Return of the King

After Jawo, there's Caguioa for Ginebra

While this entry may indeed be about seven or eight games late, it's high time we recognized the revived efforts of one Mark Caguioa. The Barangay Ginebra Gin King is back at doing what he does best, weeks removed from a facial injury that many believe cost the Gin Kings the semis match-up versus sister team B-Meg Llamados and ultimately, the Commissioner's Cup title.

Though he failed to lift the Gin Kings in tonight's match-up versus the rising Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters, Caguioa came through yet again with a season high 32-point explosion. Though fans have slowly ceded the "Best Scoring Guard in the League" title to Powerade's Gary David, Caguioa remains at the upper echelon of gunslingers-- of all time.

Prior to tonight's explosion, Caguioa has average 16.6 points in a little over 30 minutes a game-- not bad for a guy who couldn't see straight at the end of the Commissioner's Cup and was feared to be lost for the season.

While challengers are fast emerging to take his place, Caguioa's passion and fight remains unquestionable and maybe only the Texters' Jayson Castro has that same tenacity and fire when on the court. David loses focus at times while Willie Miller and Sol Mercado are both inconsistent. Mac Cardona? Yeah, he needs about 30 shots to get 20 points nowadays so no (and this, from a fellow Green Archer).

Right now, the only thing that's keeping Caguioa from leading the Gin Kings to another title run seems to be the faulty coaching of Siot Tangquincen. He's been tuned out by his players, and yet the San Miguel brass still believe that he has control of the team. Hell, we'd go as far to say that the long haired assistant coach Alfrancis Chua, who has more titles under his belt both in the amateurs and pros combined, would instantly make a winner of this line-up.

Back to Caguioa and his rejuvenated approach to the game.

He now has the luxury of having two young and tall guys who play the right way in Dylan Ababou and Allein Maliksi. It's now up to Caguioa how he can use these kids to the hilt to better the team because in essence, that's what great kings do-- take the lead.