34th Jones Cup: Pilipinas' grades

Stay aggressive Gabe!

Today's 88-84 win over Japan marks yet another come-from-behind win for Team Pilipinas, pulling out all the stops to erase a 4th quarter 11-point deficit. Not only where the Japs shooting the ball with Korean-like precision, but their ball movement was the best this writer has seen from that country in years.

Fortunately for us, Marcus "Big Daddy" Douthit came through with a stellar 26 points, 13 rebounds performance to carry us throughout the game in time for the locals to regroup defensively and wax hot in the 4th. Our top gunners, Gary David and Jeffrei Chan, provided the needed long bombs with Gabe Norwood-- who is having a "Cyrus Baguio-like" series, just playing the best basketball we've seen from him so far.

We have to commend Coach Chot Reyes for his awesome shuffling and also that impressive switching on defense which just about everyone on the floor for Pilipinas appears to have embraced whole-heartedly. Not only were they being active, but screens and picks by the Japs were being taken out of the equation because there was always a guy rotating inside or outside to meet them.

So without further ado, let's move on to the grades so far:

34th Jones Cup: Gilas now 3-0

Hello Asia, his name is Gary David.
He plays shitty defense, but on offense?
Well, ask Korea. :) 

Regardless if South Korea opted to send a club team (think of it as the Philippines sending Petron or Talk 'n' Text plus two reinforcements) to the 34th William Jones Cup, let us all enjoy and savor this sweet and hard-earned 82-79 victory over our FIBA tormentors.

Though we coasted to a quick 14 point lead in the first quarter, the Koreans fought back behind their two imports Juan Patillo (think of him as a more athletic, stronger and young version of Jordan's Rasheim Wright) and 7"0 giant Gary Stutz. Their locals, physically taller and stronger than the Pilipinas select team, were also playing like they usually do-- calm, knocking down shots and moving the ball around instead of dribbling the shotclock off (which we kept on doing).

34th Jones Cup: Pilipinas wins, still sloppy

Pilipinas goes only
as far as Douthit takes them

The new-look men's national basketball team are off on the right track with a hard-earned 88-80 victory over a sluggish Jordan squad led by a clearly out of gym shape Rasheim Wright. While we were able to hack out the W and even post a double digit lead in the first quarter, the lapses (mostly in the second quarter) need to be taken addressed ASAP.

Coach Chot Reyes stuck to what has become his teams' identity over the years: run to the rim basketball. Drive and kick. Nothing fancy, just a plain "get the ball to the rim as close as you can" mentality that rubbed off even on the putty-soft Gabe Norwood.

Bright spots for the team are naturalized center Marcus Douthit who finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds after spending most of the 1st quarter on the bench due to foul trouble. Then came the shooters Jeffrei Chan, Gary David and Larry Fonacier who found themselves open one too many times on the floor. Call it a lack of scouting on the Jordanians' part, but they went with a traditional zone defense obviously banking on the Philippines' old reputation of being an "all drive, no J" team.

Thoughts on SMART Gilas 2's Jones Cup roster

Reunited on the SMART Gilas 2 Jones Cup team

PG LA Tenorio (Alaska)/ Jayson Castro (Talk 'n' Text)/ Sol Mercado (Meralco)

Even without Jimmy Alapag and Ryan Reyes, this position has always been the strength of any team Pilipinas when it comes to basketball in Asia. Tenorio is the traditional point man that can set up guys on the team while able to spread the floor with his threes. Mercado brings in size and speed that will be needed when we face the Middle Eastern squads who feature burly guards. Castro is the sparkplug here, given his combo-guard skillset and relentless attack mentality.

Breakthrough!

First Finals appearance in 6 years

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters have finally broken through the glass ceiling and reached the PBA Finals for the first time in the franchise's six years in the PBA. This, after repeatedly failing in advancing early in the semifinals and facing injuries to key players Jeffrei Chan and super rookie Paul Lee.

With tonight's 92-82 victory over the BMeg Llamados, the Elastopainters have achieved what head coach Yeng Guiao was brought in to do: to barge into the Finals despite not having established PBA superstars in the fold and overcoming superpowers such as the San Miguel and MVP teams. Guiao's appointment instantly made the Elastopainters a dangerous squad, with guys being brought in to play specific roles that were to benefit the overall team game. Hot shot Sol Mercado was sent to Meralco in order to balance out the roster while guys like Beau Belga, JayR Quinahan and Ronjay Buenafe were brought in to make the transition from pretty boy Coach Caloy Garcia to Coach Yeng easier and faster.

Alive and Ready

The MVP's teaching Sol Train how it's done

The Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters are still in the hunt for the Governor's Cup Finals.

This, after they easily disposed of sister team Meralco Bolts who were already out of Finals contention and looked every bit like a team that didn't deserve to advance to the next round. For all his resurgence and brilliance, Bolts' anchor Asi Taulava finally ran out of gas and couldn't do much to stop the Texters' tall front act of Ranidel de Ocampo and *gasp* Japeth Aguilar.

Playing his stretch four role to the hilt, RDO was making Taulava and whichever Bolts big man assigned to him look like patsies-- drilling in jumper after jumper after jumper. To keep things interesting, RDO also made some nice inside forays just to remind everyone that when he's on his game, he's the best damn power forward in the league today.

Pass the torch: Cardona is no longer The Franchise

Two scorers with so-so D
will always spoil the broth

As much as it pains this writer to come to terms with this sad and undeniable reality, there's just no other way around it. For the Meralco Bolts to continue building on the success that they currently enjoy (breaking into the semifinals after six conferences), they need to shift the offense away from "franchise player" Mac Cardona.

When Team Manny V. Pangilinan bought out the Santa Lucia Realtors, Cardona was immediately sent from mother team Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters to headline the Bolts. After all, he was the one guy that people either loved or hated with such passion-- someone who magnetized and captivated fans by his sheer passion for the game. That, plus he tends to be an island all to himself-- needing to dominate the basketball which oftentimes alienated teammates and reduced big names such as the mighty Jimmy Alapag to mere spectators.

The Replacements

Reunited and it feels so gooooood (sa Gilas ha)

SMART Gilas II head coach Chot Reyes has finally surrendered to the silent war being played by both Manny V. Pangilinan and San Miguel Corporation parties. There's no point in waiting for players from the San Miguel camp to submit their Letters of Intent to play for flag and country. We don't need divas be it player's decision or orders from the management.

This writer is on the side of Reyes because he was chosen to spearhead the National team. Not just another Pangilinan squad, but a team that will be sent out to actually represent us in international tournaments. Had the roles been reversed, I'd do and say the same things. That the best players should play for the National team. That their respective employers allow them to do so-- I refuse to believe that James Yap, Marc Pingris, Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos have no interest whatsoever in playing for Gilas II.

Meralco finally beats Kuya

Ross' rising PG play is key

Meaning, the Meralco Bolts can now wake up in the morning, wash their faces, look in the mirror and say that yes, they finally have a victory over their big brothers in the PBA, the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

An asterisk could be put on this opening day conquest though, with most of the Texters' starting unit inactive (Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, Harvey Carey and Kelly Williams) and the remaining guns like Ranidel de Ocampo, Jarred Dillinger and Ali Peek not at 100%. Whatever, this is basketball-- if you can suit up, then you can play as the greats would always say.

Llamados come of age, advance to semis

HUGOT? Hinde, BIG TIME
player lang talaga.

What a game.

Marc Pingris on Mac Cardona early. Joe DeVance cutting backdoor for gimmes. Sol Mercado having a Rain or Shine relapse. Earl Barron owning Denzel Bowles. Reynel Hugnatan owning the offensive glass. Jonas Villanueva checks in. Marc Pingris slides back to power forward. No more rebounds for Hugnatan. Bowles mans up versus Barron. Mercado tires out.

Again.

What a game!

Easter Sunday Knockouts: Bet Money

B-Meg Llamados vs Meralco Bolts (series tied 1-1)

Mac Mac needs to stay focused for the Bolts

James Yap looks like he's back in the groove, Marc Pingris has resurfaced to provide the heart and hustle and everyone's pretty much on the same page and focused on winning. Problem is, can they overcome a Bolts squad that is just primed to advance to the Semifinals barring any more unforeseen ejections or even suspensions?

Earl Barron is slowly proving to be the best and most polished import in the league today now that Nick Fazekas and Marcus Douthit have all gone home in the eliminations. Constantly dropping 30 and 20s, the NBA champion reserve is proving to be too much for the lengthy Llamados frontline (which has surprisnigly been downplayed this QFs by the commentators) and counterpart Denzel Bowles. Bowles has all but come undone and unglued in the match-up, being schooled repeatedly and looking more like a JV player rather than a true blue reinforcement.

On import changes, Meralco's backcourt woes and Gilas 2 PG

Vroman will beast the PBA. Bet on it.

Wow. Safe to say that no one outside of the Ginebra camp saw this coming-- Chris Alexander, the Gin Kings' 7"1 import who led them to their last title has been sent home in favor of NBA vet and FIBA champion Jackson Vroman.

Alexander was reportedly sent off the same afternoon Vroman checked in to the Gin Kings' practice-- that's just cold man. Only a no conscience, unsympathetic and cold blooded individual would do something so business-like and calculating.

What's that? Noli Eala's in charge of San Miguel's basketball operations? Oh, okay.

PBA's Vince McMahon is definitely back to what he does best.