Road rage

Time to man up.
(Photo credit: Spin.ph)

We don't know about you, but it would be wise to be on a "Yeng Guiao watch" from here on out.

The NLEX Road Warriors are still winless in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup despite Guiao's old hand Wayne Chism's stellar numbers (39mpg 26ppg 17rpg 2apg) all across the boards. Last conference, we gave NLEX a pass because it was Guiao's first with the team. Now, well, we aren't really seeing any improvements.

Hell, they seem to have gotten worse.

Trade reaction: Carlo Lastimosa to NLEX

The Yeng Guiao era is slowly dawning upon us.

In what we feel is only the beginning of more roster changes, the newly-installed NLEX head coach has acquired the services of rising star Carlo Lastimosa from the Blackwater Elite in exchange for little-used James Forrester and a 2016 PBA Draft 2nd round pick (which in essence is really a 3rd rounder no thanks to the Gilas "special" draft).

Basically, they lost a 6mpg 1ppg 1rpg guy and gained a 2nd generation talent who is coming off a breakout season by averaging 26mpg 18ppg 3rpg 2apg while shooting 43% from the 2-pt and 32% from 3.

Season of learning

The Slash Brothers
(Photo credit: cnnphilippines.com)

You win some, you lose some.

Now that the PBA has expanded to twelve teams (soon to be thirteen), winning a title—let alone staying competitive, is becoming a much more difficult task. There are a lot of factors that affect a team’s chances of winning, none more than the possibility of high caliber players (even coaches) being pirated by big-money franchises.

Heck we even learned this season that even big-money, sister, franchises are not safe from “cannibalizing” one another; a fate suffered by the Star Hotshots, who lost both their grand slam coach Tim Cone and versatile wing Joe DeVance, at the hands of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Three teams have already been officially eliminated in the season-ending PBA Governor’s Cup: the Hotshots, GlobalPort Batang Pier, and Blackwater Elite. Here are some of the things we noticed in their respective campaigns, where they went wrong and could build on moving forward and through the 2016 PBA Draft.

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 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.

Mind, body and Sol

Oye mi canto, we hear you Sol Train
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

It's been a while, Mr. Mercado.

Starting anew with the Barako Bull Energy Cola after surprisingly being dealt by the San Miguel Beermen last conference (we honestly believe that whoever is in charge of that operation would trade his own mother for the right price/ player should push come to shove), point guard Sol Mercado is showing flashes of his old, "Sol Train" self (before getting hurt and slowed down a bit) with averages of 36.1 mpg, 14 ppg, 42.1%-2 pt, 11.1%-3 pt, 3.7 rpg, 4.7 apg.

We must admit, it was rather difficult to watch Mercado with the Beermen as he transitioned from lead, combo guard to a role-playing starter who had to split time with his "brother" Chris Ross, a player who, for all his tenacious defense, has about as many moves on offense as a basketball newbie.

With the Energy, Mercado is back to his old ways though with a lot more maturity and a fresh, new team-first mindset.

Your Bullish Ways

Lastimosa has proven rather solid
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Six games into the PBA Philippine Cup, we can now dismiss any and all alibis and arguments made by the Barako Bull Energy Cola camp as to why they did what they did in the 2013 PBA Draft.

“Win now?”

The Energy Cola are currently on a four-game losing streak, pushing the team to the bottom of the standings with a 2-4 slate—just a win better than sister team Air21 Express. The 2013 PBA rookies that they could’ve landed, namely Terrence Romeo, R.R. Garcia and Nico Salva, are doing wonders for GlobalPort Batang Pier. The names that they got in return are either injured or PBA journeymen/ role players at best.

But still we gave head coach Bong Ramos and his motley crew a chance—a chance to prove themselves after having the misfortune of going to a powerhouse, “dog-eat-dog” team.

A Necessary Evil

Fan or not, you have to feel for these two
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

At present, there are over twenty names on the Barako Bull Energy roster including their late draft picks Jeric Fortuna, Carlo Lastimosa, Darwin Cordero, Jett Vidal and Mike Silungan not to mention new recruits through draft day trades Denok Miranda, Willie Miller, Magi Sison and Mark Isip.

We’ve considered all angles and arguments for and against this much-maligned franchise which, if it hasn’t been before, has been branded as a clear-as-egg-white “San Miguel Corporation farm team.” We’ve already touched on how this team was a darkhorse contender during its early years in the PBA, now there’s just no denying how it’s only in the league for the best interests not of its players or fans but for its benefactors.