The Next Attraction

Helterbrand: Vintage Fast

While our idols (boss FireQuinito and Sir Mico Halili) over at the AKTVCenter will continue to hype any and all Manila Classico matches from here on out, same with any game that features Calvin Abueva or the famed/sickening Petronovela-- there's one under-the-radar PBA match-up that intrigues us the most: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel versus the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

If last Sunday's instant classic is to serve as a taste of things to come should these two face off, say, in a seven-game series, then the ratings/ social media activity would blow straight through the roof. There's one team that says they're still "Never Say Die" and try to play the underdog card despite their obvious souped-up line-up (only a blind, ignorant Ginebra die-hard would think that his/her team is not a title favorite or hasn't been one since The Living Legend left) and there's the other one-- cheered and jeered for the very same things that the old Ginebra wore proudly night in and night out.

Calvin Abueva: No One Like The Beast

You know how people have this natural tendency to compare today's players with those before them in hopes of properly categorizing or labeling them or what they might end up being once they hit the pros? Well, there are times that the experts get it, and others when they're just way off.

The above FTW YouTube clip featuring Jason Webb, Mico Halili, Miakka Lim and Chuck Araneta is an example of the latter instead of the former. Credit has to go to Halili's exceptional handling of the focus group discussion, but 75% of what came out of their mouths are questionable to say the least.

Powerade continues Cinderella story, enters finals

In a semifinals match-up that the young Rain or Shine Elasto Painters never fully understood, the Powerade Tigers led by the Bataan Bomber Gary David and his Hitmen won in seven games to march onto the Philippine Cup Finals.

Balik PBA Finals na ako! 

Just when observers thought that the Elasto Painters have finally solved the Tigers' high-octane attack, they fall back into their old habits and allowed the Tigers to shoot freely-- believing in their own coach's philosophy that "shooters are bound to run out of bullets."

Apparently not.

Time and again the Elasto Painters failed to close out on several of the Tigers who survived a rare off night from  star Gary David but had plenty of help from battle-tested rookies JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter.

And since we're on the subject, Mico Halili, you are starting to become the new Quinito Henson. No one finds "The Smurfinator" cute. Seriously man. We're all basketball geeks/ fanboys here, but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

Was drafting JVee Casio the answer to the Tigers' Cinderella run to the Finals?

Possibly.

Because when David started drawing blanks, Casio was there to pick up the slack and shoot the team back into the fight.

But the real credit should go to Marcio Lassiter.

The hard-working small forward is the sole reason why the Tigers' have made it this far, with his rare combination of lockdown, hard-nosed defense and solid offensive game. Without him, the Tigers' would've been just another trigger happy team with has-been bigs and back-up point guards at the helm.

But the Tigers isn't just about the Big 3 alone. They have solid role players, and arguably another unheralded Atenean alum in big man Doug Kramer.

The beefy center/forward is one of the biggest reasons why the Elasto Painters' guards were unable to slash into the basket at will. He also set up some Grade A sturdy screens for his guards on the other end of the floor.

Congratulations to Tigers' head coach Bo Perasol. He'll probably never be given credit for his coaching exploits, but the man has led two different teams to the Finals and stuck through thick and thin despite hellish, D-League worthy line-ups (Air21) and mish-mash rosters (Powerade).

For Rain or Shine, there's nothing but positives to be gained from this conference. The immaturity is undeniable but with that comes potential. Paul Lee may not be the best rookie in the 2011 PBA Draft, but he is the best fit for this once soul-less team. Jeffrei Chan continues to become one of the league's deadliest snipers while JayR Quinahan and Beau Belga are bound to become top-tier power forwards in the PBA (had they been taller, they'd be beastly as centers subbing for the other).

As for Gabe Norwood, well, he's like the poor man's Lamar Odom. He puts up the numbers, but not when they count. For all the talent that he has, he shies from pressure situation and settles for the easy way out.

There's no point in going around with this, Yeng Guiao was pretty much out oached the entire series except Game 6 when RoS buckled down to work and finally slowed the game down.

Can the Tigers continue their magical run and bag the Philippine Cup title?

We'll touch on that later.