There's a new kid in town

Kia's L.A.
(Photo courtesy of Sports5.ph)

Much like how the Clippers have managed to steal some of the Lakers' thunder in Los Angeles, there is a PBA point guard who is slowly turning heads and opening eyes with his heady yet exciting brand of basketball by the name of L.A...

... Revilla, not Tenorio.

Now on his second year of professional basketball after playing only three (!) games last season with GlobalPort Batang Pier, Revilla is quickly making believers out of those who would bother to watch Kia Carnival games as its starting floor general. This year, Revilla is averaging 27 mpg, 9 ppg, 4 rpg and 4 apg which will surely increase if his current run in the ongoing PBA Governor's Cup continues. In the league's season-ending tourney, Revilla is putting up 34 mpg, 13 ppg, 5 rpg and 5 apg taking over a team that's being "coached" by Manny Pacquiao (Chito Victolero needs/ deserves a pay raise IMHO).

A new day for the Beermen

Infectious energy and hustle from Mr. A to Z
(Photo credits to Sports5.ph)

We will be the first ones to admit it.

We were unfair, unjust and downright mean.

Mean, in expecting the San Miguel Beermen to just steamroll through the opposition the rest of this season after their PBA Philippine Cup title romp which appeared to have put all of their fans' frustrations of the last few years re: on and off-court chemistry to rest. Unfair and unjust, in writing and tweeting so many things about how the Beermen perhaps needed a shake-up, or that guys were "coasting" rather than just buying into the whole "they are tired/ exhausted/ injured" excuse.

So after spending much of the PBA Commissioner's Cup looking and playing like an expansion team, the Beermen are now back in the PBA Governor's Cup with a much more respectable 4-2 win-loss record. Now THIS, is what we expected last conference. A team that's just loaded with superstars, even if they unloaded some guys during the start of the season and since then, should always be in contention atop the standings and nowhere near the cellar.

We are sorry for the hate in the 2nd conference, but in some ways, we were also right.

Team #NSD

(Photo credits to the owner)

So it's a Friday weekend (here in the Middle East anyway) and we are catching up on our steady dose of Upper B basketball talk (if you haven't already, please checkout buhaybasket.com which is basically the new/ another version of FTS or Bro Show or Goat or whatever only a lot more entertaining whenever Jai Reyes is given air time). On this episode, they were asked by one of their many followers about naming a Team Never-Say-Die first five (minus Ginebra players, of course).

Basically, the names that were mentioned are: Marc Pingris, Paul Lee, Dondon Hontiveros, Cliff Hodge and whichever among Yousef Taha, Jerwin Gaco, Alex Nuyles, etc.

We are not going to say that they were wrong, just that we would probably go another way.

Step up to the plate

Under-rated Coach Koy
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Call this the ex-Barangay Ginebra, now Barako Bull revenge tour.

How else would you call it after a former Ginebra reserve turned Barako star has been cited as the PBA Governor Cup's Player of the Week for the third straight time? JC Intal was the first, Dylan Ababou next and now, Joseph Yeo (who was probably, the one guy that Ginebra fans didn't want to see go after his sterling first two conferences with the team)

Koy Banal has done a masterful job coaching this team to a clean 4-0 record, making full use of their prized import Liam McMorrow (38 mpg, 25 ppg, 22 rpg) )who is basically a faster version of what PJ Ramos was to Kia in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. For the most part, Intal (29 mpg, 15 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg) has been pretty solid before all the trade rumors started popping up while Joseph Yeo (29 mpg, 13 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 apg) is slowly starting to feel comfy back in a "designated scorer" role that he used to have almost exclusively with DLSU and as an off-the-bench weapon with Santa Lucia (the Petron/ San Miguel years were rough, and we only have 2 conferences to enjoy with Ginebra). Ababou (18 mpg, 10 ppg, 2 rpg) on the other hand is proving all of his doubters wrong and is just being the most efficient player on the floor at all times regardless of who is up against (only Chris Tiu and Larry Fonacier, IMHO, play as smart or smarter given the same "limited" athleticism).

A Captain for the Barangay

How will Slaughter respond to CFL?
(Photo credits to the owner)

Admit it or not, Ginebra fans have long flirted with the idea of having Yeng Guiao as its coach: an old school cat, much like their legendary Robert Jaworski, Sr., fearless, charismatic and all-around Pinoy macho on the sidelines.

But they also want someone who is approachable and accessible, who knows his Xs and Os, calls out referees but then accommodates #selfie requests and open practices.

It seems that they have found just the man for the job in Coach Frankie Lim.

Though Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is still a few wins and a healthy Greg Slaughter short of looking like a legitimate title contender in the on-going PBA Governor's Cup, Coach Frankie has succeeded in taking full control of an otherwise proud yet flailing, egocentric individual-filled franchise while keeping expectations of arguably the toughest and most demanding fans in the country at bay.

A special thanks to our friends at HumbleBola.com for providing us with the numbers which shows Ginebra averaging 93 ppg, 42% 2 point field goals, 31% 3 point field foals, 42 rpg, 16 apg, 13 topg and 8 spg versus 96 ppg, 47% 2, 34% 3, 48 rpg, 18 apg, 18 topg and 5 spg (in four of the five games played-- give them a break, it's the weekend lol) under Coach Frankie. Basically, while the numbers are down (because of the initial losses suffered early), the team is starting to respond well defensively in terms of getting more steals and forcing turnovers (which would and should, theoretically, ignite their running game).

adidas teams up with Marvel's Avengers

This spring adidas will introduce a new collection of kids footwear and apparel inspired by three superheroes of the new blockbuster Marvel Studios film, Avengers: Age of Ultron, which hit theaters worldwide last April.

The adidas Avengers collection will feature exciting new designs reflecting the unique personalities of three of the film's superheroes: Hulk, Iron Man and Captain America. Both lines, which cover infants, little kids and youth boys alike, offer full head-to-toe outfits including tees, shorts and accompanying shoes and accessories with matching colours to ensure a wardrobe with fresh new looks for every true Avengers fan!

May's kids collection will be complemented by adult running shoes in four matching designs. The adult line includes a silver-green adidas adizero Prime BOOST™ that will be featured in the film with an exciting new Avengers character. For the biggest fans and a united look this colour-way will be a key feature within the kids' collections!

The new adidas Avengers collections go back to the classic roots with footwear inspired both by the original comics' style and the graphics of the movie. Various models include running silhouettes for adults and kids as well as low and mid cut multipurpose silhouettes specifically designed for kids. This includes the Response BOOST Ltd that features adidas' premium BOOST™ technology paired with Marvel's greatest superheroes design as the primary source of inspiration. adidas BOOST is a breakthrough technology that provides the highest Energy Return of any foam cushioning in the running industry. Along with BOOST foam cushioning, adidas adizero Prime BOOST upper consists of adidas Primeknit, a digital knitting technology using the latest engineering methods to develop an upper that is lightweight and fits like a second layer of skin, providing added performance benefits. Each section of the adidas Primeknit upper is carefully engineered to provide a precision fit for a secure, comfortable run.

The collection is available on www.adidas.com/avengers.

Trade Rumors

Nice Photoshop skills. But trade still in limbo
(Photo credits to the owner)

While we await the final decision/ approval of the PBA Commissioner's Office, let's take a seat and digest the possible transactions that have already seen the light of Internet day (which, in reality, sounds more like gossip than news but hey, whatever sells right?).

First up is the blockbuster deal that would involve sister teams Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel, and conduit Barako Bull Energy Cola. In this trade, Ginebra will get the services of Marcio Lassiter, San Miguel gets JC Intal and Barako lands Mac Baracael.

Sure, it involves sister and farm teams but when was the last time we had a trade of almost equal value in the PBA?

Pido Redux

Depensa muna bro
(Photo credits to the owner)

"Pride, puso, palaban."

These three words served as Global Port Batang Pier head coach Pido Jarencio's battle cry when he first made a name for himself, outside of playing amateur and pro-ball, along the sidelines with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers from 2006 to 2013 (with three UAAP Finals appearances and a championship to display). The same battlecry was what Jarencio said he will bring into the PBA when he was hired by the Batang Pier in 2014, only to finish the season with an abysmal 2-16 win-loss record.

They "fired" him, brought him back as team consultant, and is now promptly back calling the shots in the PBA Governor's Cup wherein the Batang Pier are surprisingly ahead of the pack with a 3-0 win-loss slate which is arguably the best start in Pido's young PBA coaching career. For stat lovers, the Batang Pier are averaging 94 ppg on 42% 2-pt, 40% 3-pt, 52 rpg and 18 apg (with 15 topg) versus their opponents' 79 ppg, 37% 2-pt, 13% 3-pt, 47 rpg, 14 apg and 16 topg.

So what changed between Pido's first time out and this one?

Exercise in futility

At the start of the PBA season, it was agreed upon by the PBA board that teams will be allowed an optional, secondary import of Asian lineage as long as he stands 6"3 and below (the first being the "regular" import of 6"5) for the season-ending PBA Governor's Cup. Truth be told, the idea in general is more of a marketing/ public relations-driven campaign to further the brand instead of improving the level of play in the league.

We already know that the Filipino basketball talent is at par (if not better) than most in the East Asian region. We have known this for so long, specially if we are talking about guys who stand 6"3 and below. This is why every one from Johnny Abarrientos, to Kenneth Duremdes and now Jayson Castro and Paul Lee are able to make their foreign counterparts look a step and skillset slower and lower. So we could fully understand why some of the PBA teams deemed it unnecessary to add another name on the roster, limit their locals' minutes and add to the payroll.

Why?

Because it is "optional."

The Disease of More

Anyare?
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

The great Miami Heat team president and former head coach Pat Riley is known for many things on the basketball court, but his greatness and wisdom traverses the constricting 94 x 50 feet measurement of paint and Maple wood.

Somewhere during our adolescence, we stumbled upon one of his leadership lectures' handout which preached about "The Disease of Me"-- now we can't recall the manuscript as it was written, but do remember something about "how much easier it is to be selfish, instead of being part of a team and learning to sacrifice."

And that brings us back to the continued struggles of the San Miguel Beermen.

Because seriously, this team needs some hour(s)-long counselling.

#AskKKS : Top 10 PBA Role Players

Here is another #AskKKS entry, this time from our friend @iyovictor:

Okay, that is a tough one considering we only started watching the PBA actively/religiously around 1995 onwards and didn't really take notice of other teams outside of the popular ones (Ginebra, San Miguel, Purefoods, Alaska) at the time.

Today, we can rattle off a few names but we will not be as bold to rank them as Top 10 All Time (out of respect to whoever we will miss (and we know we will/might miss quite a few). For starters, let us take out Marc Pingris who is a role player at best but because of his tenacious and contagious hustle and energy (plus the good looks, humility and Sotto ties), was propelled to being a legitimate superstar (when had he been given a different face to work with and not be associated with all the showbiz stuff, would be just another "pulot boy/ garbage points workhorse" ala Freddie Abuda in the 90s). Same with Rudy Hatfield.

So what merits a role player? Well, for one, he is NOT the guy you build a franchise around. He is not a household name, is mostly loved by purists and not the every day, casual fan. He does the little things, that some times make headlines, but most of the time just helps the team win games.

Here we go. Not the Top 10 All Time, but our choice for 10 Best Role Players (whose careers we were able to follow).

Trade Reaction: Sol Train to Ginebra

Palit jerseys.
(Photo credits to the owner)

Call it a "new lease on life."

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has chosen to send spitfire shooting guard Joseph "The Ninja" Yeo to sister team Barako Bull in exchange for point guard Sol "Sol Train" Mercado, in a deal that benefits both squads instead of the usual "highway robbery/ blatant PBA fan trolling" that we have grown accustomed to whenever the Bert Lina franchise is involved.

Since Ginebra is the more popular of the two teams, let us discuss what adding Mercado to the mix means to the franchise moving forward, before we get to Barako Bull.

First and foremost, we cannot help but be delighted for Mercado who has received some unfair treatment and criticism the last few conferences. Basically, Mercado went from being "white hot" with Rain or Shine and Meralco, only to lose his way bouncing around with GlobalPort (wherein he tried to play nice and do the whole "mentor" thing), Petron/ San Miguel Beer (where he pretty much "bought in" to "fit in" which they turned out not to like) and finally with Barako Bull (which you could say is his "That Thing Called Tadhana" soul-searching phase because he was asked to go back to his Sol Train ways after flirting with being a full-time role player).

So what is next for the Sol Train?

#AskKKS on Gilas 3

Because one of our readers asked/suggested/demanded that we should hear their ideas out and discuss certain issues instead of just picking topics by ourselves, here is the first official instalment of #AskKKS.

@PBALOL asked the following:

Win FIBA Asia Gold.

Seriously, if we are talking about what head coach Tab Baldwin and his Gilas 3 will need to accomplish to surpass Gilas 2... well then, it would have to be this very tall order which is definitely a lot easier said than done.

A Cut Above

God Mode.
(Photo credits to the owner)

In life, there is always an instance wherein you encounter someone who is just better than you are on a certain field of expertise. It could be in school, at home, in the office or even among friends-- no matter how good you think you are on a certain skill, there is almost, always someone who is better than you.

Even if you put in the same (if not more) of work.

That is the fate of one Rain or Shine Elastopainters, which lost a heated Best-of-Seven series and ultimately the PBA Commissioner's Cup crown, to the Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters.

They play defense first, they run the floor, they share the wealth, they use all of the guys on the roster and just about anyone can hit the three with consistency.

Only, the Texters do (and did) it better (in four of the seven games, at least).