On the Sorsogon Bubble and Professional Student Athletes

Bubble popped.
(Photo by: Rappler.com)

If you are reading this, that means you are alive and well, going through the motions of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic and the now six-month quarantine that has befallen our country. Just being alive, waking up to the voices of our loved ones, seeing their faces either in person or online, that's all that matters. If you have lost someone, my heartfelt condolences to you. 

I had a follower/ friend on @kilikilishot who succumbed to the disease. I just cannot recall his username at the moment ( Rest in Power @kotsleo ), but I was able to exchange a message or two with his loved one. I hope and pray that you are all doing well and safe. 

That's me, Angel V., the author, talking to all of you, with no BS. 

So for the longest time, specially when this blog shot up to fame thanks to a few popular readers retweeting and sharing (and some PBA names), I've shied away from discussing things that I'm not privy to or as well-researched of. For one, I've left the college basket-talk to better men and women-- those from Humblebola, Tiebreaker Times, Salascout, and the rest. Though some of them do sound more like a certain school's sports mouth piece as they mostly cover in-house. 

The 2016 PBA Special and Regular Mock Draft

Get Belo-fied
(Photo credit: interaksyon.com)

Ugh.

The Gilas boys need to come out with red dots on their foreheads. Green for the regulars. Siopao-style.

Special thanks to ABS CBN Sports for the Draft order, as per this report >>> click here.

1 Blackwater - Mac Belo, SF
Arguably the most sound Gilas player to date be it on offense or defense. Though he is not a go-to-guy per se, Belo almost, always ends up being his team's leading scorer (and rebounder) by sheer hard work and simply working efficiently without the basketball. If you were to compare him to any current PBA player, then the guy his game closely resembles is that of TNT's incoming sophomore Troy Rosario-- only with a better dribble game. Belo works the glass relentlessly, has a pocket set-shot from 15 feet and out, and best of all can put the ball on the floor on the pick and roll which makes him an even bigger threat than Rosario. We honestly like what Blackwater is looking at here, since they will be able to parade a blue chip foursome of Roi Sumang, Carlo Lastimosa, Art dela Cruz and Belo right away, with the center position hopefully addressed in the later conferences (via an import).

Blue collar approach

Just another day at the office
(Photo credit to the owner)

The Philippine Basketball Association is a showcase of Filipino basketball talent, skill and athleticism. It is a league wherein mere mortals are turned God-like, idolized by many and legends are formed. It rewards those who shine brightest, sure, but it also gives notice and praise to those who work in the shadows.

One look at the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup league statistics and you will be very surprised to see two non-household names making huge waves for their respective teams. On one side is the Mahindra Enforcers' Mark Yee (18mpg 12 ppg 10rpg) and on the other is Barako Bull Energy's Willie Wilson (36mpg 13ppg 10rpg). Both under-rated and definitely far from being part of their team's offensive sets. They will never really make the headlines (unless Yee opts to get his Hokage on again and use that special pwet ninjutsu of his), so please allow us this much Internet space to show them some of our basketball geek affection.

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).

Point Blank

Asi is a lot of things for Air21,
but playing point guard is not one of them
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Four games into the PBA Philippine Cup and the somewhat retooled Air21 Express find themselves in familiar territory: 0-4, bottom of the 10-team race.

Despite the key addition/ renewed commitment of "immortal" Asi Taulava and spitfire guard Joseph Yeo (prized off-season recruit Mac Cardona is coming off injury), the Express are struggling to put together solid games (even the "moral victory" ones) and have lost no less than 11 points per outing.

Hooked

From superstar to reserve

The lights are at its brightest, men frolic to the stage as the music hits with the volume at its highest. The star steps into the light drowned by deafening silence. This is what we’ve been waiting for. This is what we’ve come to see.

Somewhere backstage a not so old yet not entirely youthful hand cradles spirits enclosed within a bottle. Cigarette smoke fills the air as her mascara runs down her cheeks with tears. She had her time on the stage. They used to cherish her.

Worshipped her. Loved her.

Strike First: David to Meralco, Cardona to Air21

Finally, a star that
#BansangMeralco can cheer for
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Just when we all thought that we'd be able to enjoy a reprieve from the highly addictive madness that is the Philippine Basketball Association once the PBA Governor's Cup Finals duel between Petron Blaze and San Mig Coffee is through, we are greeted with a barrage of pre off-season, marquee trades.

We've already touched on the recent trade that saw GlobalPort hotshot Gary David moving over to Meralco, now we breakdown the rest of the wheeling and dealing that went down the last few days. For argument's sake and our readers' reference, we've added their 2012-2013 season averages (minutes, points, rebounds and assists). Props to the folks behind www.pba-online.net 

Trade 1

Meralco
Gary David, SG (28.49 mpg 17.10 ppg 2.98 rpg 1.7 apg)
Go-to-scorer that fits Meralco's Dribble Drive Motion Offense owing to his range, up there in years (35) and mileage but is as proven as you can get.

Demoted

Basics din muna pag may time
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Forget what everyone around you is saying, being sent to the PBA D-League is a "clear as a warm glass of morning piss" demotion.

There's just no other way to say it: PBA Air21 Express backup point guard Simon Atkins, picked 21st overall in the 2012 PBA Draft, has been demoted by his mother team and will be suiting up for their DLeague affiliate, Arellano University. Now, if you are an AU alumni or fan, don't expect this to be manna from heaven.

Air21's Farm Team Problems

Tonichi Yturri does not approve.
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

Air21 Express head coach Franz Pumaren is in a bind.

And not only because his team is currently (as always) at the cellar with a sad 1-4 slate with the only silver lining is a looming trade that will reunite him with his college star (Joseph Yeo) who hasn't really been making any waves in the pros the last three years.

Pumaren is in a bind because he only has two players, Mike Cortez (10,3,4) and Nino Canaleta (16,5) who are borderline PBA contender team rotation players. The rest are either too young, too old or just not good enough to win games despite the system.

PBA Trade Rumor: The Ninja to Air21

Ritualo. Atkins. Sharma. Yeo. #ibalikangbigote
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

If reports are correct, then arguably one of the most prolific collegiate scorers in history is going to get a chance to resuscitate his PBA career in the next few days. Joseph Yeo, the now de facto 11th to 12th man of the Petron Blaze Boosters, is part of a looming semi-blockbuster trade that also indirectly involves long time PBA All Star and national team player Kerby Raymundo of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Next is our attempt at breaking down this possible trade, naming winners and losers, and even looking at what's in store in the near future.

The Dream Match to end it all

Dream Match III: if only to see
Kiefer vs Mac/Yeo/Cortez

There you have it.

The PBA Green Archers were able to repeat versus rivals PBA Blue Eagles in this afternoon's ho-hum battle at the SM MoA Arena dubbed "Dream Match II: The Revenge." Well, if the script were to be followed, the Eagles were supposed to win this one to force a nail-biter of a third and deciding match (ala celebrated promoter Don King's brand of boxing).

But the Archers wouldn't have any of it. Mac Cardona, free from the burden of having to play a passive role with his mother team Meralco's three-ball happy Dribble Drive Offense, played like he had a score to settle with everyone from the Eagles' side of things. He dropped in threes, made his patented tear drop hook shots and even threw in some mean mug swag "anong height mo" theatrics here and there for good measure.

So should a third match be played, with the Archers now up 2-0 in this mini cash cow of a side event by the PBA? Yes. But IF and WHEN current amateur superstar known to most as "The Phenom" Keifer Ravena turns pro (or is eligible to do so).

Cool Cat and Coach Franz: Reunited and it feels...

Nilabasan ako
nung napanood ko to sa TV.
Orgasmic.
(Credit to Sir Vic Icasas) 

... so good. Right? Time heals all wounds, even the undisclosed ones it seems. Okay in case you've been living under a rock or is still a young/developing basketball mind, the relationship between Mike Cortez and Air21 Express head coach Franz Pumaren has been plutonic at best.

The year was 2002, and (my beloved kinder-grade-high school Alma Mater) De La Salle University Green Archers were on a tear of the hapless UAAP. Leading the charge was Coach Franz, Cortez, Willie Wilson, Mac Cardona and a wide-eyed Joseph Yeo. They were running right through the competition, Cortez was looking like the best point guard in all of Philippine basketball (yes, including his NCAA, PBL and PBA counterparts). He wasn't scoring as much, but he was big, strong, smart beyond his years and had swag all day (say what you want, but Cortez put the back-arm tattoo on the Philippine map). The guy was a walking triple-double, and with him leading the way the Archers' were looking pretty solid to win a rare-five peat.

Has Captain Hook Relinquished His Alpha Status

Saludo si Captain Hook sa inyo

Following last night's 105-104 defeat at the hands of Willie Miller and the rest of the GlobalPort Batang Pier, there was one standout statistic featured on the Meralco Bolts' box score. It featured no less than "franchise player" Mac Cardona and under the label "Points" where it would usually read 18 to 24, it read 2.

TWO points.

We're not talking about on and off guys like Miller or Barako Bull Energy Cola's Danny Seigle or even  San Mig Coffee Mixers' PJ Simon here. We're talking about Cardona-- a guy who would take (and has taken) over 30 shots if he could to break the double digit scoring barrier. Of course, had the Bolts won we wouldn't even be talking about it since we could easily dismiss it as an "off night" for Cardona. Fortunately for the Bolts, there were guards Sol Mercado and recently acquired Ronjay Buenafe dropping 30-points EACH to make it a game.

But now that Mercado looks more and more like the lead guy, the "Alpha Dog" so to speak, is it finally safe to say that Cardona has willingly ceded his lofty standing in the Bolts' pecking order?

Don Allado: Cry Wolf

Father forgive him for he has sinned

In case you're not up to speed, click here first to read about Barako Bull Energy's Don Allado now infamous Twitter rants before reading the rest of this entry.

Allado, he of the multiple collegiate (DLSU Green Archers) and professional (mostly with Alaska, Purefoods/ BMeg and Talk 'n' Text) championships and now starting forward for the Energy, is making all the newsrounds with his sweeping claims that the PBA games are fixed to favor certain teams. This, following a horrid 7 point, 3 rebound performance in 20 minutes of play wherein he fouled out and his team lost 99-95 to the Powerade Tigers.

Claws out for Ginebra's Cool Cat

Cool Cat: Never too late for a re-emergence

A few years ago, Mike Cortez was hailed as the country's premier point guard while playing for the De La Salle University Green Archers and leading them to a string of Finals appearances. At 6"0 170 lbs., Cortez wasn't just PBA ready, he was THE guy looked at as the standard bearer for the new generation following Johnny Abarrientos' off-court struggles.

During those days, we were settling for Olsen Racela, Boyet Fernandez and even Jason Webb-- guys who, on their best day, may not even be able to keep Cortez from driving into the lane.

But how quickly one Finals series changed everything for Cortez.