Take the lead

Cool Cat has always
been clutch in big games

Now that star Mark Caguioa is out of the playoff picture thanks to an ugly facial bone injury, all eyes are on whoever is going to carry the cudgels for the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings as they face sister team BMeg Llamados in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Semifinals.

Fortunately for the Kings, they were able to “solve” that problem with the acquisition of versatile big man Kerby Raymundo (through a trade with BMeg) and the replacement of 7”0 rebounder Chris Alexander with 6”10 energetic scorer Jackson Vroman. Vroman will now be given free room to get buckets and prove to the Kings’ doubting fans why he is and should be considered as an upgrade and wise move overall by the San Miguel brass.

Raymundo on the other hand will provide the Kings some high post offense, with him looking to prove his value as a player and competitor all throughout the series. He’ll match-up with buddy Marc Pingris and “replacement” Joe DeVance, but JDV is nowhere near Raymundo’s post game while it really depends on BMeg coach Tim Cone how he’ll use Pingris this time around (it amazes me how Cone, two conferences in with BMeg, still doesn’t know how to properly utilize Pingris’ Dennis Rodman-like game—and he’s supposed to be the closest thing Asia has to Phil Jackson/Tex Winter at that!).

Mike Cortez, who is enjoying another run at the upper echelon of PBA point guards, is also going to be asked to deliver more all-around games wherein he scores, dishes and rebounds. Against streaky Josh Urbiztondo and rookie Mark Barroca, look for Cortez to maximize his height and experience advantages to the hilt. The only way BMeg wins in this match-up is if Urbiztondo waxes hot from deep or Barroca goes into attack mode and gets the Cool Cat into foul trouble early.

Ababou's defense on James Yap will prove
why Ginebra traded away one JC Intal

With Caguioa out and JJ Helterbrand still so-so, another scorer who could be called upon to deliver for the Kings is Nino Canaleta. The sideshow slam dunker turned deadeye three-point shooter actually has a win over the Llamados (his former team) just a few days ago on the very same night Caguioa sustained his playoffs-ending injury.

The beauty of it all is that Canaleta has all day to shoot, with Cortez sure to find him like the Cool Cat always does when paired with reliable snipers (with Ren Ren Ritualo at DLSU and Willie Miller at Alaska).

So who takes the lead for the Kings? Who takes the big shots?

Money’s on Helterbrand and Canaleta, with the calls being made by Cortez.

But the real sleeper who’s going to decide the outcome of the series will be rookie Dylan Ababou, who will probably move down again to shooting guard with Caguioa out and Helterbrand not at 100%. Whatever he does on offense will be a big plus for the Ginebra cause. But it’s going to be his grade A defense on James Yap that will make or break the series in Ginebra’s favor.