Faulty wiring

Meralco needs to let the kids play
(Photo credit to the owner)

Please excuse the above shameless pun of a title, but that is probably the best way to describe what is happening to the now 0 wins and 4 losses Meralco Bolts in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup.

After quite an impressive showing last season, the Bolts were supposed to move up this year thanks to the acquisition of point guard Jimmy Alapag (doesn’t get better than this guy, IMHO), big man Rabeh Al Hussaini and rookies Chris Newsome and Baser Amer to name a few. Sure, they lost an energy wing guy in Sean Anthony, but overall the talent level was supposed to have gone up—on paper at least.

They were SUPPOSED do a lot of positive things but so far, all we have seen is a lot of sloppy play and inconsistency from Coach Norman Black’s team.

Electric Avenue

The Prodigal Son returns
(Photo credit to the owner)

To borrow a line or two from the great Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant's hit song, "We(are) gonna rock down to Electric Avenue, and then we'll take it higher (higher)."

Higher, because that is where head coach Norman Black is destined to bring the revamped Meralco Bolts. Last year, the team had to make do with the oft-injured Mike Cortez at point guard and whoever was healthy and available enough to masquerade at center. It got so bad that the Bolts had to play center-by-committee, since no one was fit enough to really play the position.

Their best low post player?

Swiss Army knife Reynel Hugnatan (who was greatly rewarded for his efforts, earning his first PBA All Star selection), who easily gives up about 5 to 6 inches to the likes of 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo, PBA MVP Asi Taulava and Greg Slaughter.

This coming season the Bolts have been rewarded by the basketball Gods with the addition of unretired floor general Jimmy Alapag and big man Rabeh Al Hussaini.

Wired towards the future

How many solid point guards
do you have as back-up, Cool Cat?
(Photo credit Sports5.ph)

Since its inception in 2010 after buying out the Santa Lucia Realty franchise, the Meralco Bolts have always been known or regarded to as Manny V. Pangilinan's "other PBA team." They are not as decorated as sister team Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters, they hardly make deep playoff runs despite being given some TNT pieces to work with (at one time or another: Mac Cardona, Asi Taulava, Marlou Aquino, and now Jared Dillinger and Gary David). And even when they managed to snag a legitimate PBA grand slam coach in Norman Black for this season, it was widely received as Black's demotion for not continuing in Chot Reyes' TNT's championship ways, than the Bolts moving in the right direction.

Well, after Season 1 of the "Black Magic" Era, we can all say that they were wrong.

It wasn't a demotion for Black, it was a challenge. A new project wherein he can build the foundations of a competitive basketball team that plays the right way. Those who paid enough attention to the Bolts would tell you that they are no longer the team of yesteryears' and that they are playing true to who they are, with a definitive character or team identity.

PBACC The Quarterfinals: NLEX vs Meralco

Blue collar basketball
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

"Walang kapatid-kapatid, walang kaibi-kaibigan."

Sorry. Couldn't help it. Couldn't help quoting a former President turned Mayor-on-redemption on this one simply because it will be the first time (in recent memory) that we'll see two of Team MVP's squads facing one another in the Playoffs (something that we've been quite used to with Team SMC). Basically, this is the Team MVP version of a Purefoods vs Ginebra, with Talk'n'Text playing the crown jewel San Miguel role.

Two teams that are built on fundamentally sound basketball, no superstar plays, no isolation-heavy star guards trying to carry his team onto greatness. Just good, clean almost college-like basketball featuring two of the more disciplined coaches out there today in Meralco's Norman Black and NLEX's Boyet Fernandez.

Power Surge

The sitcom can wait for now,
welcome back El Granada!
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

After a mediocre first few years in the PBA after buying out the Santa Lucia Realty franchise, the Bolts are finally looking like a Manny V. Pangilinan-owned team thanks to their hot start in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. Head coach Norman Black has done quite a remarkable job in being able to find balance in what was once a predictable one-man show squad (first it was supposed "franchise" player Mac Cardona, then it was Gary David's turn, then they tried it again with Jarred Dillinger but that didn't pan out quite well).

This time, every one gets to touch the basketball despite or in spite of David's current "return to form" (pwera bati). The Bolts play defense first, mostly on hustle and hunger thanks to import Josh Davis who everyone thought was a bad fit at first (probably still is, because of redundancy in talent and the failure to address the team's need for a legit center, but you can't argue with results which is shown on the win column), the offense second. Their sets aren't that complicated when you look at it, just good old-fashioned textbook basketball plays run on a very high level which is a testament to Black's coaching genius.

PBA GovCup Semis: Meralco - Designed to Fail?

Nag mukhang unggoy yung Meralco
sa pangit ng rotation
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Before anything else, we would like to give a shoutout to the Meralco Bolts for their gutsy stand despite the huge disparity in personnel and firepower in their series against the San Mig Coffee Mixers. Import Mario West put in an impressive and valiant effort despite clearly being hobbled by a shoulder injury he suffered the game before. 

But what we want to touch on this entry is to openly question just what the hell happened with the Bolts. Did they push and ride the “underdog” tag too much? Were players being withheld from being fielded in? What the hell kind of rotation and game plan was Bolts head coach Ryan Gregorio trying to play the entire series?

The way the series unraveled, the Bolts played small ball most of the time with veteran Reynel Hugnatan duking it out with San Mig Coffee’s Marc Pingris, Marqus Blakely and Rafi Reavis underneath. Spelling him was JayR Reyes, a 6”8 warm body with six handy fouls to give out at best.

Watch the throne

It's good to be King
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

I see you. I recognize the hunger in your eyes. The bloodlust flowing through your body and escaping your pores in an invisible crimson. I have what you want. I have what you need. But you will not take it from me. I deny you the right. I deny you the validation. 

I am King.

L.A. Tenorio put the whole of Philippine basketball on notice with tonight's 34-point masterpiece over the latest to challenge his lofty position as the country's premier point guard. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel won over the Meralco Bolts, 98-85. Tenorio put any of Meralco's Chris Ross' ascension and claim to the point guard throne on hold.

Not tonight. Maybe not for a little while.