PBA Off-season trade/signing updates

While most fans are still recovering from the recent divorce of coaching genius Tim Cone and Wilfred Uytengsu's Alaska franchise after 22 years, the offseason wheels continue to turn this time with trade proposals and signings.

Barako Bull - Don Allado (B-Meg)

Slowly but surely, this team is starting to look like a legit contender or at the very least, competent enough barring any lopsided trades (which, I expect to see in the future). Willie Miller is marked as the "franchise" player but let's not forget that Danny Seigle enjoyed his best season in a long while following his trade from San Miguel. Throw in burly bruiser Dorian Pena and even some crisp low post presence from Don Allado and they could very well be the darkhorse in the coming season. Of course, everything depends on the BB management if they will hold on to these guys longer than a conference or two, and if Allado every fully recovers from his recent bout with injuries.

B-Meg - Mark Barroca (Shopinas.com)

The rich keep getting richer don't they? Granted, B-Meg was the "ugly duckling" of the SMC family last season but let's not forget that they were practically playing with an injury plagued frontline and relied mostly on gunners James Yap (who had a forgettable season) and PJ Simon (who continues to toil as a "Super Sub" when he's good enough to start for half of the league's other teams). Barroca will be put on the spotlight right away (not only because of his tisay girlfriend) owing to Jonas Villanueva's injuries and Roger Yap's age. Is Barroca the guy for B-Meg? Definitely. His slashing skills will open up a world of hurt on opposing teams since they won't be able to lock down on Yap, Simon and sweet-shooting big man  Joe DeVance anymore.

Shopinas.Com - Brian Ilad (B-Meg), Elmer Espiritu (Barako Bull), Ren Ren Ritualo (released by Meralco)

Was Don Allado (who will end up with sister team Barako Bull) really the best player that Shopinas.Com could get in return for Mark Barroca? Probably not. The fact that Allado went to another team also dispels any notion of him being reunited with former DLSU and now Clickers head coach Franz Pumaren. Luckily for Shopinas.Com, they will get two more guys from the trade in Brian Ilad (a college-career role player who's best known for starting fights) and ultra athletic Elmer Espiritu (who looks to be struggling in finding a niche in the pros akin to UE teammate Kelvin Gregorio). A silver lining for the Clickers is that they are going to get the services of Ren-Ren Ritualo who enjoyed his best years being coached by a Pumaren. Hopefully for RR14, his body holds up against bigger SGs in the PBA and that Coach Franz can give him open looks to do what he does best- drain threes from all over.

Powerade - Ogie Menor (Meralco)

It's just sad to see how Menor went from San Beda high school and college hotshot to just another name on the roster. What's even sadder is that, collegiate role players are enjoying more success in the PBA (Jeff Chan, RJ Rizada, etc.) than someone who was hyped to be the next Mark Caguioa. Now? Their only similiarities is that they sport the same hairstyle. At Powerade, Menor will have to earn his spot to become Gary David's chief reliever. If not, then he'll probably be relegated to the bench and later on find himself with a Liga or ABL team.

Meralco - Chico Lanete (Powerade), Mark Yee (Powerade), Mark Macapagal (Powerade)

While most people would say that Meralco lost its promising young guys to other teams, I'd like to argue that they were able to add solid role players who are ready to win now. Lanete is still an explosive (sometimes bull-headed) point guard who can light up the scoreboard when needed (think a malnourished yet more athletic version of Roger Yap) while Macapagal is a passable (even better when you look at it) replacement for Ren Ren Ritualo (not as good a shooter, but better defender).

Talk n Text - Shawn Weinstein (Meralco), Bam Gamalinda (Meralco)

I was quite impressed with the way Weinstein played the first couple of times I saw him off the bench for Meralco. Sadly, Bolts' head coach Ryan Gregorio opted for a more uptempo pace and didn't know where Weinstein would fit since the guy wasn't much of an offensive force and didn't have a solid jumper (which is vital considering the PG has to keep BOTH ball hogs Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona happy while acting as a kick-out option for suicide drives). At TNT, Weinstein can fill in for Ryan Reyes at the 2 spot (TNT loves playing a 3-guard rotation anyway, so the more guards they have, the better I guess) while Bam Gamalinda learns the ropes from Larry Fonacier and Jarred Dillinger.

Released to free agency - Marlou Aquino (Meralco)

As a Marlou Aquino circa 1996-1999 fan (uhm, you do realize that this site was named after "The Skyscraper's" signature move right?), I wish that Aquino either retires or is signed by Ginebra for one last run/ that nostalgic feel. Alaska did it with guys like Bong Hawkins, Jojo Lastimosa and Jeffrey Cariaso.

SMART Gilas' FIBA Asia bid: There can be only 12

90s television catchphrases aside, the reality for the SMART Gilas players is that only 12 can be taken to the FIBA Asia London olympic qualifiers this September 15. And as if trying to crack into the upper echelon of Asian basketball powerhouses isn't pressuring enough, the players on the bottom half of the rotation are fighting for their spot on the roster.

The addition of PBA veterans Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo have already led to the ouster of abled bodies like Jason Ballesteros and Dondon Hontiveros (who asked to be released). Right now, SMART Gilas still has 13 players on the line-up with rumors of versatile yet little used forward Dylan Ababou being the odd man out.

But to make things a wee bit interesting, here's an argument for the top three players who should be considered at the very least of being cut:

Dylan Ababou
We all know (or knew) what Ababou can do on the floor. On his best day, Ababou's the closest we've seen to the late 90s' Victor Pablo. A big man who can play both ends of the court with great basketball IQ. I've seen Ababou shoot from the outside, dribble, run, rebound, play tough defense and even post-up smaller defenders from time to time. On his worst/average; Ababou is a tattoo-less version of Adamson's/ Powerade's Mark Agustin. There's a lot to be said when a former UAAP Most Valuable Player loses his position at PF to a guy relatively smaller than he is in Mac Baracael, and at SF to a guy shorter and not as smart in Marcio Lassiter. The addition of natural PFs Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams only makes it worse for Ababou since everyone will go back to their natural positions (Baracael at SF, Lassiter "hopefully" at SG).

Mark Barroca
Is he hurt? Has the added weight affected his speed? How Barroca has fallen from elite, starting PG to a blitzkrieg back-up is beyond me. Yes, Casio made huge strides as a PG, but the guy has only played the position in the last two years. Barroca on the other hand, has been a PG since college (probably even earlier)-- one of the best at that. So how does he manage to lose his starting spot? Now that Alapag's on board, the pressure is on Barroca to deliver whenever called upon else he loses his spot even further in favor of the veteran PBA MVP.

Chris Tiu

I'm just messing with Tiu-fanatics. The guy plays with a lot of heart and is arguably the team's scrappiest player outside of Marcio Lassiter. I caught a replay of that mini-scuffle with Japan the other night and was impressed that the team's poster boy was willing to fight tooth and nail out there with the rest of the guys. Skills-wise, Lassiter should be the starting SG with Lutz as his back-up. But since Tiu has a lock on that position, everyone's been playing outside of their comfort zones.

As of this writing, here are the guys on the 13-man line-up:

PG Jayvee Casio/ Andy Barroca/ Jimmy Alapag
SG Chris Tiu/ Chris Lutz
SF Marcio Lassiter/ Mac Baracael/ Dylan Ababou
PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Kelly Williams
C Marcus Douthit/ Asi Taulava

Who do you think should be cut from the team?

Kili Kili Power: Bad news for Pasculado fans, H-Bomb retires

Author's note: now that I think about it, maybe I should have stayed with the "Off the bench" thing since I could always use "Bench Press" for sports tidbits. Then again, there's always that sick/lame/cheesy Pinoy humor to go with so I guess Kili Kili Power works just fine.

A bit of bad news for Julius Pasculado fans out there if long time sports' blogger/writer Snow Badua's Twitter account is to be taken seriously. First, he won't be playing under the great Tim Cone (who was recently released from his contract with the Alaska Aces). Now, it looks like Pasculado's chances of landing a spot with the Aces is up in limbo.

At the moment, the Aces have L.A. Tenorio as the starting point guard of the present (and future, depends on Wilfred Uytengsu who has made a career in suddenly trading/shipping out his star players) with spitfire Bonbon Custodio masquerading as his back-up. In the PBA draft, right after claiming SMART Gilas' Mac Baracael with the 6th pick in the 1st round, the Aces went mini-Ginebra-loco and drafted two point guards back-to-back in Eric Salamat and Fil-Am Pasculado after securing bruiser Ariel Mepana.

Should Pasculado be waived/cut from the roster by the Aces, reports have it that Powerade will extend an offer ASAP since they claim to be the ones who brought him over from the US.

KKS

Rumors have it that Tim Cone won't be "jobless" longer than two conferences. Sources have already confirmed that Cone met with top San Miguel Corporation officials and is all but ready to swoop in and coach one of the three SMC teams.

The leading candidate of course, is B-Meg Derby Ace which recently demoted rookie coach Jorge Gallent in favor of assistant Richard del Rosario (who is as raw as they come, not even winning anything big in the NCAA as head coach of the College of St. Benilde Blazers). And before everyone (this writer included) raises hell about del Rosario's promotion over the PBL's winningest coach, take note of his new title: "Acting Coach."

Yep. "Acting." Meaning, he has one conference to show his worth before he slides down to accommodate Cone.

KKS

Rudy Hatfield's PBA career is over. According to Ginebra co-coach  Jong Uichicio, Hatfield won't be making another cameo/ guest appearance this season as he has done the last three to four years with the crowd darlings. I say good for Hatfield, a known bruiser and workhorse whose game has dipped the last season or two (blame it on age/ injuries/ lack of focus).

KKS

In a quite humorous twist, top pick Jayvee Casio of Powerade still hasn't signed a contract while 2nd pick Paul Lee has been locked up by Rain or Shine with the maximum rookie contract. I don't know what's keeping the Tigers, but when you pick someone number one overall, you sign them pronto and worry about everything else later.

Or maybe, Casio's on his way to being traded ala Japeth Aguilar's case two years back?

Tim Cone: A Free Man

Thirteen titles in 22 years!

Taking coaches for granted is arguably the one thing that all sports have in common and that it’s a rarity for organizations to reward an individual who watches countless videos, scouts players and opponents and wakes up everyday trying to motivate a bunch of strangers.

But such is not the case for Timothy Earl Cone, who earned his stripes and went up the PBA ranks from a then unheralded American coach (many questioned Cone’s appointment at first, crediting it more to his close ties with Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu).  I can’t name a coach who has been with a team even half of Cone’s tenure. Meralco’s Ryan Gregorio looked like he’d be with Purefoods forever, but that soon ended. Even Jong Uichico was shuffled back and forth the Ginebra and San Miguel benches.

Credit goes to Uytengsu for keeping his faith on Cone. But at the same merit, Cone probably deserves all the accolades and praises in the world for being able to translate his and Uytengsu’s dream of a basketball team with values and integrity (and all that wholesome marketing stuff you’d expect from a milk brand) to PBA success. The minute the team won its first title en route to a grand slam in 1996, it has indeed felt like they never looked back and continued to build contenders year after year regardless of the players they took in and lost.

To put things in perspective, Cone led the Milkmen/ Aces to 13 titles in 22 years which is unmatched other than the great Baby Dalupan’s 15 (which I argue is a different time in Philippine basketball, when you only had two powerhouse teams while the rest were pretty much non-competitive blahs).

Cone had to hurdle the great Ron Jacobs, charismatic Robert Jaworski Sr. (who has always appeared to be able to squeeze more from his players than anyone else), unpredictable Yeng Guiao and even the new wave of Filipino bench geniuses like assistant (and now Alaska replacement) Joel Banal, Chot Reyes, Uichico and Siot Tangquincen.

Then came the last six years of lopsided trades and blatant disregard for the PBA salary cap among others. Alaska was losing players left and right, either via lopsided trades, or requests from their own guys who want more out of their basketball careers (financially speaking).

I don’t want to speculate, but it’s kind of hard to argue against a maximum Php 350,000 paycheck with an unlimited supply of dairy products versus, say, a max check with your own hotdog, beer, gas, cellphone, etc. franchises/ endorsements as added perks/ incentives.

And while it’s painful to see Cone leave the Alaska bench and maybe one day wear an SMC polo-shirt uniform (or UAAP colors even), we should think about the man who preached integrity and class through and through and, when the game started getting uglier by the minute, left on his own terms and handled things like the man we’ve pictured him of being.

What I love about the whole scenario is, if ever Cone does sign-up with a free-spending PBA team with unlimited resources, then we'll finally be able to see him at his best: coaching elite level players with no fear of them being traded or any other unwanted drama. 

“Bong, set the screen for Johnny. Johw-johw, pass the ball to Johnny, Aaaayyyttt?”

PBA Draft 2011: Best fit vs best talent available

Now that all the PBA draft 2011 secrecy has been made public with yesterday's annual celebration, did teams get the right guy who could make an impact and address a certain need or did they simply opt for the best available talent, regardless of the position played?

1 Powerade/ Jayvee Casio
After making it known that they were on "rebuilding" mode following the trade of Dennis Espino, acquisition of Doug Kramer, Rob Reyes' early retirement and release of Chico Lanete, Powerade had two choices: build with a PG or a Center. From top to bottom it was pretty ascertain that this was the year of the guards. Coach Bo Perasol has made it known even before that they were going with Casio, and get him they did. He's a shoo-in to start for the Tigers and has the size and touch to keep defenders honest. And if the events that ultimately led to the ugly Wyne-gate is any indication of his mental toughness, then the Tigers definitely got themselves a keeper/ franchise PG.

2 Rain or Shine/ Paul Lee
One look at Lee and you just know that he's a Yeng Guiao type of guy. His college coach, Lawrence Tiongson practically preaches the same hard-nosed, run and attack system. With Lee, Guiao finds himself with a quality player who is craftier than lead PG TY Tang and proven more consistent than on again-off again option at SG Ryan Buenafe.

3 Petron/ Chris Lutz
How on earth did Petron get their greasy (and I say that with all disgust since this brand, after winning the title, raised gas prices on us Pinoys lol) hands on this pick? Not only did they manage to get a solid wing who can defend and shoot, but they were also able to reacquire the services of a guy who will probably be Lutz' mentor 'til the Fil-Am rookie gets his feet wet in Dondon Hontiveros.

4 Powerade / Marcio Lassiter
The rebuilding continues for Powerade, who were so bad last season that they had no choice but to reactivate Will Antonio's career for stretches. If Perasol can be convinced to run a Casio-Lassiter backcourt, then there's not a doubt in my mind that this will be one of the more exciting teams in the PBA. Casio to provide the clutch, Lassiter to act as slasher/ defender in that Ronald Tubid role.

5 Shopinas.Com/ Andy Barroca
As you all know, B-Meg decided to reinforce an old trade clause so Barroca's definitely headed to the Llamados regardless. What Shopinas.com should do here is ask for concessions and not to simply just give the pick to B-Meg. Best return would be PJ Simon or even a Joe DeVance. If not, then this was a wasted pick as far as Shopinas.com is concerned. B-Meg needs a PG to spell Roger Yap and eventually take over, and that's what they got in steady Andy Barroca whose slashing ways could create huge openings for volume shooters like James Yap and Simon.

6 Alaska/ Mac Baracael
Other than being the best available talent left on the table, I don't know where Baracael fits in exactly other than to become Tony Dela Cruz' eventual replacement at the wing position. It would be fun to see if Tim Cone can get through Baracael who has a tendency to lose focus in games and wave off orders from the bench.

7 Meralco / Jason Ballesteros
This pick makes the most sense as far as addressing a need is concerned. Asi Taulava is a relic who should be brushed off only for international tournaments while Marlou Aquino is just a sad case. Ballesteros, at a bruising 6"6, can quickly come in and create a fearsome troika with Sol Mercado and Mac Cardona by anchoring the Bolts' defense. If he still has the same game we saw last at San Sebastian, then the bolts are in good shape. If he somehow forgot all the post-up moves that made him a monster with the Stags because of being buried at Smart Gilas, then Meralco is going to be in for another long season.

8 Barako Bull/ Allein Maliksi
Surprise first round pick? Or is he? Well, he IS a PBA Developmental League MVP and that's always going to be hard to argue against (he won it over Calvin "The Beast" Abueva too so that says a lot). I haven't really seen much of Maliksi to make a proper diagnosis, but reports have it that he has improved tremendously since that forgettable stint at UST.

9 Barangay Ginebra/ Reil Cervantes
Finally! Ginebra goes against Jong Uichico's long and storied tradition of opting for guards and going for an actual center/ banger. He could've gone with Ken Acibar with this pick, but opted for the more polished, workhorse Cervantes who doesn't really need the ball to be effective. The guy played with names like Barroca, Baracael and that other dude who were pretty much 100% of FEU's offense and settled for scraps. I do recall however, that Cervantes more than held his own against UST's man-mountain Jervy Cruz (before he lost all the weight for the PBA and disappeared completely because of being an undersized PF).

10 Barako Bull/ Dylan Ababou
Are we sleeping on Ababou? Yes. But rightfully so. I would even go far as saying that minus the Smart Gilas bench stint, Ababou's performance the last two years merits him a second round pick, not first. Where will Ababou fit in the Bulls' rotation? Well, there's a void in the 4 spot that he can pick up should Danny Seigle be switched to the 3-spot/ or get injured. I don't really expect anything from the former UAAP MVP, we've seen it before. He can play, he's proven that, but he only plays when he's motivated or trying to prove something to someone (which he isn't at most times).

Other notable picks:

11 Shopinas.Com/ Magi Sison
I pray that Magi Sison has the same genetic structure as Arwind Santos. Or fellow rook Paul Lee hands him some-hundred boxes of Appeton. He has legit post moves, but not the bulk to bang. What I don't like about Sison is that he's as slow-footed as Marlou Aquino minus the height and heft which is crucial in today's ultra-athletic and competitive PBA.

13 Alaska/ Eric Salamat
Not good enough to steal minutes away from Cyrus Baguio, but definitely a better option for Tim Cone as a backup at the 2 or even for star guard L.A. Tenorio. Salamat plays solid man-to-man defense and has also shown some spunk and fearlessness when the going gets tough.

14 Alaska/ Julius Pasculado
The Internet world loves him and has even made mix-tapes, but it's quite obvious that Cone opted to play the safe card by drafting Salamat first. We still don't know enough about Pasculado, and how he would fit in a system as strict as Alaska's. Either it works out and Cone finally gets that elusive star at the SG since Kenneth Duremdes OR Pasculado fades into obscurity and we write about Salamat and how his salute could earn him a new monicker from Quinito Henson: Sergeant. Get it? When he plays beside "The Lieutenant" Tenorio? I can see the stupid grin from Henson's face right now the minute Salamat receives a nice, behind the back kick-out pass from Tenorio, buries a three and salutes the Aces' crowd.

19 Ken Acibar/ Barako Bull
Maliksi, Ababou and now Acibar? I say that the Bulls went in the PBA Draft with a plan and executed it to perfection. They added guys who could play the wings and have enough to switch to PF. If everything works out the way I picture it to be, we'll see a line-up of Wyne Arboleda, Willie Miller, Maliksi, Ababou and Pena with Acibar as a building block for the future. What I also love about the pick is that Acibar will learn how to rebound like a man from the best of 'em in Pena.

All-in-all, it was a solid draft as far as local talent is concerned. Yes, there was an obvious shortage of big men and starpower outside of Smart Gilas, but from a talent standpoint, guys from one to 11 are all good enough to start for any PBA team NOW as compared to previous years' wherein we'd have only two to three recognizable names and PBA-ready guys.

Shopinas.Com Clickers ready to make an impact

If Shiela Lina and newly signed head coach Franz Pumaren are to be believed, we are looking at perhaps a future title contender in the PBA with a team anchored on Pumaren's uptempo yet defensive-minded philosophy.

As of this writing, the franchise still holds the rights to Barako Bulls' players who were adopted via the dispersal draft namely: Marlou Aquino, Pong Escobal, Jojo Duncil, Lordy Tugade, Borgie Hormida and Aries Dimaunahan. That, plus the fifth overall pick in this Sunday's PBA draft.

Given the order of drafting, it would be safe to assume that the Clickers would land either Mac Barracael or Marcio Lassiter (as the top three would probably be a toss up among Jayvee Casio, Paul Lee and Andy Barroca) which isn't all that bad. Far from it. Lassiter could be a diamond in the rough if given more freedom (he has game and spunk) while Baracael is a legit PBA-ready player who can be asked to switch from SG, SF all the way up to PF on both offense and defense.

Of the BB list, only Borgie Hermida and Jojo Duncil should be given a look at the very least. Aquino's just a basketball player by name, Escobal's just another warm body while who knows when Tugade and Dimaunahan will start breaking down due to age and injuries?

Either way, expect Pumaren to tap into some UAAP standouts who are plying their trade over at Liga Pilpinas (a lot of UST and ADMU names are associated with SMART Pampanga) or the ABL.

On a lighter note, I have trouble understanding why the Air21 Express would even bother changing their name into Barako Bull (which will now be known as Shopinas.Com). I understand that these are two separate PBA franchises, but they are owned by pretty much the same team. Why couldn't Air21 just carry Shopinas.Com and leave Barako Bull as is, or bring back the Burger King Whoppers (which I love since the PBA looks so much better when the teams are all well-known brands).

Also, wouldn't it be funny if Shiela Lina and Shopinas.com become the new Air21 in more ways than one? Like having its own private website for teams looking to make upgrades via trade? Each Clicker will have his own website complete with downloadable PDF profile, stats and a YouTube mixtape for scouts/ other teams to view and a counter to place their bids? Yeah. You heard/read it here first! Online shopping is the way of the future!

The Top 10 names in the 2011 PBA Draft

While some fans have bought into the Media hype that this is the deepest draft in recent memory, I choose to argue otherwise and that only about 10 to 12 guys will make it as rotation players in the PBA and about three to four as legit, potential PBA superstars.

That being said, you might raise an eyebrow or two with the names that I'm going to throw out there, but you never know in this league. Not when teams draft Jai Reyes and groom him as a future Johnny Abarrientos or Joseph Yeo is picked before Gabby Espinas in one of the draft history's biggest blunders/travesties.

1 JAYVEE CASIO
There's no other player in the country at present who has made a better argument for himself or raised his value draft-wise as Casio. Be it as a clutch shooter for San Beda and De La Salle or more recently, as SMART Gilas' go-to-guy and heady point guard with nerves of steel and balls the size of grapefruits.
2 PAUL LEE
Lee lost some steam by opting out of the SMART Gilas program (probably because he didn't want to play behind lesser talent *cough* Chris Tiu *cough* before wanting in late and finally settling in the PBA's Developmental League. But make no mistake about it, of all the names on the table, Lee is arguably the best and proven player pound for pound on both ends of the court. Everyone knows he can score, but then he went out of his way to learn how to play team ball at UE and later on, adding man-to-man defense as well as how to transition from SG to PG when needed. There's not a doubt in my mind that if given the right opportunities, Lee will blossom into a PBA superstar.

3 ANDY BARROCA
Another FEU point-god who was burning players in the international level before Casio's ascension, Barroca is that rare combination of speed and intelligence lost in today's flashier point guards. Think UAAP L.A. Tenorio (he slowed down a bit in the PBA), minus the step back three ball and that's pretty much how Barroca is as a point guard (and taller). One thing going for him is that, he doesn't mind coming off the bench and always follows his coaches to the "T."

4 MARCIO LASSITER
There's a lot going for Lassiter in the draft, one of which is his US pedigree. Another thing I've grown to like about the Fil-Am wing is that he seems to play with a lot of intensity and is fearless. He's hit big shots for SMART Gilas before, and he plays the type of pesky defense that old school coaches like Yeng Guiao, Jong Uichico and Ato Agustin love.

5 MAC BARACAEL
The only positions that Baracael can't play, or at least we haven't seen him as, are shooting guard and center. Other than that, Baracael follows in that new line of Filipino wings who can play defense, shoot, run and jump out of the gym (okay, maybe not so much). At the moment, Baracael is the only player other than Paul Lee who may be considered as "PBA big minutes" ready.

6 ERIC SALAMAT
Here's the thing with Ateneans and other champion UAAP players: you can't really tell how good they are because of their school's systems. Salamat, who's known as a key contributor off the bench, is exactly that. In short minutes, his passion and tenacity often lights up his teammates, the crowd as well as the scoreboard. In instances where he's asked to player longer, he shows that he is prone to fouls and turnovers as well as some bone headed plays here and there. Can he be a starter at SG? For lower seeded teams yes, but he is a back-up PG at best.
7 CHRIS LUTZ 
Another SMART Gilas Fil-Am wing who appears to be a solid system player who can shoot and defend. The only thing that bothers me really and has left me unconvinced is that, he doesn't seem to have that same fire as his teammates Casio, Lassiter, Barroca and Baracael. Almost like he's going through the motions and is content to be a solid rotation player-- not a star.

8 DYLAN ABABOU
People will sleep on Ababou because, quite frankly, he's been sleeping on us the entire time with Smart Gilas. He wasn't able to win over Rajko Toroman and land a spot on the regular rotation, so why would PBA teams take a chance on the former UAAP MVP other than his affiliation? Personally, I want Ababou to end up with a losing team, just so he can be thrown out there in an instant, get his confidence up and show that old MVP form of his as the closest thing we have to a Jun Limpot (big man with legit skills and a high basketball IQ).

9 REIL CERVANTES

He's big, he can bang and he has legit, back-to-the-basket moves. In a UAAP dream world without Jhervy Cruz, Rabah Al Hussaini or Ford Arao, Cervantes could be the best slotman coming out of college. Right now, his game is more polished than that of Alaska's Sonny Thoss. Hopefuly, his fire can make up for his lack of height.
10 ALLEN MALIKSI
No one knows about Maliksi other than his recent stint as PBA D-League MVP (which I feel should've gone to Calvin "The Beast" Abueva). I've seen a few of his games and yes, he can definitely shoot the ball with the best of them. But his lack in heft might hold him back and probably earn him a sure tryout spot for an ABL team (if Patrick Cabahug couldn't make it, then all bets are off unless this guy has great backers/handlers).

KKS SLEEPER: KEN ACIBAR
A.K.A. Paul Lee's favorite drop-to guy in the UAAP. This kid can play and already has the body of a young Danny Ildefonso. Hopefully he doesn't drop the ball and continues to build around a solid inside-out, Kerby-ish game.

Who's your Top 10 for this Sunday's draft?

Petron refuels in time, wins Governor's Cup title

Remember last conference when the then newly renamed Petron Blaze Boosters were pretty much hated on by every single San Miguel (and even non-SMB fans) for trading some of its core pieces in hopes of staying as a contender in the next three years?

Or how everyone wanted Ato Agustin's head on a plate because of his questionable rotations and lack of in-game adjustments?

Well, all is now forgiven.

While people will undoubtedly be writing about how Petron denied Talk 'n' Text's Grand Slam bid, let's concentrate on how special the team that won the Governor's Cup title is. Even if they had to win it by plugging in gaping holes with names like Paolo Hubalde and one-time UAAP UST hero Jojo Duncil.

1.  A shorter rotation means a fixed rotation
Arwind Santos no longer had to share air and floor space with athletic yet not-so-polished Jay Washington whenever he freelances in the paint. Denok Miranda was a lock at the PG while Alex Cabagnot slipped into the SG spot where he may not be as effective a scorer, but great as a ball handler and is another guy who keeps the ball moving. And whenever Danny Ildefonso is healthy, he is the best center in the PBA bar none (Espino's injuries have slowed him down the last five years, and Sonny Thoss is still a solid system player but not a star). Yes, they were depleted, but man for man, Petron had the healthier players and it showed. TNT's guards weren't running or driving as hard and were easy covers for bloodhounds like FEU stalwarts Santos and Miranda, and TNT's bigs are BIG but tissue soft in the paint and allergic to banging (which is big considering they had Peek, Carey and De Ocampo but were all schooled by Ildefonso).

2.  More playing time for Denok
It's no secret. And it has always bothered me that Alex Cabagnot played more minutes than Denok Miranda. Of the two, Miranda has the titles to back his claim for more minutes. Us fans, from his days back with FEU, to Viva and Santa Lucia all know and recognize that his game has more substance than Cabagnot. Now, it's so fulfilling to see him finally getting the playing time and "running with the ball" so to speak. Once Petron gets their SGs back, who knows if Miranda will still be playing this many minutes but if this series is any indication, he is arguably one of the league's better and headier guards (and he can now shoot too!)

3.  Ato Agustin goes all "Release the Kraken!" with star Arwind Santos
How did Agustin utilize the Swiss army knife greatness of Santos? Simple, let him run amock. Santos was pretty much all over the floor, showing that he is the best Filipino basketball player out there (and that's not media hype. Media hype would be Mico Halili et. al.'s love affair with Jay Washington). It's not like Agustin didn't have a prototype in how to handle a guy like Santos too (re: Calvin Abueva with the San Sebastian Stags who is someone that I'd love to see Santos play against, one-on-one). Santos had the series that LeBron James had versus Chicago. He covered everyone from Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo, Maurice Baker all the way up to Jayson Castro and blocked the shit out of them each and every time. Hell, if Ato Agustin asked Santos to guard Marc Agustin from the police, I wouldn't be surprised if Ato's temperamental son made it out of the country undetected! Every time TNT missed a shot, Santos was almost always sure to grab the rebound. And like the great Pat Riley would say, "No rebounds, no rings."

4.  Vintage Danny Ildefonso
Kick Ali Peek's ass? Check. School Harvey Carey? Check. Make a mockery of Ranidel de Ocampo? Check. Sweet jumpers from all corners? Check. Flex for fans? Check. This was "Demolition Danny" at his best in years (before injuries and that stupid 100 million Peso Tanduay offer got in the way).

5.  Anthony Grundy

Re-united and it feels so good doesn't it?

What would've happened had TNT's Ryan Reyes not been injured? I say, Grundy would've worked a lot harder on offense (ask James Yap, Willie Miller, etc.). Instead, Grundy was a walking mismatch. First, he was shooting TNT's import Scottie Reynolds face off. And when Mo Baker came in, Grundy shot his face off once he figured out how to work around the slower TNT replacement import. It also didn't help TNT's cause that Mark Yee had to grab so much attention to how Baker was being defended with that "up yours" episode of his.

All in all, I feel that the biggest difference was when Petron started throwing elbows and handing out hidden physical plays that TNT just wasn't used to/ ready for. TNT was running on fumes, and being hit time and again took the fight out of them. Credit goes to Ato Agustin for coaching this series "Old school" realizing that while he had a shortage in talent, he had an abundance of healthy guys ready to hand out ass-whoopings Stone Cold style.

The minute Denok Miranda played more than 10 minutes with his buddy Arwind Santos, the complexion of the series titled in favor of Petron (and brought in legit title hopes and nostalgia of their winning ways in the amateurs) who are now your Governor's Cup champions.

NO GRANDSLAM: Talk 'n' Text runs out of battery, settles for 2nd place

Take nothing away from the gallant Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters who lost 73-85 to the Petron Blaze Boosters and were literally running on fumes the entire Governor's Cup Finals-- a painful testament to the three consecutive finals appearances (that resulted in back to back titles) this season.

Today's game showed the Texters at their worst, indecisive and uncharacteristically statuesque in both offense and defense. If anything, the players looked exhausted and seemed to have been waiting for one of their own to step up and carry them through (a role usually played by Jayson Castro who was playing hurt and even sprained his good leg's ankle in the 2nd half).

Here's a shortlist of what I see caused TNT's downfall this series:

1.  Hurting backcourt
For all the negativity, Jimmy Alapag still played one hell of a season (Best Player of the Commissioner's Cup) before doing a "Miami Heat's LeBron James in the NBA Finals" from game three onwards. Yes, there are solid claims that he was playing hurt, but we failed to see that same fire and fight in the "Mighty Mouse" on several occasions. Jayson Castro played like an MVP and has nothing but titles and accolades on his future. Unforunately, as good as he is, no one can put up HUGE numbers while playing with an MCL tear, let alone a sprained ankle on the other leg. Ryan Reyes, another key contributor on both ends of the floor with his outside sniping and defensive hustle, was also hurt. In case you haven't been paying attention all season long, these three are the backbone of TNT's uptempo style of basketball.

2.  If Ranidel de Ocampo's your go-to-guy, you're not going to win big
This series showed why, despite all the positives from Mico Halili and other color commentators, RDO will never live up to his potential. He is arguably the best big man in the series, yet opted to shoot from deep when he could've taken it into the paint. The only player on the Petron end that could stop RDO was Arwind Santos, and that guy was busy locking Alapag and Castro down. So what does RDO do? Spot up for threes. The turnover that sealed TNT's fate best captures his take on the game and the disappointment us fans of homegrown Pinoy big men have felt over the years.

3.  Chot Reyes' bullish arrogance/ loyalty to his rotation
The difference between TNT and Petron who both had "depleted" line-ups but on different terms? One adjusted on the fly, the other didn't or couldn't. Yes, Reyes made the genius move of changing imports mid-Finals. But he bullishly believed that he still had enough talent on his roster, injuries and all, to beat Petron. On the other side of the fence, since Petron coach Ato Agustin had little to work with, he knew where to go and who should be on the floor at all times (Miranda, Santos and Ildefonso). Reyes could've brought in Jarred Dillinger (who has been buried as a 4th option at PG) to provide some spark whenever Castro, Reyes, Alapag and even the inconsistent Larry Fonacier were off but he didn't. He wanted to put an emphasis on defense, when all he really needed was more firepower.

4.  No answer for Arwind Santos  
There was a time when Kelly Williams was seen as Santos' equal-- superior even. But then Santos kept working on his game (and putting on some good muscle), while Williams suffered some blood disorders and what not before being traded to TNT and made to do the dirty work. Santos made an impact on pretty much the entire series be it on offense or defense, which I will write on my Petron entry up next.

5.  Lack of ceiling/ muscle
What if Ranidel de Ocampo played exclusively in the paint and drew in defenders and kicked out to Alapag, Reyes, Fonacier and import Maurice Baker? What if Ali Peek were three inches taller, to at least see eye-to-eye with Petron's Danny Ildefonso? Sadly, TNT's shortage in legit post-up bigs caught up to them in this series. Once their guards went out the door with various injuries, TNT went from Fully Loaded, to "Pasaloaded."

Again, this loss doesn't mean that TNT didn't play well this series or the whole season, it just so happened that even the best fall down to age, injuries and a more driven team.

Ateneo dynasty

It took Ateneo de Manila University time before it became a legit UAAP powerhouse. In the 90s, Ateneo wasn't even considered to be on the same class as rival De La Salle University, always finishing outside of the top spot behind perennial contenders University of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University and the University of the East.

But my, oh my, time indeed changes everything.

A boatload of MVP-ish sponsorship later and we are bound to see another rare four-peat by the still undefeated Blue Eagles who are seated atop the UAAP ranks with a 9-0 card.

The pieces are there, and they just keep on coming. Yes, DLSU has indeed scored on some RP Youth standouts and even UST, but Ateneo still has the biggest names and just keeps on adding to it-- this year with SMART Gilas slotman 6"11 Greg Slaughter (who is still a project skills-wise, but is the most dominant force in the paint given his mobility and height) and the "Phenom" Kiefer Ravena (who, in his first year, already has Ateneo jerseys being sold by the dozen, his own website and Facebook fanpage among others).

Do I see the Eagles winning this year's title? Definitely and it's not even close. Should the Eagles lose to an unseen underdog, I would be truly disappointed.

And no, I don't see the team dipping once Slaughter and Kirk Long move on with their lives (Long won't be eligible to play in the PBA because he's not Filipino, but hey, maybe he can suit up for the San Miguel Beermen in the Asean Basketball League). Next season, we're looking at Ravena and hopefully more polished Justin Chua (who's damn tall himself).

The only way I see this team losing is if one of their rivals get a Sam Ekwe-ish import and masquerade him as an honest-to-goodness "student" and pair him with a Ray Ray Parks or Jeric Fortuna.

OR

If DLSU goes back to their winning blueprint of getting Fil-Am guards and letting them wreak havoc in the UAAP.

PBA Governor's Cup Game 7: It's winning time!

It's going to be a war out there tonight, and I will stick to my original prediction that Talk 'n' Text will rise to the occasion as a team and come out with their third straight title and be recognized as the league's only 3rd Grand Slam franchise.

If Game 6 were any indication, it clearly showed the disparity in talent between both teams. Petron has managed to survive through vintage performance Danny Ildefonso, the super human efforts of Arwind Santos and the resurrection of Denok Miranda's playing career as a high-caliber point guard. On the other hand, TNT, whenever it had its best pieces on the floor, continues to be just downright unstoppable.

Will Petron take advantage of TNT's many injuries? They should, since Jayson Castro and Ryan Reyes are both playing at 60%. If anything, Petron needs to put Arwind Santos on Castro and someone rough like Sunday Salvacion and Ray Guevarra on Reyes to make TNT's injured prized guards work harder on both ends of the court.

TNT only needs to push the tempo and attack the rim at a hellish, bull-headed pace. Petron doesn't have the defensive frontline that has made it a force in the early years, having to rely on an aging Ildefonso whose best back-up is equally aging and more slow-footed Mick Pennisi. If someone can wake Jimmy Alapag from his slumber and convince him to drive more by giving him more screens from the outside, then he could finally shut some people up and show his MVP form if only for a game.

Keep an eye on Alapag, Castro, Reyes and Harvey Carey tonight as I believe those four will come in and give Petron hell.

At Petron's end, I hope to see another 20-14 performance from Santos, and wouldn't mind if Danny Ildefonso gets a dunk in there and "raises the roof" off the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Still, I pick TNT to win it all and would be surprised if they don't.

Breaking news: Dondon out of Gilas, Paul Lee or JV Casio?

While local basketball junkies are still recovering from the recently concluded Petron-Talk 'n' Text match, there were other basketball-related news floating around which saw the light of print be it on paper or the Internet.

Dondon Hontiveros withdraws from SMART Gilas program

Despite what you and I think, Hontiveros clearly showed signs of aging in the Williams Jones Cup. Yes, he had that vintage game versus Japan I'll give you that. But he struggled to play defense (his bread and butter whenever his shooting was off) and was committing one too many turnovers (which, for an accomplished veteran like himself, was a no-no). He has already proven his gifts and played for our country one too many times, and his withdrawal should be seen as a positive since it would allow Gilas to get a younger SG in the future. Either way, daghang salamat Cebuano Hotshot!

Who should go first in the PBA 2011 draft; Paul Lee or JV Casio

Paul Lee has finally decided to throw his hat in the PBA Draft and is my automatic choice for the number one pick. Yes, Casio has shown that he is clutch at the PG spot for Gilas, but Lee is a legit PBA superstar SG. We've seen what he could do in UE when in his first year alone he was already drawing comparisons to DLSU's Joseph Yeo-- which he quickly shed off by becoming a more complete player by playing D and learning to pass to teammates. In the PBL and the PBA Developmental League, he dominated and played both guard positions with ease. Now tell me why I should pick Casio, who will face stronger PGs in the PBA like Denok Miranda, Ryan Reyes and Jayson Castro over Lee again? Powerade or Welcoat both need a guy like Lee, and this one should be a no brainer regardless if Casio joins the draft or not.

Why Japeth Aguilar left off the SMART Gilas "wish list" five

Serbian head coach Rajko Toroman probably gave up on the athletic Aguilar who has not learned to shoot from the outside with consistency or play in the paint. He's a flashy workhorse, we'll give him that, but with his history of injuries and bull-headedness, maybe a year or two in the PBA wherein he won't be babied by opponents and fans will force him to work on his game. That, or he ends up being a taller Raffi Reavis-- which isn't a bad thing really, but frustrating for a guy with the potential of being the best athletic big man in the PBA since Mon Fernandez.

TNT Reveals Heart of Champions; trashes Petron 104-78

In what should be considered as another blockbuster and high quality basketball atmosphere in Filipino basketball standards, the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters were able to salvage a blowout loss versus the recently fancied Petron Blaze Boosters.

Though the Boosters started the game hot behind arguably the best local talent in the PBA today Arwind Santos, TNT was quick to counter by pulling out a jittery Kelly Williams and sacrificing rebounding in favor of Jayson Castro (who was a game time decision) and his blitzkrieg scoring.

And blitzkrieg it was. Castro, who has long built his reputation as an attack point guard was literally raining ice cold buckets on the confused Boosters. Either he was dropping bombs from the outside, or slashing hard into the paint and dishing out bullet kick-out passes, the man was flat-out Derrick Rose-esque unstoppable.

From then on, the Boosters didn't know what to do on defense and their game fell apart. It also helped that TNT, which gambled on Game 6 replacement Maurice Baker over the ineffective Scottie Reynolds, held his counterpart Anthony Grundy to an abysmal scoring night.

Credit should go to TNT's Castro for his superhuman effort despite a rumored MCL tear and also to another unsung hero, Ryan Reyes, who was clearly limping but was seen in several instances battling through screens and just holding his own against Grundy.

Now I know why the Boosters enjoyed a 3-2 series lead prior to today's pivotal Game 6. Reyes and Castro, TNT's best guards today (I'm sorry Jimmy Alapag fans including myself) are playing hurt. There's a difference when you're running a short rotation of healthy guys (as Petron does) and playing your stars while they're at 60% capacity.

Had Reyes and Castro been healthy to start the series, I believe that this would've been over in 4 or 5 games.

Hat's off to Ranidel de Ocampo, who still plays like a SG and must be the cause of Coach Chot Reyes' constant frustrations. Danny Ildefonso is the best big man in this series in the paint, but if RDO decided to play closer to the basket instead of waiting for kick-out threes, he won't be so bad in there as well.

Fortunately for him, his shots were falling and that someone probably got on his case during halftime because he was grabbing rebounds and boxing out more in the second half rather than the first.

But here we are, looking forward to Game 7. A fitting end to the return of the Governor's Cup, with a great and competitive match-up that will decide the Grandslam hopes of one team, and the valiant stand of a depleted one.

Oh yeah, I called it. I said that TNT will win via blowout and they did. Hopefully, the don't spoil the fun I'm having with my predictions, make me look like a basketball blogging genius and win on Sunday.

Either way, I'm having fun watching the games and just being a true blue PBA fan.

Petron turns table on Talk 'n' Text, only a win away from title

Are the Talk 'n' Text players finally breaking down mentally amid all the pressures of the "Grandslam or bust" brought forth by the local media?

In all honesty, there's nothing wrong should the Tropang Texters lose the Governor's Cup title to their now esteemed rivals, the Petron Blaze Boosters. Though it will definitely ruin their "grandslam" bid, it won't be enough to take away what they have accomplished this year-- winning and dominating both Philippine and Commissioner's Cup conferences.

What makes last night's 93-80 loss is that it wasn't even close or competitive considering Petron's depleted (yet it now seems to be more well-balanced) line-up.

Was it Jayson Castro's absence?

Or has Petron head coach Ato Agustin *gasp!* finally figured out how to stop the TNT juggernaut?

I say, a little of both.

Castro's absence shouldn't have been THAT much of a hindrance considering the guys left on the roster. What's obvious here is that newly minted MVP Jimmy Alapag has been struggling and partner Ryan Reyes is being taken out of the equation by several cross matches.

Agustin, in the last two wins, has decided to stick his MVP Arwind Santos on PBA MVP Alapag which is pretty much like how the Miami Heat negated NBA MVP Derrick Rose in the recent playoffs. Alapag, though he's no longer the high scorer of yesteryears, is still the guy who the entire TNT squad looks to follow on the court. Unfortunately, it's hard to find Alapag when you have a guy like Santos draped all over him like a wet towel.

Then there's Ryan Reyes, who is being guarded by then Santa Lucia backcourt partner Denok Miranda. Those two are arguably the best defenders on the PG spot and it is showing. Miranda's advantage, as with most Filipino guards, is his moxy and gulang that Fil-ams just don't have. What hurts TNT is, Reyes is expected to at least contribute on offense, while Miranda is not. Meaning, Miranda's break-out games are a byproduct of TNT not locking him up as opposed to Reyes who is watched by his Kuya Nok 24/7.

Another "change" has come in the way the games are being played. In an all out footrace and battle of athleticism, there's no denying that TNT will whoop Petron's ass from players 3 to 14 (1 and 2 being Santos and the injured Jay Washington). In last night's game, Ali Peek was being taken out of the whole game by a lot of pushing, shoving, hacking (Sunday Salvacion), jersey grabbing (Danny Ildefonso) and the like, same with Harvey Carey. Ranidel de Ocampo, arguably this series' best big man ON PAPER, would've made a big difference but is back to playing way outside and settling for spot-up jumpers (if you're a Smart Gilas fan, you'd be worried and begging Rajko Toroman to get another PBA PF as an import).

The tide has indeed changed and the name of the game is "old school, grind it out, Filipino basketball" that Petron's stalwarts of Santos, Miranda, Ildefonso and Salvacion know and love while TNT's Alapag, Fonacier, Peek and De Ocampo seem to be having problems with.

While I still see TNT pulling it off in seven games, we won't be hearing any "benta" rumors when this is all said and done. Not with the current MVP-SMC rivalry, which I believe is good for the league as a whole, looking into the future.

SMART Gilas: Who should stay, go

Andy to Chris: Pare mauna na ako ha.

Following the recent developments within the SMART Gilas fold, team members who have applied for the upcoming 2011 PBA Draft are rumored to be having second thoughts. Guys like Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz who are both being eyed as certain Top 5 draft picks, are mulling withdrawal now that the Gilas program is a lock to continue for another two years.

Rumor has it that there will be an even bigger compensation waiting for these guys including names like Mac Baracael, Andy Barroca and Jason Ballesteros as compared to the PBA's fixed maximum rookie salary of Php 150,000.

But let's breakdown the team as it is. Who should stay on with the program, and who should move on to the PBA (before it's too late)

Stay

JV Casio
There will always be a spot on any team in the PBA for a high IQ, clutch PG like Casio and him playing for Gilas has been nothing but a revelation as he continues to build his credibility and move from long time San Beda/DLSU gunner to a Ronnie Magsanoc 2.0.

Chris Tiu
Yes, I will continue to bash the minutes that this guy receives from the coaching staff. But Tiu's game is definitely built for Toroman's system, and he is the most recognizable face on the line-up that will help put this team over with non-basketball fans. I fear that once he sets foot in the PBA and doesn't end up with an MVP team, that all his flaws will be exposed and that he will suffer a career similar to Gec Chia (one time Ateneo hero, PBA blah).

Mac Baracael
I want Baracael to play for Gilas until the wheels fall off. He plays with Pinoy passion and swagger and has the game to back everything he does (even the sneers) up out on the hardcourt.

Japeth Aguilar
I am a Japeth hater. No, I don't hate him personally. I just hate his game. So much wasted potential spent on trying to dunk everytime down the floor instead of concentrating on the little things that would help make him the most dominant Pinoy big man in years. The only reason I want him to stay with Gilas is so that people around him could make him realize his shortcomings. Once he sets foot on the PBA where the game is faster and more undisciplined, he'd be a superstar with all the dunks and volleyball spike-like blocks (think Rafi Reavis + Marc Pingris combined). Great entertainment, bad for him as a basketball player.

Go


Andy Barroca
Somewhere in the last year and a half, Barroca lost some of his speed and even his starting job to JV Casio. And since this country is full of PGs, Barroca needs to move on while his stock is high and teams like Powerade, Rain or Shine and even Meralco need a starting PG.

Marcio Lassiter
Let's face it, Lassiter will never steal Tiu's spot as the starting two guard and will always be forced to play out of position and asked to defend bigger guys. I say, stop wasting time and head to the PBA to become a legit star.

Chris Lutz
While most observers are quick to point out that Lutz' game is similar to Lassiter's, I beg to disagree. They play the same roles, yes, but Lutz is more spot-up shooter while Lassiter is a more intense, slash to the hoop and play defense player. Lutz is a perfect fit for Alaska where he can fill in the role of a Jojo Lastimosa, Brandon Cablay, and the one vacated by Larry Fonacier.

Jason Ballesteros
Too skinny to play PF for Rajko Toroman. So head to the PBA and give Marc Pingris hell.

Dylan Ababou
Mr. Nice Guy. Well, I don't know what's going on in that head of his, but no one remembers his UAAP MVP season anymore. We haven't seen this guy play in a VERY LONG time which is sad. No, he's not superstar-like, but he does have game. I don't know if it's the added weight, or just the fact that Baracael can do what Ababou can, only faster, better and with more intensity.

What do you think?

Talk 'n' Text versus The World

Currently seated on a precarious 2-2 tie with Petron Blaze in the ongoing PBA Governor's Cup Finals, I feel that there has always been a big elephant in the room that people have continued to ignore for years. That elephant being, why can't the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters win over fans other than MVP-PLDT employees and those who appreciate Jimmy Alapag's true value?

A quick trip to the team's Wikipedia page would show its so-so legacy since Pilipino TeleCom took over the Pepsi franchise in 1996. So far, it has won five titles: one in 1998, then in Alapag's rookie year in 2003, 2008 and this year's Philippine and Commissioner's Cups.

The page also shows the number of PBA legends that have adorned the TNT yellow and blue that could and should have won them a multitude of fans based on the players' starpower alone (from Jeffrey Cariaso, Asi Taulava to Willie Miller and Jimmy Alapag).

So now, without further ado, here are the reasons why I think, TNT remains to be the PBA's version of the WWE's Triple H (you know he's good, but since he has a lot of connections and douche-y moves that may or may not be his fault, you just can't root for him no matter what).

1) Asi Taulava, Jeffrey Cariaso and Andy Seigle
- This should have been the core that would have led the then Mobiline Phonepals to numerous PBA titles. Imagine having Cariaso, who was arguably the closest the 90s had to a Mark Caguioa, being paired with 6"8 and 6"10 giants. Wether it was bad coaching, or them just battling superb basketball players (not athletes though), they just couldn't pull through. Also, this team was the first to distance itself from local fans as other than Cariaso (who was disliked by Ginebra fans for his role in Alaska's 1996 grandslam), no one knew jack about Taulava and Seigle and were unimpressed with the young duo's post plays (both were several notches lower skills-wise than local bigs Benjie Parasm Marlou Aquino, Zaldy Realubit.) This team, in my mind, paved the way for Fil-foreigners and the division in fans that ultimately hurt the PBA-- those who embraced the athletic newcomers, and those who preferred to root for the homegrown talents.

2) Jerry Codinera
- you really can't blame TNT for this one. They saw an opportunity to get an established power forward to pair with budding Asi Taulava even if it was on Andy Seigle's expense. This was TNT's first move to try and win over some local "masa" fans but it backfired on them. The people didn't want to see Codinera wearing a different uniform from bossom buddy Alvin Patrimonio. It was painful to watch, and the fans unfairly blamed TNT for it. Purefoods' survived because of Patrimonio's charisma while Codinera started to fade into the limelight (he was later on traded to Fedex but that was at the twilight of his career).

3) Bill Bayno VS BCAP
- here was a legit, NCAA division 1 coach who came to the country to revolutionize Philippine basketball. Only problem was, local coaches weren't that open to the idea and Bayno's brash, American arrogance didn't help his case either. The last straw was when he told his players to score for the opponents (read: shoot at their own hoop) to better their own team's standings which will always be considered as "un-macho" in any book.

4) Willie Miller
- what's there to say about Miller other than he's aloof, and that he was traded by his first PBA team, Red Bull, to the very same squad they lost to in the finals THE NEXT CONFERENCE?

5) Mac Cardona
- Cardona, though I love his game and swagger, is a walking, modern-day kontrabida regardless of the team and its fans he's playing against.

6) Chot Reyes
- the epitome of the negative Atenean stereotype: Brash, arrogant and "holier than thou." The shirts are nice, and everyone has the right to be fashionable. But admit it or not, the loud shirts take away from the focus on the game. I'll tell you something else about Reyes, he is damn good and scouts opponents like no other. He preaches a run and gun system built around hustling defense as opposed to the old school PBA's shoot-shoot-shoot style of coaching. He's never one to try and win over fans, and even when he answers to the Media you can feel a sense of "you're asking me that?!" mockery in his tone. Great coach, just not PR-able.

Your thoughts?

Let's have fun: Smart Gilas' BEST 5 VS PBA 2011 Mythical 5

Now that the PBA votes are in and we have seen Smart Gilas at about 80% of its full potential (with PBA recruits Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams to make up the missing 20% in the upcoming FIBA Asia tournament), let's have a fantasy hoops match between the two "teams."

Please take note that I took guys who I perceived as the BEST (the ones from Gilas anyway) so that means, no Chris Tiu (sorry Tiu fans). The guy plays with a lot of heart, but is not even the 3rd best shooting guard on the Gilas rotation (1 Lassiter, 2 Hontiveros, 3 Lutz, 4 Tiu). Why he is playing as much as he does, I leave to you.

Comment all you want, but be sure to leave your names! Sayang naman.

And yes, I am bored. Not that I don't have a lot on my plate at work, but because I'm still waiting for my promo-writing "Delight in scrumptious..." creative juices to kick in.

PG JV Casio VS Jimmy Alapag
This one is going to be a battle. Alapag has built a reputation as a pass-first guard who has absolutely no problems with taking over close games. Always a threat to pull up from DEEP, the "Mighty Mouse" will probably go with the playmaker role on this one. That, plus he's not as quick on his feet as he used to. Casio on the other hand, has the license to shoot from almost anywhere and freelance on offense. Gilas' head coach Rajko Toroman also makes sure that his ballhandlers are protected by screens set from both sides by his bigs (watch replays of their games in the Jones Cup and you'd see this pattern over and over) which could pose as a huge problem for Alapag who's no longer a spring chicken (read: fighting over multiple screens every time down the floor is flat-out exhausting).

Adv. Casio's young legs and the big screens that Alapag will have to hurdle 

SG Marcio Lassiter VS Mark Caguioa
An explosive match-up only because Lassiter plays the pre-flopmaster/pre-Ginebra Ronald Tubid/ DLSU era Mac Cardona type of defense that Caguioa absolutely gets annoyed with. While I still see Caguioa being incensed enough to flat out destroy Lassiter (and make faces at his young defender) one-on-one, Lassiter has the tools to make Caguioa work on defense as well and will probably be able to slash into the paint from time to time. What sets them apart is Caguioa's still quick first-step (not as quick as before, but still damn fast) and added bulk which Lassiter doesn't enjoy. Think Kobe Bryant versus Raja Bell 2007.

Adv. Caguioa and the thousands... and thousands of Ginebra fans which will have a new guy to jeer

SF Mac Baracael VS Arwind Santos
This match-up will depend solely on Santos' mentality coming into the game. Will he play the "skinny dominant, all-around freak-of-nature" that we love, or will he be the "three-point shot jacking, looking for an NBA recruit in the rafters guy we saw during the FIBA 2009 tournament?" Santos has the game that can school a young buck like Baracael. Problem here is that, Baracael is no pushover figuratively and literally. One, we is bigger than Santos and two, plays with more fire. And if Toroman ever gets his dream line-up and moves Baracael to his natural position, then that would be Gilas' best team bar none.

Adv. Baracael's pride, desire and intensity (read: angas at yabang) over Santos' talents.


PF Japeth Aguilar VS Kelly Williams
The Filipino pogo stick versus the Machine Gun. Okay, we will have to come up with a better name for Aguilar but you get the picture right? He dunks, dunks and dunks. He can't post up. His jumper needs work. And other than playing exceptional help defense, is a dud one-on-one versus Asia's quality bigs. Good for him though, that he's only going against Williams who is just a better version of the 6"9 beanpole. Williams also doesn't know how to play in the post, and relies more on putbacks and transition offense. Put a guy in front of him and he's bound to dribble off his own foot.

Adv. While they both can jump straight out of SMART Araneta and onto another planet, Williams wins based on discipline and experience. Great example would be, KW21 won't bite on silly fakes 9 out of 10 times.

C Marcus Douthit VS Sonny Thoss
After what we've seen in the recently concluded Jones Cup tournament, it's pretty safe to say that of the competing teams, Douthit is the 2nd best big man in there behind Iran's Hamed Haddadi. That's not a knock on Chinese Taipei's Tseng Wen Ting, but Douthit's game is reminiscent of Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom (minus Odom's point guard capabilities of course). What Douthit doesn't seem to have however is power, but given his size and skill, he will still be too much for "The Boss."

Adv. Douthit, who will probably drop a 30-20 stat line on Thoss.


6th man: Andy Barroca VS Jason Castro
Speed versus speed. Although, Barroca seems to have slowed down a bit (either to injury or the weight he put on) which will play heavily in Castro's favor. Of the two, Castro is the better scorer while Barroca is the better point guard. When matched up, Castro's number will definitely be called versus the smaller Barroca.

Adv. Castro is a threat to put Barroca in foul trouble early and that will be the story of the game.

Coaching: Rajko Toroman's "Euro-type spread the floor, perimeter-oriented" game VS Chot Reyes' "run and gun, hustle at all times" style
Adv. Toroman, who will probably have his wings stationed at the post while his two guards and Douthit dissect the PBA's defense. Since Reyes' teams relies on aggressive help defense and looks for turnovers, it won't be a surprise to see wide open threes coming from Lassiter, Casio and Baracael which will frustrate the PBA players to no end and cost them the game.

I see Gilas winning by a wide margin despite being a class lower talent-wise due to its overall team discipline and philosophy of looking for the open shot instead of relying on iso-plays.

Sounds fun right? I should definitely be a WWE booker. Or a PBA Fantasy owner.

PBA Leo's gets it right with Mythical Five awardees

Whenever year-ending awards such as the Philippine Basketball Association’s “Leo’s” come around, people are quick to put in their two cents worth (this writer included) on who was robbed, snubbed and deserving.  

And while “anti-Jimmy Alapag of Talk N Text as Most Valuable Player” campaigns have sprawled the Filipino Internet world in favor of “more deserving candidates/ runners-up in Petron’s Arwind Santos and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa, it was nice to see that at least in one category, the PBA awards council was able to fittingly recognize this season’s best players at their position and arguably, in the last two or three years even.

PG Jimmy Alapag (Talk N Text)

The standard bearer for Filipino point guards. You can read into Mico Halili’s feature on Mark Caguioa’s reaction on not being crowned MVP, but I’d like to think of it as a gesture of respect on The Spark’s side. It went to a guy who has worked his ass off for flag and country, represented us and worn our colors proud and never sold out (unlike another MVP runner up who drastically transformed his game in the international scene in hopes of being recruited to the NBA or whatever self-serving motive he had). And yes, his best years as a high scoring, high assist guard are behind him and we only see flashes of it from time to time, but there’s still no one in the PBA who can match up to his overall intensity and game.

SG Mark Caguioa (Ginebra)

I feel for all the Ginebra fans out there despite being a Santa Lucia-Meralco believer. This year marks the return of the “Furious” Mark Caguioa. Not the “Spark,” but the “Furious” MC47 who would burn the hoops and wasn’t afraid to get in people’s faces. There’s just no question, that Caguiao is a throwback, old school basketball player who shuns the limelight and all that James Yap glam in lieu of simply dropping buckets on fools. Yes, his defense remains subpar, but there’s no one in the league who can light it up and affects the game as him.

SF Arwind Santos

In perspective, the only year Santos didn’t deserve to win MVP was Kelly Williams’ MVP year. That’s it. Santos is and continues to be a stat monster and the country’s best player on both ends of the court. There’s just no one in the entire PBA that could measure up, pound for pound. You could make an argument for Jay Washington and his athleticism, but Php 100 says Santos can lock him down as well while JWash couldn’t even stop an offense-less Kelly Williams when matched up. And yes, he is the guy I mentioned on the Alapag clip above, trying to play out of position as a trigger-happy guard when he was called upon to represent our country when we all knew that he would’ve been just fine at his natural SF spot. Just ball Arwind, we still have your back.

PF Kelly Williams

What he lacks in all-around basketball skills (dribbling for one, shooting second), he makes up for with 100% hustle and activity on the floor. Think the 2011 version of Rudy Hatfield, only more athletic and could jump right out of the building. And unlike rival Jay Washington of Petron, Williams has accepted his role a long time ago and doesn’t waste his energy and effort playing outside and trying to play like a guard.

C Sonny Thoss

Is Thoss the best center in the league? Well, he sure does put up the numbers and is arguably the most consistent guy at his position. Give it another year and maybe Petron’s Rabah Al Husseini could take over this spot (okay, make that two to three more years, depending on Rabah’s maturation process). Still waiting on Rob Reyes to make an impact like he did years ago in the PBL though it seems that after some injuries, he has lost much of his “Baby Eric Menk” game.

With that, congratulations to the Leo awardees and hopefully the PBA board continues to recognize players for who they are on the court and not via the number of endorsements, TV appearances and showbiz-relationships they are in. Else, God forbid, we're looking at multiple MVP reigns for Smart Gilas' Chris Tiu down the road.

Smart Gilas finishes 3rd in 33rd William Jones Cup

"The future looks bright for the Philippines" is how the Asian ESPN analyst put Smart Gilas Pilipinas' 3rd place finish in the 33rd William Jones Cup which rightfully adjusted its laughable format of whoever finishes with the best record wins the whole thing (thanks to one of the original 10 teams' pulling out at the last minute) into a round robin, playoffs type.

And while we were still manhandled by powerhouse teams such as Korea, Iran and Jordan, it was nice to see that our team was able to compete on even terms and even had the opportunities to steal some games had it not been for injuries, fatigue, incomplete line-ups and boneheaded plays expected from late recruits/ young players.

Now that it's all over and as we wait for the FIBA Asia tournament which is right around the corner (we play our first game on September 15), here are some observations on Team Pilipinas (there's always room for criticism because if we don't point this out now, how else are we supposed to improve?):

Chris Tiu is a solid role player, but cannot be expected to make plays
I no longer want to discuss why Tiu is playing heavy, starter minutes for Smart Gilas when better talent at the position is available. This is probably why Rey Guevarra decided to join the PBA draft instead. And why Paul Lee didn't even bother. Tiu fought for rebounds. He brought the ball up without turning it over. But overall, he didn't have any impact in any of the nine games they played which is big considering the fact that Gilas is a perimeter-oriented team.

Mac Baracael is not a power forward
I feel for Baracael who is a much better player than Tiu, Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter combined. Definitely leaps and bounds better than starting PF Japeth Aguilar as well. Yet he languishes on the bench and plays back-up for whoever. This leads us to think that if only head coach Rajko Toroman had Ranidel de Ocampo or Kelly Williams on board, then Baracael could slip back to his natural SF spot where he can shine on both ends.

JV Casio is clutch
He was the man in San Beda. He was the man in De La Salle. Now, he changes his style of play from SG to PG and whoops ass. He's even breaking out some crossovers here and there while keeping his mean stroke from the outside. He's even added a teardrop-floater in his arsenal. Hopefully, he continues to flourish as a pass-first guard with clutch shooting in the mold of a Ronnie Magsanoc or Dindo Pumaren.

Rajko Toroman doesn't utilize his wings
Marcio Lassiter is one of the better ball handlers and slashers on the team. Yet he was only given the green light to do so in their last game versus Chinese Taipei, and only after Chris Lutz was out. Often used as a defender and corner three point specialist, one has to think why Toroman never demanded more from his prized Fil-Am wings and insisted on playing both Lassiter and Lutz out of position at SF. Oh wait. Someone has a lock on the SG position. See above.


Asi Taulava has no game
From long time starting center to back-up enforcer. Asi never had the post game to back his 6"9 frame. Eric Menk and Danny Ildefonso, guys three inches shorter, would always go around him in the paint despite being lighter than the Fil-Tonggan. Now, little is expected of Taulava and rightfully so. As an enforcer off the bench, he fits the role to a "T." But you'll have to wonder when the wheels will start falling off and who can replace him once he is on the wrong side of 40. Still, thank you Asi for playing big despite your limitations.

Marcus Douthit is a finesse player
More Chris Webber than Shaq. He is a superb role model and the right import/naturalized center for the job. We can't ask for more from Douthit, and should appreciate what he has and continues to do for the National team. Still, perhaps the people behind Smart Gilas could start looking at local talent or even more naturalization candidates who can bang and rebound.

Japeth Aguilar still doesn't know how to play
He is as phenomenal and athletic as ever on the defensive end, blocking shots from all over and hustling to recover on his teammates' blown assignments. But there are still several flaws to his game, offensively and defensively. On offense, he has nothing but dunks. He attempted two jumpers in today's game and missed both strongly. Why? At 6"9, he shouldn't be jumping from 14 ft. anymore a a simple push shot would do (give him tapes of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett). He doesn't have the muscle to post anyone up even if most Asian PFs are listed at only 6"5 to 6"8. And on defense, he still bites on every shot fake thrown his way like most wide-eyed greens do. I'm still pulling for you Japeth, but maybe it's high time to work on your game instead of relying on your athleticism (which is a gift, but as we all know, doesn't last a lifetime).

Despite all of our criticisms over the course of the program, tonight was a great night not only for Smart Gilas Pilipinas but for all Pinoy basketball fans. This only shows that with the right set of players, commitment and funding, that we do have what it takes to win big in international tournaments over bigger countries.

"If you're going to dream, then dream BIG!" Let's try for that FIBA title now!

Presenting your PBA 36th season MVP: Jimmy Alapag

It almost never happened.


When Jimmy Alapag flew in to the shores of Manila to play for the 2002 National Team as a then unknown from NCAA Division 2 California State, people were skeptic with him playing behind veteran Olsen Racela before injuring himself in the team's first few exhibition games.

Unfair as it is, much is expected of Fil-Americans and the burden placed on Alapag was no different. The PBA was still in its "Fil-foreign explosion" phase-- wherein local stars were quickly being relegated to back-ups so you can see why having an NCAA-Division II player, playing BEHIND a local who wasn't even considered the best at his position (Johnny Abarrientos fell from grace at the time, but was still arguably better than Racela. Ronnie Magsanoc and Boyet Fernandez were also around at the time) wasn't the best thing for young Jimmy.

Once the 2002 games in Busan, South Korea was over, Alapag was able to set his sights on the PBA Draft where he would be picked behind now forgotten names like Mike Cortez (who was then considered as the *controversial* premier point guard from the amateurs), Rommel Adducul and even Mobiline/ Talk N Text teammate Harvey Carey.

All this "downfall" for a guy who was handpicked by legendary champion coach Ron Jacobs.

From the start, Alapag would create a huge stir in the PBA as he slowly took over as the league's best point guard with the aging Abarrientos slowly fading into the limelight, and "people's champ" Olsen Racela not putting up much of a battle (really now, I love Racela's all-heart game, but he's not on the same plateau skills-wise as Abarrientos, Magsanoc, Alapag or even a Dindo Pumaren. Jayjay Helterbrand is an SG masquerading as a PG.)

He led his team to a title his rookie year and eventually won the season's Top Rookie honors. This was followed by a stellar career unmatched in the PBA with averages of 13 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds which is borderline "Hall of Fame-ish." Not to mention that Alapag can just as easily light up the scoreboard whenever he sees fit (which he did early in his career whenever then teammate Asi Taulava would coast through games).

He would also be a part of the 2005 and 2007 National Teams and quickly earned the respect and trust not only of the Philippine basketball community but of Asia as well. Lebanese phenom Fadi El Khatib (who was invited to a private work-out with Michael Jordan, Ray Allen and Michael Finley to name a few and show just how good this guy is) went as far as to say that Alapag is Asia's best PG hands down. That's how good he is.

Then, in 2009, Alapag was surprisingly dropped from the National Team roster coached by temperamental Yeng Guiao who opted for an inch or two taller guards in Jayjay Helterbrand and Ryan Reyes (both of whom weren't able to play as effectively in the FIBA tournament since they were injured). When news of Helterbrand and Reyes' injuries came out, Guiao again opted to play natural SG Willie Miller at the PG and bring in defensive stalwart Wyne Arboleda into the fray.

It was easy to take Alapag for granted that year though, as Helterbrand was playing absurd basketball on offense (by pretty much being given the green light on offense with his high scoring buddy Mark Caguioa being sidelined all season) while the man known as the "Mighty Mouse" was doing his usual schtick and posting his norms across the boards.

This led some people to believe that yes, maybe Alapag's time has passed and that his height may keep the National Team down. Guiao and those who chose to believe that notion couldn't have been any more wrong. The National Team was soft, gutless and timid on both ends, and it was quite obvious that Miller couldn't carry the PG load or orchestrate any plays other than isolations for himself.

Once that was over, Alapag continued to play the way he always does-- intense. TNT continued to be a contender, winning it all even, and is currently leading TNT's Grand Slam bid in the on going Governor's Cup Finals.

Now 34, Alapag almost never got the MVP title to cement his legacy alongside other PG greats. And we, as fans, would've been robbed of seeing his greatness being recognized.

Fortunately for all of us, it happened.

Congratulations to the PBA MVP, Jimmy Alapag!

Talk N Text: Destined for greatness

Now just two wins away from the Governor's Cup championship and the coveted Grand Slam, Talk N Text looks more and more like the team of the new decade.

Not only does it enjoy the full support of Manny V. Pangilinan (whose name simply cannot be NOT mentioned on any championship caliber Filipino sports team), but they were also able to build around mostly young talent while keeping their heart and soul in the "Mighty Mouse" Jimmy Alapag (who is ripe for an MVP title-- hell, if Jayjay Helterbrand can get one, why not the best PG in the Philippines today?).

From the outside looking in, head coach Chot Reyes has always pushed for an uptempo style of basketball anchored on pesky, all-out hustle on the defensive end. He has utilized former MVP Kelly Williams' athleticism to the hilt, like a modern day Rudy Hatfield with more height and hops. Alapag will always be Alapag, and the young guards Jason Castro and Ryan Reyes are ready to take over the PBA as the new 1-2 punch a la Helterbrand-Mark Caguioa of Ginebra (once Alapag retires of course).

Once the Smart Gilas project ends, or gets new pieces all over the world, then we can expect to throw in Japeth Aguilar in there. Yes, he still has the post game of Rafi Reavis, and yes, we'll probably never be able to convince him to play as a traditional center, but in the ra-ra game played in the PBA, he'll be just fine and dominate on the offensive end.

Win or lose, TNT will be a contender for the next two or three years barring any injuries, lopsided trades or MVP going bankrupt (not a chance).