Trade RXN: RR for MGR

Garcia to TNT, Rosser to SMB
(Photo credit: Gilas)

We never thought we'd see the day wherein San Miguel and TNT would see eye to eye and broker an even trade.

Hey #WeArePBA, also, what a time to be alive.

RR Garcia (18mpg 7ppg 1rpg 2apg) was supposed to be the next "great SMB point guard." It is a role that currently belongs to Chris Ross, after aging star Alex Cabagnot has made the full transition to shooting guard and backup Brian Heruela was found lacking. He showed flashes in the Philippine Cup, his first conference with SMB after being acquired from the Star Hotshots, but has obviously lost favor with the team.

Matt Ganuelas-Rosser (19-6-3-3), like Garcia, was also supposed to be the "next big thing" for TNT. Here is a 6"5 athlete who could run like a gazelle, dunk over the opposition, and basically do anything and everything that is required to win games. Only, he doesn't. Or he does, but only up to a certain point which, in his 3rd/4th season in, tells coaches and fans alike that perhaps he has hit a glass ceiling.

This trade could be a blessing for both.

Petron SMASH!

Even new recruit Doug Kramer's bought
into the Petron system
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

Hell hath no fury like a couple of scorned Gilas hopefuls

That was the message sent by the Petron Blaze Boosters last night en route to their 122-88 trashing of heated rival Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters. The Texters, which boasts of four core Gilas players (not to mention the brain/financial thrust) , were never really in it no thanks to the Boosters' unforgiving defense and high octane, sweet-shooting offense.

2014 FIBA World On Our Minds

Should Gilas Pilipinas send all 12 to Spain?
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

We know, we know.

It's too early to be posting about Gilas Pilipinas, its 2014 FIBA World campaign, and wether we should change the line-up or not. We also understand that the 12 players who gutted it out through this year's FIBA Asia en route to a silver medal finish are more than deserving to be sent to Spain. That any or all talks about any player from Asia's finest Jayson Castro to little-used big man Junmar Fajardo are to be on the positive slant given their now "revered" status.

But don't bet on foreigners to egg Gary David through another one of his now infamous shooting slumps. Or that Gilas can afford and withstand another mid-game scoring drought against NBA to EuroBasket-level competition.

Gilas Pilipinas needs tweaking. But not as much as some would think. They don't need an overhaul of talent, they just need some upgrades here and there when it comes to personnel. Here's a shortlist of players we feel can help the Gilas cause at the Worlds and who we're "okay" with taking out of the current line-up:

Gilas Pilipinas: The Great Big Hope

Photo courtesy of Interaksyon.com

The future of Philippine basketball is in good hands.

Whatever the 6"9 Cebuano giant and Gilas Pilipinas rookie Junemar Fajardo does or brings to the table for Gilas Pilipinas in the coming FIBA Asia games-- be it backstopping Marcus Douthit as the team's main anchor or "learning" on the bench ala Japeth Aguilar in previous years (highly unlikely), rest assured that you are looking at the man that will become the pillar for Team Pilipinas just like Asi Taulava did the last decade.

Despite the presence of Douthit, Aguilar and the possible and expected rise of 7"0 Greg Slaughter, the brunt of carrying the legacy of all great Filipino big men rests on Fajardo's broad shoulders. He has the hands for it, he has the size, speed and (as proven by his quick recovery from surgery) the grit to be the country's bannerman for years to come. Are we asking that Gilas head coach Chot Reyes eschew his preferred "small ball" and even ignore Douthit on the block? No. Are we asking that Fajardo gets more touches? No.

Is Olsen safe?

Life was probably simpler for Coach O
back when he was playing

In case you haven't already heard, there's a "coaching re-organization" reportedly in the works within the San Miguel Corporation ranks. This, after the abrupt dismissal of Gee Abanilla as head coach of the De La Salle Green Archers in the collegiate ranks (which is banked by Danding Cojuangco of Team SMC).

Some circles say that Abanilla is on his way to playing a role for one of Team SMC's PBA ballclubs, another  have him being given the boot because of a lackluster coaching job in a recently concluded pocket tournament.  How this affects Racela is simple: either Abanilla (or someone flying under the radar) is out to get his spot or as shown with Cojuangco's patience for the former DLSU coach, Racela is next to go given his so-so performance as head coach of the Petron Blaze Boosters in the PBA.

But what did they really expect when they handed Racela the head coaching gig?

Belga knows basketball

Enforcer ba kamo? Watch the "sipit."

Minsan lang tayo mag-Filipino sa blog na ito na alay natin sa ating mga kababayan. Hindi dahil sa galing tayong elitistang iskwelahan na hindi marunong bumigkas ng "R," kundi para maipabot natin sa ibang lahi ung galing at husay ng Pilipinas basketball.

Hindi namin lubos na maisalaysay yung kagalakan namin nung napabalitang isasama sa Gilas Pilipinas tune-up si Rain or Shine 6"6 big man Beau Belga. Matagal na namin itong kinakampanya. Marami nagsasabing barubal at marumi maglaro si Belga, madalas ung mga fangirls/gays na ang mga iniidolo kasi ang tinatamaan ng mala-Brazo de Mercedez BENZ ni Belga.

Pero lingid sa kanilang kaalaman, si Belga ay marunong maglaro ng basketball. Sabi nila, ito daw ang pinakamalaking line-up ng Gilas. Siguro nga. Pero kung sina Japeth Aguilar at Greg Slaughter lang din, aanhin mo ang height kung kulang pa sa diskarte (lalo na kung ung isa e allergic sa poste)?

What if Choke-gate never happened?

What if Balkman kept his hands to himself?

Would the Petron Blaze Boosters be enjoying a nice, comfy seat in the semifinals waiting for the Ginebra-Rain or Shine winner instead of Talk 'n' Text? Would everything that has gone wrong for the Boosters the last one and a half conference be forgotten and dismissed as mere "growing pains"-- justified and vindicated by the team's success?

And finally, was the ouster of Renaldo Balkman really that big of a deal considering their opponent, TNT, changed imports just as much as they did?

From a team chemistry standpoint, on the floor at least, yes. Balkman was that versatile four that Arwind Santos forgot to play like and Jay Washington never was. He brought intensity and hustle that allowed his teammates to just feed off it. Rookie center JuneMar Fajardo was left to fend for himself (with much success) as the team's anchor at the five spot guarding imports his size or bigger. Balkman was not an established scorer ala Air21's Mike Dunnigan or Meralco's Eric Dawson, but he sure as hell brought it night in and night out with tremendous energy and passion for the game.

2012 PBA Mock Draft

And this year's number one pick is...

With the 2012 PBA Draft just a little under a month away, it's that time of the year again to have some fun and "predict" which amateur standouts will be selected. Now, this writer won't be as brazen to say that he'll go 10/ 10, but the choices were made by following two simple and logical rules: 1) what the team needs right now 2) best player remaining in the draft.

Let's start things off with arguably the worst kept secret in the Filipino basketball community-- Junmar Fajardo being drafted first by the Petron Blaze Boosters. Is he the best player on the list? No. Does he deserve to go number 1? No.

But he will, and he should. 6"9 guys don't just fall off trees, specially a guy who has international experience and actually plays defense and rebounds first before thinking about scoring. Oh, and the guy has actual, ripped bicep muscles-- something you can't say about Ateneo's 6"11 wonder kid Greg Slaughter.


1. Petron Blaze Boosters - Junmar Fajardo
This one's a no-brainer. There's a reason why Fajardo didn't throw his hat into the 2012 PBA draft outright following a so-so ASEAN Basketball League campaign. Team San Miguel had a 66% chance of acquiring the Top Pick while the Aces had a slim 33% chance (thanks to the wonders of the PBA Lottery)-- this was seen too big a risk by Noli Eala et al, so they waited until the last minute to give the Cebuano giant the go signal. Fajardo quickly fixes the Boosters' frontcourt problems with aging Danny Ildefonso and Dorian Pena not as effective as years back. With Fajardo as the anchor, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Jay Washington, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz can pretty much run the floor and not worry about being beaten on the boards.