PBA Governor's Cup Finals: TNT vs Ginebra

Photo: GMA Network

It was just a matter of time.

With the mighty San Miguel Beermen going through a transition phase with a new head coach and ever-changing roster, Barangay Ginebra has slowly established itself as the San Miguel Corporation's top PBA team under the Tim Cone era. I can't remember the last time Ginebra did not win at least a championship (or made a deep playoff push) under Cone, and now, it truly looks like they have the right roster to cement a new Dynasty in the PBA.

On the other side of the fence, the MVP group's crown jewel has always been the TNT Tropang Giga. They've fallen off the grid for a while, looking for a new coach to succeed Chot Reyes (the dark Bong Ravena years), and it appears that they've found just the man in Jojo Lastimosa. Of course, at his disposal still lies Reyes and his son Josh, and probably the biggest asset of them all, Serbian tactician Lale Guronovic. Together, they have righted the TNT ship, and we have seen a more well-balanced roster that even uses traditional, heavy bigs (which has only sometimes been the case with Reyes' old TNT squads).

[FIBA] Gilas loses to Jordan, Wins over Filipino fans

Photo: GMA News Online

What a second game for the revamped Gilas.

Gilas started off against the visiting Jordanian national team on the wrong foot, missing shots and defensive assignments-- a stark contrast to their impressive debut over a depleted Lebanon side. The visitors kept beating our guards to the rim, leaving 6x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo all by his lonesome on the receiving end of foul calls.

Things were getting so out of hand, that the home team found itself down by as much as 25 points, Fajardo in foul trouble, and none of our guards able to keep in step with Jordanian stars import Dar Tucker and point guard Freddy Ibrahim. But just when all seemed lost, the rest of the Filipino basketball community that are (surprisingly) not Ginebra fans, all got the 'Justin Brownlee experience' also comically known as 'Asa Kay Brownlee" on social media circles.

[FIBA] Win For All; Gilas 2023 triumphs over Lebanon

Photo: philstar.com

"Win For All."

The new FIBA World Cup tagline couldn't be any more fitting to our very own Gilas men's national basketball team, from having to go through so much off-court drama and uncertainties the last few years to finally appear to have a united front thanks to the 100% buy-in of the San Miguel group.

Because let us all be honest here, there are two basketball powerhouses in the country, be it on the professional or collegiate levels: the mighty San Miguel (SMC) and the MVP squad, which has been funding Gilas for the last decade or so. And though they may not openly say it, they are indeed the fiercest of rivals, so much so that making in-house talent (players and coaches) available wasn't always the easiest of tasks to accomplish.

That is until something magical happened last year. First, more San Miguel contracted players were made available to Gilas. Next, the group's crown jewel of a tactician, Barangay Ginebra's Tim Cone, was allowed to serve as consultant/ strategist for Gilas coach Chot Reyes. This, after the unceremonious exit of Tab Baldwin a few months prior, was nothing short of disastrous in terms of all things Gilas.

The Gold Standard

Photo: Wikipedia.com

Bobby Parks, Norman Black, and Sean Chambers-- just a few of the PBA's more storied American basketball reinforcements who have led their respective teams to multiple championships and glory. They would take over games while earning the oohs and aahs of the PBA faithful. Players that you love to hate, but would also leave you in awe of just how effortless they make the game look be it on television or live in person.

They ruled the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Other names have come and gone, leaving impressionable marks in the league, such as Lamont Strothers, John Best, and Denzel Bowles, and for a time, we would almost always see teams trying to get imports of a certain mold to match whoever was dominating the league the reinforced conference/ season before.

This era, we have Barangay Ginebra San Miguel's Justin Brownlee.

Post-PBA Bubble Thoughts

The Return of the Comeback in 2021

Happy New Year!

Here's a virtual hug and fist bump to all of our friends who continue to push through and soldier on in spite of the pandemic and this prolonged quarantine. This is probably for the best, although from where we're seated we could only hope and wish that our government continues to improve and learn where it can to be of better assistance to our countrymen. 

Okay, so we kind of blew it with the PBA Bubble Finals prediction. Though I did say that my gut feel was for Ginebra. I simply went with the more logical choice which was TNT who was rolling at the time and Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. who was looking every bit like the PBA superstar we all thought he'd become-- as early as what, four, five years ago?

Unfortunately, Parks, Jr. went down with an injury. The veteran anchor Jayson Castro followed suit and though RR Pogoy put up a valiant effort he was also hit by the injury bug. Ginebra? They stayed the course. Coach Tim Cone went to his trusted leader, L.A. Tenorio, to break down the TNT defense by outclassing his defenders.

PBA Philippine Cup Finals: Ginebra (1) vs TNT (3)

Author's note: Before we proceed, we would like to once again take this time to thank everyone who made the PBA Philippine Cup bubble. Sure, we made fun of certain teams and players on social media-- but that doesn't take away from how thankful we all are for being able to have something 'normal,' and how it took our minds away from this pandemic (if only for 3-5 hours a day).

So here we finally are. The PBA Philippine Cup (Bubble Season) Finals match-up pitting the Barangay Ginebra versus TNT Giga. The clear-cut favorites, going into the season following the injury to San Miguel Beer's living legend Junemar Fajardo which put a halt to their mighty romp.

On one side, you have last season's PBA Governor's Cup champions Ginebra which lost 7"0 slotman Greg Slaughter but ultimately gained another conference's worth of chemistry with ace guard Stanley Pringle. Where super scoring import Justin Brownlee left off, Pringle pretty much picked up together with new recruits veteran lefties Jared Dilligner and Jeffrei Chan. 

In the off-season they added promising rookie Arvin Tolentino and during the bubble Coach Tim Cone made full use of his roster by giving extended minutes to his younger players which allowed back-up center Prince Caperal to showcase his wares.

Then there's the TNT Giga.

They added the man we dub as 'The Natural' in Ray Ray Parks, Jr. And followed it up by adding much-improved defensive big Poy Erram while giving away next to nothing.

That's it. End of conversation.

PBA Bubble SF: Ginebra (1) VS Meralco (5)

"Papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako"
Photo credit: Slamonline.ph

We opened the other SF entry by saying that it has a lot of history. Well, this one's got an even longer tale-- although a lot upsided than the Meralco Bolts would hope for. 

Here's what we all know so far, since Chris Newsome was added to the Bolts' line-up they have managed to almost, always face-off against Barangay Ginebra in either the playoffs or PBA Finals. And if memory serves us correctly, the Bolts have never managed to beat Ginebra in any of those match-ups specially when the latter is at full strength. 

So, can the souped-up Bolts finally get over the hump and give coach Norman Black a series win over Tim Cone? 

That's a pretty tall order. 

Taller than Japeth Aguilar, even. 

PG L.A. Tenorio v Baser Amer 

Sure, Meralco has added the bruising Nard Pinto as Amer's back-up but even at Tenorio's advanced years there is just no comparing his consistent performance as Ginebra's lead point guard vs Amer's continued on-and-off showing. Some games Amer looks like the Jimmy Alapag protege, knocking down threes off the screen and making clutch plays, others he looks as though he's lost on the court. Tenorio? Whenever he's in, what he lacks in scoring he makes up for in heady plays, swinging the ball and being Japeth Aguilar's set-up guy. 

Adv. Ginebra 

PBA GovCup Finals: Ginebra v Meralco

Act III
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

Our apologies for being a game late with our preview, though we are admittedly not as bothered because somehow, someway, this "trilogy" between the Meralco Bolts and their continued tormentors, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel feels as though it will go the distance.

Call it a gut feel.

Fine, for those who have been following our blog and Twitter accounts, we're currently at an abysmal 2 and 4 with our predictions. But hey, like the band Journey: "don't stop. Believing."

Hold on to that feeling.

*apir kung kinanta mo din*

Much has changed since these two teams first met in the PBA Finals. Meralco made sure to check all the boxes and dot all their i's by adding gunner Allein Maliksi, rim protector Raymond Almazan and bruiser Raymar Jose. There were a lot of times in the first two encounters wherein they really felt the absence of a perimeter gunner (Chris Newsome was all by his lonesome), a reliable big who is agile enough to keep in step with Ginebra's towering giants Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter, and a young enforcer to help spell their throng of veteran power forwards.


Because really, Meralco has a knack for bringing in 35+ year old power forwards into the fold no? Reynel Hugnatan's still there. Ranidel de Ocampo came in. Just a bunch of old stars, and when they do get young blood, it's mostly the bit players that other teams discarded.

So really, it was their hulking import Allen Durham, Newsome, and backup guard Anjo Caram. Yes. No Baser Amer. He was flat out getting cooked by L.A. Tenorio out there. And if Game 1 of this Finals series has shown, Amer still can't guard Tenorio to save his life. And we're talking about an OLD Tenorio here, not the ultra quick Ateneo/ Harbour Center/ Alaska one.

Hopefully, the additions pan out. They have a great young forward in Bong Quinto, who had a terrible Game 1 but will most likely bounce back for the rest of the series.

On the other side of the fence, Ginebra's peaking at the right time. They started the conference a bit slow only to finish 3rd after the eliminations. Once in, they dismantled the distracted San Miguel Beermen before ending Northport's Cinderella story in the semis. All that despite going through some injuries here and there to their rotation guys, still having to incorporate Stanley Pringle into the mix and achieving a balance between him and super import Justin Brownlee.

Seriously, is there anything that Brownlee cannot do? Because by now, three or four years into his PBA career, he's obviously the measuring stick when it comes to imports right?

Brownlee as the do-it-all, high scoring, perimeter oriented barometer, Durham being the low post one.

Here are the match-ups:

LA Tenorio vs Baser Amer/ Anjo Caram
Here's the thing, Amer is Meralco's lead guy. They go where he goes. Unfortunately, he simply cannot stay in front of Tenorio. Which is odd considering his youth. He's just outgunned, outsmarted, outwitted at every turn. Caram makes up for it with his energy. Maybe the bigger Nard Pinto should be sent to check Tenorio and rough the vet up a bit. I mean, if they really want to win and all.

Stanley Pringle/ Scottie Thompson vs Chris Newsome
Sucks to be Newsome. This is his breakout party-- 3rd time's the charm right? He was great the first time around, he was good the last time... now he's stuck trying to keep in step with Pringle. Who is pretty much the best guard out there today. Bar none. And if that wasn't enough, there's the energetic Thompson, who is really Ginebra's X-factor as he is their primary 2nd ball-mover after Tenorio or Brownlee. The gaps in Ginebra's offense, when the ball needs to move from one side to the other, that's where Thompson comes in with the hockey assists. Low key, but disruptive if you're trying to stop Ginebra. And he rebounds like a mofo too.

Justin Brownlee vs Bong Quinto/ Allein Maliksi
I don't get the Magic Brownlee tag. Just call him Ginebra's Michael Jordan. Maliksi's practically useless when his shooting is off target.

Japeth Aguilar vs Raymond Almazan
Yay for Meralco, they got a rim protector who can spread the floor. But Aguilar's been on a different level since Coach Tim Cone arrived at Ginebra. Sure, he still bites on fakes, but he appears to be a bit tougher. Less erratic. More confident in attacking the rim (and simply jamming it in). Also, Japeth seems to play with more aggression whenever he faces off against Almazan. Even when Rakenrol was still with RoS.

Joe DeVance/ Greg Slaughter vs Allen Durham

That's about as one-sided of an affair as you can get. Which is tough on paper, but execution-wise, Meralco is running their sets more fluidly than Ginebra. Ginebra's players gets away with a lot because of their superb 1-on-1 talent, but you can see during their dry spells that they do have instances wherein they just don't know what set to run or who to go to. Well, save for iso-Brownlee or iso-Pringle.

But that's just us nitpicking really.

BUT, if you're Meralco, they were pretty much in control of Game 1 up until the 4th quarter when their starters obviously started to tire out as opposed to Ginebra who kept putting in fresh legs-- specially on Durham (DeVance and Slaughter kept taking turns in guarding him down low). So that's one, Meralco simply can't afford to have their key guys playing 33 minutes and up. Not when the name of the game is to try and stop Ginebra from busting open the gates.

X-factor: Joe DeVance, his high IQ and big bum on defense for Ginebra; Bong Quinto for Meralco

Prediction: Ginebra.

PBA GovCup SF: Ginebra vs Northport

At this point, I'm just surprised that The Dean
hasn't given him a moniker yet.
(Photo credit: Sports.inquirer.net)

Talk about Never-say-die.

On one hand we've got the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, a powerhouse team on paper that continues to live up (or down, depending on which Kabarangay you're asking) to its glorious reputation. The team finished the PBA Governor's Cup as the 4th seed, starting a bit slow before turning it up in its last few games. On the other, you've got the Northport Batang Pier which was arguably on its way to packing its bags this conference following the injury to prized rookie point guard Robert Bolick before somehow landing national skipper Christian Standhinger (and prior to that, the trade that sent its other star guard-- Stanley Pringle to, well, Ginebra).

So we know what we're going to get with Ginebra. The offense runs through super import Justin Brownlee, and whenever he's around (like Meralco and Allen Durham), every thing just falls into place. Only, it was pretty obvious that they had a bit of a rough patch in trying to balance out the offense between Brownlee and Pringle. After those two guys, there's Japeth Aguilar, L.A. Tenorio, and a bit of Scottie Thompson.



Which brings our attention to the 8th seeded North Port. They recently made waves for that gruelling triple overtime upset of the 1st seed NLEX Road Warriors. Standhardinger is turning a lot of heads and making his case for Best Player of the Conference despite the fact that he was only recently traded to North Port by San Miguel. Their import, Michael Qualls, can do a little bit of everything and has the speed, length and athleticism to cover positions 3-5 in the PBA setting. Then there's the energizer bunny known as Sean Anthony, who, IMHO, is a modern day Rudy Hatfield.

This is going to be fun. The onus will be on who can dictate tempo from the get go. Also, if Ginebra can use its size to the hilt to really put the pressure on North Port with their height in the paint. The problem here is, North Port has the bigs, the bruising, elbows-out kind, that their Ginebra counterparts' are "allergic" to.

L.A. Tenorio vs. Nico Elorde
The pressure will be on Tenorio to once again lead Ginebra to victory. But it won't be easy versus Elorde, who is proving to be quite the tough defender who wears opponents down by simply sticking to them like a shadow.

Stanley Pringle vs Kevin Ferrer
Ferrer will get on Pringle's nerves in one of these games. But Pringle will need to make his presence felt enough for Brownlee and the rest to be able to operate freely and not be doubled. On paper, North Port has a few other big/ long guys like Sol Mercado and Paolo Taha to throw at Pringle just to give him different looks.

Scottie Thompson vs Sean Anthony
As good as Thompson has been for Ginebra as a relentless junkyard dog type, he's going to probably find himself matched-up against a mirror image in Anthony (if Coach Pido doesn't waste Anthony on Brownlee). Anthony can do just about everything Thompson does for Ginebra, only, he's bigger and has better range.

Justin Brownlee vs Michael Qualls
The thing about Brownlee that we've always found impressive is that, and maybe it's because he's been wearing the red, white and yellow for so long, he's no longer just a "scorer."

Japeth Aguilar vs Christian Standhardinger
We love Aguilar like the next guy, and have grown to appreciate what he brings to the Ginebra cause. But Standhardinger is cut from an old school, no excuses, no b.s. kind of cloth that every single Ginebra fan has been wanting to see from their own collection of bigs (everyone from Aguilar to Joe DeVance to Greg Slaughter). The kind of player who, as we say in Filipino, "nakikipagpalitan ng mukha" just to score a basket/ grab a rebound/ make a play. Sure, CSH flops and flails, but he also plays with a lot of passion and purpose. This isn't as simple as when Ginebra guards the 5x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo with Slaughter (bigger) or Aguilar (longer) as he tries to back them up. CSH forces the issue and often gets those guarding him in foul trouble by simply bulldozing his way inside. Major problem.

Prediction: Ginebra is going to be in a lot of trouble. A team that doesn't always appear to be playing at 100%, going up against a team that is hungry and has a lot of burning desire to prove their critics wrong. Should Ginebra go big? They have the tools for it, but chances are North Port steps on the gas and leaves Slaughter et. al. behind. Also, it takes away Thompson who does a lot of things for Ginebra.

X-factor: Pick any one of the ex-Ginebra guys who are all going into this match-up with huge chips on their shoulders. Kevin Ferrer might sink a few treys. Jervy Cruz is going to throw some elbows.

Gut feel? North Port. But my brain says Ginebra.

Your thoughts? @kilikilishot on Twitter

2019 PBA Mock Draft Version 1.0

Go number 1?
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

Mark your calendars as we are all set to welcome some new blood into the Philippine Basketball Association by way of the 2019 PBA Draft this Sunday, December 8.

Though it's rather unfortunate that some favorites and household names have already opted to skip this year's affair for one reason or another, this is a great opportunity for those who have decided to take a leap of faith to show just how good they are. In the previous years, we've seen a lot of NCAA standouts being picked in the 1st round over the more 'mainstream' UAAP hopefuls. Just this season, we were treated to the brilliance of Columbian' CJ Perez, the 1st overall pick, and Northport's Robert Bolick.

As per my previous Mock Drafts in the old blog: kilikilishot.blogspot.com ; we're going with who we feel each team needs and who's the best available.

Let's go!

1 Columbian - Roosevelt Adams, G/F
While the media continues to push Go down our throats, don't be surprised if this 6"5 Fil-Am ends up going 1st overall seemingly out of nowhere. Honestly, I've seen him play enough to be convinced that he has great potential-- he can knock down 3s, he rebounds, he doesn't force the issue and at 6"5 could easily be a match-up nightmare right away vs most of the PBA wings. Pairing Adams with Perez would be great on paper, with one guy slashing to the basket and the other knocking down 3s.

2 Blackwater - Isaac Go, C 
The Ateneo big man has been making waves as the potential top pick this year, but we feel like he'll slide down 1 spot to the more versatile Adams. Which isn't all that bad considering the guy's never been a career 10-10 machine. At best, he put up 9 points and 5 boards en route to a PBA D League MVP trophy. Still, the silver lining here is that you've got a kid who is coachable, has a soft touch and looks like he's willing to be great and just play his role. Also, 6"8 is 6"8 in a league currently being dominated by the 5x PBA MVP, 6"10 Junemar Fajardo.



3 NLEX - Rey Suerte, SG
Before he suited up for UE in the UAAP, Suerte was already making waves as a 2x CESAFI MVP. That alone should tell you that yes, this guy is good. Imagine him running with Kiefer Ravena and Jericho Cruz, as Kevin Alas continues to work his way into form and you're looking at a very dangerous NLEX backcourt.

4 Alaska - Sean Manganti, SF
Because you know, this Manganti kid and Alaska just goes together. Solid wing who can make shots, move the ball and play defense. At 6"5 he can play the 3 while Ahanmisi and Teng take care of the backcourt. All of a sudden, the Aces will be bigger at positions 1-3.

5 Rain or Shine - Jerrick Balanza, SG/ SF
What a feel good story which we feel has prepared Balanza mentally for the tough PBA grind ahead. He's a tough-as-nails, old school scorer who can get the job done on both ends of the floor with a lot of grit. Playing behind Kuya Rey Nambatac and Javee Mocon will also help in Balanza's development.

6 Rain or Shine - Aaron Black, SG
Just a hunch here, but we feel that RoS might take a gamble on Black who has shown flashes here and there. Sure, he's no Chris Newsome, but RoS management, specially Coach Caloy Garcia, has always had a penchant for players who look and play a certain way-- Sol Mercado, Mav Ahanmisi. Could very well be a sleeper and sound contributor to the RoS system.

7 Meralco - Arvin Tolentino, PF 
Prodigal son. Tolentino is too talented not to be a first round pick, and we feel that he's matured enough after his Ateneo exit while playing for FEU and in the MPBL. Yes, from time to time, you do feel like he's playing like one of those 'rich boys' who don't want to get hurt, don't want to get into scuffles and absolutely won't dive for any loose balls. But then you see him making a suave move that leads to a nice jumper and say 'hey, this kid is pretty good.' This kid reminds me a lot of Mark Borboran, only chubbier and not as hustle-ish. Wait. Yeah, Borboran.

8 Northport - Bonbon Batiller, SG
Keeping it all in the family, but this time, addressing an obvious need in terms of firepower while Bolick recovers from injury. His familiarity with Coach Pido (by way of Coach/ Manager Bonnie Tan) will give him a boost of confidence, specially on a 'hungry' team like NP that doesn't seem to mind who scores the basket as long as everything runs through Christian Standhardinger first, everyone else, second.

9 Magnolia - Richard Escoto, PF/C

This team needs all the big men that they can get. Stat. Escoto fits the bill and has enough experience, so should be an easy fit right away. For now, it's Escoto or some one else who's over 6"4. It just doesn't make any sense if they go for a guard at this point.

10 Ginebra - Matt Nieto, PG 
Call it a hunch but we feel that the search for L.A. Tenorio's heir apparent (provided Scottie Thompson continues to play the 2-3 spot opposite Stanley Pringle) is going to be addressed next year through ADMU point man Nieto. At 6"0, Nieto has the size and speed to keep up with most PBA point guards while also being capable enough to run plays (hell, he spent majority of his collegiate career running plays for Tab Baldwin). But what's a bit under-the-radar about Nieto, which I've seen in flashes, is his ability to make clutch shots which should be a welcome, 'low key' addition to Ginebra.

11 TNT - Allyn Bulanadi, SG
A floor-spacing lefty that would fit in nicely to TNT's high-octane, European-style offense. He has good PBA size for a 2-guard and should be a threat on the floor when left open (mostly when guys go and chase after Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy). His defense may need a bit of work, yes, but if it's just about getting buckets, Bulanadi's arguably Top 3 in this list.

12 San Miguel - Kib Montalbo, PG
Remember when Kib was that skinny superstar youth coming out of Bacolod? He's come a long way since the, winning a championship in college before opting to play in the MPBL to help polish his game. Montalbo quietly made a name for himself through his defense, and it should be nice learning the ropes from Chris Ross.

Your thoughts? @kilikilishot on Twitter !

Playing catch-up

Author's note: It's been months since I posted on KKS2, I actually have a bunch of rough drafts in the oven but due to lack of time/ interest/ research, opted not to have you guys read it (and lose whatever modicum of admiration you have for this mediocre writer).

Who runs the GovCup?
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

KKS is a blog that I kept primarily to keep myself sane while overseas. While I was with my family, I needed something from home to keep my mind sharp and more importantly, my wits about. When we came back home after three years in the Middle East, the new job has kind of kept me away from the keyboard and television. I still tweet about the games, but as I've always said, writing is an art form that needs to be respected and honored with enough research. I don't just write random hot takes here, like I do when I tweet, I actually take time and watch film, break down plays, check out stats and so on. So we have something nice to talk about (hit me up on Twitter @kilikilishot). I'd like to think that as a writer, I've matured a bit, as with in real life. But basketball will always be a love of mine, it is a great source of entertainment/ joy/ pain/ anger. And I hope that you guys are able to drop by this blog every now and then to check on my latest works, short or long format, good or bad.

Many thanks for the continued trust and support!




So where were we?

Ginebra is in the semifinals after knocking out the grandslam-seeking San Miguel Beermen (who, from the outside looking in, looks like they need to consider a few player changes following that ugly fight during one of their practices). Justin Brownlee continues to stand tall as the barometer for imports, and it seems that he's a lock for yet another Best Import award should Ginebra continue to go deeper into the Governor's Cup.

TNT also managed to escape and unseat the defending Governor's Cup champions, Magnolia, with clutch free throws by new recruit Ray Ray Parks. It was a great match to say the least, and the game could've gone either way. It's just unfortunate that Magnolia appeared to have run out of gas in the end.

Just like the last two (or is it three) seasons, Meralco's doing quite well whenever Allen Durham is around. It's almost like the Ginebra puzzle, except that Durham plays in the paint while Brownlee plays outside. Basically, both teams seem to look average without those two super imports. The Bolts looked very impressive in dismantling the gritty Alaska Aces, and newcomers Raymond Almazan (rim protector) and Allein Maliksi (token scorer) brought the goods.

The TNT-Meralco sister team affair should be fun going into the next round.

Which leaves us with NLEX and Northport. Elbows, flops, ninja hood punches galore. I have no idea what happened or why NLEX approached the game with the intent to play physical to try and rattle Christian Standhardinger and co. Well, it didn't work. CSH flopped his way around the physicality, got the calls, and, well, NLEX' import failed to show up, which basically sealed their fate.

Who do you think will advance to the next round to face Ginebra? Will it be NLEX, the 1st seed, or Northport, which got a new lease on life despite the exit of super rookie Robert Bolick?

Trade RXN: Pringle to Ginebra

Author’s note: We simply cannot tell a lie—the most fantasy basketball-related thing that we really invest time and brainpower on are trade reactions. Of what is and what could be, how pieces would fit in a puzzle moving forward and so on. So the minute that we found out about this trade, we just had to drop everything and write a customary RXN piece. Enjoy!

Bagong ka-Barangay
(Photo: ABS CBN Sports)

For what it's worth, NorthPort had a great five-year run with All Star Stanley Pringle running the point. Sure, he spent most of it playing 2nd fiddle to Terrence Romeo, but he pretty much filled the gaps and when he was given the keys to the 'ship' following Romeo's exit, he delivered in grand fashion enough to merit a starting, starring role with Gilas Pilipinas.

Now, Pringle will take his act to Ginebra Ako, where he is expected to lead the charge and inherit the team from aging iron man L.A. Tenorio to form a young, formidable backcourt with Scottie Thompson.



We've always said-- from the old blog to Twitter, that Ginebra usually went only as far as Tenorio would take them. The star point guard is not only the team's best facilitator, but also their best creator both on and off the dribble following Mark Caguioa's journey into semi-retirement. This is why Ginebra Ako is so good when they have Justin Brownlee in the fold, and not as much when they don't.

Enter Pringle, who could easily slide into either 1 or 2. With Tenorio, he'll be the de facto 2 guard- scorer, finisher, long range bomber-- you name it. When Tenorio's on the bench, he could take the lead role or play off of Scottie Thompson (who has yet to be tasked to run the Ginebra offense full-time) or point-forward Joe DeVance.

Just another solid addition to the Ginebra fold that really makes them a better team all around. They have the bigs equipped with mid-range scoring, now they've got their guard of the future.

They lost three guys, two of which are rotation players, with the other one serviceable when healthy.

Which brings us to NorthPort.

In exchange for Pringle, NorthPort received guard Sol Mercado, small forward Kevin Ferrer and power forward Jervy Cruz. On paper, that's not a bad haul.

Mercado has sacrificed a lot to fit Ginebra's system, giving up his touches if only to allow bigs Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter to operate a bit more. He has openly welcomed coming off the bench for the great Coach Tim Cone, and has willingly played whatever role was asked of him-- be it scorer, stopper (he tries) or energy guy. There's no question on our minds that Mercado should start sooner rather than later for NorthPort as a capable replacement for Pringle. Maybe not as explosive scoring-wise, but still solid enough to put up good numbers.

Big man Cruz is reunited with his 2006 UST championship coach, and we sincerely hope that he finds the minutes this time around. We have seen flashes, but all in all Cruz has found it hard to be as dominant in the pros as he was in college-- blame it on the competition being taller, and bigger, and his opting to trim down a bit. When he's healthy and given minutes, Cruz is quite competent around the paint-- just don't ask Coach Yeng Guiao. But in an import laden conference, given NorthPort's line-up, we're not really expecting a lot from Cruz.

Now here's the interesting part.

The young tiger, the former Tiger King (was he ever officially coronated? Or is the title Alj-- I kid, I kid) Kevin Ferrer.

At this point, it's really to early to give up on Ferrer. He's had his moments with Ginebra, but for the most part he has looked like a lazier, more disengaged version of Mac Baracael. You know, another great college player who could play two-way basketball and had great range? Yeah, him. Ferrer's the new Baracael, only worse. While we wouldn't really question his work ethic (pretty sure he's a gym rat like the rest of them), we're basically making that whole statement based on what we have seen in his professional career on the court. When he's hot, he has unlimited range. His high release paired with his long arms make him almost unguardable. Problem is, he doesn't seem to care about moving his feet to get free or has a pet dribble to go to-- things he could have and should have learned from Ginebra veteran, textbook shooter/ scorer Jeffrei Chan (who is unfortunately injured) during their time together.

What's nice here is that, Ferrer will definitely get a chance to shine playing behind Sean Anthony at the 3 spot (or maybe even play together come Philippine Cup). Here's to wishing that Ferrer finally gets 'it' and shows his true worth under his old coach Pido.

Trade grade:

Ginebra Ako: A (they got Pringle!)
NorthPort: B (should've gone for draft picks but hey)

Your thoughts?

2017 PBA Mock Draft

Dragonfire. (Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

The names are in. Let's go with version 1.

12. Ginebra - Louie Vigil, SF, 6"3
Because you know... Ginebra's building their own UST team with Aljon Mariano and Kevin Ferrer already in the fold. Seriously though, Vigil is a smart and efficient player to have as a backup for Ferrer and Mariano at the 3 spot. He has good PBA size and the tv-friendly looks. There are other guys like Onuwobre that we'd want to go higher, but based on need... Ginebra doesn't really have much room for another big man while Jamil Sherrif, arguably this draft's best natural PG, is a bit too short with no range for the PBA style IMHO.

11. San Miguel Beermen - Julien Sergent, SF, 6"3

Sergent had spurts for DLSU wherein he really did look like a solid, defensive ace. However, he wasn't being used as much which we always found odd. The Beermen are currently stacked on all fronts, with the one opening being at the 3 spot with Arwind Santos on a bit of a decline (age) and Matt Rosser still trying to fit in. Sergent won't take MGR's spot right away, but if he sticks to his strengths (defense, speed, mobility) he could crack the roster as a serviceable role player.

10. TNT - Rey Nambatac, SG, 5"10
They have a plethora of bigs. What they need is a shot creator who can take the load off Jayson Castro. Sure, Nambatac's name doesn't really hit you like a Jeron Teng or Kiefer Ravena would, but if there's one thing about the former Letran Knight-- he doesn't shy away from taking the big shots. What's nice about Nambatac is he also crashes the boards and plays sturdy defense which makes him a possible candidate to one day succeed Ryan Reyes.


9. Star Hotshots - Lervin Flores, PF, 6"4 
Let's face it. To this day, Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis are still the team's best big men. Which means, Ian Sangalang hasn't exactly lived up to what was expected (following his bouts with different injuries), while Kyle Pascual, Rodney Brondial and Aldrech Ramos are more stretch bigs than guys who can manufacture their own shots in the post. Flores is another mobile big, though based on what we've seen he is a bit more competent down low.

Perpetual

Greatness within reach
(Photo credit: mb.com.ph)

Ladies and gentlemen, here are your PBA Philippine Cup champions and Perpetual Trophy winners, the San Miguel Beermen!

Alex Cabagnot missed having his beautiful nose fixed for this. Marcio Lassiter deferred to everyone else when everyone knew that he is the team’s best shooter. Arwind Santos stopped trying to look like a superstar and just did a lot of the dirty work. Chris Ross just kept providing the Beermen with the “larong mahirap” hustle and energy. Three-time PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo was happy to just put up “pedestrian” numbers instead of Kraken-like ones for the good of the team.

Coach Leo Austria came under fire, for some reason, because he wasn’t using his bench enough—even when they were winning and almost came out of the elimination round unscathed.
Speaking of the bench, they were all just happy to be there and do whatever was asked. No one was going on social media, no young up and comer was posting “play me or trade me” photos on Instagram. They all simply bought into what Coach Leo was preaching.

And it was all worth it.

Ganado pa din

Just a little bit more
(Photo credit: interaksyon.com)

Congratulations, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel!

You may not have won the PBA Philippine Cup title, but as far as Coach Tim Cone and the "Cone Era" goes, you guys are still on the right path. One championship, two finals conference appearances in only four conferences. With those two appearances being played minus your cornerstone, 7"0 Greg Slaughter. That says a lot about the team, where it is right now, and where it is headed.

So don't fret. Us "haters" will try our best to milk the whole "kang kong" rib, because once Slaughter comes back and Coach Tim makes a few more adjustments, it might as well be our very last time to make a laughing stock out of you guys.

Give us a break, you already outnumber us non-Ginebra fans a million to one, so anytime we can get a rib in we will.

1st runner-up.

That's not so bad.

Never say die

Ano na, Coach?
(Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

Kung may pagkakataon man na patunayan ng Barangay Ginebra San Miguel sa mga tiga hanga nila at maging sa sarili nila ang katagang "Never say die," eto na yun.

Isang talo na lang, tapos na ang lahat. Bubuhos ang beer. Perpetual Trophy para sa San Miguel Beermen, isa na namang malaking kwento ng tagumpay sa sinusulat pa lamang na biag ni 3x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo.

Kailangan ng Ginebra manalo ng tatlong sunod upang magkampyon. Kinailangan nilang manalo ng dalawang sunod kontra ang Alaska Aces nitong PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals. Kinailangan nilang bumawi matapos mahulog ng 0-2 kontra Star Hotshots sa semifinals. Ngayon, kailangan nilang bumangon muli, Never Say Die, para manalo ng 3-4.

Pero paano?

PBA Ph C F: 1 San Miguel V 7 Ginebra

Ginebra is on the rise
(Photo credit: sports5.ph)

Call it a date with destiny.

When Tim Cone was transplanted from his grand slam throne with the Star Hotshots to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, expectations of turning the franchise around and multiple title runs were the norm. Everyone agreed that if anyone could make Ginebra’s giants, 7”0 Greg Slaughter and 6”9 Japeth Aguilar, regular fixtures in the PBA Playoffs and Finals it could be no one else but Cone.

And following that same logic, a fantasy showdown was born: Cone’s Ginebra versus the league’s current crème dela crème; San Miguel Beer and its own giant: the reigning 3x PBA MVP, 6”10, Junemar Fajardo.

Last season, San Miguel won its 2nd straight PBA Philippine Cup title which further cemented the supremacy of its local cast while Ginebra, only three conferences into the Cone Era, ended the season with a title of its own.

PBA PhC QF: 2 Alaska vs 7 Ginebra

NGANGA
(Photo credit: Sports5)

No Quit Squad v Never Say Die.

Ginebra is not the team you'd want to face in the Playoffs, despite their low seeding. However, Alaska is also not the team that you'd want to face on the same stage, unless you're San Miguel and pretty much own their asses until proven otherwise.

So here is what we know: Alaska beat Ginebra 101-86 in a game wherein Japeth Aguilar, who is having a great conference so far, had some drama which resulted in him being disciplined by Coach Tim Cone by way of coming off the bench. This move backfired somewhat, because Aguilar dutifuly responded by scoring 12 points on 10 shots with ZERO rebounds in 23 minutes.
ZERO rebounds for a 6"9 guy who is unmatched by the other team.

Some things never change. Lol.

Ginebra's new offense

Holding it down
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

No, it's not the Triangle.

Coach Tim Cone and his wards have found life after their PBA Governor's Cup championship (and import Justin Brownlee), not to mention while playing minus franchise center 7"0 Greg Slaughter, by going against the current flow of the PBA game. While other teams have embraced a high-scoring approach with scores breaking the century mark, Ginebra has taken a more defensive stand anchored on efficiency.

The team currently leads the league per game in: points allowed at 84 ppg (vs 86 ppg for them); 2-pt field goal percentage at 37%; and assists at 23. Ginebra has also made a conscious effort in not falling in love with the three-ball, taking a league-last 18 attempts per game (though you could argue that it's merely because they do not have the specialists at the moment to do so).

PBA Ph Cup/Season Preview

The Face That Runs The Place
(Photo courtesy: philstar.com)

The new PBA season opens this November 20 and while official line-ups have yet to be announced, we could more or less predict who is coming in as conference/season favorites (unless a league balance shaking scenario happens i.e. Tim Cone moving/being moved to Ginebra last pre-season).

The Favorites

San Miguel Beermen
The defending PBA Philippine Cup champions will once again rely on 3x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo to spearhead their title defense, with veterans Chris Ross, Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter all ready to chip in. Honestly, the way the league is being officiated at the moment, there is just no way to stop Fajardo in the post. This basically means that teams will have to keep more than one guy on Fajardo, which in turn opens up the floor for SMB’s shooters to pick their spots. They lost little used Ryan Arana but somehow ended up with former high school phenom Keith Agovida AND, more importantly, UAAP MVP RR Garcia. Arnold Van Opstal won’t be a threat right away, but anytime you can have another warm body—standing at an athletic and well-cut 6”9 at that, is always a plus.