San Mig Coffee bets the house on Mallari

More "you reach, I teach" sessions for Mallari
now that he's with James Yap

What a difference back-to-back ass-whoopings makes in the PBA huh?

In a surprising turn of events, the San Mig Coffee Mixers decided to part ways with underutilized yet very promising former PBA Finals MVP Jonas Villanueva, JC Intal and Aldrech Ramos to bring in Petron's rookie Alex Mallari, Barako Bull veteran and under-sized power forward Leo Najorda and another rookie pint-sized point guard Lester Alvarez.

See, we tried to defend this move by saying that the Mixers did it in order to stretch their rotation and become "deeper." Then we took a look at the names on the roster, the ones that they're sending away and the ones who are coming in and it didn't take too long for us to realize that that rationale wasn't going to stick. There's Villanueva, a guy who was plagued by injuries under head coach Tim Cone but showed that he knew how to run the point position to a "T" when he's healthy. Intal may have not blossomed into the elite perimeter defender/ Scottie Pippen to James Yap's Michael Jordan project that we all hoped for but the guy has tremendous hops and can move on the hard court. Then there's rookie Aldrech Ramos, a 6"7 guy who plays defense and has a nice soft touch from the perimeter.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Hay salamat Panginoon at natupad
ang dasal ko na mabalik sa contender

What a day it has been for local professional basketball-- while it may not look like much, anytime you can get five teams to agree on a deal that would have ten guys changing uniforms no matter their status in the league, this "mega deal" could prove to help balance a top heavy PBA come next conference.

To summarize, here are the guys who were part of the trade and where they have landed:

Ronald Tubid: Petron Blaze Boosters
Mac Baracael: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Aldrech Ramos: Alaska Aces
Alex Mallari, Leo Najorda and Lester Alvarez: San Mig Coffee
JC Intal, Jonas Villanueva, Allein Maliksi and Jojo Duncil: Barako Bull Energy

Now to help keep things interesting (and give us entries to have fun with while waiting for the Commissioner's Cup to start), we will split the entries into three parts. Since San Mig Coffee and Barako Bull got the most players out of the deal, it is only just that we give those teams separate entries all to themselves.

Rain or Shine triumphs, heads to Pinoy Cup Finals

Sige mag usap muna kayo jan,
ititira ko muna ito

For the record, the San Mig Coffee Mixers did whatever they could to try and salvage a win and extend the series for another night. And though top gun, 2x PBA Most Valuable Player, James Yap had another rough outing (relentlessly being hounded by the Rain or Shine Elastopainters) their other superstar PJ Simon went to work early to give the Mixers the lead in the first half.

Simon looked to be unstoppable, as he kept draining jumper after jumper right at hapless Paul Lee's grill as though the bald-headed reigning PBA Rookie of the Year wasn't there. Marc Pingris also looked like he was up for another big night, jumping all over the place and hauling down monstrous one-handed rebounds over the Elastopainters' frontline. Then there was also Joe DeVance, taking advantage of the mismatch in skillset and scoring time and again against either smaller or slower defenders asked to guard him. Truly, save for Yap going AWOL, everything was clicking for the Mixers. Even when things started to get chippy the Mixers appeared to be well in control, ending the first half with a Yap triple (which, for Mixers fans, was a great sign).

Then came the second half.

Whatever happened to Paul Lee

Asan na ung Angas ng Tondo?

Basketball is a team sport, it is not played by any certain individual no matter how dominant he may be on the hard court. A guy can score 100 points, average 50 for his career and still have only about a handful of rings while other, lesser talented individuals win more than you have fingers (Wilt Chamberlain: Bill Russel). There are times however, when these "superstars" stand out just because of what they can do and how others need to adjust to them.

For the San Mig Coffee Mixers, there's James Carlos Yap. The 2x PBA MVP who has become so unparalleled that it took a highly-motivated, vastly improved Jireh Ibanes of the Rain or Shine Elastopainters (with some help from today's "loose" PBA officiating that allows holds, grabs, bumps and what not) to keep him at bay (not even stop him, just enough to keep him from blowing up and dropping 30 points). Yap has been the barometer for his team in the on-going series between the Mixers and Elastopainters. When he's off, they lose, and the only time they won with him having an awful game (Game 5), it took a concerted effort among his teammates to do so.

Joe-Ping come up big for Mixers

Pingris: Laban!

The San Mig Coffee Mixers live to fight another day as they triumphed over the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in last night's grind-it-out slugfest known as Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals.

Led by a defiant Marc Pingris who started at center once again (a ploy used by Coach Tim Cone to erase the Elastopainters' pick-and-roll advantage), the Mixers came out swinging. Not with jabs, but with haymakers all designed to force the action inside. On the flipside, the Elastopainters were settling for one too many long balls as the Mixers did a yeoman's job in clogging up the paint. It also didn't help the Elastopainters' cause that they opted to go for a more perimeter-oriented starting five (Chris Tiu, Jeffrei Chan, Gabe Norwood, Larry Rodriguez and Beau Belga) and took too long to adjust.

Yeng Guiao 3, Tim Cone 1

Uhm, hi Coach Tim. My name is Jonas.
Read the plaque. KTNXBYE.

At some point, you'd have to raise some concerns about San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone and his ability to bring out the best from his players. We know that he can coach the Xs and Os, we know that he can work wonders, but his Rain or Shine counterpart Yeng Guiao sure as hell is making him look amateur-ish this series.

There's the over-reliance on his starters, failing to draw up any other play for any other guy who just so happens to be open on the floor. The ball movement is slow and predictable, the offense is always run through 1) James Yap 2) PJ Simon 3) Mark Barroca and that's pretty much it. Joe DeVance is there, but he only gets his touches when he's the one bringing the ball up (have to give the man props for trooping to the paint, but still). Where's JC Intal? Where's the bench-- they still have guys that can contribute beginning with the returning Jonas Villanueva, big man Yancy de Ocampo (who appears to have lost whatever hard-earned confidence Cone had in him early this Philippine Cup), rookie Aldrech Ramos and Wesley Gonzales.

Mental Toughness key for Mixers

Instead of working the refs,
Mixers need to go to work

The San Mig Coffee Mixers blew out the Rain or Shine Elastopainters just a few days ago, everyone thought that it would help turn the series in their corner and that they were in control. Well the "Nightmare on Christmas" happened, as the Elastopainters easily and handily returned the favor and sacked the Mixers in a demoralizing 98-72 fashion.

Elastopainters' head coach Yeng Guiao was right on two accounts: that his team had "more stoppers than they (Mixers) have scorers (James Yap and PJ Simon)" and also that the "burden of adjustments" fall squarely on Mixers' head coach Tim Cone et. al. There's no other way to go about it, it seems as though all the Elastopainters have to do to win the series is to "stay the course" which is to play to their trademark: aggressive, physical and relentless style. When they're sticking to the Mixers, hustling for the basketball and doing the little things such as Jireh Ibanes getting into Yap's face even when the 2x PBA MVP isn't even the focus of a play, it will translate to an Elastopainter victory no matter how close/ far the scores are.

As for the Mixers, they have no one else to blame but themselves.

Ready for a battle

From one King Warrior to another

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a series.

San Mig Coffee Mixers head coach Tim Cone stepped up to the plate to once again prove why he is arguably the league's best bench tactician (which was only in jeopardy the last couple of years because of the rise of now SMART Gilas head coach Chot Reyes), making the correct adjustments to stifle the Rain or Shine Elsatopainters' attack and equalize their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals showdown 1-1.

Of course, credit goes to hurting star James Yap for coming up big and knocking down shots while appearing as though he's hardly broken a sweat. The Mixers won 106-82 behind Yap's explosive 34 points built around an avalanche of long range shots while getting able and ample support from Mark Barroca, Joe DeVance (our pick as series X-factor for the Mixers) and PJ Simon.

No rebounds, no rings

One for UST!

The San Mig Coffee Mixers had an absurd height advantage highlighted by 6"8 slotman Yancy de Ocampo and 6"7 point-forward Joe DeVance among other members of the vaunted "Sampayan Brigade." So how did the Rain or Shine Elastopainters-- known for having the league's most bruising, able WIDE bodies, out-rebound them in Game 1 to win 91-83?

All heart.

We knew who would score for both teams, though James Yap had an off night (might be playing hurt) and PJ Simon was being his usual inconsistent self (same can be said for DeVance) for the Mixers while there's Paul Lee (too big, too strong), Jeffrei Chan (started off hot) and the pick-your-poison frontline for the Elastopainters.

Looking for the "Lee Stopper"

100% Effort

We all know the value of defensive stoppers in the game of basketball. Some players have built a career around it, averaging no more than five points a game but still being an invaluable part of his team's rotation and game plan.

The San Mig Coffee- Rain or Shine Elastopainters cannot be weighed accordingly just because "they faced each other a few months ago in the Governor's Cup Finals which RoS won." First and foremost there's RoS' return-to-form reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Lee who is looking like an elite level point guard-- a combination of Jayjay Helterbrand's IQ and Mark Caguioa's scoring smarts wrapped in a bald, baby fat-filled frame. Over at SMC, Yancy de Ocampo is putting on quite a conference thus far under Coach Tim Cone. Spending most of last season as an almost fogotten, third string center, YDO is proving his worth and showing the league that (when highly motivated) he is arguably the 2nd best game-changing big man there is (next only to younger brother Ranidel).

Lastly, and where this entry will come down to, is one Jean Marc Pingris.

Grudge Match: Rain or Shine versus San Mig Coffee

Simpleng sahod
sabay sorry by Papa Chris

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters successfully dispatched the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and their retarded coaching staff. Say what you will, but never did we doubt our earlier pick after Ginebra's over-rated "Never Say Die" performance in Game 2 of their quarterfinals match-up.

We're not hating on Ginebra, we're just as frustrated as their unwavering faithful that's all. This is a powerhouse team, they have the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player and arguable the league's best point guard the last year and perhaps the next three to four more. They feature an enviable combination of skilled wingmen and some All Star veterans who've won at every stop. They were playing against a team whose notorious bruisers were enjoying a rare off-series and a Negros Sniper whose been even more way off the mark.

Into the PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

Too many guns for TNT vs Air21

Talk 'n' Text vs Air21
No matter how great Air21 has looked the previous matches since the acquisition of point laureate Mike Cortez (and the renewed love-fest with coach Franz Pumaren), there is no denying Talk 'n' Text of advancing to the next round. Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag and Ryan Reyes all look healthy (okay, still waiting for Alapag who looks to be hurt in tonight's match vs Ginebra) and then there's Ranidel de Ocampo doing his thing. And if those guys aren't enough, there's still the steady Kelly Williams, Larry Fonacier, Jarred Dillinger and Ali Peek all ready, willing and able to take over. Nino Canaleta's having the time of his life looking like an all star out there, but his 5 minutes of fame will be and are up.

Fearless Forecast: TNT

The Other De Ocampo

The Postman Returns

Just when everyone has dismissed the San Mig Coffee Mixers' Yancy de Ocampo as the irrelevant party of the two siblings playing in the PBA, the former number one overall draft pick flashes his old vintage form to help lead his team to the number 2 spot in the Philippine Cup standings.

And while he no longer dominates the shaded lane like he used to given all the young, abled bodies of today's PBA (read: heavyweight enforcers), De Ocampo stands as the only legit 6"9 skilled big man who has both the touch and handles (sorry June Mar Fajardo fans) in all of Philippine basketball. Credit of course goes to Mixers head coach Tim Cone for getting the most out of his versatile big. Say what you will, but confidence and trust goes a long way in basketball-- specially for a big man who saw his more productive years gone to waste playing back-up to future PBA Hall of Famers Asi Taulava or Eric Menk.

And nobody does it better

The PBA's Knicks-era Isaiah Thomas?

Or so he said.

There was a time when one Noli Eala was hailed as the savior of Philippine basketball-- the guy who will carry the torch after the great commissioner Jun Bernardino and those before him into the new millennium. But tragedy struck and the world came crashing down on the former prosecutor. We won't judge him for his actions off the basketball court, this is not what we stand for at KiliKiliShot.Com. We will however, judge his past and current actions as one of the driving forces for the San Miguel Corporation's basketball teams competing in the PBA.

PBA; Pride and Passion for Basketball

Thank you PBA. Thank you Kume Chito!

The year is 2012 going 2013, the PBA is back in terms of being one of the more preferred sources of entertainment in the country is concerned. The TV ratings are up, people are actually able to fill up about 1/3 of the venues and players enjoy immense popularity (even the undeserving ones) because of social media channels.

We'll go on record and thank Commissioner Chito Salud and the rest of the PBA Board of recognizing what the fans want. We want passion in games, be it in a blowout in the first round or a neck-and-neck grudge match in Game 7 of the Finals. We want animosity-- but only on the court. Physicality, but nothing borderline brutal or with mischievous/ murderous intent. The fans want emotions on the court, if we wanted to watch athletes flying all over and dunking, we'd troop to an And1 joint or download Harlem GlobeTrotters videos.

Aces start the year awful

Alaska's franchis player
is a glorified role player at best

While the future still looks bright (any or all arguments against the Aces' should be put on hold until their number 2 overall pick, the San Sebastian Stags' Calvin Abueva, suits up), the Alaska Aces opened their Philippine Cup campaign being blown out by the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 103-83.

The team trailed from the start, failing to execute their sets and looking worse than Air21 did the whole last season. That's just how awful they appeared to be against a Mixers' team that features a hall of fame coach in Tim Cone and a crew of established and still in their prime veterans led by James Yap, PJ Simon and a vintage all-around performance by Yancy de Ocampo. Sophomore Mark Barroca was also huge in this one, running circles over SMART Gilas buddy and now Aces' "PG of the future" JVee Casio.

Ilang tulog na lang...

Kahit si Doug Kramer may Tiu-fever

The Philippine Basketball Association is all set to open shop this coming Sunday with souped-up crowd-darlings Barangay Ginebra San Miguel versus the retooled GlobalPort Batang Pier serving as the Philippine Cup's official opening combatants.

We should expect a slam bang affair, nothing short of a bonafide shootout with reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Mark Caguioa, former MVP Jayjay Helterbrand and the bevy of athletic wings they brought in going up against an odd yet exciting pair of high-scoring Gary David and another former MVP Willie Miller.

Here's KKS' top storyline picks for each team.