The Future of the PBA

All eyes on Talk 'n' Text
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

When it comes to building dynasties be it in the real world or in the realm of Philippine basketball, there's always a need for continuity. For someone to start laying the foundations on the way to creating a "Golden Era" which will either face an expected downfall or continue on its path of excellence.

Since we were exposed only to the PBA of the 90s and beyond, we can only pull on a couple of PBA Dynasties: Alaska, San Miguel, Purefoods and Talk 'n' Text. These teams enjoyed a two to three year championship contender window based on its personnel. Other teams managed to win a title or two owing to good fortune (Red Bull: Yeng Guiao, Santa Lucia: Kelly Williams, Ginebra: Mark Caguioa, etc.), but the four mentioned above were more or less the perennial contenders duking it out time and again.

They were built slowly and methodically, pieces were brought in to fit certain holes and not simply "made to fit." There was continuity and camaraderie. There was little to no change in the personnel or the way things were ran. These are some of the things that make a Dynasty. And today, we take a look at three PBA teams that are on their way (if not already there).

Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters
They are the recognized dynasty in today's PBA. Truthfully, the only time that you can really credit them for losing a game or a title is when two to three pieces are down with injuries. The pieces are there, and they are all in their collective prime. Jimmy Alapag is the elder statesman of the bunch, but they managed to bring Jayson Castro, FIBA Asia's best point guard, into the fold. And just when you thought that the pieces were starting to break or age (Ranidel de Ocampo, Harvey Carey, Ali Peek), they bring in a system (head coach Norman Black) predicated in slowing the game down and controlling tempo through defense while adding a reliable anchor for the foreseeable future (Rabeh Al Hussaini).

Because of the new pieces, the Texters managed to extend their championship window (which, following the course of other PBA dynasties should only be good for three years max). Castro, Larry Ryan Reyes, Fonacier, De Ocampo and Al Hussaini is about as good a First Five as you can get the next two years both on offense and defense.

Rain or Shine Elastopainters
If legend has King Midas, he of the Golden Touch, then Philippine basketball has Yeng Guiao. The difference being that King Midas lost his most prized possession (his daughter) by turning her into a Golden statue while Guiao has pretty much continued to make a career of turning even the darkest piece of granite into pure gold. Paul Lee, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Jervy Cruz and Beau Belga. Chris Tiu, Ryan Arana and JayR Quinahan. All under 30. All not at the height of their basketball primes. There are other names on the bench who Guiao has also managed to turn into legit PBA stars (reigning PBA Defensive Player of the Year Jireh Ybanes a.k.a. James Yap's worse nightmare). They broke through last season in the PBA Governor's Cup behind a superb import. But that was only a sign of things to come.

This team hasn't played up to its full potential yet, we've seen them together pre-Gilas stints for Norwood and Chan. But there was always something amiss. Lee couldn't blend his cerebral game with Chan. Norwood was struggling looking for ways to contribute. Arana was fighting for minutes. Cruz was just getting his bearing as one of the league's more reliable local bigs.

Given Guiao's philosophy of changing as "little as possible," this team will continue to grow into a threat to all teams. The tools are there, the obvious camaraderie anchored on their old school bigs always looking out after their guards. The spread out offense. The no-nonsense, shoot when your open philosophy with no one blaming the next guy. Only time will tell if the Elastopainters will hit their stride sooner rather than later.

Alaska Aces
The Age of Trillo is upon us.

Or Abueva. Or Casio. Or gentle giant, franchise player Sonny Thoss.

They've already gained much ground in just five conferences post-Tim Cone. They've already proven themselves by bagging the PBA Commissioner's Cup by running roughshod through the competition like some wild-eyed punks out for blood. They play physical, they are fearless. They are young, but they are built with winners on every level imaginable.

Calvin Abueva. JVee Casio. Sonny Thoss. Gabby Espinas. RJ Jazul. Dondon Hontiveros.

All decorated, all champions. What Abueva lacks in composure, Casio provides in bunches. And what those two young bloods lack in PBA experience, Hontiveros generously shares. We've only seen this team for two conferences and yet they've managed to emerge as one of the more polarizing teams in the PBA. No one really cared about Alaska save for the true Alaska fans. We only cared because they had at one point or the other, PBA superstars Johnny Abarrientos, Kenneth Duremdes and or Willie Miller. The rest, Jojo Lastimosa, Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins and even a young Mike Cortez-- they were all stars but only recognized by the Alaska community. Not by everyone (re: to the point wherein we'd say Lastimosa/ Cariaso is better than Nelson Asaytono, or Hawkins over Patrimonio/ Paras).

They way it's going, we doubt that Trillo and the Alaska family will make any big changes for a while. They already have a young core to build around, all of which are nowhere near their primes unlike those over at the Elastopainters' camp (Norwood, Belga and Chan are almost there, Lee in two more years).

Watch out for these three teams from here on out.