Menta-Lee checked out

It's not just Paul Lee.

The super rookie who opened a lot of eyes with his unforgiving, never-before-seen cocky style of play that was nothing short of "controlled relentless" since Mark Caguioa's early years in the PBA.

Kung 6"10 lang si Crews,
halimaw na import to

It's not even Gabe Norwood, who continues to frustrate us all with all his physical gifts that are not being put to use. The thing that irks Rain or Shine fans the most is that, we've seen flashes of that "dominant" Norwood. He can drive, play lockdown defense and even string together a couple of jumpers every now and then.

It's the team as a whole, the personnel on the court and bench, and the decision to ride an undersized import through thick and thin.


In reality, the team's unenviable 1-5 win-loss card is a reflection of their coach and overall philosophy: bull-headed, stick to your guns type of playing style that would rather try to shoot their way back into games rather than regroup and retool.

Duke Crews, the 6"8 import that RoS decided to field in a conference that allows unlimited height for reinforcements, is a hard working beast who is best fitted as a garbage man-type of player. A small forward/ power forward who free lances for putbacks and drop passes. A la Kelly Williams back in Santa Lucia. That's how Crews should and could be utilized properly. Beside a big man-- which RoS simply doesn't have.

My cousin, Jessie, who is a legit 5"11 baller who constantly whoops my ass with MacMac teardrops (which he calls "MacMac-Donald") said that it's okay because Crews makes up for the vertical difference with his jumping ability.

Well, yes. But I quickly countered that a 6"8 athlete will always be second-fiddle to a 7"0 athlete-- much like this afternoon's match-up between Crews and Meralco's Earl Barron who moves like a gazelle on the court. In case you didn't know, Barron was part of the NBA's Miami Heat's title team playing behind Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Michael Doleac. He was the guy who was asked to mimic Dirk Nowitzki during scrimmages and with great success (of course, they handicapped it for Barron to make it harder for the Heat starters-- I read my Miami Herald news thank you very much).

Guiao, who isn't a big fan of change despite being the guy who made WTF-rotations a norm, chose to stick it out not only with Crews but with struggling Lee and Norwood as well.

Jeffrei Chan's breakout shooting last conference was also put to a hold-- but that's because the guy who usually sets him up for kick-out passes, Lee, is on AWOL. He's on the floor, but his head isn't in the game. This afternoon, we saw him rotate the ball side-to-side and none of the standard, attack the rim before kicking it out motions we were treated to last conference.

Is he hurt? Has he finally hit the rookie wall? Or is this a sign that he's ready to go to another team?

Who knows what's going on with Lee at this point. To his credit, he is saying all the right things, but is clearly being passive on the floor. Great move by Guiao to sit him out in favor of TY Tang today.

Perhaps it's time for Guiao to tinker with his rotation a bit and give the ball to guys who actually want to play. Tang, Jireh Ybanez and Larry Rodriguez have been sparingly used this conference so why not give it a shot? It's not like they're going to win their last few assignments in this short single round elims and crash into the Playoffs now.