Moving Forward: The Gilas Program

While the current batch of Gilas Pilipinas stalwarts try their best to salvage whatever is left of their 2014 Asian Games campaign, we deem it necessary for the program not to be hastily aborted but rather to be reevaluated.  While it's always easy to pin the losses and off court drama on Gilas head coach Chot Reyes (the "shoot at our own rim because we didn't do our jobs in regulation to reach quotient versus Kazakstan" ploy is unforgivable though), we feel that he's still the man for the job.

Tim Cone, the country's winningest PBA coach, is not going to coach the national team any time soon as long as he's under the San Miguel corporate banner and the Gilas program under rivals, Manny V. Pangilinan's. So there goes that option. Yeng Guiao, the other winningest coach in recent years next to Cone and Reyes, has already gone on record to decline any future invite.

We can keep throwing names around such as Norman Black or Jong Uichico, but Chot Reyes has delivered in what he had initially designed/ planned for Gilas: to put Philippine basketball back on the world map.

From the ABL to the PBA for Leo Austria

Will Austria have the reigning
PBA MVP's support?
How about the other MVP?
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

It pays to be loyal.

Formerly “disgruntled” ASEAN Basketball League San Miguel Beermen champion coach Leo Austria has recently been rewarded for his patience and trust with the franchise, being signed to a one-year pact to coach the “original, iconic” team of the same name in the Philippine Basketball Association.

If he’ll be able to finish the aforementioned contract is another story altogether.

See, the Beermen (formerly Petron Blaze Boosters) has run through a gauntlet of coaches since 2010: from Ato Agustin, Olsen Racela (with Rajko Toroman as active consultant), Gee Abanilla and the now axed Biboy Ravanes (with Todd Purves as active consultant). For all the on court drama of the so called “Petronovela,” there’s really not much you can expect from a team that has no continuity from the sidelines.

Of pride and chemistry

Another season of woes for SMB
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

With yesterday's PBA Governor's Cup Quarterfinals loss, the San Miguel Beermen's 2013-2014 campaign has finally come to a merciful end.

At the start of the season, penciling the Beermen in as one of the title favorites for any conference was as acceptable as dipping fishball in Mang Jose's secret recipe sarsa. It was that much of a no brainer.

They had the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Arwind Santos in tow, freed from the redundancy that is Jay Washington. Bigger things were on the horizon for 6"9 Junemar Fajardo. Gilas standouts Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter were at the brink of legitimate PBA superstardom. Alex Cabagnot, point guard extraordinaire, would have so many weapons at his disposal for the easy, text book passes (and even the fancy ones that he breaks out from time to time).

And yet they finished the PBA Philippine Cup third.

THIRD.

Let it go

Photo courtesy of Sports5

No one saw this happening.

Air21 Express, the lowly PBA Commissioner's Cup 7th seed (and unheralded, unpublicised "sister" team), beat the San Miguel Beermen not once, but twice. For two straight games, a team of PBA discards and some collegiate fraternity boys looking to relive the good old days beat one of the recognised powerhouses of the PBA.

Ouch.

On the bright side, the Beermen made it to the Playoffs as the 2nd seed while going through a MAJOR off-season retooling by way of acquiring Sol Mercado and making Chris Ross (who was acquired just a conference or two back) the lead guard. They still have the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player (which keeps on feeling more and more like a joke these days) in Arwind Santos and the league's potentially most dominant player in the young Junemar Fajardo so the pieces are still there.

The Leading Men of Petronovela

After a fiery start in the PBA Philippine Cup, the Petron Blaze Boosters find themselves looking for religion as they are now down 1-3 to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in their semifinals duel.

As much as Petron fans would like to believe that this series is still salvageable, and that if there's any PBA team that can come back from the ashes it would be their guys, it's hard to imagine the Elastopainters losing three straight after maybe a ten game stretch wherein they only lost one (Game 3 to the Boosters). To win, the Boosters will need to work as a cohesive unit immune from individual forays and exploits. There was a time in basketball when all you needed was maybe two to three monster players supported by a couple of bums and presto: instant championship parade.

Well, the Elastopainters are made of mostly "bums" save for maybe two or three 1st round picks the last few years, so what's the Boosters' excuse?

Team Ageless

When Asi Taulava first went to the ASEAN Basketball League in what many thought would be his "swan song" after two unimpressive seasons in the PBA with the Meralco Bolts, it was met with nary a whimper. There he was, a former PBA Most Valuable Player, probably looking for one last paycheck and maybe to cash in on his name/brand.

There's nothing wrong or shameful about it, business is business. Some guys are able to quit when they are ahead, others, keep on pushing until either their minds or bodies break. At the end of the day, these men (old, injury-riddled or in-denial) are just that, men-- men who need to provide for themselves and their loved ones. What good is looking back in a once illustrious career if you can't enjoy the fruit of your labors all the way to retirement?

So when his handlers coined "Team Ageless," we were part of the many who dismissed it and just said: "best of luck to you Asi, for all the years playing for flag and country and just being an all-around good guy despite your larger-than-life size, thank you."

One ASEAN Basketball League season, championship and Most Valuable Player later, we were all proven wrong.

Rise of the Kraken

The Kraken's just begun
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

Born of deep sea legend, the Kraken surveys his newfound domain where all are prey, where he is king. He stands tall, constantly making a mockery of those who dare defy his rule. This is a new era; this is the time for beasts and monsters.

But to the Kraken, they all bow.

The Petron Blaze Boosters’ 6”11, 269 lbs giant rookie Junemar Fajardo might have started his pro career on an uneven note no thanks to a serious lower body injury that required surgery, but there’s no question that he is here and that he is, unlike his moniker-namesake, for real.

What's next for ABL San Miguel Beermen?

New league, new life for the ABL MVP

Congratulations to the newly-crowned ASEAN Basketball League champions, San Miguel Beermen!

After an impressive campaign that saw the team finish the eliminations atop with a 25-4 record, the Beermen have not only exalted revenge on the Indonesia Warriors but also reclaimed a bit of national pride for the Philippines as a whole. Though opting to carry their brand rather than the name Philippines or Pilipinas, the Beermen are our own and it is only right that each and every player on the roster be recognized for their efforts.

Leading the charge is this season's ABL Most Valuable Player Asi Taulava, who at 40 years of age was still able to play 22 games and put up 10 ppg and 7rpg in about 27 minutes of action a game. This, after being dismissed as a "washed up, has been out for a big paycheck" by some circles. We admit to feeling the same way-- but never to the extend that the beefy 6"9 Taulava can no longer contribute to a winning team.

ABL Beermen is Banchero's Team

James Yap and Chris Tiu
have nothing on this cat

Make no mistake about it, the San Miguel Beermen currently plying its trade in the ASEAN Basketball League is now clearly Chris Banchero's team. Despite having PBA veterans Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and reigning ABL Most Valuable Player Leo Avenido in the fold, it's Banchero's playmaking (and newfound scoring) that's proving to be invaluable to the team.

At the moment, Banchero's comming off a stellar performance in yesterday's dumping of the Singapore JobStreet.com Slingers 73-53. Banchero led the Beermen with 16 points and some heady playmaking. We also saw the Fiipino-Italian looker playing a bit of shooting guard with new recruit, pint-sized point guard Jeric Fortuna now in the Beermen's fold. We're not big fans of Banchero's scoring prowess, but he does have some nifty go-to-moves and has the bodytype for it.

ABL: All eyes on "Our Time" Beermen

Mr. Short Shorts

Having failed in their initial bid to win the ASEAN Basketball League crown in their debut season, the San Miguel Beermen went on an overhaul from coaches to players in an attempt to salvage the crown this time around.

For any other team, reaching the ABL Finals would be considered as an accomplishment but we all know that the Beermen are born and bred a different way. It's "championship or bust" really, having acquired legit PBA starters late in the season to boost their title bid. This year, they sacked head coach Bobby Parks, Sr. and replaced him with UAAP Adamson Falcons coach Leo Austria. They also added PBA Hall of Famers Asi Taulava and Eric Menk-- two guys who desperately want to prove their worth and show that they still have enough in the tank. Gone are Roger Yap, Jonn Ferriols and Jun Cabatu among others and left are reigning MVP Leo Avenido, "James Yap-in-waiting" Chris Banchero and Christian Luanzon (seriously, who is this guy connected with that he always ends up playing for a pro team despite his limited skillset while other guys like Jeff Napa never got a shot?)

Asi moves on to ABL

ASI!

Sing no sad songs for the 6"9 Fil-Tonggan who captivated the hearts of many the minute he stepped on a local basketball gym-- dimpled smile, faux blonde hairdo and all. Yes, Asi Taulava will no longer be part of the Meralco Bolts or even the Philippine Basketball Association this season. The self-christened "Rock" has opted to sign with the ASEAN Basketball League's San Miguel Beermen in hopes of bringing the Filipino squad its first title in only its sophomore year.

Was this the right move going forward for Taulava?

Yes. The Beermen play only once a week (as is the schedule of the ABL) as compared to the PBA's grueling schedule. They enjoy cable television coverage which is always hard to argue against (despite the fact that we were made to watch the whole of the ABL Season 3 Finals Game 3 between the Indonesia Warriors and the Beermen in bloody red color setting). It's San Miguel. Plus, Taulava is already 39 years going 40.

Beermen powers up with Fazekas, Crews

Just in the Nick of time for Beermen

Remember that tidbit that had Filipino basketball fans buzzing when sweet shooting 6"11 Petron Blaze Boosters import Nick Fazekas was unceremoniously sacked despite multiple solid games?

Well, we finally have an answer to froth at the mouth at.

Fazekas, together with beastly, slamma-jamma Rain or Shine Elasto Painters' import Duke Crews will form arguably the most fearsome import duo in the ASEAN Basketball League for the San Miguel Beermen by next week. Forget the impressive performances of Leo Avenido and Froilan Baguion, or the addition of free agents Roger Yap and Jon Ferriols, this is the move that will definitely get the Beermen over the top and knockout local rivals AirAsia Philippine Patriots.

ABL: San Miguel and AirAsia get chippy

AJ: high scoring import for Air Asia

In a battle of ASEAN Basketball League title favorites, the San Miguel Beermen emerged victorious over Filipino rivals AirAsia Patriots, 68-66 but not without suffering an embarrassment with the ejection of guard Aris Dimaunahan who committed a hard foul on AA import Anthony Johnson. This fracas ultimately led to a bench clearing, punches throwing incident that puts our brand of basketball in bad light.

We're all for competition and taking things seriously, but there's no room for unprofessionalism in the game of basketball. Specially with a growing league such as the ABL and with this country's role in it as the overall pioneers or gurus. It's not a secret that we Filipinos, the Patriots the last three and Beermen this year, are the ABL's ambassadors. Trying our very best to share our knowledge of the game with our neighbors.

Pacific Storm: Cabagnot takes #1 spot

Captain Crunch!

Let's all be honest here.

When Alex Cabagnot, spiked hair, toothy smile and big, brown eyes and all, first came into the league in 2005 via the (my beloved) Santa Lucia Realtors, expectations were rather mixed. All we knew of him was that he came from the same high school (Eagle Rock) that Ginebra's Mark Caguioa did, and also challenged/ broke the former's scoring record (although in a longer period of time).

But as soon as he wore SLR's green and white, we were treated to indecisive and inconsistent point guard play-- with only a couple of gems here and there to make us believe he'd be at par with the long list of great Filipino point guards.