently a three-team race)

San Miguel Beermen (7-2)

Living up to their superstar billing, the San Miguel Beermen have found ways to win despite a shaky rotation that has point guard Alex Cabagnot starting and playing crunch time minutes on some nights, and Denok Miranda on others. Consistent MVP candidate Arwind Santos is at it again with averages of 18ppg and 9rpg, Dondon Hontiveros with 15 and 4, and Jay Washington with 14 and 9. If anything, the Beermen thrive on an uptempo game that utilizes the strengths of Cabagnot, Santos and Washington while they are often perplexed against disciplined (read: slow), half-court type of offenses (read: Alaska) or against teams with established back-to-the-basket type of players.

Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters (6-2)

For all the love thrown Joe DeVance’s way (the guy’s averaging close to 20 and 9), Jimmy Alapag is and should be the clear cut Best Player of the Conference-race leader. Ignoring all the crazy stat-filling freaks in the league (DeVance, Williams, Santos and Washington) and the high scoring Gary David, Alapag has done what few have believed he could (still) do—lead his team to the top of the standings despite losing key teammate Macmac Cardona in the offseason. Granted, TNT is a “loaded” team, but they are starting to look more blue collar-ish by the day with Kelly Williams averaging 13 and 9, and Harvey Carey 12 and 10. Having watched some of their games, other than the brotherly beatdown on Meralco, TNT has relied more on out-gunning their opponents rather than making stops—this, despite having aces like Carey, Williams and Ryan Reyes on the roster. Look for Rich Alvarez to get more minutes now that Williams has been loaned to Smart Gilas for the Asiad.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (6-2)

The team with the most number of superstar/established guards looks like they’ve finally found some chemistry, winning five straight after a so-so 1-2 start. Willie Miller is starting at the SG with National teammate Jayjay Helterbrand, while Mark Caguioa is back in his old role as sparkplug off the bench. Jong Uichico starts with Helterbrand and Miller, then goes to the old “Fast and Furious” combo of Helterbrand and Caguioa, and later shifts to a more “disciplined” (thanks to their Alaska triangle system background) pair of Miller and Mike Cortez. The Gin Kings have also opted to abandon their inside-out game to further highlight their strengths while relegating bigs Eric Menk, Rico Villanueva, Rudy Hatfield and Billy Mamaril as their enforcers/ rebounders (which actually works as shown by their 6-2 slate). Of the 3 teams, it’s actually Ginebra that has shown traces of championship-caliber defense, loading up on the opposing team’s guards and forcing steals on the perimeter. Now that balance has been achieved on the offensive end, the only thing standing in the Gin Kings’ way is the possibility of injuries—something that most of their star players (Helterbrand, Caguioa, Menk, Tubid, Hatfield, Cortez, Intal) have long histories of.

We are all witnesses

Not to the growing greatness of Cleveland turncoat LeBron James, but of our very own General Santos-native and Saranggani representative Manny Pacquiao who is minutes (depending on the outcome of the recent locker room spat between his party and Margarito re: the Mexican's goatee and Pacquiao's handwraps-- of all things!) away from trying to capture his 8th World title in as many divisions.

I wasn't able to catch Pacquiao's early fights, only the ones that were shown on the now defunct VTV- Vintage Network aired on IBC 13. Back then, Pacquiao looked like your everyday karpintero, straight out of the provinces and just looking to earn a big paycheck. He won a title, only to lose it to one of the many 3k Batteries in Thailand (he was stripped for being unable to make weight, and lost the fight being dehydrated and clearly dejected of it all).

There was even a time wherein he was featured in ABS-CBN's Sports Unlimited show, jogging alongside then PBA newcomer, a very young, beach-blonde-dyed Asi Taulava. No one expected Pacquiao to make it this big, even when he first broke into the US boxing scene under that insane, crooked tooth promoter whose name escapes me and isn't worth mentioning at all.

Everything changed once Pacquiao hooked up with Top Rank's Bob Arum, and trainer Freddie Roach. Arum took care of the negotiating with big named Mexican fighters, while Roach took on Pacquiao's rugged, FPJ-style and developed him (which wasn't easy) into a two-handed fighter.

There were losses (Morales) and draws (Marquez), but Pacquiao remained unfazed and his camp kept on building on his image as an electric southpaw from the Philippines. An Energizer bunny who just keeps on throwing punches left and right, while, like Jordan in his early days, would pivot left and right to dodge his opponents.

How long before Pacquiao calls it quits? Maybe not that long.

He's been boxing for 15 years and has now more earnings than any Filipino presumably not named Tan, Araneta, Ayala, Sy or whichever traditional mogul is out there. He was able to secure a seat in congress where he has shown competent and devoted enough (to go through a crash course with some of the industry's best) regardless of the people he is constantly affiliated with.

So if this is the second or third to the last fight of the greatest Filipino boxer ever (yes, I'll even include the Great Flash Elorde in that discussion), then I was very happy to have been here to see it. Win, lose or draw, if he suddenly runs for the Presidency and ruins this country, I'd still die a happy boxing fan.

Wilmer Ong 2010: Jondan Salvador

I've been a fan of Salvador's since his PBL days where he didn't only outmuscle (or fat) opposing bigs but also used polished skills in the paint to score and grab rebounds. If he were only taller, he would've been what Rico Villanueva once was (sad really) when the ex-Ateneo MVP entered the professional ranks. Sadly, being undersized, injured and playing the same position with teammate Kerby Raymundo (who was on his prime at the time) earned Salvador a spot on the bench.

This year, Gallent has his eyes locked on Salvador as a starter-- with the absence of Raymundo and center Raffi Reavis and the beefy power forward has delivered in close to 27 minutes a game average 7.38 ppg and 8.38 rpg which isn't at all bad considering the league's guard-oriented style of playing.

True enough, Salvador has more than held his own against the taller (ALA's Sonny Thoss and Joe DeVance, MB's Asi Taulava and Marlou Aquino) PBA bigs and even the more versatile ones (TNT's Kelly Williams, SMB's Jay Washington).

But what's really bothersome is Salvador's new-found, bruising style wherein his elbows have become a legit, killing tool on the hardcourt. Okay, that was stretching it a bit, but it's quite clear that he's throwing his weight (and elbows) around a lot more than before and him averaging close to 4 fouls per game (which is a lot considering the fact that he plays only 27 mpg).

Hopefully, Salvador will polish his act while continuing to hold the fort for the revamped/limping Llamados squad until Raymundo and Reavis returns to form.

PJ Simon steals spotlight from James Yap (on the basketball court anyway)

Is James Yap really the best player in the PBA, let alone on his own team, or is he just a solid player spoiled by the showbiz media?

Whenever it comes to the discussion of just how good a basketball Yap is, I've always been on the "hater-ish" side of things simply because I remain unimpressed with the Negros Occidental native. I've seen enough of him in the UAAP to know that he plays good basketball and has good range, but also know that he literally cramps out in the 4th quarter of crucial games.

Also, I would rank Yap a couple of shooters behind the top 2 of the last ten years-- Ren Ren Ritualo and Paolo Mendoza.

Most of Yap's shots are highlight-reel worthy, from shooting threes over his own teammate who set him a solid pick (usually over Canaleta) to nice (and quite rare) dribble drive spin moves. But when it all comes down to it, Yap never comes to me as someone who'd shoot your face off or someone who has that tenacity we Filipinos love in our basketball players (Caguioa, Alapag, Cardona). True enough, Yap is almost on the same pedestal as the aloof Willie Miller as far as attitude towards the game is concerned.

In Yap's first MVP-run, I'd say that Kerby Raymundo was robbed of a one-time MVP award (he hasn't played great since). That season, Raymundo did everything people expected him to do when he entered the league with Yeng Guiao's surprising Red Bull squad. He lived up to his potential-- grabbed rebounds, played defense, developed a nice post-up and mid-range game and so on. But it was Yap who took home the MVP award for some reason-- a feat that was questioned by some, if not most, circles.

Then came last year's MVP award. Joe DeVance posted on Twitter something about how he averaged numbers that mirror Yap's, but knew that he wouldn't even be considered for the annual citation. I checked the stats, and indeed, there were around 5 players who could've been the season MVP easily-- with Kelly Williams and Arwind Santos being two of the shoe-ins, and maybe Jay Washington.

How Yap was adjudged MVP is beyond me quite frankly. And for all the Purefoods/Derby Ace fans who say otherwise, I'm putting my money on Ryan Gregorio simply choosing to call plays for an individual rather than to highlight his team's many strengths on the hardcourt (the same way he's trying to make a megastar our of Macmac Cardona). At this rate, I wouldn't even call Yap clutch and would name about five other shooting guards I'd take over him for a championship, all-or-nothing game (Caguioa, Yeo, Mercado, Cardona and David).

That being said, I'm quite happy to see that new Derby Ace coach George Gallent has shown a liking to one PJ Simon. An original second round pick by Santa Lucia earlier in the decade, Simon has carved out a role for himself as DA's second unit's gunslinger. Someone to bring in the points on a barrage of cuts, curls and jumpers.

What I like about Simon and cannot be said about Yap is the former's fearlessness-- a trait that is an unwritten prerequisite for wannabe superstars or "Jordans." That's why we don't appreciate the Joe Johnsons, we want the Dwyane Wades and Kobe Bryants. That's why Jeff Cariaso went into retirement not being the face of the league despite being one of the earlier skilled Fil-Ams. Because we want big-time, clutch performers. Yap would have his moments from time to time, but you could almost feel that he's just going through the motions from the first to third quarters.

Case in point, when was the last time you felt (for an opposing team's fan) that "Yap was killing your team?" The same way a focused Willie Miller, or a healthy Mark Caguioa would?

This season, Simon's average a bump in minutes and is scoring at a higher clip than Yap (17.5 to 14.88). It should also be noted that he is doing it at a more efficient rate, averaging 1.12 TOPG in 30 minutes as compared to Yap's 1.88 in 34.

But beyond all the statistics, there's also a difference in how both players have approached this season's "no harm, no foul" rules. Yap has often "settled" for jumpers and deep threes, while Simon continues to drive and create contact. Blame it on Simon wanting to prove himself to Gallent, Yap's "nose injury"  which is in no way, shape or form even basketball related (it's not like he broke his nose otherwise it would've been all over the news as always by now), or Coach Gallent wanting to make the most out of the other 14 players at his disposal-- but one thing's for real, and that's PJ Simon's can play.

The Blueprint: How to beat the Heat

This article should/could also be known as a long-time basketball junkie’s guide on how three teams have beaten the Miami Heat so far.

Solid point playThe Heat have shown time and again that their defense is anchored not on a solid big man but on the rotating, aggressive defenses of their perimeter guys namely LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. In the games that they have won, the Heat did it by forcing opponents into a slew of turnovers which resulted in fastbreak opportunities. In their three losses, they were unable to break into transition—the losses being against New Orleans, Boston and Utah.

In case you missed it, all three losses came at the hands of teams with great discipline/ top-tier point guards (NO – Chris Paul, Boston – Rajon Rondo, Utah – Deron Williams). It’s as simple as opposing teams not panicking whenever James or Wade suddenly decides to pressure the ball handler and freelance on defense. Paul, Rondo and Williams were all able to keep their wits and find the open man (usually their frontline guys) or, if anything, hold onto the ball long enough to create a shot for themselves.

Big man woesThis is where Chris Bosh weaknesses are being highlighted for all to see. For all the reports of Bosh being “Miami’s answer to Pau Gasol,” people tend to forget one simple fact: Gasol led the Memphis Grizzlies into the playoffs with Mike Miller as his best teammate in a crowded Western Conference (with Tim, KG, Kobe and Dirk all in their primes). Bosh couldn’t even get out of the first round against the (L)Eastern Conference despite having solid, Euro-star teammates.

Bosh has been so bad, that not only is he taking more than 15 shots a game and making only 4 or 5, but is also grabbing a dismal amount of rebounds (he has yet to crack at least 12 rebounds in back to back games). People made so much out of Bosh’ recent off-court talks with James, but maybe someone should tell him that this team doesn’t really need him to score, but to be the anchor on defense much like Kevin Garnett is for the Celtics.

At present, Canadian shotblocker Joel Anthony is the token defensive anchor—an undersized, slow footed big who fights and scraps on defense, but is a lock to fumble the ball on offense. If Bosh were to be more assertive and aggressive in the paint, then the Miami Heat would almost certainly be a much  more versatile and well-rounded, championship caliber team.

Isolation OffenseOkay, Eric Spoelstra has been spoiled since he took over from Heat team president Pat Riley on the offensive end. While his defensive preachings mirror that of his mentor, Spoelstra remains a few notches lower than ex-Riley prodigee and Florida rival Stan Van Gundy as far as opening the offensive playbook is concerned.

Giving credit where it’s due, Spoelstra has learned how to properly rotate his men (by always having one of the “Big Three” on the floor at all times—either James with the second unit, or Wade and Bosh together).

But on offense, James might as well have ex-Cavaliers coach Mike Brown back on his side.

The pick and roll that everyone’s been fantasizing about with any pair of Bosh, Wade and James hasn’t been fully utilized, even Wade’s patented PNR play with Udonis Haslem has almost been forgotten. The only reason the Heat are scoring as much as they can is by the sheer greatness of both Wade and James, and nothing more.

Right now, I wouldn’t put all my money on the Heat to dislodge the Lakers or even the Celtics to win the title. They’re a notch higher than Orlando, but still not on the same plateau as the league’s top two teams/ storied rivals.

Thiele hits the big time

As a footnote on Nelson Beltran’s report on last night’s PBA games, Barako Bulls’ rookie gem Hans Thiele is reportedly on his way to Meralco for beefy-yet-undersized forward Dennis Daa. Why the Bulls allowed such a trade is beyond me, since he’s the only guy on the roster who looks interested in competing night in and night out. Sucks to be Sunday Salvacion right now really, he finally gets to be “the man” only to find out he’s losing whatever passes of as “solid teammates” left and right.

Here are the numbers with an obvious advantage going Thiele’s way in terms of minutes:

Dennis Daa
16.80 mpg 3.60 ppg 2.20 rpg 0.20 bpg 0.20 topg 1 fpg

Hans Thiele
28.17 mpg 7.67ppg 8.83 rpg 0.67 bpg 0.67 topg 2.17 fpg

But from what I’ve seen of the two, Daa is a better player on the offensive end, while Thiele gets-around with his relentless hustle and athleticism. If this were the PBL, Daa would’ve been a clear-cut MVP frontrunner while Thiele would be another center. But since this is the pros where the onus is placed on players with size and speed, then it’s easy to see why Thiele is seen as a “better” prospect.

On defense, Thiele uses his natural gifts to the hilt much like a Marc Pingris or Bitoy Omolon, which can’t be said about Daa. At best, Daa is a bruiser, but only against shorter players. He often finds himself on the wrong side of a mismatch against the league’s top forwards.

If anything, this scenario works for both players. Daa can easily jump in and take Chad Alonzo’s spot as starter Mark Isip’s sub, while Thiele could be the anti-Gabby Espinas (a guy who has all the gifts, but doesn’t seem to put his mind into the game 100%). Espinas is a better all-around player and does his best work at PF, but Thiele’s energy on the boards and defense would best suit Meralco’s aging frontline.

Why Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio refuses to go with Beau Belga at the 5, a position he played in college as a perfect complement to Gabby Espinas, is still beyond me. It’s not like other teams have 6”9 centers now. Plus, Belga has proven time and again that height isn’t everything in the paint (just ask Japeth Aguilar—remember him?)

London DREAMS is falling down, falling down, falling down

In a recent article by veteran scribe Quinito Henson, he quoted the neo-godfather of Philippine basketball Manny V. Pangilinan as saying that “If we don’t make it to London, life goes on”—referring of course to the MVP-sponsored Smart Gilas basketball program headed by one-time FIBA champ, Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

The honesty was well appreciated, and no one is really counting on the current selection of players to qualify for the FIBA Worlds. Not when your most bankable player is an undersized, slow-footed shooting guard who, to his credit, plays with everything he has, but is a lock to be bullied by other shooting guards from foreign countries (r: Chris Tiu).

It also doesn’t help when the program aims not to develop its local bigs and have all but ceded to getting imports to speed things up. It’s been two or three years now, and Greg Slaughter is still toiling in the bench (maybe a year under Ateneo and Norman Black would polish him up), Japeth Aguilar is all but an asterisk in PBA draft history, and Jason Ballesteros is not even worth Rico Maierhofer’s jockstrap at this point.

Perhaps Team MVP has a plan somewhere (like” acquiring a 3rd PBA franchise and name it the Maynilad Aquanauts” as hinted on/ reported by Beth Celis via Meralco team manager Ricky Vargas) and is looking to get more players. At the moment, if MVP really wanted to form a competitive team for international competition, he could draw players from his PBA teams and friends.

Yes, it would undoubtedly hurt his mini-game of one-upmanship with the Cojuangco’s San Miguel franchise, but in the name of everything patriotic, it would be the most logical thing to do.

Think about it, an MVP super-team (MVP’s Talk N Text and Meralco plus their usual trade conduits: Air21, Barako Bull, Powerade and Rain or Shine) for 2012 would have (in 1st 5/2nd 5/ 3rd 5 order):

PG Ryan Reyes/ Jason Castro/ Chris Ross
SG Mac Cardona/ Sol Mercado
SF Kelly Williams/ Gabe Norwood/ Jared Dillinger
PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Harvey Carey/ Beau Belga
C Import/ Greg Slaughter/ Rob Reyes/

Of the five positions, we’re only weak at the SG slot with scorers instead of shooters (Ritualo would be a bit too old by then) and the C wherein we could always get an import or two. Asi Taulava would be out of the mix since he’d be in his 40s by then and would be unreliable given the rigorous training and schedule of the PBA and international tourneys. Jimmy Alapag would also be by his late 30s by then. If Alaska will lend say, Sonny Thoss and Joe DeVance, then that would surely help. Tenorio’s too slow-footed laterally to be effective in the FIBA tourney where he can’t simply outrun opponents.

Back to the topic in hand, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here, and just hope that we catch a good break OR discover a Filipino Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan out in the South or even abroad.  For now, as long as the Smart Gilas team represents our country well and fights night in and night out, I’ll be good.

But if you see them bowing their heads and trying to impress scouts, then the team should be disbanded right away and our "national" sport be switched to billiards.

Introducing… Mr. Gary David

Okay, so I’ve admittedly drawn blanks as far as my last two or three titles are concerned but let’s swiftly transition away from that and onto the topic at hand—Gary David’s current tear and how he is making a case for being the number 1 SG in all of Philippine basketball.

Last season, David blossomed into a primetime offensive threat both under Burger King and later with Coca Cola/ Powerade. His 18.15 ppg with a shooting percentage of 45.2% is arguably the best around for a guy who dominates his team’s offense.

This year, with Powerade head coach Bo Perasol leaning towards a faster pace, David is at it again with 22.6 ppg on a very efficient 47.9% clip. I’m pretty sure that those numbers alone should have David in the discussion for one of the best, if not the current best, SGs out there.

Derby Ace’s James Yap is showing signs of not wanting any part of the more physical brand of play, settling for long jumpers and driving inside only  against teams with “soft” inside defenders, Mark Caguioa is stuck trying to outshine teammate and fellow gunner Willie Miller at Ginebra and Meralco’s Macmac Cardona is getting his points on so many field gold attempts he’d make Allen Iverson circa 2001 jealous.

So why is David not getting any love?

For one, David is as straight forward as they come. Nothing too flashy, just enough to give the crowd a few cheers here and there, but still crazy efficient. If anything, I’d say that David’s “flashiest” go-to move is his reverse lay-up. That’s it.

And perhaps the biggest reason why he’s not in the Yap-Hontiveros-Caguioa-Miller conversation is that he’s been traded back and forth that people are starting to take him for granted. Is he one-dimensional? Perhaps, but so are Yap and Miller. The fact that Cyrus Baguio is more popular or considered a better basketball player is beyond me—so I guess it’s pretty safe to assume that it’s all marketing then (which depends on one’s looks and who they know in the business). That being said, I hope that David’s run continues and that he takes his rightful place in the league’s upper echelon of star guards.

The HEAT is on (and other NBA opening week tidbits)

As of this writing, the superstar troika of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh area leading the Miami Heat to a 20-piecing of their inter-state rivals, Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

This comes as a surprise since Orlando is coming off another perfect preseason and a dominating win over the hapless Washington Wizards. Not that I expected them to lose to the newly-formed Heat, but definitely not by 20 plus points—not with Howard and co. reportedly being more “focuse” than years past.

Okay, wait, Howard did 10 push-ups by the bench DURING their first game because he missed 10 free throws (as a sort of “self-punishment”)—so maybe they’re still not THAT serious after all.

Back to the Heat, who are well on their way to a 2-1 slate, and how this team has finally gotten some sort of on-court chemistry as far as who is “the man” is on offense, who is the shot-caller (definitely not their point guards) and who are the role players.

In their opening day loss, LeBron James banged in 31 points while everyone else looked lost on the floor. even Wade, who is coming off a hamstring injury, was pretty lethargic and putting up ugly bricks here and there. At times, the offense was either stagnant or predictable, with either James or Wade waiting/ watching each other on who wants to make the first move on offense.

Against the young Philadelphia 76ers, the lines were clearly set. James is the point guard who controls the offense, Wade is the designated scorer. In today’s game, it was pretty much more of the same thing, with James “settling” for a “modest” 15-6-7 line, and Wade doing the damage with 26. It should be noted that Chris Bosh has yet to live up to expectations, looking very soft (softer than the much –maligned Dirk Nowitzki even) and opting to be a bystander on offense. Granted, he attracts double teams every now and then in the paint, but the game is clearly controlled by either James or Wade, with Bosh as a 3^rd option.

So the question now is, is this set-up enough for the Heat to make the Finals?

Not quite. I still believe that either they force James to play PG and bring in Wade and James Jones/ Mike Miller at the same time, or Mario Chalmers learns how to shoot/ gets traded for a PG who can shoot.

Also, there’s a big hole in the paint. Joel Anthony is a workhorse who rebounds the ball like crazy, but he’ll be: 1) over skilled by Bogut/ Duncan/ Gasol/ Kaman, 2) overpowered by Bynum/ Shaq/ Howard or 3) be forced to try and keep up with Garnett/ Stoudemire.

You can throw the dreams of burying the Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 record out, 60-65 is a more realistic tally for this team. Championship? Perhaps, but if the Celtics can avoid any injuries, then I’m going with the old farts in Boston while giving this team another year to work out.

Also,

• Chris Paul has lead the New Orleans to a nice 2-0 slate despite having a so-so supporting cast.
• In other news, Deron Williams is in a slump. Two losses for the Utah Jazz, two bad games with no one to pass the ball to (who can convert).
• Carmelo Anthony is leading the way for the Denver Nuggets, but the biggest surprises are the offense by Arron Afflalo and the rebounding of "The Landlord" Shelden Williams a.k.a. Mr. Candace Parker.
• Andrew Bogut is healthy, 15 points and 15 boards in his first game after that ugly wrist and arm injury from last season.
• Rajon Rondo's 24 assists is flat out awesome. And don't forget that he also scored 10 and grabbed 10 boards too.
• Allen Iverson is going to play in Turkey. *sigh*

Bench Press v2.2

What we’ve learned so far:

• Stars are born – Harvey Carey’s posting the soldier-ish double- double numbers expected of Kelly Williams for Talk ‘n’ Text, Gary David is the league’s number one offensive machine regardless of the physical defense and Sunday Salvacion has always been a solid scorer. Oh, and Ronjay Buenafe is starting to live up to his star guard potential more consistently.
• Mac Cardona needs a solid point guard who can give him the ball or who can shoot to take some of the pressure away to be truly effective on offense (Mike Cortez in DLSU, Jimmy Alapag in TNT).
• Tim Cone is “breaking in” Samigue Eman—the 6”9 banger is averaging 2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14 minutes per game which isn’t bad considering that he’s not in there to score but to provide an inside presence.
• Mark Caguioa looks to be in good shape (this is the thinnest I’ve seen him since his rookie year, it shows on his bicep cuts), and is out to reclaim his “number 1 SG in the league” title away from James Yap and teammate Willie Miller.
• Wesley Gonzales needs to drop the lousy hairband/strap and just ball—he recently earned a starting SF job with Air21, hopefully he keeps his focus this time instead of playing for the fans.
• Asi Taulava can’t score in the paint with a pencil, and Marlou Aquino can’t guard with a broom. Someone should tell Ryan Gregorio that his best line-up would be Ross (only because Escobal shouldn’t even be in the PBA at this point, and Weinstein hasn’t adjusted yet), Cardona, Omolon, Espinas and Belga.

• Rudy Hatfield grabbed a monstrous 22 boards in Ginebra’s last outing. Maybe Jong Uichico now realizes that the H-Bomb is no longer the fleet-footed all around small forward of yesteryears and is now a full-time banger and mop-up gay in the paint.
• James Yap still has the most stylish three point shot in the league, but save for a couple of nice in-game moves here and there, is being outplayed and out-hearted by teammates PJ Simon and Roger Yap.
• Mico Halili needs to see a “man’s man” shrink and re-think this whole “The Elongated One” monicker for Rico Maierhofer. “The Kite” seems adequate enough. Get it? No? Moving on…
• Nonoy Baclao’s still a defensive presence, but if the season ended today and the league gives him the Rookie of the Year award over teammate and 2nd draft pick Rabeh Al Husaini who is averaging a double-double, then that would be a crime.
• Sol Mercado still over handles, but is making better decisions with the ball this year compared to last year. He is still a streaky shooter, but now looks for open teammates and doesn’t force things as much.
• Joe de Vance is Alaska's go-to-guy. Their only loss came when JDV was held to 13 points, and Baguio dominated with 27 against Air21. Oh, Baclao was guarding JDV in that game so...
• Patricia Hizon, as good as she is, shouldn’t be a PBA commentator. Yes I’m sexist. But this is men’s basketball. I just find it difficult to relate to her that’s all. If this were women’s volley or basketball or any female sport in general, I’d root for PH. But here? Nah. Give me Richard del Rosario anytime (can’t believe I just said that). Jason Webb and that other Trillo should also go. I miss the “kumpare” analysts of yesteryears—Anthony Suntay, Chino Trinidad and yes, Noli “and nobody does it better” Eala.

Best Point Guard: Alapag or Tenorio?

It saddens me that the PBA or whatever local sports show out there (even the showbiz-styled reporting of one Quinito Henson) continues to fail in highlighting small rivalries. If the league only had enough creativity to think out of the box (they hit rock bottom in trying to lure basketball fans with “Mr. Pogi” tarpaulins all over EDSA) and rekindle the “I-miss mo!” promotional campaigns of yesteryears, then I’m pretty sure that the PBA will enjoy a continued growth in fanbase—young or old.

Noli Eala, for all his shortcomings, scratched the surface when he revived the “King of the Hardcourt” one on one tournament years ago. Sadly, the players we wanted to see didn’t give it their all (no way Kerby Raymundo would beat Asi Taulava one on one, or Chris Calaguio over Mark Caguioa had those guys chosen to bring their A games).

That being said, it would be nice if someone could come up with “rivalries” or “best player today” arguments that could and definitely would help spice up the league and games. It all comes down to a simple fact that we Filipinos can’t deny (some do, but only because they’re hypocrites): we love drama.  So until someone comes up with hearty topics/articles that add to the game, this writer will make it his personal mission to bring out “VS” entries, starting with the game’s most important position: POINT GUARD.

Jimmy Alapag (Talk N Text)

Philippine Cup 2010-11 averages (in 3 games):

mpg 27.0, ppg 12.0, apg 5.33, spg 0.67, rpg 2.33, topg 2.0

Alapag continues to be the barometer for point guards: can control tempo, shoot from deep, penetrate, protect the basketball and command respect from his teammates and peers. Despite Talk N Text's powerhouse rotation, Alapag continues to be the one constant for head coach Chot Reyes.  In case anyone’s wondering if Alapag’s non-selection in last year’s RP team coached by Yeng Guiao has anything to do with age—it doesn’t. Guiao’s just wired stupidly that way from time to time. There hasn’t been a point guard in the last five years who has played at such a high level as Alapag, knowing when to takeover, and when to let his teammates shine. To his credit, Alapag has gone from a speedster to a complete player with a deadly stop and pop shot all the way from the three point line. If Alapag has one weakness, it would be his temper, but then again, whenever he gets angry, he drills in three after three after three (ask Arwind Santos).

L.A. Tenorio (Alaska Aces)

Philippine Cup 2010-11 averages (in 3 games):

mpg 37.67, ppg 13.67, apg 2.67, spg 1.67, rpg 1.33, topg 2.67

Is Tenorio really THAT good to draw comparisons with Alaska legend and PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Abarrientos? In three games, Tenorio has scored the ball better than Alapag but has also shown a knack for turning the ball over. The assists are down simply because he plays in the dreaded Triangle Offense—which is every SKILLED point guard’s worst nightmare (ask Gary Payton) and a role player’s dream. I’d say that Tenorio’s showing flashes of brilliance, but Abarrientos he is not. Tenorio plays more like Ronnie Magsanoc, smart with the basketball, delivers crisp passes, and picks his spots on the floor—all in a very controlled manner (which basically rules out any Tenorio-Racela comparisons). The biggest tell-tale sign here is Tenorio’s inability to get in and out of traffic in the halfcourt set where players are forced to move laterally. From point A to point B, Tenorio’s one of the best out there, but when you ask him to shuffle his feet and run in a tight, zigzag pattern, Tenorio is almost sure to turn the ball over by slowing down enough for his defenders to catch him.

The verdict:

Right now, I’d rank Alapag at one and Tenorio at a far two, skills-wise.

Can’t fly without wings

At the turn of the decade, the Philippine Basketball Association has been dominated mostly by either great guards (Caguioa, Helterbrand, Alapag) or Asi Taulava (read: center). But not to be left out are the small forwards who are looking more and more to be the future of the local hoops industry (think UST Tigers circa 2006 when they would play a platoon of interchangeable small forwards on their way to a championship).

So what makes for a good small forward? Traditionally, a small forward does what a tight end does for football—a little of everything. A great example of a “dream” small forward would be LeBron James, but then again, he dominates the ball so much and draws/demands so much attention he’s better labeled as a “diva point forward.” Most SFs are “specialists” either on defense and or offense, or someone who can do both—the best example of which is Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.

Back in the day, 6”7 small forwards would’ve been ridiculed (since, because of our problems with height, they would best serve as centers and would be scorned by purists who hate seeing tall men shooting threes). But now, thanks to interracial relationships, we have a nice crop of 6”5 and above wings with the Pterodactyl wingspan, speed and athleticism that almost mirrors our American basketball heroes.

Arwind Santos (San Miguel)

Arguably the best small forward in the league today. Santos is a hellacious defender—be it in the post or at the perimeter despite his reed thin frame. Also, Santos is able to put the ball on the floor when needed, and scores in a variety of ways and knows when to use the glass. If anything, Santos is a player who has the basketball IQ to match his athletic frame.

Kelly Williams (Talk N Text)

A workhorse on both ends, Williams is best suited as a non-option on a winning team. He can’t dribble through traffic (too high), his jumpers are flat (doesn’t have much of an arc) and doesn’t have a go to move outside of dunking the ball—hard. But what makes him undeniably good is his consistency. Whenever you have a guy who plays hard on both ends and puts up big numbers without plays being called for him, then you definitely have a keeper.

Jay Washington (San Miguel)

Finally J-Wash came to play. When he was in the PBL, he was flat out killing the competition. When he was drafted by Air21 and traded outright to Talk N Text, he looked lost and didn’t know if he wanted to play at the perimeter or stay in the post. With San Miguel, his role is a bit more defined—crash the offensive glass and score in the paint. He has all the tools but lacks a mean streak—or consistency. One day he’ll look like the Pinoy LeBron James, then some bearded clown the next.

Gabe Norwood (Rain or Shine)

Norwood is a point guard with no jumper. At all. He relies heavily on his athleticism and height advantage. To his credit, he has great handles and speed for a big. Only problem I see is, he could be more than what he is right now if he worked on his shooting, added some more weight and played/be committed to being a small forward full time.

Jarred Dillinger (Talk N Text)

The most accomplished offensive-minded small forward of the crop is TNT’s “Daredevil,” bar none. Whether it’s slicing to the basket on kamikaze drives that would make Joseph Yeo miss his old “20lbs. lighter” self or dropping long threes, the left-handed Fil-Am is a sure bet to rack up points (if/when given the freedom to do so). Dillinger’s strength is his great ball handling skills and composure that allows him to penetrate into crowded lanes, go up strong and deliver a beautiful reverse lay-up or jackknife in what would appear to be a fraction of a second on television.

Ronald Tubid (Ginebra)

A flashy player who is the true heart and soul of Ginebra (the masses can’t or won’t relate to Caguioa, Helterbrand, Hatfield and Menk in real life anyway), Tubid is an excellent wing player having played the 3 spot alongside star buddy James Yap back in UE.  When focused, Tubid is also one of the league’s top perimeter player and can guard anyone from Powerade’s Gary David to Derby Ace’s Yap. Unfortunately, he has a tendency to be a douchebag on the court and roams on offense and defense against subpar teams.

Bitoy Omolon (Meralco)

It took the life out of ex-Santa Lucia players Kenneth Duremdes, Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino and ex-coaches Norman Black and Alfrancis Chua to unearth the talent flowing in Omolon’s veins. Had Omolon been able to play at this level during the RP Centennial Team’s triumvirate’s run in 2001, that would’ve been a flat our dominant team. Alas, Omolon had to speed his game up (he played power forward in college and was more garbage man than go-to-guy) and learn how to operate in the post. When the Realtors brought in Williams and slided him at the 4, this allowed Omolon to have a solid hold of the SF spot and be the team’s designate stopper. He can bury threes and knows how to operate in the shaded lane, but his real bread and butter comes at the defensive end where you can ask him to guard anyone from PG to PF.

Tony dela Cruz (Alaska)

Another small forward “specialist,” dela Cruz brings hustle on defense and consistency on draining jumpers, being teammate L.A. Tenorio’s first/second (depends on Joe DeVance’s rhythm really) kick-out option.

If this writer was asked to rank the top 3 small forwards in the league today, I’d go with 1) Santos (SMB) 2) Williams and 3) Dillinger—based on their overall consistency and if their style of play helps/hurts their teams. Washington needs to play with more consistency and heart, while Norwood needs to sharpen his skills and not rely heavily on athleticism (which Williams does, yes, but 10x better and more consistently).

Bench Press v2.1

New http address, new bullets list. Since this writer wasn’t able to carefully scrutinize last week’s games in full, we’ll just have to go through ‘em all, one by one, bullet per bullet.

PBA

• The low scoring can be attributed to two things: 1) less free throws and 2) guards can’t slice and dice into the lane like they used to for easy points (and, again, free throws).
• Sunday Salvacion is back to his Blazers-MVP days with Barako Bull where I always felt like he would blossom into a legit PBA star. I’ve always seen him as a better player than James Yap during their collegiate careers, only, Salvacion didn’t have the Mother Lily backing.
• Rabeh Al Hussaini is going to win the Rookie of the Year award by a huge margin. Bet on it.
• Alaska is winning on offensive fluidity while Talk N Text is winning on good, defense-oriented basketball (oh, and having a superstar line-up helps too).
• Ryan Gregorio can’t coach. That, or he sees something in the slow-footed Pong Escobal that no one else does. Pong can’t shoot, is too slow to guard a broom and hesitates.
• Chris Ross is over-rated. I’d take the defense-less Alex Cabagnot over him in a heartbeat. Oh, and whatever happened to Chris Timberlake? I thought they were the local version (of the PBL’s anyway) of Chris Paul and Deron Williams?
• Marvin Cruz is a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body. He will never blossom in the PBA unless Tim Cone and Wilfred Uytengsu smoke the bad stuff, trade Tenorio to one of the SMC/ MVP teams, and get Cruz at a discount.

NCAA

• Congrats to the San Beda Red Lions for winning yet another title, with yet another dominant import. Not to take anything away from the 18-0 season sweep, but put Sam Ekwe or Sudan Daniel on College of St. Benilde roster, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be in the Finals.
• Calvin Abueva was robbed of another Most Valuable Player award. This is a disgrace. Daniels should be given “Best Import” or something. Stop robbing our local players who work hard night in and night out with what limited talents (or height and natural athleticism) they have.

NBA

• LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh won’t steamroll through the opposition with the weakness lying at the center spot. The Lakers have Gasol and Bynum, the Celtics have the O’Neals, Garnett, Davis and Perkins, and Orlando has the human jumping jack Dwight Howard. Unless Chris Bosh starts grabbing rebounds like crazy (which he hasn’t in the preseason), then no. Not this year. Or at the very least, not with the current frontline rotation.
• Derrick Rose is an over-rated, over-dribbling shooting guard masquerading as a point. His jumper is broken, and no, Carlos Boozer will not fit in with this team simply because Boozer fades in the playoffs.
• Kobe Bryant isn’t 100% and that could spell an end to the Lakers’ three-peat hopes.
• Kevin Durant can score, can run and dribble, but is not a better overall basketball talent than LeBron James. At best, he is what we all thought Carmelo Anthony should be (the next Tracy McGrady, but with more heart/ enthusiasm). Stop drinking the Kool-Aid.