KKS Trade Reaction: Monfort to NLEX

Where did this guy's game go?
(Photo credit: Slamonline.ph)

Remember when we used to laud Marnel "Mac" Baracael as possibly the best two-way and PBA-ready player of the SMART Gilas I lot? A roster that boasts of Chris Tiu, JVee Casio, Mark Barroca and even the then unproven Fil-Am pair of Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz? We were that high on him, because he was that good a player.

Until he got drafted into the PBA.

For whatever reason, Baracael lost his way from being a legit "3 and D" guy who could cover spots 1 to 4 and somehow transformed into a mindless jackass, err, jacker. Defense? What defense?

This is why Emman Monfort's name is on this entry's title and not Baracael's. Because the 5"6 point guard who came out of the Ateneo basketball program has managed to make a name for himself in the pros, even when most had him pencilled as a future non-rotation player a.k.a. ABL/ D-League/ PCBL starter (this writer included).

On to the grades then.

On the wings of love

Trade looming?
(Photo credit to Rappler.com)

With the recent acquisition of Barako Bull Energy Cola by newcomers Phoenix Petroleum, we cannot help but feel the budding romance in the air.

Romance, in the sense that the next two conferences (and or more) will probably be a Team San Miguel Corporation lovefest by way of most of the guys on the Phoenix roster being sent “back” to the one they truly love be it San Miguel, Ginebra or Star. This in turn will corroborate and confirm everyone’s hunch that yes, Barako served as a true farm team and that most of its players were simply out on loan (remember Joseph Yeo’s “Gentleman’s Agreement?”).  Bye-bye Barako farm team, the players get to be sent to winning franchises and we are finally (hopefully) rid of lopsided trades from here on out.

Unfortunately, not everyone will enjoy a happy-ending, or we don’t see ALL of the guys from Barako going back.

PBAPC16 QF: 5 GlobalPort vs 8 Barako

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

R.R. Garcia just cannot seem to catch a break in his young PBA career.

After being pushed to the backseat by former college and pro teammate Terrence Romeo, Garcia was finally able to show his old UAAP MVP form for Barako Bull this Philippine Cup. Unfotunately, he suffered a shoulder injury just a few weeks back which has kept him on the sidelines going into this Quarterfinals match-up with, hey, Romeo and his GlobalPort squad.

Had Garcia (29mpg 17ppg 3rpg 2apg) been healthy, he and Romeo (30mpg 23ppg 4rpg 3apg) would have been the clear focus of this battle of recognized SMC farm teams (from a fan boy's standpoint, it could have been our "what if" Jayjay Helterbrand vs Mark Caguioa dream scenario... guess we will have to wait a bit longer on this one).

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.

Trade reaction: Jervy Cruz to Ginebra

Third team after RoS
--all in one conference!
(Photo credit to the owner)

First thing is first, who is really in control?

Is it Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone, plucked from right under the noses of STAR Hotshots' management to right all things wrong with the league's most popular ballclub? Or is it team manager slash San Miguel Sports Director slash "I can get you banned indefinitely by the league" slash whatever he is into these days Alfrancis Chua?

Because from where we are seated, trading Rodney Brondial and a future pick for Barako Bull Energy Cola's Jervy Cruz does not look like much of a Tim Cone move.

Brondial is 24 years of age and a true 6"5, 210 lbs. banger who loves to gobble up rebounds be it on the offensive or defensive end. On the other side, Cruz is a 29-year-old former UAAP MVP who has struggled to find a niche in the pros and generously listed at 6"5 (more 6"3-6"4) and 220 lbs. If you take Cruz' offense (and collegiate accomplishments), then sure, he's the better player. But we doubt that he was brought in for his low post moves, since Ginebra is clearly dead set on running every single play through starters 6"9 Japeth Aguilar and 7"0 Greg Slaughter.

But Brondial has a lot of upside to him, despite playing limited minutes for Ginebra his entire time there.

Trade reaction: Arana to SMB, Pascual to Barako, 2016 2nd round pick to RoS

Underrated
(Photo credit to the owner)

Being a true blooded Rain or Shine fan (and a proud La Sallian for about the bulk of my life in the academe), this one stings quite a bit since Ryan Arana has always been a favorite of mine. Drafted 12th overall in the 2nd round of the 2007 PBA Draft, Arana has found a niche in the PBA even before Coach Yeng Guiao introduced his gung-ho style to the team (which all but liberated Arana).

Here's how the most recent PBA deal went:

Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Is it wrong to call Intal...
The Franchise? Tagal ma trade e.
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

My name is Angel Velasco, and I am the advocate for the bastard incarnates, Barako Bull Energy Cola. Our mantra is Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Denok Miranda? Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Sol Mercado? Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Dave Marcelo? Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Joseph Yeo? Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

Eat. Sleep. Trade. Repeat.

EAT.

SLEEP.

TRADE.

REPEAT.

PBA GC QF: (3) Rain or Shine vs (6) Barako Bull

Belga ain't got no time for that
(Photo credit to Sports5.ph)

So much for the JC Intal two-week love-fest.

Since Intal, Dylan Ababou and later Joseph Yeo all took turns winning the PBA Governor's Cup Best Player of the Week award, Barako Bull Energy has stagnated somewhat losing most of their last games which cost them the twice to beat incentive. For some inexplicable reason, a team that looked like it had the league's best defense anchored by the most dominant presence in the PBA today (Liam McMorrow) complimented by young and hungry talent, basically fizzled out and lost sight of the big picture (making the Playoff; winning a title).

Yeo has slowed down. Intal has disappeared. Ababou is back to playing spot minutes.

Yep, same old Barako Bull.

Which doesn't bode well going up against a now in-tune Rain or Shine Elastopainters that has finally learned to play with a legitimate post-up threat in import Wendell McKines.

Step up to the plate

Under-rated Coach Koy
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Call this the ex-Barangay Ginebra, now Barako Bull revenge tour.

How else would you call it after a former Ginebra reserve turned Barako star has been cited as the PBA Governor Cup's Player of the Week for the third straight time? JC Intal was the first, Dylan Ababou next and now, Joseph Yeo (who was probably, the one guy that Ginebra fans didn't want to see go after his sterling first two conferences with the team)

Koy Banal has done a masterful job coaching this team to a clean 4-0 record, making full use of their prized import Liam McMorrow (38 mpg, 25 ppg, 22 rpg) )who is basically a faster version of what PJ Ramos was to Kia in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. For the most part, Intal (29 mpg, 15 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg) has been pretty solid before all the trade rumors started popping up while Joseph Yeo (29 mpg, 13 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 apg) is slowly starting to feel comfy back in a "designated scorer" role that he used to have almost exclusively with DLSU and as an off-the-bench weapon with Santa Lucia (the Petron/ San Miguel years were rough, and we only have 2 conferences to enjoy with Ginebra). Ababou (18 mpg, 10 ppg, 2 rpg) on the other hand is proving all of his doubters wrong and is just being the most efficient player on the floor at all times regardless of who is up against (only Chris Tiu and Larry Fonacier, IMHO, play as smart or smarter given the same "limited" athleticism).

Trade Reaction: Sol Train to Ginebra

Palit jerseys.
(Photo credits to the owner)

Call it a "new lease on life."

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has chosen to send spitfire shooting guard Joseph "The Ninja" Yeo to sister team Barako Bull in exchange for point guard Sol "Sol Train" Mercado, in a deal that benefits both squads instead of the usual "highway robbery/ blatant PBA fan trolling" that we have grown accustomed to whenever the Bert Lina franchise is involved.

Since Ginebra is the more popular of the two teams, let us discuss what adding Mercado to the mix means to the franchise moving forward, before we get to Barako Bull.

First and foremost, we cannot help but be delighted for Mercado who has received some unfair treatment and criticism the last few conferences. Basically, Mercado went from being "white hot" with Rain or Shine and Meralco, only to lose his way bouncing around with GlobalPort (wherein he tried to play nice and do the whole "mentor" thing), Petron/ San Miguel Beer (where he pretty much "bought in" to "fit in" which they turned out not to like) and finally with Barako Bull (which you could say is his "That Thing Called Tadhana" soul-searching phase because he was asked to go back to his Sol Train ways after flirting with being a full-time role player).

So what is next for the Sol Train?

PBACC The Quarterfinals: Talk'n'Text vs Barako Bull

Buddy and Sol(s)
(Photo credits to the owner)

A long-established league powerhouse battling the playoffs' darkhorse/ underdog/ "they're not supposed to be there!" A team with so much firepower, you could field in their 2nd unit and have them play 3/4s of the game and they'll probably still be good enough to score 90 points at least. A team with so little firepower, they are actually forced to play two point guards and hope one of them feels like scoring game by game.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your favorites to make it to the next round: Jayson Castro's Talk'n' Text Tropang Texters versus the over-achieving, Sol Mercado's Barako Bull Energy Cola.

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.

The Forgotten

Denok takes the lead
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

In the proud basketball hierarchy of Filipino point guards today, where would you rank Barako Bull Energy Cola's Denok Miranda?

Scoring wise, there are more explosive guards out there who are probably going to be mentioned ahead of the 6"0 former Far Eastern University stalwart. But did you know that the defensive-specialist is averaging a team high 15.29 points per game for the Energy Cola while still being his same, lockdown, blue collar self?

If you want to talk speed, then yes, Miranda isn't as cat quick. Size? Miranda's been asked several times to cover the opposing team's shooting guards who are usually around the 6"0-6"3 range (something that he's done quite well really).

So why is Miranda still not considered as one of the league's prized point guards despite winning titles for two different teams and being a proven leader on the court?