Rajko now with San Miguel Corporation

What did they expect me to do?

In what should be considered as the biggest steal by San Miguel Corporation's sports arm from the clutches of Manny V. Pangilinan's kingdom (trumping the soon-to-be-finalized acquisition of Marcio Lassiter, an MVP-funded SMART Gilas product who plays for Powerade but is going to be gift wrapped to SMC's Petron squad), Serbian and former Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman will now be playing consultant for SMC's four professional basketball teams.

The ASEAN Basketball League's San Miguel Beermen and the Philippine Basketball Association's Petron Blaze Boosters, B-Meg Llamados and Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (and, quite possibly, Powerade Tigers) are now all going to benefit from having Toroman on their side in a predictable, yet surprising nonetheless, move.

NLEX wins 2nd PBADL title behind future PBA stars

Uhm, dunk ko to bro!

In what is starting to become a mirror image of the Philippine Basketball League's "dying" years where Harbour Centre was pretty much plucking collegiate players left and right on its way to several titles, the Philippine Basketball Association's Developmental League has just crowned the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned NLEX Road Warriors as its defending champions for its 2nd Aspirants' Cup.

Headlined by a powerhouse crew that could very well be the face of PBA franchises in the coming years, the Boyet Fernandez-coached Road Warriors dismantled the hard fighting Freego Jeans of coach Leo Austria that was backstopped by mostly Adamson Falcons (let this team's performance serve as stern warning to the rest of the UAAP).

Unfair? More on Lassiter deal

Kung ganito pa din laro ni Baclao ngayon, wala na
tayong pinag uusapan pa sana. Kaso hindi. 

Powerade's super rookie Marcio Lassiter for Petron's slumping sophomores Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra. It's almost a done deal-- with a Thursday meeting among the PBA board the only remaining roadblock (which will ultimately be put aside as it always does with a couple of trademark Commissioner Chito Salud adjustments).

Petron (and San Miguel Corporation) fans are up in arms trying to defend their impending acquisition. Deflecting accusations of greed and self-preservation to their erstwhile rivals, the Manny V. Pangilinan group of companies. If there is any truth to the "Powerade on sale" rumors, then fans are quick to point out that this would be similar to what the Texters did when MVP bought out the Santa Lucia Realtors franchise but not before trading two star players to their own team.

Captain Kirk wants in; Foreign invasion looms

The inevitable has finally come to haunt the league after years of desperately trying to keep it at the backburner. A foreigner has come out of the woodwork, fanbase in tow, wanting to join the country’s premiere basketball organization.

Should the PBA open its doors to foreigners?

Kirk Long, the revered blonde shooting guard of the great Ateneo de Manila University basketball program, is knocking on the PBA’s doors in hopes of making it to next year’s draft. An ace defender and knockdown shooter, Long belongs to a short list of “complete package” players much like ADMU alumna and Talk ‘n’ Text “do it all sub” Larry Fonacier.

We’ve tackled this issue in 2010, and just like that unwanted ex-girlfriend, it has come back to haunt us until someone finally grows a set and turns it down or approves it (that’s you Mr. Commissioner and the rest of the PBA board).

But what kind of basketbol-blogger would we be if we didn’t come up with possible solutions that hopefully, would be read by the powers that be and considered in the whole scheme of things (or not)? Here’s a short list of what the PBA can do to protect itself from foreign applicants.

1. Minimum of 8-years residency

-         Sounds just about right for guys like Kirk Long who has played both high school and college ball in the country. This protects us from all the other imports that college teams have been recruiting lately (hello San Beda, UST, FEU) and builds familiarity with Filipino basketball fans and not just those in Manila alone.

-         It also protects schools and organization from wannabe thugs and malcontents because they are developed by local establishments at an early age instead of when they reach adulthood and just play for pay/ perks/ titles (and trust me, there have been quite a lot of unreported cases going around).

2. Maximum of 2 foreigners per team, but not on the floor together

-         And because we live in a league ruled by two opposing superpowers and about two (or three) independent franchises, they’re bound to bend the rules at some point so here’s our safety net. Maximum of two foreigners per team, but they are not to play alongside each other (differing from the MBA’s format wherein teams like the Laguna Lakers fielded in Chris Clay and Jeff Flowers at the same time).

3. All foreigners are to be drafted in the 2^nd round

-         Maybe we should’ve started with this. To protect our homegrown talent (even Fil-Ams), foreigners are to be drafted only from the second round onwards. The playing time would probably differ once the season starts, but priority should be given to Filipinos. This isn’t the NBA. This isn’t the NATIONAL basketball association. It’s the PBA. P for Philippines. Our boys like JVee Casio and Paul Lee should always come first. Keifer Ravena should enjoy the greatness of being recognized as a possible number 1 draft.

Those are the 3 arguments that KKS has if the PBA should consider a “foreign invasion.” Your thoughts?

Blue vs Green: Archers on top 117-104

Respect the Don

Before Manny V. Pangilinan started bankrolling the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles cause, before De La Salle University was celebrated for its top notch guards- Mike Cortez, Ren-Ren Ritualo, Mac Cardona, Joseph Yeo and JVee Casio-- there was the instigator of the Archers' title run in the late 90s.

Don Carlos Allado, in his most dominant outing since-- well, he's DLSU days, scored 23 big points and hauled down 7 rebounds against an ADMU frontline that has been the best in the last decade. Enrico Villanueva, Doug Kramer and Japeth Aguilar all tried to keep Allado at bay, but there was no stopping "The Don" from winning it for his team.

It also didn't help the Ateneo cause that Allado benefited from playing alongside what is arguably the cream of the UAAP crop in recent memory. Cortez was orchestrating like it was 2000-2001, Cardona (minus the headband) had the old swag, smirk and teardrops back, Ritualo was Ritualo, Yeo was doing his Ninja thing and, well, Casio was burying back breaking, Mico Halili - "I HATE YOU CASIO!" threes time and again.

On the Bluer (literally and figuratively) side of things, the Eagles couldn't catch a break. Enrico Villanueva tried his best to break into the Archers' interior defense (which isn't much given that this was only an exhibition match), but the PBA rust definitely showed. Take nothing away from Allado, but even in his best day back in 1998, the guy wasn't much of a defender. Villanueva, being stuck playing behind Eric Menk, has lost most of his Samson machismo and jersey-popping swagger and it showed. Hell, even Carlos Sharma, a relatively solid big man but not a star like his Atenean half-brother Rabeh Al Husaini (who sat out the game with an injury), wasn't giving Villanueva anything easy.

And for all the recent accolades and citations, Norman Black did a poor job coaching the Eagles this time out. They weren't defending, opted for too may isolation plays for Villanueva and JC Intal, and when it was pretty clear that they weren't going to win this one, didn't bother to use his bench and use Wesley "Bang Bang" Gonzales (who was reportedly hurt, and we guess that it's not that he would've done anything other than start a possible riot given his history with the Archers' Cardona).

The Archers were blowing out the Eagles by as much as 21-- and they weren't even using the bigote-less birthday boy Franz Pumaren's dreaded defensive press.

It was THAT much of a blowout.

Still, credit goes to the players, alumni and organizers for a great, sold-out Sunday game. Perhaps they should consider shelving this for another five years, since we've already seen two exhibition games featuring the same players.

OR

It's time for a UAAP-NCAA PBA All Stars showdown. Better yet, a UAAP-NCAA vs UE PBA All Stars game. Imagine a line-up of Denok Miranda, Jayson Castro, Arwind Santos, Gabby Espinas and Beau Belga going up against Paul Lee, James Yap, Ronald Tubid, Mark Borboran and Nino Canaleta with Paul Artadi and Bonbon Custodio coming off the bench.

Friend @iamtheblur suggested a San Beda-San Sebastian All Stars match. But this writer argues that we won't be treated to a #dreamgame in that one, it would turn out to be a UFC match-- and that's from the bleachers section alone. Lol.

On the table: Lassiter to join Petron

Lassiter: One conference rental for Powerade (?)

And the rich keep getting richer.

The Petron Blaze Boosters and Powerade Tigers are already in the final stages (read: just waiting for the approval of PBA Commissioner Chito Salud) of a deal that will send this year's 4th overall pick Marcio Lassiter to Petron in exchange for 2010 top pick Noy Baclao and 3rd overall Rey Guevarra.

And yes, Petron does have all Top 3 picks of the 2010 draft on their roster and now, will have 2 of the clear frontrunners in Chris Lutz and Lassiter.

Still Furious

Lost in the superb performances by KKS Bataan Bomber Gary David, KKS Captain Crunch Alex Cabagnot, Spiderman Arwind Santos and KKS Mr Cool Chris Lutz in the recent Philippine Cup was the reemergence of the most feared scorer in all of Philippine Basketball-- no other than Barangay Ginebra's Mark "The Spark" Caguioa.

He's baaaaaaaaacccckkkkk...

Though the Gin Kings failed to advance to the Pinoy Cup Finals, it was more due to an inconsistent coaching ploy (a so-so commitment in developing young talent) rather than the players-- specially Caguioa's overall performance. There was also an added distraction lingering over the Gin Kings' camp, with Caguioa's bossom buddy and backcourt partner Jayjay Helterbrand creating some drama with his "one conference contract" (which has ultimately and fortunately for Ginebra fans, extend until the end of the season).

But above all that, Caguioa continued to deliver for his team despite playing with young guys Rob Labagala, John Wilson, JC Intal and Rico Villanueva one night and then Mike Cortez, Helterbrand, Willy Wilson, Nino Canaleta (KKS will never call Canaleta KG-- ang layo ng laro ninyo boss) and Billy Mamaril the next. There were games that the Gin Kings could've easily won had their coaching staff decided to field in the right players around Caguioa given certain situations which could've helped their chances going into the semifinals, but that's all in the past now.

Will Caguioa come back strong in the Commissioner's Cup to reclaim his throne as being the PBA's Top Gun? Or has he already lost it (together with his first step due to age and injuries) to Powerade's hot-shooting Bataan Bomber and young guns like Rain or Shine's Paul Lee and Petron's Chris Lutz?

Back in the fold (?)

It's been a busy off-season for the PBA these past few days, headlined of course by the great Kerby Raymundo and Dylan Ababou to Ginebra trade that sent JC Intal to B-Meg and Ronald Tubid and Reil Cervantes to Barako Bull, followed by Meralco's pick-up of Paul Artadi for Chico Lanete and Air21's (formerly Shopinas.Com) shoring-up defensively with the acquisition of Bitoy Omolon and Mark Isip.

Big Daddy Douthit to provide Air21 with veteran
savvy, championship poise and muscle

There's also the impending return of naturalized center and SMART Gilas standout Marcus Douthit, who will suit up mid-February with Air21which hopefully increases the team's chances to secure a victory in their young team's history. Right now, all Air21 really needs is a pass-first point guard who will utilize a projected line-up of RJ Jazul, Omolon, Isip and Douthit with promising frontliners Magi Sison and Elmer Espiritu ready to come off the bench. Pong Escobal has always been a favorite, but his speed has become an issue in the pros.

Either way, their chances have definitely increased and things are looking up for the Lina franchise.

But all that has been trumped by the reported re-acquisition of the Powerade franchise by San Miguel Corporation which could very well hurt the PBA on all fronts. Granted, SMC and Powerade has denied it, dismissing the news as a "non-issue," but as the old adage goes, "if there's smoke, there's sure to be fire."

There has been reports that a "super rookie" from the Powerade camp is being offered for a trade, which in turn might start a domino effect. Much like how Santa Lucia made sure to make a lot of money out of its championship roster before selling to Team MVP (instead of simply holding on to the players like Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes, Joseph Yeo and Denok Miranda).

On a positive note, Gary David received a 3-year extension worth the max contract of P 420,000 a month-- and rightfully so. If the Powerade sale does go through, let's all pray that the Bataan Bomber goes to a title-worthy team and not be left behind as he always does.

With the success and fame being enjoyed by the league, its teams and players, what it doesn't need is a PR hit (4th SMC team in a league that already features 2 teams each for MVP and the Linas). Perhaps the PBA can look into another franchise from the amateurs to make the leap into the pros? Invitational style?

KKS Pinoy Cup All Stars

Two of the best.

While everyone's favorite local basketball league is on break and building up for the Commissioner's Cup, KKS would like to pay tribute to the top guys who carried their teams much to the delight of their employers and fans. The Philippine Cup gave fans all over more reason to watch the games (live even) with the emergence of new and younger talents (and not just on the SMART Gilas front at that).

Without further adieu, here's KKS Starting 5 followed by the reserves-- guys who can easily suit up (if allowed by their respective teams) for SMART Gilas 2.0 (if both MVP and SMC camps are still playing fair by then given their history and the circumstances).

The starters

PG Alex Cabagnot - Petron (league leader with 6.87 assists per game)
Mr Clutch/ Crunchman/ Cool Whip/ KKS' Captain Crunch made a huge case for "Best PG in the land" (before reigning MVP veteran Jimmy Alapag reclaimed his throne in the semis almost to say "not yet, kid") and evolved into a surprisingly clutch (believe me, he was nowhere this clutch back with Santa Lucia or Coca Cola) point guard who doesn't mind attacking the rim when it presents itself. Future looks bright for Petron with Cabagnot at the helm-- who has proven to be quite durable over the years.

SG Gary David - Powerade (league leader with 25.79 points per game)
Best Player of the Conference. Mico Halili's El Granada. KKS' Bataan Bomber. You pick which monicker sounds fresher/iller/nastier. No explanations needed for BPC.

SF James Yap - BMeg
Enjoying what is arguably his most efficient performance to date (including the 2x MVP years), Yap found a sense of purpose under new BMeg head coach Tim Cone. No longer the predictable, isolation heavy player of years passed, Yap looked to be more comfortable playing without the ball and was often in constant motion. Yes, there are still days when he comes out gunning a little too much, looking for superstar calls and just standing idly by at the 3 point line, but they are soon becoming few and far between. What's scary is, Cone and the BMeg management seem to be building a 90s Chicago Bulls type of team with Yap as MJ, new recruit JC Intal to play Pip, Joe DeVance as Toni Kukoc and Marc Pingris as Dennis Rodman. X-factor will be the continued development of rookie Mark Barroca, and where his game fits in the scheme of things.

PF Arwind Santos - Petron
So he disappeared in the semis versus Talk 'n' Text and lost his "alpha dog" tag to teammate Cabagnot. But there's still no doubt that pound for pound, Santos remains to be the league's best and most complete player-- ever. This conference, he moved back to his natural power forward spot where he brought back flashes of his FEU days (read: what Calvin Abueva is now for San Sebastian). Is he still on track for that elusive MVP title where he almost always finishes second? Of course he is, but he'll have to bounce back in a big way for Petron next conference.

C Jay-R Reyes - Alaska
His team failed to get anywhere under new coach Joel Banal, but there's no denying that the Philippine Cup was Reyes' "coming out" party. The skillset has always been there, it was just the way Reyes approached the game that has kept him from rising within the power forward ranks. Sonny Thoss is a workhorse, but not as gifted offensively. Reyes provides the Aces with interior scoring much like Kerby Raymundo did for Purefood years back (thus, KKS' Kerby 2.0 monicker for the ex-UP center) and also comes up big on the boards as well. If he keeps this up, Alaska is looking at a great Twin Tower combination that could trump Santa Lucia's Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino pairing years back (in the sense that, both Reyes and Thoss are hard-working young men).

The back-ups

PG JVee Casio, PG L.A. Tenorio, SG Jeffrei Chan, SG Mark Caguioa, SF Chris Lutz, SF Marcio Lassiter, PF Gabby Espinas, PF JayR Quinahan, C Doug Kramer, C Sonny Thoss

In God's Time for Gary

Best Player of the Conference. Hands of fire and yet no rings.

Already a late bloomer by PBA Draft standards, Gary David made his way into the pros via the Coca Cola Tigers who took him 10th overall at the ripe old age of 26. Chot Reyes, then Tigers' head coach, took the Bataan native after an impressive PBL showing in which he was named MVP while playing for the Montana Pawnshop Jewelers.

Some of his draftmates include Top 5 picks Rich Alvarez (Shell), James Yap (Purefoods), Marc Pingris (FedEx), Ranidel de Ocampo (FedEx) and Sonny Thoss (Alaska). This writer shudders to think what would've happened had then Aces' coach Tim Cone opted to build his triangle offense around David instead of Thoss. He'd have the Michael Jordan-type scorer ideal for his Tex Winter-orchestrated system which, paired with David's loyalty and low-key demeanor, would've been flat out awesome to behold.

Enough of the what if's then and back to David's chances of ever winning a PBA title as a prime contributor. Zandro Limpot, Jr. suffered the same fate as David, going through several years posting what would be deemed today as LeBron James-like numbers for Santa Lucia. There was nothing the 6"6 Surigao del Sur native couldn't do on the hard court. He could score from all angles, post-up, play defense, block shots and even handle the ball from end to end.

What he didn't have to show for from being drafted in 1993, traded to Ginebra for Marlou Aquino in 2000, and again in 2004 to Purefoods until 2005 was a PBA championship. He came close a couple of times, but was never smiled upon by the heavens.

Limpot's only title came in 2006, where he was sparingly used by coach Ryan Gregorio at Purefoods in favor of young Marc Pingris, Kerby Raymundo, James Yap, Roger Yap and PJ Simon who were all on the verge of superstardom. He was 35 at the time, much like David is 34 now.

The biggest difference of course, is that Limpot was already at the tail end of his career while David seems to be defying all odds in an effort to capture that which eludes him most. David shouldn't be scoring 30 points a game anymore, with young teammates such as JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter all but ready to take over. He shouldn't be playing close to 40 minutes a game (considering his age) and yet his head coach Bo Perasol has no qualms about keeping him on the floor over his younger peers (who are proving to be rather injury prone this early in their careers).

You'd think that he shot his team out of the Finals much like Nelson Asaytono did a decade ago with San Miguel and Allen Iverson in 2001 with the Philadelphia 76ers to get his 30 points clip but no. David did it with great efficiency, averaging 34% from deep and 40% from two. Numbers that don't really jump out at you, but still high considering the pressure placed on him to carry the brunt of the Tigers' "all or nothing" offense.

At one point during the conference, David admitted that he even questioned himself-- being the only guy from that FedEx/Air21 team a few years back that couldn't get over the hump. Arwind Santos was traded and won big with Petron. Ranidel de Ocampo was traded and likewise found success with Talk 'n' Text. But how come no one has ever asked for David? How is it that teams seem to be uninterested with arguably the league's best scorer up to this very day? We live in 2011, and if certain powerhouse teams want a player, they usually get him no matter what (welcome to the PBA).

But the one thing that you'd have to give David credit for, is even though people call him out for his defensive deficiencies, and how other SGs in the PBA have made the big leap to stardom (something that didn't come as soon for the 34 year old), he stuck to his guns-literally- and played/ plays the way he knows how.

Will David ever win a title in the PBA? Is it the validation his career needs?

A great shooter/ scorer named Reggie Miller retired without a ring, and no one faults him for that. He is loved for it, respected and admired.

For now, it's all in God's time for Gary.

Keep shooting!

Welcome idol! Bataan Bomber > El Granada. Pumayag ka na boss
(Please ignore the picture above. Pero pwedeng i-add sa Twitter kung naisin)

Fonacier or Castro? Who REALLY deserves the Finals MVP

When the buzzer sounded and the balloons started falling for the Talk n' Text Tropang Texters in last night's title-clinching Game 5 victory, there was a lot of speculation going around as to who will be named Finals Most Valuable Player.

Finals MVP: Larry Fonacier

It all ended of course, when the champions took the platform to receive the Philippine Cup Perpetual Trophy and one Larry "Baby Faced Assassin" Fonacier was named Finals MVP much to the delight of fans and teammates. After averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists and making the Powerade Tigers' feared gunner Gary David work on both ends of the floor, Fonacier's success was well received by most who credited his championship poise, maturity and overall basketball IQ as a big reason why the Texters weren't suckered into a shootout.

There are those whoever, who are quick to counter that teammate Jayson "The Blur" Castro is just as worthy of the citation (averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in the Finals)-- if not, MORE deserving.

Based on the stats, Fonacier's numbers increased during the Finals while Castro's was a little uneven (he only managed 10 points in Game 3 to Fonacier's 25). While Castro usually runs to the rim to ignite the Texters' offense and spread the floor for his shooters, Fonacier does it with more purpose. Not that Fonacier is a better player than Castro, but in a series of runs, a guy who could dictate the tempo and take control of the game will always prove to be invaluable.

Castro was running much like the Tigers' were running. Veteran PG and reigning PBA MVP Jimmy Alapag was jacking 30 ft threes in retaliation for every David bomb or JVee Casio lean-in three. The Texters were pretty much engaging the Tigers in a tit-for-tat style shoot-out which worked in their favor if only for their superior manpower. Great television basketball, but definitely not something that purists and coaches would be comfortable to see in a title series.

Still waiting for The Blur's 1st MVP win

A big factor that could've hurt Castro's Finals MVP bid other than that 10 point showing, is that  he averaged three turnovers a game which is always a big minus for any superstar (David averaged 5 turnovers this Finals).

On the other side, Fonacier barely turned the ball over thanks largely to his conservative style. Ever the traditional shooting guard, Fonacier was happy rotating the basketball to find the open man, shoot threes when he's the one open and drive when David was napping on the defensive end (which was a lot-- but only because he's expected to do so much on offense).

Either way, you really can't go wrong with naming Fonacier or Castro Finals MVP in this one. Though this writer feels that Castro has been somewhat robbed by his teammates for the nth time (having to share Finals MVP twice with Alapag last season, and losing out on the MVP award-- settling for Most Improved and now another Finals MVP to Fonacier). But really now, we bet that if you were to ask both players who should win Finals MVP-- they'd say that it doesn't matter, as long as it's in the fold and they're the champs.

Hats off to both players for a superb series.

Talk 'n' Text closes out Game 5, Pinoy Cup champs anew

In a game that featured Powerade Tigers' Gary David, KKS' Bataan Bomber, scoring 37 points and fighting tooth and nail to salvage another win, the Cinderella run has finally come to an end via a 101-110 loss to the newly-minted Philippine Cup champions (for the third straight year) the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

5x coach of the year Chot Reyes leads Texters to another title

David's "supernova" effort was matched by the now 100% healthy, Ryan Reyes who broke PBA records with 10 steals in this crucial match while also adding 20 points and 8 rebounds. The Energizer was all over the court in this one, bringing back scary images of TNT's 2011 title(s) romp when he served as the team's defensive anchor on the perimeter to complement Jimmy Alapag and Jayson Castro (who also looked to be healthy in this series after starting the conference limping).

In a game that was pretty much a "win or go home" for the Tigers, David failed to receive the usual support he draws from super rookies JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter who looked a bit tentative and tight before waxing hot in the 4th. Lassiter, for his part, couldn't get into a steady rhythm on the floor because of foul trouble.

Then came Mr. Doug-ble-double, Doug Kramer's vanishing act. 3 points and 3 rebounds after a string of monstrous efforts in the post? Unacceptable. TNT's bigs were challenged to do better after their paltry Game 4 showing, but that doesn't excuse Kramer from doing his part for the Tigers-- being the only serviceable big. Rommel Adducul tried, but he's on his last wheels and can't be expected to outhustle TNT's Kelly Williams, Harvey Carey, Ali Peek and Ranidel de Ocampo.

People are already speculating that Kramer's abysmal performance was "fixed," but let's give the guy the benefit of a doubt. He's been the Tigers' key post player up to this point, and it's just really unfortunate that he suffered his worst outing in such a crucial game.

TNT won the game early, bent on not giving the Tigers a chance but as they've always said, the three point shot is the "great equalizer" and come 4th quarter, David and Casio were knocking them down like men on a mission.

Good thing though, that TNT kept its overall composure and didn't engage the Tigers' in an endgame shootout (as they've done the previous games) and opted to rotate the ball. Ryan Reyes' timely defensive stops, crisp passes, rebounds and nakaw fastbreak play finally broke the Tigers' will which led to Lassiter fouling out of the game.

All in all, Game 5 showed the difference between a team that has the firepower to withstand all odds going up against a team that relied heavily on 3s-- which ultimately, became it's undoing.

Nothing to be ashamed of on the Tigers' front, they over-achieved and were even able to win a game versus a powerhouse team that rallied in time-- hurdling injuries, a gun shooting incident and even an almost insurmountable 1-3 deficit against the heavy favorites going into the semis.

Larry Fonacier being named Finals MVP was well-deserved. Once coach Chot Reyes called his number in an effort to slow down Gary David (easier said than done), Fonacier rose to the occasion and was even able to hold his own and make David work-- averaging 16 points in five games.

Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro had their moments, but none as consistently as Fonacier who proved yet again that you just can't teach championship poise and clutch.

Congratulations to the Powerade Tigers and the Bataan Bomber for putting a great show, and to the Tropang Texters for what seems like an even bigger, better grand slam bid now that the guys are healthy.

PS

As of January 29, 2011: TNT Gilbert Lao: 5 6 PBA titles. Powerade Gary David: 0.

Trade talks and other things

Intal needs to recapture his UAAP MVP contender form

JC Intal (Ginebra) to BMeg
Noli Eala went on Twitter to say that this was purely BMeg head coach Tim Cone's call, who then explained his choice by saying that Intal would/ could blossom into the "Scottie Pippen" to James Yap's "Michael Jordan" much like the relationship between Powerade's Gary David and Marcio Lassiter. Our only concern is that Intal has yet to really find his niche in the PBA. As athletic as he is on the hardcourt, Intal has never been a lockdown defender AND an option to shoot with any consistency. He'll undoubtedly blossom under Cone's coaching, but not enough to displace PJ Simon as J. Yap's chief buddy come crunch time (shorter, but better scoring option).

Kerby Raymundo (BMeg), Dylan Ababou (Barako Bull) to Ginebra
When you are on the receiving end of the best players in any trade, then you're bound to be on the winning end of things. Raymundo's a proven high post player, arguably the best off the dribble among big men. Then there's Ababou, who will undoubtedly be Ginebra's key small forward for the future. While Intal had a hard time adjusting because he had to play a support role to Ginebra's stars after being "the man" in college with Ateneo, Ababou is the exact opposite. He can score and has the PBA size, but he also knows how to play without the basketball. This trade also sets up a taller Ginebra future scoring duo to probably replace The Fast and The Furious (who are in the 30s) together with UST and Barako Bull teammate Allein Maliksi. People are hyping the two rooks as the "Espana Express" this early, hopefully, Coach Siot lets them play instead of burying them on the bench (as he always does with rookies).

Ronald Tubid, Reil Cervantes (Ginebra) to Barako Bull
The Gin Kings had to let go of Tubid to appease Commissioner Chito Salud and have the trade push through. We say it's time to let Tubid go, not with Caguioa bent on reclaiming his throne as the league's best shooting guard (a title that rightfully belongs to Gary David-- for now), while Maliksi waits in the wings for his turn at glory. They also have the ever-improving John Wilson who not only has the balls to take big shots, but plays lockdown defense as well. With Barako, Tubid forms a great/ awesome First Five with Willie Miller, Danny Seigle, Dorian Pena and Mick Pennisi. As for Cervantes, he shows a lot of spunk and fight when given minutes-- he'll have them at Barako.

Omolon brings credible perimeter defense
to a soft Air21 roster (Ogie Menor is a joke)

Nelbert Omolon, Mark Isip (Meralco) to Air21
Other than Meralco assistant Boyet Fernandez, the last remnants of the old Santa Lucia Realtors' champion team have been shipped out-- for the better. At Air21, both guys are a lock to start. Omolon goes back to his natural small forward spot while Isip provides the inside toughness and maturity that Air21 frontliner Magi Sison still lacks.

Dennis Daa, Mark Canlas (Air21) to Meralco
Daa's a serviceable big, but why take on Canlas?

Hopefully, more trades go down to create an even more interesting Commissioner's Cup. There are talks that a big time, big named trade is in the offing. There's also talk that a PBA team is on the verge of folding and may be replaced by a team from the amateurs.

Oh, and yes, we all would like to see Marcus Douthit strut his stuff in the PBA once again. But why with Air21? We'd rather see him with Powerade, if only to have him play side by side with JVee Casio and Lassiter-- oh, and to help the Bataan Bomber win a title this year.

No sweep, Tigers alive anew

Tigers' rallying behind Sean Anthony's hustle

The Best Player of the Conference awardee, specially when playing in the PBA Finals, is usually jinxed by the very same award that praises his efforts and serves as the goat for his team.

Well, not in tonight's Game 4 of the high scoring and super tight series between the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters and Powerade Tigers, and definitely not with Gary "Bataan Bomber" David who scattered 35 points behind 11/12 free throws.

There's no other way around it. The Texters lost this one behind a half-assed, "back to his Marlou Aquino tendencies" effort from Ranidel de Ocampo. The KKS proclaimed "Doctor" scored 3 points the entire game and was out-hustled on all fronts by the double-double machine Doug Kramer and ageless Rommel Adducul.

Is it time for the Texters to panic?

Hardly. They played their worst game of the series and still only lost by 3 in a tight (and tied) ball game going into the fourth. Jayson Castro could've played much closer to the basket, while more effort should be squeezed out from the likes of de Ocampo and Jarred Dillinger (who was man handling Marcio Lassiter in the last two outings).

Can the Tigers claw their way back and force a Game 7?

The way things are going and how the series is being played (guard-heavy, with superstars feeding into their own respective egos and trading 3s) don't be surprised if the Tigers force a Game 6 (a 7th game would take us by surprise and would start a maddening rally for "benta" which the league doesn't need at the moment).

Again, we wonder why Texters coach Chot Reyes hasn't decided to take control of the chaos and commotion, ask his boys to play half court basketball and pound the rock with de Ocampo, Ali Peek and even garbage man Harvey Carey. Adducul is playing quite nice, ditto with Kramer, but once those two guys are caught in foul trouble, the Tigers' title hopes are over.

And, after going berserk in Game 3 and scoring 25 (albeit in a losing cause), Sean Anthony provides the sidekick scoring punch usually reserved for Lassiter with 19. At this point, only Kelly Williams can cancel this guy's hustle out. Asking de Ocampo to guard him is a little too much for the talented Caviteno-- who owns Anthony in the paint, but shouldn't be expected to chase Hatfiel 2.0 all over the court.

Bo's to blame

Can Coach Bo get the Bataan Bomber a ring before its all over?

Much has been said about the Powerade Tigers’ unbelievable, nay, magical run to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. Hurdling powerhouse and top seed B-Meg Llamados in two games before prevailing over the gritty, well-balanced yet youthful Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the semifinals.

Alas, the magical ride has to stop somewhere much like it did for Cinderella when the clock struck 12.

The Tigers’ stayed true to form, sticking to what brought them to the big dance—enticing opponents to play their style in a good, old fashion shootout where their advantage in top notch scorers are highlighted and failures at the defensive end are, at the very least, minimized.

Problem is, they are doing it against a team that has no qualms about playing any style of basketball—the defending champions, Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters.

Perasol has his Tigers believing in themselves and having each other’s backs on the floor—an admirable trait and commendable act for a coach. His words to the media are fixated on positives such as “believing,” “fighting” and “winnable.” But we all know the truth.

In game 3’s most crucial moments, Perasol failed to call time-outs TWICE. One right after Jimmy Alapag’s lead-getting three pointer in the dying seconds—forgotten/ forgiven only because of JVee Casio’s heroics. And the other, in overtime when the Texters were starting to pull away and his Tigers were bent on just throwing up shots and not running plays for each other.

Another mistake was Perasol entrusting Sean Anthony, who was playing out of his mind on offense (and, well, on the defensive end but to a negative slant) to try and guard a rampaging Ranidel de Ocampo (Dr. de Ocampo) in the 4^th. Yes, they had the luxury of having the lead at the time, but the Texters were slowly chipping away and drawing fouls which is the biggest reason why TNT almost won in regulation.

Some of the other “what ifs” that can be taken against Perasol is his opting for trigger happy point guard Celino Cruz (who made some timely baskets in the series, to his credit, but still shoots too much and does a lot of “heat checks”) over rookie free agent Rudy Lingganay (who, just months ago, was arguably the ASEAN Basketball League’s best PG and almost got his team into the Finals).

Another one is Ricky Calimag. A sturdy power forward who has a knack for drilling in top of the key jumpers, this guy has the muscle to make things difficult for Dr. De Ocampo and more discipline than Alex Crisano (who has been sparingly used in the Finals, thank God). For Perasol’s sake, we pray that Calimag’s injured or hurt otherwise, he could’ve been a big contributor for the Tigers’ weak frontline.

When the Tigers escaped the Elasto Painters in seven games, Perasol admitted that he was coaching for his job together with his staff. That team manager JB Baylon has put them all on notice (probably because they had the best line-up possible since the Chot Reyes-Jeff Cariaso years). Right now, we don’t see Perasol receiving the boot just yet. Not with this impressive showing and system (more or less) that has been bought into by the Tigers’ and its growing number of fans.

We do pray however, the Gary David (now 34) wins a title at some point while he’s still in his prime and not a la Jun Limpot (who won it at the end of his career with Purefoods).

TNT 1 win away, Tigers unravel in OT

The Mighty Mouse and Dr. De Ocampo take the lead

As we watch Ranidel de Ocampo a.k.a. KKS' "The Doctor" spray paint the number "3" on the floor-level tarpaulin c/o the AKTV production team behind their 133-126 OT Game 3 win, the realization that the PBA Philippine Cup Finals is just about ready to end in Talk 'n' Text's favor is finally starting to sink in.

Not that we're counting out the Powerade Tigers, but there's just no chance in hell that TNT loses 4 games straight. Not with this team finally healthy on all fronts, not with Jimmy Alapag proving to his haters and those who doubted his MVP award because of an abysmal season ending performance that he still is the barometer for elite PGs in the land and definitely not with Ranidel de Ocampo playing like "Jun Limpot with a meaner post game and sharper elbows."

The game was there for the Tigers to take come 3rd quarter, the refs were letting them get away with a lot of heavy handed defensive tactics (seriously, keep your eyes on Gary David and you'll see him tuck, pull, grab and clinch at his man the whole game out while on the other end, fouls are sure to be called in his favor) while calling it tight against the Texters.

Come the 4th, the Tigers were still up and were playing with a lot of energy behind a great offensive showing from Sean Anthony. Problem was, whatever he put up on offense, he gave up on defense by leaking out too early (for gimmes) and not battling for rebounds (which was an oddity because he's usually in there grinding it out). As for the Texters, they finally decided to take advantage of the one truth that we all know.

Go to the Doctor and let him do his thing.

On three straight plays RDO beasted Sean Anthony with free throws to boot. This didn't give the Texters the lead outright, but it was enough to slow the game down, put the Tigers in early penalty and keep the Texters in the hunt.

The game was all but over in the Texters' favor save for that three pointer by JVee Casio which forced overtime. Why the referees didn't even bother to at least warn David for his excessive grabbing on Larry Fonacier is beyond me. This created the turnover that led to Casio's open, lean-in three to tie.

In overtime, Jayson Castro decided to take it strong to the rim. The Doctor went nuts with a three and some sweet moves in the paint before Alapag, the MVP, came in to seal the deal with crisp passes and by working the shotclock.

Credit should also go to Ryan Reyes for putting up another herculean effort, playing both on offense and defense. Fonacier also gets the nod from KKS for his brilliant play and for forcing David to work on defense as well (Fonacier wasn't settling for jumpers this time around and was trying to take David off the dribble).

Come 4th quarter, Marcio Lassiter didn't seem to have enough legs. Casio was limping from time to time and David was Nelson Asaytono-ing his way to try and salvage a win. Great effort and heart, but all for nothing.

In the end, the Texters are winning behind their superior firepower and class A coaching.

PS

Who knows, perhaps the Powerade "Gilas" Tigers (Casio-Lassiter-Charles Tiu) will consider replacing coach Bo Perasol with Rajko Toroman (who doesn't seem to be on the re-signing block with SMART Gilas/ Team MVP)?

Paul Artadi to Meralco

Unlike his kumpare James, Artadi has been traded
numerous times in his pro career

As approved by the PBA Commissioner's Office, Paul Artadi has been traded to the Meralco Bolts for Chico Lanete. Where this latest acquisition of the Bolts goes, nobody knows for sure other than the fact that Artadi will be reunited with former Purefoods/ BMeg coach Ryan Gregorio.

At the Bolts camp, Artadi will presumably be playing behind star Sol Mercado (who masquerades as a Derrick Rose-like power point guard) and even Fil-Am Chris Ross (and just a hairline in front of Chris Timberlake). There's no question that based on the four point guards' collective reps alone, Gregorio is looking for his team to run (perhaps after the Powerade protoype).

Now if only they could get Jason Ballesteros to bulk up and quit being timid in the paint.

As for the Barako Bulls and Chico Lanete- well, he'll either put up solid numbers as Willie Miller's back-up, or even an eventual starter once the Lina-owned franchise go back to their old ways and trade vets for cash.

Outgunned and outnumbered

Who're you calling old? Alapag 34, David 3

The Powerade Tigers entered the PBA Philippine Cup Best-of-Seven Finals behind a never-say-die, run and gun philosophy that quickly captured the hearts of many. Slaying one dragon after another, it seemed as though the Cinderella-story would end with nothing less than a “happily ever after” for the Tigers, which in this case is a championship.

Two games in and their “kontrabidas” or the mighty “evil witch” (in the Tigers’ point of view of course), known in these circles as the Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters, have brought the Tigers right back down to earth—and how.

In the first game, the Tigers lost but had the luxury of using star rookie guard JVee Casio’s absence as an excuse. In the second, they were simply outplayed in several instances and out-hustled in key stretches that could’ve tilted the game in their favor (and quite possibly, tied the series).

Let’s get one thing straight, we are going to be treated to a shootout. Not a grind-it-out chess match akin’ to the 90s PBA. The scores will be high and close—but only because this style of play concentrates more on the offensive rather than the defensive end.

Quickening the pace means surrendering more shot attempts for both parties, a big reason why this series looks much closer at first glance than how it really is when you break everything down.

That, plus as long as the Tigers’ have the Bataan Bomber, JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter free to put up 10 three point attempts EACH per game, KKS says they have as good a puncher’s chance as any to steal a game or two.

Still, yesterday’s game was another display of supremacy by the Tropang Texters—effortlessly grabbing a double digit lead in the first quarter with arguably their two best players, Jayson Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo, watching from the sidelines.

Jimmy Alapag wanted to showcase how he invented the “three point shooting point guard with no conscience prototype” over the returning Casio early. Japeth Aguilar was jumping around the place with his hands up and perhaps the biggest key to the series to date, Jarred Dillinger was being a problem for Marcio Lassiter.

Dillinger, at 6”4 and 225 lbs, was creating so many match-up problems for the 6”2, 187 lbs. Lassiter that the much-heralded rookie (currently leading the ROY stats race) wasn’t his usual aggressive self on the offensive end. Defensively, Lassiter tried to stay with Castro in a cross-match, but it was obvious by the 4th quarter that he was winded from having to stay in front of the Blur and having to deal with the Daredevil.

Back to Dillinger, who was mixing it up with jumpers and slashes that the Tigers’ just didn’t have anyone to check him with. Lassiter’s to small, Sean Anthony would be too slow. The only guy who could really challenge Dillinger and cancel him out, would be Will Antonio. In 2003. When he was lighter and quicker on his feet. Not 2011.

Then came Castro, followed by Ranidel de Ocampo.

THE DOCTOR IS IN.

Dr. de Ocampo methodically dissected whatever defense the Tigers put up, and had an easy time grabbing rebounds over his opponent’s hapless frontline who didn’t put up much of an effort on that end of the floor. There’s just no one on the Tigers’ roster who can match-up with RDO. Hell, there’s no one in the league today that can match-up with RDO when he’s on his A game (closest would be Kelly Williams, who has the height, muscle and athleticism, but they’re teammates so…).

The commentators, namely Jason Webb, nailed it when he said that both teams like to “run and gun”—it’s just that, the other squad has the better tools for the job and does it behind a solid 8 to 9 man rotation. The other? Just 3 guys and a couple of solid role players.

Quinito Henson, being the detached commentator that he usually is, was suggesting, nay, practically begging the Tigers’ coaching staff to play at a slower pace (as though they could hear him). Uhm, with all due respect sir, if you ask the Tigers to slow down, you’ll pretty much force Gary David to play in tighter floorspace (which he doesn’t excel in). The Tigers would also need to have a reliable post player to make that work—and despite all his improvements, Doug Kramer isn’t exactly Rabeh Al Husaini on the block.

Oh, and that gameplay would completely undress JVee Casio as a point guard who can’t create shots (yes, KKS is debunking Ryan Gregorio’s statements that Casio is a shot creator for his teammates—he’s a solid point guard who can handle the ball and makes correct passes to teammates ala NBAers Jarret Jack, Derek Fisher, Earl Watson, Jose Calderon. He’s not a shot creator like Ricky Rubio, Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Luke Ridnour. Get it now?)

Slow or fast, the Texters are proving to be too much for the Tigers. Run and they’ll unleash Castro. Slow down and they’ll set up shop with Dr. de Ocampo and Mountain Peek. It’s not a case of “picking your poison” anymore, it’s simply, “here’s your poison, now go die.”

This is still a winnable series for the Tigers, if they can just play a little bit of defense and control the boards so they can break-out and do what they do best- run.

On a side note, that shouldn't have been a Flagrant One on de Ocampo versus Anthony. He was collaring the rebound and swinging like all grown men are supposed to do (something Chris Bosh should've done when Kevin Garnett was all over his grill in that one Toronto-Boston game years back). Anthony just got what was coming to him. No harm meant, no ill will or drama. Just the natural, brutality of the game.

Kerby to Ginebra?

A 10-time PBA All Star, Kerby went from being
"The Kid" at Red Bull to "The Man" at Purefoods/ BMeg

At 31 years old and coming off a season of knee injuries, Kerby Raymundo of the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados is reportedly on his way to joining sister team and the "other" crowd darlings, Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings for perhaps JC Intal and Rico Villanueva.

Rumors have it that the 10-time PBA All Star requested for a trade following an unsteady relationship with one of his teammates. Observers have pinned the blame on the Llamados' 2x Most Valuable Player James Yap, but we'll leave that as is because it's normal for star players to clash from time to time (specially when the other guy won his 1st Most Valuable Player plum *of two* over you because of showbiz-media votes).

Onto the impending trade then.

How big would Kerby be in the Gin Kings' scheme of things? Will we ever get to see the old "Kid" back with his best performance being in 2005-2006 and when he won several Purple Hearts from Pinoy fans during his National Team campaign? Or will he sit in favor of the shorter yet grittier Willie Wilson, or even the returning Rudy Hatfield? Can Kerby even steal minutes away from Eric "Major Pain" Menk (IF he comes back healthy next conference of course)?

Honestly, we're at a loss with the whole shake-up. Weren't the Gin Kings bent on developing their young guns? Was the move to reacquire Hatfield a sign that they're going to give it one last push behind their veteran core of Hatfield, Menk and guards Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa?

In limited minutes, and since they'll be playing with returning 7"0 import Chris Alexander at center, a power forward rotation of Menk-Hatfield-Kerby would just be downright nasty. Menk brings in the muscle. Hatfield comes in and brings the energy. Then Kerby comes in and does his finesse thing and drop buckets on fools.

Of course, everything will still fall on coach Siot Tangquincen's shoulders. If he'd even bother to use Kerby at the pivot (Siot and even coach Jong Uichico prefer a more perimeter-based attack).

Hopefully, Kerby finds a new home with the Gin Kings and plays like "The Kid" of years back. Dude's paid his dues in the league and is one of the better power forwards around.

Can Powerade stop Talk 'n' Text

Following the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters' impressive Game 1 outing versus the JVee Casio-less Powerade Tigers which they handily won 116-110, there's only one question left to ask before we outright christen the new (and still) Philippine Cup Champions from here on out.

Can the Tigers stop the Texters?

Can they play defense?

Hell, do they even have the players to play defense?

Jayson Castro looks to be back at full strength, ditto with Ryan Reyes who helped make life a living hell for the Bataan Bomber Gary David. Larry Fonacier and Jarred Dillinger did their part to ensure that their guys work on both ends of the floor and the bigs, Ranidel de Ocampo and Ali Peek were just too much for the Tigers' frontline.

Like KKS said in the Finals preview, this won't be a shootout despite both team's penchant for racking up points by the hundreds. One team runs from 3 point line to 3 point line. The other runs right at the rim.

Sometimes those 3s go in, others they don't.

And when faced against a team that knows what it takes to secure titles and cannot be duped into a shootout, the chances of winning for the Tigers go from slim to none.

Casio's right hamstring injury is a problem for the Tigers. It's bad enough that they're losing out on his offensive prowess, but also because there's no other PG on the roster that could at least make Jimmy Alapag or Castro work on defense. Celino Cruz could get hot from deep in a jiffy, but he's bound to attempt a couple of extra heat checks that could ruin the Tigers' momentum.

The Tigers' hopes can't be placed on the Bataan Bomber's shoulders alone, for them to win, they need help from beyond their Big 3-- more defensively than offensively.

The PBA Pinoy Cup Finals: Talk N Text vs Powerade

After an exciting semifinals series that could've gone either way if a basket or two were only made, we're now being treated to a rather unexpected yet enthralling Finals match-up with league powerhouse and defending champions Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters and the "Cinderella" team, the 8th seeded Powerade Tigers.

To win, Tigers' need Lassiter to stay on the floor

Keys for the Tigers

1. Run and gun
- It's pretty obvious that the Tigers lack the legit point guard who makes scoring opportunities for his teammates. They have PGs who can handle the rock and rotate the basketball, but mostly, these guys are natural born shooters (Rudy Lingganay being the odd man out). JVee Casio and Celino Cruz need to run and keep pushing the pace to spread the floor and not let the Texters vaunted defense (which was modified halfway in the Petron series but wasn't recognized outright by most) set-up shop.

Big Doug's House

Big Doug's got the Bataan Bomber's back

Doug Kramer, the Powerade Tigers' anchor in the paint, took time to develop in the pros after being drafted 5th overall by the Air21 Express. Little did everyone know back then that the burly forward/ center would mature and become a key contributor to a struggling franchise's title hopes.

It's not that we haven't seen Kramer play this role before (as he did with the JC Intal-led Eagles), it's just that we had doubts if he was too "pogi" for the PBA's rugged style of play that will have him literally trading elbow shots to the face with the Dorian Penas, Ali Peeks, Beau Belgas, JayR Quinahans and the like.

Then he got his tooth knocked out during a rebound skirmish a few months back.

That's where his approach to the league changed from KKS' view. He fought for rebounds before, but never really bothered to dish out cheap shots and use his frame to the hilt. Not anymore. This year, he was released by the same team they just eliminated, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, to the Tigers. He no longer had to play   in a rotation heavy system. He was going to get a chance to shine. He also had veteran bangers to learn from- Rommel Adducul and Alex Crisano.

From the start, Kramer's role was clear: rebound, intimidate and set bruising screens for his superstar guards Bataan Bomber Gary David, Marcio Lassiter and JVee Casio. He played freely under coach Bo Perasol, allowed to take (and make) his pet 15-17 ft jumpers which made the Tigers' even more of a threat if they continue to develop their Pick and Roll play (when that happens, they'd be near impossible to guard because the P&R sucks in a lot of defenders and would open up the floor for the other two knockdown shooters on the court).

During the RoS-Powerade series, Kramer averaged 10 points and 11 rebounds in only 30 minutes of burn. Those are numbers that don't really jump at you from the get go (when compared to elite bigs in the PBA- but then again, who else is left? JayR Reyes?), but considering his place in the Tigers' offensive hierarchy- those are damn near solid.

Heading into the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Kramer will have his work cut-out for him non-stop. The newly-unleashed Ranidel De Ocampo is wreaking havoc as the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters' new main man in their re-modeled offense, Kelly Williams is athletic and quick, Japeth Aguilar will have his day jumping all over the place and lastly, Ali Peek is Ali Peek.

But make no mistake about it, while all the attention will rightfully go to the Tigers' high scoring trio of Lassiter, Casio and the Bataan Bomber, Kramer is just as invaluable if they are to win their first championship under the Bo Perasol era.

PS

We're still waiting for that Kenneth Duremdes comeback. One more game. One more game.

Never underestimate the heart of a champion

Admittedly or not, the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters entered their semifinals series versus the Petron Blaze Boosters still seething from their foiled Grand Slam bid just a conference back. It showed in the way they fought tooth and nail despite the injuries, and none more than today's Game 7 which they won via the slimmest of margins, 92-91.

Pinoy Cup champs regrouped just in the nick of time

KKS' hats off to the Boosters, who had this series in the bag early with a 3-1 lead but failed to close it out in three tries. Alex Cabagnot evolved into the lead point guard in the PBA today, Arwind Santos proved to everyone why he's the guy whose name is almost a shoo-in for Best Player of the Conference and even season Most Valuable Player and finally, Danny Ildefonso turned back the hands of time to show us that the Demolition Man is still hungry for more rings (and may possibly go down as one of the PBA's winningest players when it's all said and done).

But Game 7 was all about the Texters regardless of how tight the score was in the end. Yes, the Boosters caught up and had a chance to win in the end, but it was the adjustments on the Xs and Os by coach Chot Reyes which spelled the biggest difference of them all.

Cabagnot was forced to pass the ball early instead of setting the table up for the Boosters. Santos was effectively cancelled out by rival Kelly Williams et. al. And it was only Chris Lutz and Ildefonso who were able to carry the fight for the Boosters alongside Joseph Yeo.

On the other side of the floor, guys who played in only a couple of games all conference long for the Texters made sure to bring it all out when it mattered most. Jayson Castro, the man known as "The Blur" but has been more like "The Crash" due to his numerous injuries, scattered 21 points. Jimmy Alapag, lost in the ascension of younger point guards like Cabagnot and teammates Castro and Ryan Reyes, had another classic, nay, vintage performance with 14 points and 7 assists.

Ali Peek, a guy who wouldn't even be part of the series if not for his thick muscular build that saved him from a couple of bullets, hauled in a hard-earned/ fought double double of 13 points and 11 rebounds over Ildefonso and understudy Rob Reyes.

Pang-MVP man si Santos, lamang sa poste si RDO

And then, there was the answer.

The last, true Filipino big man in this day and age of 3 points and crossover loving bigs.

He started the series (and the conference) as he usually does- inconsistently. One day he looks like the bigger version of Jun Limpot (only he wins more). The next he looks like Marlou Aquino during the darker Santa Lucia years (pre-Kelly).

Then, Game 4 happened.

Ryan Reyes was reported hurt. The next game, Kelly Williams hurt his hamstring. Ditto with the forever limping Castro.

It was time.

And Ranidel de Ocampo was ready to take over.

KKS said it before and we'll say it again, there's no one in the PBA today that has the same clinical and polished skillset as RDO. Hell, KKS wants this guy to be called "Dr. De Ocampo" just to recognize his insane on court abilities.

But that's just it. Like any doctor, you don't always get what you pay for. Sometimes they just diagnose you, scribble (more like doodle) on a piece of paper and send you off. Others, they take the time to REALLY check up on you, tell you what's wrong and other possibilities.

Ditto with RDO. Sometimes he coasts, others he dominates.

And once the opening was presented to him, to not be the kick-out big man but number one option- he delivered and the Boosters just didn't have anyone on the roster to stay with him.

Ildefonso's solid, but he's a banger-defender in the block. RDO enjoys some nice footwork and range that forces Ildefonso way out of his comfort zone. Rob Reyes? Rookie. Mark Agustin? Yeah, whatever. Baclao? He's so far off his Ateneo game shape KKS would take Agustin over him all day at this point.

So here's to the Texters' injuries and all for surviving this series and making it to the Finals where they can defend their Philippine Cup title. The series could've gone either way honestly, with all the close games, but in the end, there's a big difference between guys who play not to lose and those who play to win.

Powerade continues Cinderella story, enters finals

In a semifinals match-up that the young Rain or Shine Elasto Painters never fully understood, the Powerade Tigers led by the Bataan Bomber Gary David and his Hitmen won in seven games to march onto the Philippine Cup Finals.

Balik PBA Finals na ako! 

Just when observers thought that the Elasto Painters have finally solved the Tigers' high-octane attack, they fall back into their old habits and allowed the Tigers to shoot freely-- believing in their own coach's philosophy that "shooters are bound to run out of bullets."

Apparently not.

Time and again the Elasto Painters failed to close out on several of the Tigers who survived a rare off night from  star Gary David but had plenty of help from battle-tested rookies JVee Casio and Marcio Lassiter.

And since we're on the subject, Mico Halili, you are starting to become the new Quinito Henson. No one finds "The Smurfinator" cute. Seriously man. We're all basketball geeks/ fanboys here, but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

Was drafting JVee Casio the answer to the Tigers' Cinderella run to the Finals?

Possibly.

Because when David started drawing blanks, Casio was there to pick up the slack and shoot the team back into the fight.

But the real credit should go to Marcio Lassiter.

The hard-working small forward is the sole reason why the Tigers' have made it this far, with his rare combination of lockdown, hard-nosed defense and solid offensive game. Without him, the Tigers' would've been just another trigger happy team with has-been bigs and back-up point guards at the helm.

But the Tigers isn't just about the Big 3 alone. They have solid role players, and arguably another unheralded Atenean alum in big man Doug Kramer.

The beefy center/forward is one of the biggest reasons why the Elasto Painters' guards were unable to slash into the basket at will. He also set up some Grade A sturdy screens for his guards on the other end of the floor.

Congratulations to Tigers' head coach Bo Perasol. He'll probably never be given credit for his coaching exploits, but the man has led two different teams to the Finals and stuck through thick and thin despite hellish, D-League worthy line-ups (Air21) and mish-mash rosters (Powerade).

For Rain or Shine, there's nothing but positives to be gained from this conference. The immaturity is undeniable but with that comes potential. Paul Lee may not be the best rookie in the 2011 PBA Draft, but he is the best fit for this once soul-less team. Jeffrei Chan continues to become one of the league's deadliest snipers while JayR Quinahan and Beau Belga are bound to become top-tier power forwards in the PBA (had they been taller, they'd be beastly as centers subbing for the other).

As for Gabe Norwood, well, he's like the poor man's Lamar Odom. He puts up the numbers, but not when they count. For all the talent that he has, he shies from pressure situation and settles for the easy way out.

There's no point in going around with this, Yeng Guiao was pretty much out oached the entire series except Game 6 when RoS buckled down to work and finally slowed the game down.

Can the Tigers continue their magical run and bag the Philippine Cup title?

We'll touch on that later.