Trade rxn: Too many to mention

When NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao said that he was considering trading a few players to form the most competitive team possible; he damn well meant every single word.

The fiery head coach and his team figured in several trades that took place during the PBA All Star break that involved four other squads. There were some surprises-- considering the names that were included, and here we try our very best to make sense out of the Guiao-manufactured madness.

Meralco: Garvo Lanete
The Bolts decided to let go of the promising Grey (who kept opening eyes with his efficient play despite the obvious lack of hype and athleticism) to acquire former Gilas Cadet hand Lanete. Lanete comes in to possibly re-start his amateurs superstar partnership with the Bolts' lead point guard Baser Amer who is having a breakout in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. The move will also allow the Bolts to focus on rookie Ed Daquioag as their premier slasher/ creator coming off the bench, with Amer and Lanete as their lead 1-2 players from here on out.
Grade: B

Natural born killer

Mamba Mentality
(Photo credit: gmanetwork.com)

Terrence Romeo just dropped 44 points on the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

We repeat, forty-four points to go with 6 rebounds and the same number of assists. If you took away today's match up versus RoS' angry lot of shooting guards and small forwards, Romeo is still averaging a league-best 27ppg to go with 4rpg and 6apg on an absurd 44% clip from 2-point territory and 43% from 3.

What separates Romeo from all the other gifted scorers that we have seen both past and present, is that he doesn't appear to be quite the forgiving type. He will score at you in bunches, and will not stop pressing down your throat with his foot not until Coach Franz Pumaren yanks him out of the game or reminds him to let Stanley Pringle and friends join in the fun.

Quoting Mark Twain

#TheFaceThatRunsThePlace
(photo credit: sports5.ph)

"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

When the Rain or Shine Elastopainters received 2x PBA MVP James Yap and former PBA Finals MVP Jay Washington in separate deals, it was met largely with criticisms and doubt. After all, we are talking about two legitimate PBA superstars who have probably seen their best days behind them.

Yes they are old, but they sure as hell aren't dead.

Washington, in four games, is averaging a solid 23m 7p 8r while Yap, who had to sit out RoS' first game, isn't far behind with 20m 12p 4r. There are a lot of guys who actually play more minutes than these two "elder statesmen" that do not even average anything close to those numbers.

Now that's impressive.

Salamat Kots Yeng

Hanggang doon na lang pala.

2017 NLEX head coach
(Photo credit ABS CBN)

Nung huling conference, nung natapos yung nine-straight playoffs appearances ng Rain or Shine, bilang isang fan parang may mali kaming naramdaman. Kaka champion lang ng team namin noong PBA Commissioner's Cup, partida binuhat pa ng mga local yung import, pero bakit ganun, bakit ang asa balita e hindi pa nagsisipirmahan ng mga kontrata yung players?

Pati pala yung si Kots Yeng Guiao, hindi din pumirma.

Pumirma, pero para tapusin lang yung season. Hindi para mag extend ng isa o dalawa o tatlong taon. Lahat sila na core, sa pagkakaalam namin: Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Jericho Cruz, Beau Belga at JayR Quinahan. Damay din ata si Jeff Chan. Parang may kakaiba. Siguro alam na nung mga players, alam na din siguro ni Kots. Hanggang doon na lang yung samahan nila, at hanggang doon na lang yung kwento niya sa RoS na kanyang itinaguyod.

Our RoS story and what's next

Photo credit: Sports5.ph

Unless it has not been made any more obvious, we are Rain or Shine Elastopainters fans. Since Yeng Guiao took over the reins and imprinted his basketball philosophies on an otherwise fresh yet bland product. Our loyalty to RoS was further cemented of course, when they drafted Paul Lee in 2011.

The first title, in 2012, came at the expense of then San Mig Coffee Mixers (now STAR Hotshots) which was still trying to build chemistry with 1st year head coach Tim Cone. We can still remember pieces of that championship run, and though RoS has always played with grit and intensity, the championship was gift-wrapped for them by super import Jamelle Cornley who would also later on win the Best Import award.

How good was Cornley?

PBA CC SF: 1 San Miguel vs 5 Rain or Shine

Grudge Match
(Photo credit: Spin.Ph)

In a grudge match of the PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals, San Miguel will need to overcome bullish Rain or Shine once again if they are looking to continue their Grand Slam bid. The only problem here is, they are facing a team that appears to have found a wide body, literally, to even out the playing field.

Oh, and that SMB's 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo is coming off an injury (caused by RoS' Jireh Ibanes in that same Semis match-up mentioned above).

So here is what we know: RoS beat SMB in the eliminations thanks to then import Mo Charlo's 35 points and 13 rebounds debut. It was also a close 108-105 match, which could've easily been in favor of SMB had Fajardo been in the shape that he is in now (still not 100%, but definitely getting there).

In that match SMB's Tyler Wilkerson posted 33 and 10, Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot provided 18 a piece and Chris Ross had 12. On the flip side, it was JayR Quinahan with 15, Chris Tiu and Maverick Ahanmisi with 13 each and Jeff Chan with 12-- basically, typical RoS stats with just about everyone who saw action scoring a point or two.

So how does SMB beat RoS?

Crown Jewel

Kumpyansa goes a long way
(Photo credit to the owner)

Credit Rain or Shine Elastopainters' head coach for turning another almost lost PBA career around.

He did it for the likes of Beau Belga and JayR Quinahan who pre-RoS were surely on their way out of the PBA as teams were looking for mobile, athletic bigs. He had a hand in the development of now legit PBA household names Cyrus Baguio, Larry Fonacier and Jeffrei Chan, turning them from good to great while other players of their caliber (the Baguio types: Val Acuna and PJ Cabahug, the Chan/Fonacier: John Wilson, Jimbo Aquino are dealing with life being in and out of the league/ glued to the bench).

Add RoS' new resident big man, 6"5 Jewel Ponferada, to the list.

Back to the one we love

The PBA is BACK!
WOW! Fantastic baby.
(Photo credit to the owner)

Though we were definitely upset over all the drama that still, fortunately, led to a silver medal finish for our Gilas 3, there is no point in denying that we will always be fans of the Philippine Basketball Association by default.

One; because we do not really see another Metropolitan Basketball Association rising out of the woodwork (until of course either Team San Miguel or Team Manny V Pangilinan pulls all of their teams out of the Asia's first basketball league), and two; because Filipinos in general are a fickle, forgiving lot (we are generalizing here, because this basically explains how and why troublemakers and borderline idiots get seats in the government).

So yes, we forgive you PBA for the Gilas 3 drama. But only because we are left with no other alternative (at the moment, once the NBA starts holding Global Games in Manila then all bets are off). Now that you've named a 17-man pool for the Olympic Qualifiers, we kinda, sorta, hate you guys less. We still hate some of the guys in charge, but not as much as before.

And we will forgive you for making up-and-coming emcee Abra look like a complete tool last Wednesday.

On to STAR vs Rain or Shine, NLEX vs Blackwater and Alaska vs Talk'n'Text then.

The PBA is BACK!

Dear Beau

(Photo courtesy of Sports5.ph)

Idol, kamusta ka na?

Sana mabuti ang kalagayan mo matapos yung matinding bugbugan nung nakaraang PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals. May dinadaing ka ba na injury? Nagiba kasi yung laro mo matapos yung Ginebra SMASH game. Parang lumugar ka lang bigla ulit, nawala yung idol namin. Papitik pitik, pasundot sundot, pero halos hindi naramdaman. Sa Finals? Habang naghahari yung pagkalaki laking import ng TNT at minamama yung mga kakampi mo, ikaw yung inaasahan ng Bayan ng RoS na reresbak para sa amin.

Pero asaan ka ba nun?

Nothing but bricks for Elasto Painters

Jeff Chan needs to find his touch

When the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters started turning heads last season, it wasn't only because of fearless rookie Paul Lee, Jeffrei Chan turning into the new Allan Caidic, the blatant rugged style of play or Gabe Norwood's string of polarizing performances. The team won so much because guys were making shots. This season, the team still finds themselves in the middle of the hunt (currently sitting pretty with a 5-3 mark that could've easily been 6-2) but missing arguably their most treasured asset.

The three-ball.

So far, this team is chucking up way too many shots from downtown and not converting. The usual suspect, Chan, is coming off an injury from his shooting hand so he has a valid excuse. The same cannot be said however for sweet-shooting bigs Beau Belga and JayR Quinahan who appear to be holding back on their gunslinging ways and opting to play closer to the basket (where they're not as effective on offence despite their hulking frames).