PBA PhC QF: 3 Star v 6 Phoenix

Hotshot.
(Photo credit: purefoodsbasketball.com)

Which team will shine brighter: the Star Hotshots or the Phoenix Fuel Masters?

If take a quick look at the elimination round of the PBA Philippine Cup, it doesn't look too good for Phoenix Coach Ariel Vanguardia and his wards. The Hotshots beat the Fuel Masters 123-79, early in the conference, when Coach Chito Victolero was still tinkering with his line-up and they were trying to establish a new culture.

Today we are looking at a rather dominant Hotshots team that not only scores the basketball, but also plays sound, aggressive defense.

Uh-oh.

Shooting Stars

Puta, kalma.
(Photo credit: inquirer.net)

Contrary to popular belief, the Star Hotshots are not in trouble; transition yes, trouble no.

Despite the 0-2 record under new coach Chito Victolero, this isn't the same as least season's debacle under Jason Webb. This isn't an ominous sign of things to come, at least that's what we would like to believe anyway. No, this team, save for a few Grand Slam leftovers, is a team that is trying to build on and off court chemistry as well as an overall identity.

So who are the Hotshots, exactly?

Well, they were the PBA's token glamour boys. Pretty boys who could back it up on the court. They weren't known for their offense or defense, they were simply known as a solid bunch and a classy organization over all. Like San Miguel's own yellow (then blue) version of Alaska.

When Tim Cone took over, he built a new culture. When he left, everything fell apart. Some guys wanted to change the blueprint, others were not sold on the idea. In comes Victolero, who is no Webb but is definitely no Cone either, plus a new star in Paul Lee. Of course there is going to be a rough period.

James Yap; Rain or Shine Elastopainter

May resbak na si Yap
(Photo credit: AKTV)

There are no sacred cows in the PBA.

It doesn't matter if you (literally) broke your back carrying a team for 12 seasons en route to multiple championships and 2 PBA MVP recognitions; if the team wants to send you elsewhere, then that is exactly what will hapen regardless if your name just so happens to be James Carlos Yap-- the man widely accepted as the "face of the PBA."

Today we learned that the Star Hotshots were sending their 34-year-old star to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters for the much younger Paul Lee, also a certified PBA star in his own right. Business-wise, this is what was best for the Hotshots. They got a 27-year-old Gilas standout, probably for a more reasonable price than Yap's long-rumored "max++" contract, who has yet to really hit his prime in a league that favors attacking, combo guards.

Emotionally-speaking however, this was shit. The whole trade was, no, IS shit.

When you wish upon a STAR

Keep on
(Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

Other than Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Japeth Aguilar, we have grown fond of mocking and ridiculing STAR Hotshots head coach Jason Webb at every chance we get on social media. To be clear, we are making fun of them NOT as human beings, but rather as ill-equipped basketball personalities.

Aguilar being the “has all the athletic gifts of an NBA talent but the IQ of a JV player” and Webb, well, let us talk about how Coach Jason’s first season as a legitimate PBA head coach went shall we?
To recap, STAR finished the season with a 10 wins and 19 losses record: 4-7 in the Philippine Cup, 5-6 in the Commissioner’s, and finally 1-6 in the Governor’s. It could very well be concluded that the mid-season acquisition of RR Garcia, Rodney Brondial and Jake Pascual distorted whatever mediocre-level chemistry was present in the team. Sure, Garcia suddenly emerged to play big minutes, but it is not like they gave up any of their core rotation guys to acquire his services (they traded away rookies Mark Cruz and Norbert Torres if we remember correctly).

Should everything be blamed on Coach Jason?

A ringing endorsement

The struggle is real for Star
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

When Jason Webb took over the Star Hotshots’ bench in the preseason, we had a feeling that things might get rough at first. Still, we believed that everything will be just fine since he is taking over an already-made group of champions (grand slam ones, at that) and did not really need to make a world of adjustments.

A conference and two games into the second of the PBA season we are just as worried as the next Star fan.

Rebirth of the Alpha

Natural Born Killer
(Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.Net)

Thank you Terrence Romeo not only for that sizzling 41-point performance to open the PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals between your lower-seeded Global Port Batang Pier versus the mighty Alaska Aces, but for also bringing back to the hearts of many the role of the Alpha.

Sure, we have seen some 30 and 40-point games from the likes of 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo and the supernatural (that is what we are calling him nowadays) Jayson Castro, but nothing quite like how Romeo did or does it. The willingness to take responsibility and accountability, win or lose. The selfish, bastardly mindset to brush off teammates and just shoot at will. To ignore the offensive sets because he recognizes that he IS the offense.

The Alpha. The Scorer. The Killer.

PBAPC16 QF: 4 Ginebra vs 9 Star

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

Call this a rallying point.

When Coach Tim Cone left Star for Ginebra (taking Joe DeVance with him in the process), the team was left in shell-shocked and in shambles. Guys were not responding to head coach Jason Webb, no matter how fun his free-flowing offense appears to be and you could just see the lack of intensity on the defensive end.

Well, you know what they say about champions and their pride right?

Out of focus

Looking for the D
(Photo credit to the owner)

This is not how a "liberated" Grand Slam team should be performing.

Flirting with disastrous start to the season, rookie coach Jason Webb and his STAR Hotshots are currently sitting ugly with a 2 wins versus 6 losses slate in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup. It honestly seems that while people were so busy looking at how Webb was supposed to run some Golden State-like, high-octane offense, the team forgot its championship defense somewhere in the middle of exorcising the Triangle Offense from their system.

For the numbers-hungry, STAR is averaging 91 ppg 46 rpg 16 apg while giving up 95 ppg 47 rpg and 19 apg to opponents. They are also committing 19 turnovers a match, which by itself tells you that this team has a lot of problems on so many fronts.

Back to the future

Is Sangalang ready to takeover?
(Photo credit to the owner)

This was supposed to be the year wherein expectations were to be set low while the STAR Hotshots make the transition from Tim Cone's rigid yet winning ways to Jason Webb's free-flowing, youth-oriented attack.

Don't tell that to the veterans.

Led by 2x PBA Most Valuable Player James Yap, the STAR Hotshots are fighting in games despite their current 1 win 2 losses card. Surprisingly, instead of the younger guys on the roster, it's Yap and Marc Pingris who are putting up the numbers and playing like they were freed from whatever shackle it was that held them back. Yap is taking more shots (his % suck, but shooters shoot) while Pingris is roaming and lurking. Sure, PJ Simon is playing less minutes but he is still their 3rd leading scorer behind Yap and Mark Barroca.

So where will the Hotshots go from here?

Free Rein

Make or break
(Photo credit to the owner)

It is a great time to be a fan of STAR Hotshots basketball.

Sure, you can look at it from the other end of the spectrum since they recently lost their grand slam coach Tim Cone and the walking mismatch that is Joe DeVance, but then you should consider that no triangle means more running and gunning. More points. More fun.

At the very least, that is what we feel Coach Jason Webb is going for.

To infinity and beyond

Sino Coach ko ulit?
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

Where do we go from here, STAR Hotshots?

The architect of your 1st PBA Grand Slam (plus two other titles during his tenure), Tim Cone, is now officially out of the door and with him-- his greatness, coaching philosophies, Triangle Offense and so on. In his place will be Jason Webb, as announced in a joint press conference that should've been exclusively for Cone-- but hey, it's San Miguel Corporation, who has little to no coaching experience both in the amateurs and professional ranks.

Great. Just great.

Here is a guy who, among all of Cone's deputies, has the least experience and doesn't really look like he's meant for the part. There's always that one guy who, in team meetings, school group projects, who is the leader. Then there's the other guy, the second guy, who just pushes the rest and makes it happen. You see it in basketball, during timeouts. The coach does his thing and gives instructions, the lead assistant whispers in the ears of the rest. Eggs them on. Tells them what to do. Clarifies things. There are guys in the huddle that would make you think "ah, this guy will be a head coach someday."

But Webb?

Dethroned

Old timers need some help
(Photo credit to Sports5.ph)

As you get older, there are certain things that you slowly realize:

Your timing is off; your mind knows what you want to do, but there seems to be a split second lapse between judgment and action.

You find yourself needing to exert more effort, to something that you would routinely perform. Be it running, jumping, hustling.

And when you find yourself in front of a wide-eyed youngster, who you know will always go left on a crossover, which he does, and you smile to yourself thinking "I got you!" only to hear the whistle-- or worse, lose your man completely as you turn your around and see him waltzing in for an easy lay-up.

Age. It happens to the best of us.

With yesterday's unceremonious sweep at the hands of the Alaska Aces in the Semifinals of the PBA Governor's Cup, the Purefoods STAR Hotshots find themselves officially dethroned in the 40th season of the league after taking home all three titles just the year before.

Is it time to rebuild?

Stars are bland

Look up, look up!
(Photo credits to Sports5)

Definitely not a typo.

The re-christened, yellow-and-red sporting STAR Hotshots are finding it even tougher to defend their third and final crown from last season's grand slam romp, specially with the absence of future cornerstone 6"7 Ian Sangalang. Head coach Tim Cone has stuck mostly to playing an eight-man heavy rotation, with other guys playing sparingly by design.

Thus far, the Hotshots' record is five wins versus five losses. Stuck somewhere in the middle of the Playoff hunt.

Leading the team's hope for a last title defense are returning import Marqus Blakely (39 mpg 23 ppg 13 rpg 3 apg), Marc Pingris (29 mpg 8 ppg 6 rpg 2 apg), Joe DeVance (29 mpg 11 ppg 3 rpg 2 apg), Alex Mallari (28 mpg 10 ppg 3 rpg 3 apg), Mark Barroca (29 mpg 10 ppg 4 rpg 3 apg) and 2x PBA MVP James Yap (25 mpg 11 ppg 4rpg 1 apg). Guys like Justin Melton and PJ Simon are contributing as well, though it appears that they are having some trouble meshing with the rest or excelling in limited minutes (specifically Simon).

PBACC The Quarterfinals: Purefoods vs Alaska

"Siya na naman?!"
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Do you believe in fate?

It seems that it cannot be helped. Purefoods head coach Tim Cone will never, truly be rid of his Alaska ties (we doubt he'd want to anyway), and now he finds himself squaring off with the very same team in the 2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup Quarterfinals if only to win another championship.

Coach Tim has done a marevelous job in adding substance to what was once simply a "glamour" team. He taught every one from James Yap to Jerwin Gaco how to play the right way, how to read and react to offenses and defenses, and to basically how to keep winning.

On the other side of the fence, Coach Alex Compton inherited a team of hungry young rascals and veterans, shaped them into something of a more cohesive unit who enjoy playing together. Now, JVee Casio and RJ Jazul don't shun away Calvin Abueva whenever he pesters them for the basketball. Now, Abueva knows where he's supposed to be and how he can help. Yes, the antics are still there, but finally, they have allowed "Abueva to be Abueva."

Which means all hell is going to break loose when Abueva crosses paths with Yap.

Don't call it a comeback

Kala niyo sawa na kami mag-champion?
(Photo credits to the owner)

Coach Cone was not brought into the Purefoods' fold to win a championship. He wasn't brought in to simply win a PBA Grand Slam (though that could have easily been one of the targets/ objectives).

He was brought in to (re)establish a (new) dynasty in Philippine basketball.

Name any past or present San Miguel Corporation-employed head coach in the last ten to fifteen years that was given as much leeway and power as Cone. You'll have to go back two more decades or so, to the days of the iconic Robert Jaworski, Sr. and Ron Jacobs, to truly understand how much creative control and power Cone was given when it comes to the direction of the team, player trades and acquisition and basically what sort of product to put on the basketball court.

PBA KO Phase Predictions: RoS Bracket

Business is about to pick-up in the on-going PBA Philippine Cup as we bid newcomers Kia Sorento and winless Blackwater Elite adieu until next conference and see who's the cream of the crop. As you may or may not know, the top two seeds: San Miguel Beermen and Rain or Shine Elastopainters, get a bye until the later round. The rest of the field will have to duke it out, with the lower seeded teams needing to win twice over the higher seeded ones if they would like to advance.

The Rock needs to go to TNT. Now.
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

We're dividing the brackets into two, based on who they will eventually face in the Quarters: The RoS and SMB brackets.

3 Alaska Aces (twice-to-beat) vs 10 NLEX Road Warriors 
The Aces missed out on an opportunity of landing in the top two spots by a hairline, but this match-up with the NLEX should be a quick and easy one considering both rosters. The Warriors have a formidable frontline with Asi Taulava and a suddenly revived Enrico Villanueva but they, unfortunately, do not play with the same intensity as that of Calvin Abueva who is leading the league in rebounding despite being the same size as NLEX star scorer Mac Cardona. If Eric Menk continues with his inspired, "tour de force" play and Sonny Thoss comes back 100% healthy, then it's all over for the Warriors who still need to address some holes on the roster.

If only... fantasy Gilas Pilipinas

While our hard-fighting Gilas Pilipinas team was battling it out against the much heralded Croatian team, a familiar face was watching the game live from the stands. A face, that has become the ticket meal of the entire PBA the last few years, the iconic face that belongs to one James Carlos Yap.

Two-time PBA Most Valuable Player, recently crowned grand slam champion.

Unfortunately, he wasn't on the hard court helping the national cause. No, he had to buy a ticket to the game much like every one else in attendance. You could defend his or his management's decision all you want, but we here live by one simple rule: if you're going to battle the best, then you have to send your very best.

Yap and his 2x PBA MVP award is proof that he definitely belongs on Gilas.

Thoughts on the PBA Leo Awards 2014

The first of many.
Ladies and gentlemen,
your undisputed PBA MVP

They finally got it right.

After a year (or two, or three) of head scratching awardees that left a lot of room for debate, the Philippine Basketball Association finally got it right (in terms of current public perception anyway) with this year’s Leo Awardees.

Here, we take a look at the winners and some names that were left off contention if only to reward or acknowledge that certain player/s efforts. In case people forget, this season had that “rushed” feeling in terms of games being played on a daily basis, conferences being tweaked and shortened all for the FIBA cause.

Now, before you argue that the players are generously paid for the services they render, please be mindful that they are human beings who push their bodies to a level that the everyday Twitter hater could only dream of. That being said, nothing beats a full day’s rest (or more) so we pretty much owe it to the guy to thank them even if it’s only by way of this small market blog.

Sportsmanship Award: Willie MillerFormer two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Willie Miller is what Filipino basketball is all about: competitive and bruising yet stylish and fun. While his body no longer allows him to post the same numbers that has helped him become “The Thriller,” it’s refreshing to know that he still plays the game with gusto and joy and passing it to the next generation.

KKS' Picks: The PBA All Star Reserves

What might've been for Gilas Pilipinas.
(Photo credit: Sports5)

This year's PBA All Star game hopes to serve as one of many tune-up matches for the Gilas Pilipinas men's basketball team. On paper, the game promises to be a blockbuster, heavyweight match-up between those who were chosen to represent the country versus those who were not as fortunate for one reason or another.

Already named to the PBA All Star Starting Five are: Mark Barroca, James Yap, Chris Ellis, Mac Baracael and Greg Slaughter.

Of the five starters, only Barroca merits to really be called an All Star starter given his performance in the PBA Philippine Cup en route to a Finals MVP trophy. Yap only returned to form somewhere in the semifinals and finals, while the troika of Ellis, Baracael and Slaughter largely benefited from what one may call as the equivalent of the NBA's Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady's "China" votes (only in this case, "China" is "Barangay Ginebra.")

Based on stats alone, we could name three guys who could easily supplant the above-mentioned and we're more than happy to give them their due as we name our PBA All Star Reserves to round out the Magic 12. To be clear, we're not trying to make any predictions here, since the selection of the reserves will fall onto the PBA coaches' shoulders led by PBA All Star team head coach Tim Cone, but we're going with the guys who made a name for themselves in the recently concluded PBA Philippine Cup and at the very least, deserve a look.

1) Arwind Santos (SF/PF San Miguel Beermen) 17.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg
For all the social media negativity cast on the REIGNING PBA Most Valuable Player about him being a "stat-padder," you can't call out a player for hauling down over ten rebounds a night. The points, yes, probably. But rebounding is a different art form altogether that, when approached timidly or lackadaisically, you could easily get your mouth popped by someone more tenacious (think of it as going for a 50/50 rebound versus a Marc Pingris-- yeah, you need to be alert on that one 24/7). Santos made a good account of himself last conference, proving that while he lacks the superstar one-on-one iso game people expect from a league MVP, he is still pretty solid nonetheless.

2014 Philippine Cup Finals Reaction

Now it can be told.

This writer purposely and consciously refrained from updating this blog simply because we chose to be more fan than analyst. Though we provided some with our Finals Preview over at SolarSportsDesk.Ph, nothing beats just taking a step back and appreciating the beauty of the game-- specially when your team (Rain or Shine Elastopainters) is playing the PBA's "glamour boys" (San Mig Coffee Mixers).

It's good versus evil. The handsome hardcourt heartthrobs doing battle against the gillage (gilid of the village) goons The prince pitted against the pauper.

Going into the Finals, we weren't as sold on our chances as some other fans were. They were elated because they felt the Elastopainters had a legit shot at their head coach's, Yeng Guiao's, first-ever All Filipino championship after dominating the standings. We weren't sold because opposite Guiao is head coach Tim Cone and his quest to win "number 16."