#FearTheBeer

The Architect
(Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net)

It took a lot of downsizing, some roster and coaching changes to get to where the San Miguel Beermen are now today; with last season's two-titled campaign proves that it is all worth it. And to be very honest with you, we do not see them stopping at any point in this season barring any serious injuries.

Currently sitting atop the standings with only a single defeat to their name, alongside Alaska and Rain or Shine, the Beermen are dominating the league yet again behind the fearsome foursome of 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo (37mpg 20ppg 15rpg 2apg), 1x PBA MVP Arwind Santos (33mpg 15ppg 7rpg 2apg), Alex Cabagnot (32mpg 15ppg 4rpg 6apg) and Marcio Lassiter (27mpg 13ppg 5rpg 2apg) while getting ample support from the bench led by *surprise, surprise* Ronald Tubid (26mpg 9ppg 5rpg), Chris Ross, Gabby Espinas and Ryan Arana to name a few.

This team has been so good as of late that no one is really missing Chris Lutz or has bothered to go look for the Monstar responsible for taking the former SMART Gilas I standout's talent on the hardcourt.

A different air

Trying to live up to the name
(Photo credit to the owner)

It is beginning to smell a lot like Christmas for Coach Leo Isaac and the Blackwater Elite.

Though they are currently near the bottom of the PBA Philippine Cup standings with a 1 win - 4 losses record, the sophomore ballclub is starting to look and play like a legitimate professional basketball team instead of a whipping-boy expansion one. Save for that blowout loss to the streaking Rain or Shine Elastopainters, the Elite have managed to keep most of their games quite competitive and close with an average end game deficit of only 7 points per.

We do not really feel the need to remind anyone about the team's maiden campaign, and how brutal it was to watch them play on the court save for one Brian Heruela.

Contingency Plan

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
(Photo credit to the owner)

Today marks the very first time that we will be able to see (or at the very least, read about) a proud 17-man pool of legitimate PBA All Stars worthy of the Gilas Pilipinas jersey practicing together. Not to say that those who came before them were not up to par, but to be very blunt about it some guys were there only because player A or B was not allowed by their ball club.

Well, the league has made it known that they are all in on this one.

Players from San Miguel Corporation-- San Miguel Beer, STAR, Ginebra, now offer no alibis or excuses. Players who were held back because of nasty, piracy rumors, are now reporting for duty with no more drama whatsoever coming from anyone. Here is your Gilas OQT 17 man pool:

MVP June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter of San Miguel Beer; Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel; Paul Lee, Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine; Jayson Castro, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Troy Rosario, Ranidel De Ocampo and Ryan Reyes of Talk ‘N Text; Marc Pingris and Ian Sangalang of Star; Calvin Abueva of Alaska and Terrence Romeo of GlobalPort.

Now if that isn't all star and world class enough for you, then we don't know what to tell you really.

Show of force

This image might be a
common thing for years to come
(Photo credit to the owner)

Did you catch yesterday's out-of-town match pitting the defending PBA Philippine Cup champions San Miguel Beermen and darkhorse pick GlobalPort Batang Pier?

It was brutal.

While the final score of 97-86 would hint at a close game (even if you look by quarters: 20-27, 49-37, 71-58, 97-86), what we witnessed on the floor would suggest otherwise. The Batang Pier didn't stand a chance once the Beermen buckled down to work and got into a steady rhythm. 

Let the madness ensue

Saan po yung biyaheng TNT?
(Photo credit to the owner)

Really, let it ensue. Let the madness that is the PBA pre-season wheeling and dealing commence!

Troy Rosario to Talk'n'Text, Kevin Alas to NLEX, Aldrech Ramos, Rob Reyes and Nino Canaleta to Mahindra

How can you not love this trade for TNT? They just landed this year's coveted 1st (Moala Tautuaa) and 2nd (Rosario) picks which basically ensures that they will remain a dominant force in the league for years to come. Don't hate on this so much if you happen to be anti-Team MVP, since this is basically the 2015 version of the 2010 mugging of Air21 wherein San Miguel basically and literally bought that year's 1st and 2nd picks-- Noy Baclao and Rabeh Al Hussaini. What goes around, comes around right? On the flip side, sister team NLEX will have to wait until sophomore Kevin Alas recovers from injury but once he does they should have one of the more exciting backcourts with Alas and rookie Garvo Lanete outside of GlobalPort's looming three-headed monster of Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and Roi Sumang.

Troubled Waters

Reil "KOBE!" Cervantes.
Franchise player.
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

Here's where Blackwater Elite finds itself at the end of its maiden season:

Call them this year's biggest loser: PBA wins and losses -wise and also, 2015 PBA Draft -wise. The awful performance was expected, given the fact that the team was barred from making any direct hires from their promising PBA D-League roster and was pretty much asked to form a roster out of discards and no-names.

But then, the franchise's only glimmer of hope, their salvation, the coveted 2015 PBA Draft Number One Pick-- was foolishly sent in a hullabaloo of a trade which involved NLEX, Rain or Shine and Talk'n'Text.  The team lost its 1st pick to TNT to acquire the services of Larry Rodriguez.

#TankSoHard

Too good to be tanking, yes?
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

The best thing to ever happen to Blackwater Elite's Marcus Douthit this PBA Governor's Cup, is the 2015 South East Asian Games where he is on loan to the Gilas Pilipinas team.

That's it.

Is he (still) paying for the sins of that disastrous post FIBA World Gilas stint in Korea? Wherein he bore the brunt of the blame, for being unable to do an Andray Blatche and basically carry a fatigued and injury-riddled team to a medal finish? Why on earth did he sign up with the Elite in the first place? Oh, yeah, the Team MVP ties which is becoming as clear as the team's bootleg Talk'n'Text jerseys.

We feel that Leo Isaac can coach in the PBA. We feel that Douthit (43 mpg 2- ppg 13 rpg 3 apg) still has some gas left in the tank.

Denied, Eliminated

Giants in the PBA
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

It's tough playing in the PBA-- with the demand and expectation of management, family, friends and fans. To try and play at a very high level, and once there, to maintain it all throughout a grueling season of limited respite and recluse.

While eight teams will carry on into the Playoff rounds of the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup, four will be denied entry. Three of which have already been made clear to the masses: newcomers Kia Carnival and Blackwater, and newly-minted PBA All Filipino Cup titlist San Miguel Beer. The fourth one will be decided later on today, if it's going to be the AFC 2nd placers Alaska, or Global Port (depending on how Alaska's match versus Barangay Ginebra turns out).

Silver lining of course is that the four eliminated teams of this conference (plus performance in the 1st conference, so there's some math to be done) will be allowed to bring in imports of unlimited height (compared to the Top 8's 6"5 ceiling) plus an Asian reinforcement of their choosing (6"4 ceiling).

Here we take a look at what went right and wrong for the three teams that have been eliminated, and how their chances are going into the next conference.

Don't drink the (Black)water

"Hurricane" Heruela needs
to takeover
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

If you were to tell us at the start of the PBA season, with all things considered, that Kia Sorento would have more wins (one) than Blackwater Elite we would've trolled you from Manila all the way to Muscat in person or on social media.

Seriously, a team of low-ranked players coached by a non-basketball mind in Manny Pacquiao can't possibly have more victories on its present day record than a team that already has a proven winning basketball tradition, legit coaching staff and players who were under-utilized more than undeserving to be in the PBA. A news report came out the other day that the team owner, Mr. Dioceldo Sy, was willing to fork over whatever he must if only to buy out some of the players on the roster if it meant improving their chances of winning.

That's how bad the situation has come for the 0 wins and 9 losses Elite.