PBACC The Finals: Game 7

Walang atrasan.
(Photo credits to Mr Paul Ryan Tan)

First thing's first.

I'm the realest.

No, cross that one out.

What I am, is a proud Rain or Shine fan. I started as a Ginebra fan, thanks to the greatness of Robert Jaworski, Sr., and when he moved on to politics, stayed to the very last of the Marlou Aquino-Bal David-Noli Locsin era (Vince Hizon, always the smartest of the group, flew the coup first, moving over to the MBA via the Iloilo MegaVoltz). After that, I chose to follow Aquino, which I considered as the best of the three, over at Santa Lucia. My decision to switch allegiances was made easier thanks to the presence of fundamentally sound power forward Dennis Espino, and later on the inclusion of PBA MVP Kenneth Duremdes.

When that team folded, I was lost. A basketball fan without a home. Until Yeng Guiao took over the RoS franchise. That's when I started loving the team. Then Paul Lee came into the picture. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Now that I've made all of that clear (if I haven't already on other social pages, come on now), let's move on to the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals between the Elastopainters and Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters.

PBACC The Finals So Far

Angas ng Tondo
(Photo credits to the owner)

The PBA Commissioner's Cup Best-of-Seven Finals between the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and the Talk'n'Text Tropang Textes has been highly physical thus far in three games, but surprisingly much of the action (and brutality) has come from the once "cookie-cutter" Texters' side of things.

Up two games to one, the Elastopainters have been on the receiving end of some unfortunate hits from Texters' import Ivan Johnson. In Game 1, which they lost 92-99, spitfire backup guard Jonathan Uyloan suffered an injury when he took a hit from Johnson. Last night, it was Paul Lee's turn when he was inadvertently hit by a wayward Johnson elbow right smack on the mouth-- resulting in him losing a tooth and 3 more  that's been pushed back into his gums.

Ouch.

When was the last time we ever heard news of the Texters dishing out pain and physicality towards their opponents? Isn't that the Elastopainters' calling card? Their bread-and-butter? Their actual, field of concentration?

It's going to get ugly from here on out.

PBACC The Finals: Rain or Shine vs Talk'n'Text

The Blur vs Angas ng Tondo
(Photo credits to the owner)

It was but only a matter of time before the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters met anew in a stage as big as the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals.

And we are not saying that simply because they finished one (RoS) and two (TNT) at the end of the conference's Elimination round. No, we are saying that because of the simple fact that both teams feature the most number of players that were loaned to the Gilas Pilipinas basketball program: Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro, Larry Fonacier, now team manager Jimmy Alapag and (at one point) Kelly Williams for TNT and Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Jeffrei Chan and Beau Belga for RoS.

Which basically means that we will get to see how far the above-mentioned players have come, thanks to the extended, rigorous and taxing international training and exposure that they have all enjoyed. Though TNT enjoys a slight advantage of course, since their brain thrust (coaching staff, managers, scouts, etc.) ARE Gilas Pilipinas.

And though we are proud RoS fans, we will try our very best to breakdown the series and come up with a logical and reasonable fearless forecast.

Let's go:

PBACC The Semifinals: Talk'n'Text vs Purefoods

Puso kontra tapang
(Photo credits to the owner)

From a championship pedigree standpoint, you could very well conclude that this is THE PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals match-up disguised as a Best-of-Five Semifinals pairing between two of the winning-est teams in the last five-six years.

The Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters, coached by Jong Uichico versus the Purefoods Star Hotshots and coach Tim Cone.

Pilipinas basketball does not get any better than this: the core of the Gilas Pilipinas national team (from players to brain thrust) versus a team that is so good (as proven by their Grand Slam credentials), one could actually argue for them as a version of Gilas in an alternate universe. While the Texters enjoy proven depth with its veterans, the Hotshots' 2nd unit of mostly up-and-coming names are certified by the number of titles under their belts (which, from what we have seen thus far, they seem to keep wanting to add to).

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.

KKS Gilas 3.0 (Part 2)

Ang Dalubhasa RdO
(Photo courtesy of Paul Ryan Tan)

A lot of thought should go in the creation of your second unit-- specially if you have a free hand to choose from an entire pool of PBA, professional and amateur talent. But, the line-up shouldn't be made just because they are the best available talent after the 1st unit.

No, you need balance.

You need your 2nd unit to compliment the 1st: if your starting five loves to run, then you need to make a decision of you want your 2nd unit to be able to do the same to maintain the momentum, or if your 2nd unit will be of a different style to help keep opponents guessing (read: Tim Cone's current Purefood's 1st line-up which is offensively gifted, and the 2nd unit which plays stingy defense first and foremost).

With all things considered, and with Abueva and Sangalang as our 11th and 12th guys on the roster, here's the 2nd unit of the KKS Gilas 3.0:

PBA Semifinals Predictions: San Miguel Beer vs Talk'n'Text

The wild, wild west
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

It's funny how the last four teams and how they are paired in the PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals can be compared to that of the NBA's two conferences. The Eastern Conference is known for its slow, low-scoring and almost ugly grind-it-out basketball while the Western Conference is appreciated more for its gun-slinging, fast-paced action.

You could say that the "uglier, NBA Eastern Conference-style" basketball will be played by the other PBA Philippine Cup pair: Rain or Shine versus Alaska, while the "prettier, NBA Western Conference style" will be captured in the Best-of-Seven series that we are about to tackle, that of San Miguel Beer versus Talk'n'Text.

PG Alex Cabagnot/ Chris Ross vs Jayson Castro/ Ryan Reyes/ Jimmy Alapag 
Nice to have you back on the team Mr. Cabagnot, now let's see you try to exorcise your hero ball demons and try to lead the Beermen into the PBA Finals without disrupting team chemistry both on and off the court. While Sol Mercado would've been a much better match-up against the power point men of the Texters, Cabagnot theoretically will be able to cancel out his counterparts in terms of point production. For every bucket Castro scores on Cabagnot (which he will), Cabagnot can return the favor ten-fold owing to his steady outside sniping and one-on-one ball-handling skills. Ross is going to be his usual, hard-working defensive self but will be overmatched in this series owing to his "average" frame. Ross won't be a threat offensively, which is not something you'd want versus the Texters' guards (you'd want to make them work on both ends as much as possible). We'd love to say that Jeric Fortuna would be a big help for the Beermen's cause, but then you'll have to realize that the Texters' THIRD string point guard nowadays is a guy named JIMMY ALAPAG.

PBA KO Phase 2 Predictions: SMB Bracket

Ellis will need to elevate his game
to battle the Texters' wings
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Just as most pundits called it, the higher seeded teams in the "SMB bracket" made quick work of the alleged PBA "farm teams" with the Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters blowing Barako Bull Energy Cola off the face of the earth and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel being able to weather a Terrence Romeo storm in the 1st quarter en route to a Friday night massacre.

In the second phase of the Knockout Quarterfinals of the PBA Philippine Cup, Texters' head coach Jong Uichico finds himself trying to overcome ghosts of Christmas past with his old team Ginebra standing in his way to facing yet another old team of his, San Miguel, should he wish to take his team to the PBA Finals. For Ginebra, it's going to be an acid test for head coach Jeffrey Cariaso and co. as they are still trying to learn the Triangle Offense on the fly while providing increased minutes for their younger players.

4 Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters vs 5 Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
If you're a Ginebra fan, you should be warned that this knockout match could end up as a mismatch on the floor. Not because your team enjoys an obvious height advantage, but because the team on the other side of the court has loads of experience-- hell, even rookies Kevin Alas and Matt Ganuelas Rosser play at a very mature level owing to their Gilas experience.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Puerto Rico (17) vs Philippines (34) IR

FIBA version of #chickensad
Photo courtesy of FIBA.com

Isn't it ironic how we keep on saying that we're one of the smallest (if not the smallest) teams competing in the 2014 FIBA World Cup only to fall, once more, against a team led by a man who is generously and graciously listed as six feet tall?

With last night's 77-73 loss to Puerto Rico, our World Cup Round of 16 dream has finally come to an end. We can only hope that Gilas Pilipinas is able to salvage a victory against the 37th seeded Senegal MBT, but even that team has a far superior win-loss slate than us.

So what did us in versus Puerto Rico? Well, the law of averages finally hit our shooters (which, by now, does not include Jeffrei Chan and Gary David). We took 28 attempts and only hit 6, with Gabe Norwood, either by design or by default, TAKING SIX THREES and hitting NONE. Then there's the turnovers-- forced and unforced. Paul Lee had five to go with Andray Blatche's six (with a crucial one down the stretched which led to J.J. Barrea's heroics).

And for all things Renaldo Balkman, the former and controversial PBA import didn't kill us. No, he was even benched for long stretches. Hell, Puerto Rico was pretty much a one-man team on offense in the final stretch with Barrea, who dropped 30 on our heads, seemingly unstoppable.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Argentina (3) vs Philippines (34) IR

Yes. We. Can.
Photo courtesy of FIBA.com

85-81.

To paraphrase a widely known movie quote: "It doesn't matter if you lose by an inch or a mile, losing is losing."

This is starting to become a new norm nowadays, celebrating moral victories and being happy or content with our Gilas Pilipinas losing by no more than 10 points to recognized World basketball powerhouses. It's almost too good to be true, when we're supposed to be "lacking in ceiling" and a true blue "Cinderella" story for the ages.

Then you take a look at the other team in our bracket and find Senegal, ranked 3 spots lower than us, enjoying a 2-1 win loss slate compared to our 0-3.

So yeah, let's all move on from the euphoria of making it to the 2014 FIBA World Cup and going toe to toe with some of the world's best. It's time to win. It's time to make a statement. Our players can do it, we're already there. No more excuses, no more drama. Either we're good enough to win or we're not. 

2014 FIBA World Cup: Greece (5) vs Philippines (34) IR

Release. The Kraken.
(Photo courtesy of FIBA.com)

If one were to look at the final score of 82-70 alone and not be familiar with all things 2014 FIBA World Cup, you'd think that the teams that were duking it out weren't ranked far from one another internationally.

Well Greece is currently ranked 5th in the whole basketball world while the Philippines, our team, is ranked 34th. Yet we managed to lose by "only" 12 points to one of the recognized European basketball powerhouses despite having to deal with height disadvantages and in-game injuries. As with the game against Croatia, here are a few things that we've picked up on which we hope Gilas could either build on or shy away from in their next three matches.

Positive:
- Andray Blatche hobbled his way to finish with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 3 rebounds and shied away from playing iso-Blatche early. This allowed the team to get comfortable on the floor and take responsibility on both offense and defense.

Laban Pilipinas

Mamaya lamang ay magsisimula na ang pinakamalaking kampanya ng ating Pilipinas men's basketball team sa 2014 FIBA World Cup. Bagamat tanggap na ng sambayanan na halos saling pusa lang tayo sa torneyo at makikigulo lang sa unang bahagi ng kompetisyon, dapat natin tandaan na sa basketball, walang imposible. Ung mga paborito at dehado, minsan, nagkakabaligtaran ng nilalarong posisyon. Minsan, ung dehado, nakakanakaw. Nakakabulag. Sa basketball, ang sarap mangarap. Ang sakit matalo, pero ang sarap mangarap.

Jimmy Alapag. LA Tenorio. Paul Lee. Jayson Castro. Gary David. Jeffrei Chan. Gabe Norwood. Marc Pingris. Ranidel de Ocampo. Japeth Aguilar. Junemar Fajardo. Andray Blatche. Chot Reyes.

Larry Fonacier, Marcus Douthit at ang mga iba pang naging bahagi ng kampanyang ito.

Ang Angas ng Pilipinas

Hindi lang ito tungkol kay Paul Lee, na siyang nag hatid sa Pilipinas ng kauna unahang  medalya ng bansa sa FIBA Asia Cup na ginanap sa Wuhan, China kontra sa home team.

Tungkol ito kay head coach Chot Reyes at sa mga players na sina L.A. Tenorio, Kevin Alas, Garvo Lanete, Gary David, Jared Dillinger, Jay Washington, Japeth Aguilar, Ranidel de Ocampo, Beau Belga, Junemar Fajardo at Marcus Douthit.

May mga pagkakataon na parang hindi naka angkla sa panalo ang koponang binansagan natin na Gilas Pilipinas. Minsan, parang naglolokohan lang sila. Minsan, parang wala ung kumpyansa at tiwala sa sarili. Minsan, parang payag sila na matalo na lang ng basta basta at isugal ang pangalan ng bansa.

Papunta naman na tayo ng Espanya, bakit pa nga ba magpapakahirap?

Coaching Carousel: Team MVP Edition (Uichico to TNT)

Jong Uichico, arguably the most successful of the Ron Jacobs coaching apostles, will be back on the sidelines in the coming 40th PBA season by way of the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

See, personnel wise, there shouldn't be anything wrong with the Texters. That they should've won or at the very least challenged the San Mig Coffee Mixers the entirety of this season instead of winning big in the elimination rounds of the three conferences before bowing out in the Playoffs.

Save for a few additions, this is still now Gilas Pilipinas' head coach Chot Reyes' Texters. They lost Ali Peek to retirement and added two versatile scores in Nino Canaleta and Danny Seigle while keeping the core in place, so you could understand where management's frustrations with Black would come from.

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.

PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals: Texters vs Mixers

When was the last time in PBA Finals history wherein you felt that both teams, namely the Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters and San Mig Coffee Mixers, were so evenly matched from coaching staff to players, that you sincerely felt that the series could go either way and no one would have a problem with the end result?

The Texters and Mixers both feature PBA Hall of Fame Coaches in Norman Black and Tim Cone, are led by some of the league’s “who’s who” when it comes to skills, talent and popularity (with the Mixers’ enjoying love from the average basketball fans and the Texters’ by way of the purists who don’t mind “ugly” wins) and could easily represent the country in any or all international meets right here, right now (an honor bestowed and earned by the core of the Texters’).

This series promises to be an intense basketball clinic, owing to both teams’ ability to play and guard both styles of fundamental basketball: run and gun and halfcourt.

Making the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals even more interesting is the fact that it’s a Best-of-Five affair—which forces both teams little to no time to execute and adjust their respective game planes. 

It’s a well-known fact that Black has mastered the art form of game plane execution probably and most likely built around advanced scouting while Cone is the King of pre/in/post game adjustments so that chess match should be quite entertaining and educational.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals!

Gun for hire: Canaleta to Talk 'n' Text

KG is taking his talents to TNT
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

And the rich continue to get richer.

The Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters, in an effort to ensure that they are armed to the teeth (if they aren't already) going into their PBA Philippine Cup Quarterfinals Best-of-Three with the San Mig Coffee Mixers, have recently acquired the services of Air21 Express' leading scorer Nino Canaleta. The 6"6, 185 lbs. sharpshooter averaged a team-best 16 points to go with 6 rebounds while not necessarily being the Express' 1st option on offense.

While logic dictates that Canaleta will struggle with the Texters being that he is the "new kid in town," we don't see him having a hard time adjusting to his teammates who, for the last few championship years, are the PBA embodiment of "playing for each other." The Texters thrive in the team concept as evidenced by the success that they've garnered and also with their dribble-drive motion offense (although head coach Norman Black has successfully added some new/old halfcourt elements here and there the last year or so).

Habla Espanol Gilas Pilipinas?

The dream continues for an archipelago of 7,107 islands lying in the South East of Asia.  After salvaging the Silver medal in last year's FIBA Asia Worlds-qualifying tournament, the Philippines -- bannered by a 12-man roster aptly called "Gilas Pilipinas" sets its sights on the FIBA Worlds to be held this 2014 in Spain.

But just how far can we dream, really?

Uphill Climb for Texters

Boracay? Kami? Pang abroad kaya
kami pag championship bonus.
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Just a week or so ago we wrote about how the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters were "under maintenance" owing to their lousy start this PBA Governor's Cup and how we shouldn't hold it against them after all they've done for flag and country.

Well, the champion Texters are a prideful bunch.

Last night, they were able to force a deciding duel with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel for the 8th and final spot. Should they lose, then that's it for the Texters. But you just don't go counting out a team that's pretty much been in every single PBA playoff scenario the last three years.

Not when Jimmy "Mighty Mouse" Alapag can still lace it up it and continue to knockdown back-breaking, "straight from the parking lot" long threes.

System under maintenance

Teams are actually OUTWORKING the Texters
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

It's tough being the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters these days.

Lend your core players and staff for flag and country, try to create a stop-gap in the PBA by bringing in some young talent and a high-scoring import in Tony Mitchell, then have them all come back together to try and make another playoffs push as is the Texters norm the last three years.

Except, instead of a power surge that would lead to productivity in all fronts, the Texters overall system came crashing down on their way to the bottom of the PBA Governor's Cup standings.