The Right Gear

No joke.
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

So who’s laughing now?

Around this time last season, the Mahindra Enforcers (then Kia Motors/ Carnival) were being ridiculed not entirely for their poor performance (which was expected of a debuting franchise) but mostly because they opted to parade global boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as their playing-head coach. To make matters worse during the off-season, the team decided to trade their 2015 PBA Draft 2nd overall pick (which Tropang TNT would turn into wonderkid Troy Rosario) to acquire the services of journeymen: sideshow dunker turned sniper Nino Canaleta and one-time Gilas reserve Aldrech Ramos.

Blackwater Rising

Who's the Man?
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

It took about a year or so plus a series of trades (lopsided at the time)  before Blackwater Elite's management and head coach Leo Isaac's patience finally paid off-- and how.

The Elite no longer appear lost on the hardcourt, with an obvious pecking order be it on offense or defense. Veteran point guard Mike Cortez (35mpg 10ppg 4rpg 6apg) leads the team and gets his youngsters Carlo Lastimosa (33mpg 30ppg 4rpg 3apg), JP Erram (18mpg 4rpg 1apg), Reil Cervantes (26mpg 20ppg 3rpg 1apg) and rookie Art dela Cruz (30mpg 12ppg 6rpg 3apg 4spg) in positions where they can be most effective. The addition of selfless, do-it-all import Malcom Rhett (45mpg 18ppg 15rpg 5apg) has also allowed the locals to flourish even more this PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Currently in the middle of the tournamenet with a 2 wins and 2 losses slate, the Elite are looking at making the Playoffs yet again after last conference's breakout performance which doesn't really seem too far-fetched all things considered.

See, Lastimosa has started to blossom as an elite PBA scorer, Erram's quickly becoming a decent, mobile 4-man with a pocket jumper, dela Cruz continues to make smart plays all over the court and, if we can see more of this "efficient" high-scoring Cervantes instead of the old ball-hogging, YOLO one, then the Elite could really do some damage against the more favored teams come playoff time.

If one were to nitpick, the Elite should consider developing a contingency plan should Cortez be sidelined in games (foul or injury). Currently on the roster as Cortez' back-up are Jerick Canada (a bit slow), Raffy Reyes (undisciplined), Almond Vosotros (shooter) and Juami Tiongson (blah)-- none of which, be it in the pros or amateurs, are even near Cortez' level of play. Another area of concern are the minutes being given the players mentioned above (import not included as this is expected of him), though they are all relatively young players so they shouldn't be burning out real soon.

Now if only our boy Almond can get some love from Coach Leo at the 2 spot...

A ringing endorsement

The struggle is real for Star
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

When Jason Webb took over the Star Hotshots’ bench in the preseason, we had a feeling that things might get rough at first. Still, we believed that everything will be just fine since he is taking over an already-made group of champions (grand slam ones, at that) and did not really need to make a world of adjustments.

A conference and two games into the second of the PBA season we are just as worried as the next Star fan.

Thoughts on Ivan the Terrible

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

“The last straw that broke the camel’s back.”

That is all we can say about the polarizing PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa’s decision to fine Tropang TNT import Ivan Johnson Php 250,000 and ban him from the league, for life.

Let us try to figure this one out bit by bit. Johnson was ejected in the first half of yesterday’s match versus sister team Meralco, whose resident enforcers were probably given the greenlight to get chippy with him (Kelly Nabong and Bryan Faundo were involved, go figure) based on his history of being temperamental. He was ejected, and somehow Narvasa got in his way as he exited the premises so he decided to hurl a few expletives at the league commissioner.

Legendary

Championship # 3
(Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net)

What the San Miguel Beermen were able to accomplish just a few nights ago versus the Alaska Aces in Game 7 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals goes beyond historic.

How can you not call and recognize it as something more, when the team was all but left for dead following a zero wins to three losses predicament heading into Game 4? That even if they had won Game 4, historically speaking, the leading team usually ends it in the 5th (while in a few cases, in the 6th).

Still, no comebacks. Never. No team in the history of the PBA has forced a Game 7 after falling 0-3. No team in the history of professional, documented basketball, has ever come back and won four games straight en route to a championship.

The 2016 PBA Philippine Cup San Miguel Beermen are legendary.

Dreaming with a broken heart

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

When you're dreaming with a broken heart/ The waking up is the hardest part/ 
You roll outta bed and down on your knees/ And for a moment, you can hardly breathe/

- J. Mayer, 2009

Is it safe to come out yet? Is the sun not going to burn a hole in my heart?

What is left of it, anyway.

We have been very honest about the Alaska Aces being our 2nd favorite PBA team (next only to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters, mostly for their similarities from style of play to overall team values), and it pains us to see them on the losing end of what will go down as THE most historic PBA Philippine Cup Finals (or any PBA Finals at that) versus the eventual champions San Miguel Beermen. How can you not feel sorry for Coach Alex Compton and his wards; after going up 3-0 against a 2x PBA MVP-less Junemar Fajardo bunch, they squander Game 4 then 5, 6 and finally, 7, all in heartbreaking fashion.

What is next for the Aces? How can you rebuild from this?

On the wings of love

Trade looming?
(Photo credit to Rappler.com)

With the recent acquisition of Barako Bull Energy Cola by newcomers Phoenix Petroleum, we cannot help but feel the budding romance in the air.

Romance, in the sense that the next two conferences (and or more) will probably be a Team San Miguel Corporation lovefest by way of most of the guys on the Phoenix roster being sent “back” to the one they truly love be it San Miguel, Ginebra or Star. This in turn will corroborate and confirm everyone’s hunch that yes, Barako served as a true farm team and that most of its players were simply out on loan (remember Joseph Yeo’s “Gentleman’s Agreement?”).  Bye-bye Barako farm team, the players get to be sent to winning franchises and we are finally (hopefully) rid of lopsided trades from here on out.

Unfortunately, not everyone will enjoy a happy-ending, or we don’t see ALL of the guys from Barako going back.