Dear Asi

The Rock (in a hard place)
(Photo credit: Interaksyon)

Dear Asi,

Hello to my favorite 6”10 Fil-Tonggan, a giant of a man whose ready smile and dimples continue to pierce the hearts of many. I know you blocked me on twitter, because of something I said about you two years back about my opinion on why TnT let you go.

I said that it came down to setting an example to the rest of the team, that maybe someone somewhere believed that you weren’t playing hard enough, which is why up to that point you only had one title to your name. I tagged you because I felt like maybe you’d acknowledge it, or argue that “it’s a business, you a**hole,” but you chose to block me to this day, but it’s all good. Back then I was still in my 20s, now I’d like to believe that I’m wiser in my early 30s, being a father and all. What I’m trying to say is, maybe this time, I could get through to you in a better manner.

See, recently you said that you wanted out of the NLEX Road Warriors after newly-installed head coach Yeng Guiao pretty much turned you from being an ageless juggernaut the last two years into a, well, bit player with limited to no touches. You went from getting consecutive isolation plays in the post, with your young teammates slowing the tempo, to, well, being lost in trying to set screens and trying to move your feet from the perimeter which was never your forte.

A Tall Story: Japeth vs The Legends (2/3)

In part one, we tackled how Barangay Ginebra San Miguel's 7"0 rookie Greg Slaughter would fare against arguably three of the better local names over 6"9 in Philippine basketball history. Now, we're going to take a look at how Slaughter's frontline buddy, the freakishly athletic 6"9 beanpole Japeth Aguilar, would do against Yancy de Ocampo, Marlou Aquino and or Asi Taulava (prime, since he's still playing).

vs De Ocampo
From a perimeter-oriented big man standpoint, de Ocampo and Aguilar are pretty much on the same boat only; de Ocampo has long established himself as an outside bomber while Aguilar's penchant for taking ill-advised threes didn't sit well with his coaches early in his PBA career. In a street ball duel, Aguilar would block the snot out of de Ocampo and just spike any and all attempts to the other court. In a game however, a motivated de Ocampo would make use of all of his little tricks (elbows and all), playing a grounded style. Also, Aguilar's knack for jumping at every shot thrown in his vicinity (thus the x number of times he has bitten on pump fakes) might put him in foul trouble. Then again, Aguilar's strength is his on and off-the-ball activity which negates whatever lack of fundamentally sound technique he has on both ends of the floor. In a team concept, five on five, de Ocampo MIGHT get a slight advantage if only because of his more polished game. But the way things are right now, with Aguilar not even in his prime-- just the way he his eyes out and leg muscles ready to explode at the very sight of a possible shot block/ dunk, de Ocampo doesn't stand a chance.

A Tall Story: Gregzilla vs Asi, Marlou and Yancy (1/3)

The Rock vs Gregzilla

Bonel Balingit, E.J. Feihl, Marlou Aquino, Andy Seigle. Asi Taulava. James Walkvist, Yancy de Ocampo, Ervin Sotto, Mark Andaya, Samigue Eman.

Save for maybe two to three names that really stand out in the above mentioned list, my generation grew up embracing this simple truth when it comes to Filipino bigs: they are slow, lanky, uncoordinated and most of the time, are made to look like circus attractions rather than athletes, dare say, basketball players even.

So when we say that we've come a long way from the jolly-giant Balingit and the "I'm an MVP caliber player, but I'll only play that way when my contract's up" Aquino, then you could very much take that to the bank with the likes of Ginebra's 6"9 Japeth Aguilar and 7"1 Greg Slaughter and Petron Blaze's Junemar Fajardo.

Rise of the Kraken

The Kraken's just begun
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Born of deep sea legend, the Kraken surveys his newfound domain where all are prey, where he is king. He stands tall, constantly making a mockery of those who dare defy his rule. This is a new era; this is the time for beasts and monsters.

But to the Kraken, they all bow.

The Petron Blaze Boosters’ 6”11, 269 lbs giant rookie Junemar Fajardo might have started his pro career on an uneven note no thanks to a serious lower body injury that required surgery, but there’s no question that he is here and that he is, unlike his moniker-namesake, for real.

Gilas Pilipinas: The Natural

Photo courtesy of pba-online.net

His name is Marcus Douthit, and at 6"10 he is arguably the biggest yet most underscored storyline in the current renaissance enjoyed by Philippine basketball when it comes to international meets.

Time and again many have gone into detail about how incompetent our big men were down the block as compared to our Asian brethren. That despite being dominant at the local front, they're easily reduced to second-guessing fools who feel that all they have to do is concentrate on one end of the floor and leave the rest to the smaller guys.

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.

Marcus Douthit: The Big Daddy Difference

Thank You Douthit!

With Team Pilipinas a.k.a. SMART Gilas 2.0 looking stronger by the day, even causing greats such as Ronnie Magsanoc and Vince Hizon to call it the "best ever," we should all take time to thank the one guy who has made the biggest transition of all in the name of overall success.

We're talking about no less than naturalized center Marcus Douthit-- the 6"10 pillar of strength that has seen and led two different Pilipinas basketball selections over the last two to three years. The soft-spoken big man with droopy eyes and fundamentally sound finesse low post moves has not only embraced his new country but has quickly adapted to whatever system is presented him.

Back when then Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman brought the New Yorker in, expectations were unfairly high on Douthit. The SMART Gilas program was taking quite a while to develop, and though the system was working and our players were being developed-- we were still a basketball doughnut despite having an import named C.J. Giles (who was more athletic than skilled, not too mention him being skinnier than Gabe Norwood *not a complement for a center*).

After Jawo and Before Caguioa, there was Bal

Jawo entrusted Ginebra
to The Flash

Props to the San Miguel Corporation, the Philippine Basketball Association and everyone who was involved in this evening's successful and nostalgic tribute/ retirement ceremonies for the fabled "Living Legend" Robert Jaworski, Sr. But if there was one thing that stood out among the Jawo-related hoopla, it was the crowd's reception to another guy who doesn't even enjoy a quarter of his old mentor's accolades.

That guy is the 5"9, University of Santo Tomas alumnus, Bal "The Flash" David known best for steering Jaworski's Ginebra/ Gordon's Gin squad in the late 90s that peaked in 1997 by winning the Governor's Cup title. It was an insult when someone (now traded) wore the Number 1 jersey a few years back. And even Mike Cortez (who sported the number before going back to his standard 11) wasn't getting that much love from old school fans for it. To many, Ginebra, and the jersey number 1 belongs to just one guy much like Number 7 is Jaworski's and his alone.

Recognizing A Different Era for Ginebra

No Underdog in Caguioa

Now that we're just a few days away from celebrating and paying tribute to the man who is/was widely recognized as the face of Philippine basketball, it's high time to set the record straight when it comes to the team that he left behind and the immense popularity that they enjoy to this very day.

We're talking about no less than the legendary Robert Jaworski, Sr., whose jersey will officially be retired not by his mother team but by the Philippine Basketball Association as a whole. We're also talking about the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, the only team he has ever played for/ coached outside the Toyota days.