PBA Pinoy Cup Semis: Top 10 Things We've Learned So Far (so far)

Who's the best point guard in the land?

Petron Blaze Boosters vs Talk n Text Tropang Texters (series tied 1-1)

10 Japeth Aguilar is not the X-factor for TNT (else he'd have back to back, dominating double doubles by now in two victories)

9 Ato Agustin is outcoaching Chot Reyes

8 Rob Reyes is outworking TNT's bigs

7 Jimmy Alapag still has it

6 Larry Fonacier needs to play more minutes to offset Joseph Yeo

5 Jayson Castro is all set for a breakout game to make a case for #1 point (combo) guard

4 TNT needs Ranidel de Ocampo in the paint to battle Danny Ildefonso (or Ali Peek to return to double double form)

3 Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams have battled to a draw thus far

2 Ryan Reyes is the key to the series for TNT, when he's healthy, you know he can lock Cabagnot or Yeo

1 Alex Cabagnot is the number one point guard in the PBA.

For a guy who brings so much to the table,
Norwood has done little so far.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs Powerade Tigers (Tigers lead 2-1)

10 Tigers' can't stop/ control Epainters' Kargador Corps (read: the non-members of Extra Rice Inc.) from putting up double doubles (Larry Rodriguez in G1 and 2, Jervy Cruz in G3)

9 JayR Quinahan has been taken out of the equation (ditto with Beau Belga, to a lesser extent)

8 RoS head coach Yeng Guiao is going to choke a referee to call anything in his favor by Game 5.

7 Jayvee Casio is a solid player. But not (yet) a star in the PBA.

6 Referees are calling the game tight in the final two minutes. KKS says, LET THEM PLAY!

5 Marcio Lassiter doesn't need to equalize the Bataan Bomber's output. Just to fill in the gaps with timely shots and defensive stops.

4 Sean Anthony is Rudy Hatfield with a better 3 pt shooting clip.

3 RoS is Paul Lee's team. Whatever position he plays, PG or SG, he's at his best creating situations for
others. They win/lose behind his great plays/ bone-headed-slash-rookie decisions.

2 Gary David can't stay hot for too long (or can he? five straight games with 30+ points so far)

1 Who's guarding Gabe Norwood and keeping him below 10 points a night? Oh, yeah, Will Antonio. Solid defender but two steps slower and nowhere near athletic.

Lassiter on target in Game 2 win

Sidekick? What sidekick? Super Marcio saves the day

Just when we thought that Lassiter was finally showing signs of the rookie player that he is and folding under the pressure of the semis, he bounces back with a scintillating 30 point performance to lead the Powerade Tigers alongside the Bataan Bomber Gary David.

With the Bataan Bomber still riding a hot shooting streak and finishing with 32 (four games over 30 now), all the Tigers really needed was another player to help stretch the Rain or Shine defense and blow the series wide open. In Game 1, Lassiter was nowhere to be found and had trouble getting into any rhythm on the floor. Ditto with Jayvee Casio, who, if the PBA held a do-over of the 2011 draft, would probably be picked overall instead of 1st.

Today, Lassiter was bent on redemption and attacked the basket early while also putting his shooting arsenal on full display. From hard drives to jumpers, there was simply no stopping the Lassiter Show and once the Bataan Bomber got his groove in the 2nd half, the game was all but over.

Credit should also go to the Tigers' defense which brought the Yellow Caidic that is RoS' Jeffrei Chan (is that too racist a monicker? Ok, how about "The Sniper" since "Triggerman" and "Assassin" have already been used?) back to earth to the point that the FEU alum laid am ugly, big, fat egg.

Personally, this writer feels that the Tigers enjoyed a great shooting night rather than making one too many adjustments on the floor. More and more, they are starting to look like a team that has a penchant for launching and relying on one too many three pointers- in a series such as this one, wherein games are played consecutively, don't bet on the Tigers to sustain those hot hands of theirs (law of averages).

If anything, Tigers' head coach Bo Perasol should be wary of just how easily RoS' Larry Rodriguez is hauling down double-doubles in two games and scoring in the 20s. This, from a guy who spent most of the eliminations playing behind Ronnie Matias.

Also, Gabe Norwood is just too good a player not to make an impact in the next game. As for the Tigers' this is them at their best- with David and Lassiter playing the Pinoy version of MJ and Pip and drawing support from the rest of the crew.

Bataan Bomber needs a sidekick

Panginoon, pakibalik po ung laro ni Lassiter para sa Game 2

Last night's PBA Pinoy Cup Semis Game 1 Powerade Tigers loss to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters further cemented what many already know: teams need more than a superstar (no matter how great) to win.

Gary David displayed yet again just how good a scorer he is (and lately, consistently as opposed to the previous years, 20 points one game, 10 the next) and just how better he is offensively than some of the overhyped, flashy guards in the league. Problem was, despite his 30 points (17 in the first half), there was nothing the Bataan Bomber (KKS will keep using this monicker until it sticks) could do to stop the balanced RoS avalanche.

This is not a knock on David, but he is and will always be a scorer. Already in his 30s, don't count on him to add a post up game or develop a drive-and-kick 5 assists per night mentality. That's not who he is, and that's not something he should bother with.

The real problem here is Marcio Lassiter's abysmal 1 for 7 shooting. The usually reliable, do-it-all Scottie Pippen to David's Michael Jordan failed to live up to the hype and probably had a case of rookie semis jitters.

Was he saving up his energy for defense? That's doubtful. Not with RoS rookie counterpart Paul Lee exploding for 25 and marksman Jeffrei Chan for 27. Jayvee Casio tried to put up a fight with 12 markers, but his lack of creativity goes beyond the 9 assists that he norms per outing (that's what playing beside sharpshooters would do for your stats, ask the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo who is a great player in his own right, but you'd be joking to rank him over Chris Paul and Deron Williams).

RoS' gameplan was run to perfection: let the Bataan Bomber run amock, but keep everyone else in check. On the flipside, the Tigers couldn't figure out which player they wanted to really stop to disrupt the RoS offense because of the latter's spread out, "call your own number if you're open" philosophy. Yesterday it was Larry Rodriguez. Don't be surprised if Ronnie Matias, Jervy Cruz or even Ryan Arana break free in the coming games.

Against the BMeg Llamados, they went up against a team that was a bit too overconfident and loose and enjoyed an insane shooting clip from David, Casio and Lassiter. With RoS, the Tigers will need more than just the Bataan Bomber to advance to the Pinoy Cup Finals.

Pacific Storm: Cabagnot takes #1 spot

Captain Crunch!

Let's all be honest here.

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

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

KKS: The Top 10 Benta Signs

10 Pagnagmumukhang superstar ung kalaban na career role player

9 Pag inaatake ng high blood ung coach sa break at di na lalabas para sa 2nd half

8 Pag pinupulikat sa 4th quarter, pero pag malalaking laro lang. Pag normal game, pwede pang makipagsabayan kahit triple overtime

7 Kaliwat kanan ung endorsements pero hindi naman napag champion ung team (at kapogian). Sikreto ng mga gwapo.

6 Pag ultimo coach mo na, minumura ka sa court at binabati na binebenta mo na naman

5 Pag ung mismong commentators, showbiz at lovelife ng player na lang ang pag uusapan para lang may masabing maganda

4 Pag na draft ng super team sa pros ung  player na nawalan ng laro sa Finals nung college

3 Pag nagtago sa madla ung player ng ilang linggo matapos matalo

2 Pag ung star player nung team mo, pumirma dun sa tumalo sanyo sa Finals the next conference

1 Tambak na ung laban, pero abot tenga pa din ung ngiti nung star player habang asa court

Who's better: Arwind Santos or Kelly Williams

Santos vs Williams: who's better?

The rivalry that the PBA and whatever outfit it is on continues to sleep on to this very day (probably wanting to focus more on the brands than players-- but then again, how would you explain James Yap?), Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams are on a collision course this coming semis as they try to lead their respective teams to the Philippine Cup Finals.

Drafted 1 and 2 in 2006, the former PBL teammates' and kumpares (Williams' is one of Santos' kids' godfather) paths have crossed several times the last five-six years be it in the Finals or even for individual accolades. Prior to being traded to the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters, Williams had the benefit of playing for a veteran team that was a piece away from being a legit contender- the now defunct Santa Lucia Realtors built around Twin Towers Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino.

True enough, Williams' all-around exploits complemented the Realtors' style so much that he was able to put in the numbers and shine as its' work-horse superstar.

On the flipside, Santos went to the Air21 Express. A team that was bent on rotating all of its players during games, players' rhythms be damned, and preached a free, "do whatever the hell you want" style on offense and defense. The numbers were there, given Santos' talent and high basketball IQ on both ends of the floor, but there was no way he could lift a relatively young squad to the next round.

Long story short, Williams' team went to contend which helped his case for both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards, while Santos was relegated to the "bridesmaid"-- always just a stat, win or two behind the Detroit native.

Fast forward to 2012 and the two are at it again, this time with Santos at the forefront of the Petron Blaze Boosters' camp and Williams with TNT. And, while Santos continues to shine as a beast on both ends-particularly on defense as a lockdown player and ace rebounder, Williams' has had some bouts with inconsistencies.

It's not Williams' fault, owing to TNT's guard-oriented attack, but his lack of basic basketball skills continues to hurt his chances of putting up the usual "Machine Gun" (another one of the PBA's lamer monickers) double-double norms (it's easier to be productive in set offenses rather than a frenetic-paced one). Also, the last two years after battling a rare blood disease, Williams appears to be heavier and slower as compared to his MVP days.

Also, there are two things still missing in Williams game that are often masked by his other-worldly athleticism and hustle: dribbling and shooting. Still throwing up shot-put like, high arching shots that are painful to watch and still not having that go-to dribble drive move that he's tried so many times to execute during games (40% he succeeds, 60% he dribbles off his foot).

Santos on the other hand, seems to have it all. The flat-footed free throws are ugly. But they go in. The high arching threes too. He rebounds like a beast despite being 3-4 inches shorter than chief rival Williams. He plays defense and can stay in front of guards and even bang with big, burly forwards. He times his blocks better than anyone else in the PBA. The only thing that you can really call Santos out for is when he gets too trigger happy from deep (which he has toned down a lot under Petron coach Ato Agustin) but other than that, the man is playing at an all time high and is a lock for Best Player of the Conference.

Today, honestly, Santos is proving to be not only the better basketball player (true Pinoy basketball fans would agree and attest to this for years now) but also the better athlete (given Williams' health issues).

All that's left now is to watch which player helps his team the most, numbers-aside.

Ready to Rumble

Big test coming up for Big Doug

While the spotlight and well deserved credit belongs to the guards of both Powerade Tigers and Rain or Shine Elastopainters (Gary David, Marcio Lassiter, Jayvee Casio, Jeffrei Chan, Ronjay Buenafe and Paul Lee) who could very well catch fire all at the same time and treat us to a rare shooting exhibition, this writer believes that the "other" PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series will be decided by the big boys.

On the Tigers' front, they have the vastly improved and emerging Doug Kramer backed up by veterans Rommel Adducul, Alex Crisano and Sean Anthony.

For the most part, the Tigers flourish whenever Anthony and Kramer are on the floor. Anthony provides the frenetic energy on defense (while also being a decent shot from long range) and the glass while Kramer, who appears to have finally found his niche in the pros, uses his added heft to box out opponents and is a lock to drill in set shots up to 18 feet. Crisano, a former PBA team captain with Barako Bull, provides a little of what Anthony (energy, rebounding) brings to the table and is always able to win over the fans. Then there's the ageless Rommel Adducul, a little thinner than his glory days as "The General" but still savvy enough in the block whenever his team needs a point or two.

There will be games wherein Anthony's knack for getting loose balls and extra possessions are going to turn the tide in favor for his team, but the spotlight truly belongs to Kramer. Now that he's finally comfortable in the pros as a legit bruising big man, this is his golden opportunity to make a name for himself. Yes, his superstar guards would probably/ most likely get the numbers, but if Kramer protects the paint, sets sturdy screens and keeps the defense honest, he could easily leapfrog into the Top 5 centers in the PBA today.

RoS frontline should come
with its own tag: "Here comes the pain!"

For the E-Painters, they have arguably the best yet most under-rated frontline rotation in the league- Beau Belga, JayR Quinahan, Ronnie Matias, Larry Rodriguez and Jervy Cruz. Belga, who plays more like a wing than a center on offense, stretches opponents' defense with his range and mildly-acceptable ball handling skills. His bulky frame also makes it tough for opponents to box him out of the paint. Then there's Quinahan, a defensive juggernaut who made a name for himself in the amateurs as a shotblocker but has now progressed and even added a somewhat low arching three point shot that's money whenever he's wide open.

Then there's Cruz, a former UAAP MVP who does his best work catching freebies deep within the paint (really, just throw him a lob and he's bound to get his two points or fouled and sent to the line). Not much the rebounder or defensive gem, but still an asset to have around. And if that's not enough, there's still the interchangeable sturdy pair of Matias and Rodriguez. Both polished low post players with acceptable jumpers, tough as nails and ready to dish out hard fouls and screens.

From the outside looking in, the Tigers better pray that their guards carry them through this series with great shooting. Else, RoS can look into playing an inside-out, grind-it-out game that plays to the strengths of their Kargador Corps.

Should be an interesting match-up, with Crisano's tenacity and theatrics always a threat to start a riot-- and I'm not even sure if he wants a piece of Matias, Quinahan and Rodriguez altogether.

Downplay: How TNT rises above the hate

Coach Chot, TNT: Always the class act

They play one of the better styles of basketball in the land, with arguably five of the country's top 20 players and a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Fame coach. And yet, majority of local basketball fans rejoiced when their Grand Slam bid was halted last season by a team hyped to be "undermanned" as compared to their then "tired/ injured" squad.

Such is the fate of the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters, a team so polarizing, that it's just hard to really define their place in the hearts of sportsfans around. Is it because they are owned by the suddenly rich, suddenly powerful "every-man" Manny V. Pangilinan and enjoy endless resources/ funding? Or the somewhat shrewd/shady antics that they pulled off the last five or six years to strengthen their roster (none of which compare or are even up to par with what the folks at San Miguel Corporation have been doing over the years)?

Now, just days before its highly anticipated seven game semifinals slugfest with spoiler/ nemesis Petron Blaze Boosters, the Texters are taking a different, "higher" approach in regards to its collective mindset.

No, they don't hate Petron. Or the bandwagon fans who were rallying behind their Grandslam bid only to jump ship once the wheels started falling.

No, they don't have an ax to grind.

And no, not even Coach Chot Reyes has anything foul to say about his PBB counterpart and almost back alley sparring partner Ato Agustin.

They're just here, as reported and quoted from other sites, to get healthy, play basketball and defend their Philippine Cup title.

Sounds simple enough.

In a league that is now being powered by machismo, rivalries and fiery/ feisty personalities it comes as a well deserved/ refreshing surprise to see a class act such as the Texters who may very well be the ambassadors of Philippine basketball (given the MVP-roots and place in the sports industry). Can they keep this "calm before the storm" demeanor throughout the coming Texters-Boosters series? Perhaps not, as the competitive juices are bound to flow and old tensions rise anew.

But at the moment, let's all enjoy this brilliant and admirable display by one of the league's better teams in hopes that it is followed by others.

Gabe Norwood's New Year Resolution

For RoS to win it all, Norwood needs to be aggressive

Granted, this may not actually be Norwood's NY Resolution (pretty sure he has other, more important concerns in mind) but what kind of basket-blogger would this writer be if we didn't make one for him?

Four years since coming into the PBA as an MVP-prospect from the now defunct-PBL team Happee Toothpaste, Norwood has become an enigma of sorts to local basketball fans. At 6"5,  210 lbs., he has the body and height to dominate a still growing league where an athlete of his nature is hard to find. His NCAA Division 1 - George Mason University pedigree is also another thing to consider, as not all basketball players get recruited to Division 1 schools (only prodigees, never projects-- that's what Divisions 2 to 4 are for).

And yet, we are given a guy who averages somewhere around 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists a game. Superb, had he been just another role player but in a league of 6"4 power forwards and centers, Norwood sticks out as a player who has yet to reach his full potential and dominate the way we've seen him do from time to time (when he's focused or gets fouled hard and goes out to prove a point).

Is he a point guard?

He has the handles and speed, but just like any other tall man going against smaller defenders, he's bound to turn the ball over by being ripped by speedbugs. Also, he doesn't seem to have the ability to create situations for his teammates (the difference between a PG like Jayvee Casio who runs plays, and Jimmy Alapag who creates). Another minus for Norwood is his lack of a consistent jumper. We've seen him hit a couple of clutch, long baskets here and there, but never enough to convince defenders to guard him from the outside-- is it a matter of confidence or form, we leave that to him.

Is he a small forward?

Yes, but only on offense where his freelancing and activity helps him put up the numbers. Rebounds wise, 7 is acceptable enough for a 6"5 wing. 12 points? Could be better given the guys he played with prior to this year's Rain or Shine rising.  On defense, Norwood is more liability than ace. You'd think his elongated wingspan, foot and hand speed would more than make him an ace defender, but Norwood hardly plays with enough concentration and consistency on this end to even put him in the same class as teammates Ryan Arana, Jireh Ybanes and even the flat footed JayR Quinahan.

Shooting guard? Uhm, the guy can't shoot (James Yap, PJ Simon, Chris Lutz, Gary David) and doesn't go hard to the rim (Sol Mercado, Jayson Castro, Mark Caguioa)- so no.

Also, the biggest factor that is keeping Norwood from making that big leap into superstardom is his knack for avoiding contact. Anytime his team needs him to step up (when Paul Lee commits another rookie mistake and gets in foul trouble, Jeff Chan is being locked up and Ronjay Buenafe is being, well, Ronjay Buenafe), Norwood would rather keep trying to find the open guy instead of trying to force his way into the defense and get fouls.

Yes, Norwood is a great team player (on offense), but his failure to take the lead is what's keeping his team from getting to the top and why rookies and unheralded players are being tagged as Rain or Shine's saviors instead of its 2008 top pick who sticks out like a sore thumb given his credentials and out of this world athleticism and God given talents.

Now, I only say this because I've seen Norwood back in the PBL and the guy was just flat out beastly. Not the dominating type like other Fil-Ams, but an all around, Jack-of-all-trades that was just hard to stop (think Los Angeles Clippers' era Lamar Odom).

Hopefully, Norwood's resolution this year is to reward his team with a championship run by being "The Man" like he's supposed to be.

Rookie of the Year: Is it still a 3-way race?

Chris Lutz: Crazy, quiet efficient for Petron

Now that we're on to the Semifinals of the PBA's Philippine Cup, the Rookie of the Year is almost at 1/3 of its completion with highly-favored names starting to breakaway from what is a truly deep PBA 2011 Draft.

We're leaving out two other popular Rookies namely: Mark Barroca and Marcio Lassiter and with good reason. Barroca is still feeling his way into Coach Tim's system in B-Meg (though he has shown flashes of Flying B greatness) while Lassiter has been consistent but not as impressive as others (perfectly filling in his Scottie Pippen to Gary David's Michael Jordan role). Or, to be a little more direct, RoYs and MVPs aren't (usually) awarded to great 2s/ second options. It always goes to the guy who has the ball and calls the shots in the clutch.

Chris Lutz - Petron Blaze Boosters
Had you told me that Lutz would turn out to be a better player than Marcio Lassiter during SMART Gilas' mighty and impressive campaign earlier this year, I'd have shook my head and dismissed you as simply marking out over Lutz' quiet/ steady potential. Well, not anymore. If anyone were to care enough to truly breakdown Lutz' game, he'd be in the Top 5 in Player Efficiency in a heart beat. He's already proven himself as a 20 point scorer in the PBA and ranks as one of the steals and Free Throws leaders. The only thing going against Lutz is, while being so crazy efficient, he's playing for a powerhouse Petron Blaze Boosters fold that can win two or three titles without him on the roster. Is he merely benefiting from all the openings created by superstar teammates Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot (who have earned the right to command double teams nowadays)? Say what you want, but there's still a difference between being given opportunities and actually taking it-- and take it, Lutz has.

Paul Lee - Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
While Lutz' off-the-ball efficiency on the floor masks his all around, borderline superstar traits, Lee is the exact opposite. Brimming with a quiet air of self-confidence and assurance, Lee plays the game that Alpha Dogs do- always in control of the situation and never a fan of the theatrics. If his shots aren't falling, Lee's bound to drive into the paint and use his body against smaller PGs to create contact + and 1s (instead of Meralco's Sol Mercado's kamikazee moves to the basket where he just flips and flails, devil-may-care style). When he's not calling his own number, he drives and kicks to whoever's open-- be it at the three point line (usually to a waiting Jeffrei Chan) or the weak side of the post (Beau Belga/ JayR Quinahan). He's had games wherein he wasn't posting the star-type numbers expected by fans, but that doesn't deter him from making big plays down the stretch (win, lose or draw). His defense though, remains iffy-- the added weight is preventing him from keeping in step with the league's quicker guards.

Jayvee Casio - Powerade Tigers
After sitting out his team's earlier games, Casio is back in the line-up and seems to have found his groove under head coach Bo Perasol's system. One game he's scoring in the 20s and dishing out 10 assists, the next, Rudy Lingganay and Celino Cruz are eating away at his playing time and he's trading stories with the ball boys, moping at the end of the Tigers' bench. Is Casio a legit future PBA star? Or are his numbers simply being generated because of the touches he gets (being the PG and all)? Also, it's never a good sign for rookies to miss their first couple of games with leg/ knee issues. This writer is still holding out hope for Casio, who is well on his way to Tenorio-hood/ Magsanoc-hood.

If the RoY awarding were to be held tonight, Lutz would be the undisputed winner based on his impressive stats alone. But if you went with the "can his team still win- BIG without him?" then you'd be hard-pressed not to pick the savvy Paul Lee.

Is this the end for Mr. Fast?

Have we seen the last of Mr. Fast in the PBA?

After publicly asking his mother team, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, for a one conference contract to "challenge" himself, Jayjay Helterbrand finds himself at a crossroads in his local professional basketball career.

Will he choose to "retire, go back to the US and be with his daughters" as he claims? Or is he just looking for more leverage to get an even bigger contract (as is the case with most top notch players in any sport) with Ginebra or any team that would greatly benefit from his undeniable basketball skill and IQ?

The way things are going for Ginebra, you can't fault Helterbrand if he chooses to walk away from the game or look to play elsewhere. The coaching scene is a mess (thank God Jong Uichico spared us from the "co-coaching" angle that the SMC head honchos were pulling for) and the rotation is even worse. Energy player and fan favorite Rudy Hatfield is reportedly coming back, but even then he'd be just another old guy in a team that's trying to reinvent itself (though in a half-baked manner) with youth.

In 25 minutes of action in the Philippine Cup (where Ginebra was eliminated by Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals), Helterbrand averaged 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal while shooting 40%-- not bad for a guy deemed "old" by basketball standards-- 35 years old plus the heavy mileage playing for Ginebra (perennial title contender) and the National teams.

If Ginebra were to change it's battle plan, or at the very least, quit messing with its rotation-- then Helterbrand should stay PROVIDED that he plays POINT GUARD. Years ago, this writer argued (to death) that JH13 is a shooting guard by trade. He's more scorer than facilitator, and is at his best when attacking the basket much like his good buddy Mark Caguioa.

The last two conferences however, coaches Jong and Siot moved Helterbrand to SG to open minutes for PGs Rob Labagala and Mike Cortez. A brilliant move had Helterbrand been in his prime, but to ask a 35 year old to run the floor, score and create-- that's a little too much at this point since he's not really in the Ray Allen mold (more Allen Iverson). Also, putting him there forces Helterbrand to guard the opposing team's SG (which is usually the best offensive player on the roster) who are, in most cases, stronger, faster and best of all, YOUNGER.

Now that JH13 is older, I don't see why he can't play the PG and push the ball to his more open teammates. He's still a threat to knockdown shots (40% clip from both 2 and 3 pt areas), so that's a plus. In case Ginebra and the SMC family is sleeping on his situation, other teams that would greatly benefit from a veteran like Helterbrand: Barako Bull Energy, Shopinas.Com and maybe even Rain or Shine.

Personally, I don't see Helterbrand retiring after the Philippine Cup-- not yet, and if he does, it's probably to take a short break before coming back for one last push. Still, if he does choose to move on with his life, then he'll go down as one of the more dangerous guards to play the in the PBA.

Update: in a very LeBron James' "Decision-like" manner, Jayjay Helterbrand expressed his intentions to stay with Ginebra (and retire a Gin King) for the remainder of the year--in three parts (thanks AKTV).

PBA PhilCup SF: Talk 'n' Text vs Petron

The Blur looks healthier today than
in the Gov Cup, will it be enough?

True to its "Clash of the Titans" peg, the Petron Blaze Boosters and the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters find themselves being paired in a Best of Seven affair albeit a series too early (for their and other matchmakers' liking) but is widely considered as THE Philippine Cup Finals (with all due respect to both Powerade and Rain or Shine who will enter the Finals as underdogs no matter what).

The Blazers, fueled by last Governor's Cup's title run, is riding the uncanny trio of do-it-all forward Arwind Santos, clutch shooting and crisp passing by point Alex Cabagnot and the all around hustle and "pick your spots" shooting of rookie Chris Lutz (who may be the runaway Rookie of the Year awardee at this point based on stats alone). Coach Ato Agustin continues to empower his players on the court, maybe not much from an X's and O's standpoint but whatever he's preaching-- the Blazers are listening.

For the Texters, who choose to belittle their assortment of injuries like the professionals that they are, it's all about Jayson Castro and how he controls the tempo for his team. They're no longer playing the same lockdown defense and running and gunning on offense as last year owing to the shortage of players, but this team keeps finding ways to win behind coach Chot Reyes' brilliant defensive schemes and rotations.

Here's this writer's take on the match-ups and how it might play out:

PG Alex Cabagnot vs Jayson Castro/ Jimmy Alapag

X-factor: Depensa (at gulang) ni Denok kontra TNT guards

Reigning PBA MVP no longer looks like the "Mighty Mouse" of old (we all go through that phase in life, it's called "aging") and he'll have a hard time staying in front of the now more offensively-polished Cabagnot. Castro needs to stay away from gambling for steals and just play at a more controlled pace defensively-- wouldn't be surprised if Reyes slides over to guard Cabagnot in a cross-match, but that would depend on RR's health. The true match-up will be Cabagnot-Castro, and whoever is able to dictate the tempo will ultimately be the key to the series.

SG Denok Miranda/ Joseph Yeo vs Ryan Reyes
The Santa Lucia backcourt will be at each other's nerves this series with Reyes at a disadvantage owing to his injury issues. While Miranda isn't much of an offensive threat, Yeo's slashing ways will force coach Chot to look for someone healthy to put on the floor (probably Fonacier). But if the extended break allows for Reyes' injuries to heal, then the Blazers' defense will be tested because the Texters' Castro-Reyes combo creates a whole world of problems (kick-out passes, hustling/ dogged defense and gritty plays on both ends).

SF Chris Lutz vs Larry Fonacier/ Jarred Dillinger
Substance over style. Lutz is the epitome of how a prototypical basketball shooting guard is- drives but never forces the issue, has great handles, plays honest defense, looks to pass but can knockdown shots and-- above all, gets to the line in bunches. On the other side, we're still waiting for Dillinger to enjoy a breakout and show his true game. We've seen flashes in where he'd score 20, rebound and dish out the ball, but never on a consistent basis. Forget defense. That's probably why coach Chot Reyes opts for a three-guard line-up of Castro, Alapag, Reyes instead of bringing in Dillinger (unless one of the three's hurt). Lutz doesn't need the ball to be effective, while Dillinger is only good when he has the ball and freedom to create.

PF Arwind Santos vs Kelly Williams/ Japeth Aguilar
Arwind Santos is the best damn basketball player in the Philippines today. End of story. Kelly Williams hasn't improved from his MVP days with Santa Lucia, still shoots like he's throwing shotputs and still dribbles the ball above his waist. If anything, I'd argue that Williams has regressed a bit, no longer a double double machine and not fighting as hard for rebounds. Aguilar is good, but not solid enough to even be in the discussion. Yes he'll have a highlight worthy slam or block in the series, but unless we see the "Good Japeth" for at least four games for the Texters, then get used to seeing him languishing in the bench during tight situations.

C Rob Reyes/ Danny Ildefonso vs Harvey Carey
Carey will fight despite being undersized, he'll scratch, claw and push. He'll make every little-skilled yet tenacious basketball player who watches and loves the game proud. But Reyes is starting to show flashes of his old PBL Toyota-Otis self ("Baby Eric Menk"). And Ildefonso, whenever he's on the floor and called upon to provide that steadying veteran leadership-- hell, even clutch pull up Js from 15 to 18 feet. This is where a Ranidel de Ocampo (didn't play in the last series) or Ali Peek could've come in handy for the Texters.

This is going to be a tight series, but I'm leaning towards Petron's better (and healthier) roster.

PBA PhilCup SF: Powerade vs Rain or Shine

Magkakaalaman na: Casio vs Lee

While most of the media attention rightfully belongs to the other PBA Philippine Cup Semi Finals match-up owing to the participants history and off-court rivalry, people shouldn't sleep on the Powerade Tigers vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Best of Seven Semis.

The Tigers, as shown by ace Gary David, are still on a collective high after vanquishing the proud and mighty BMeg Llamados in an upset of epic proportions in the Quarter Finals. The Elasto Painters on the other hand, weren't really that much of an underdog when they dispatched the inconsistent Ginebra Gin Kings (they were ranked 4 and 5 so it was really closer than people thought).

From the outside looking in, both teams preach the same perimeter-oriented style of offense. It's on the defensive end where both teams will be truly tested, the Tigers rely more on speed, athleticism and activity on defense while the E-Painters just wear opponents out with its physicality dished by just about everyone not named Gabe Norwood.

PG Jayvee Casio/ Celino Cruz vs Gabe Norwood/ Paul Lee
This will be the marquee match-up of the series, with RoS gaining a huge advantage with Gabe Norwood's length and athleticism. Though GNorwood has proven to be a complete dud on defense, I trust him enough to have the fight to stay in front of his smaller counterparts-- specially Casio and Cruz who are not as speedy as other guards in the league. Lee will also have his day in the sun by either posting up or simply running through Casio. This might force Tigers' coach Bo Perasol to go with Cruz, who maybe smaller, but has enough moxie to stay with Lee. Vice versa, Lee will be able to stay with Cruz, but will have problems guarding Casio laterally (Lee's a monster one on one given his ball handling and finishing skills, but defensively he's slow to move side to side).

SG Gary David vs Jeffrei Chan
The thing with David, despite the numerous times this writer has professed and expressed his "grown man love" for the Bataan Bombe, is that when he's hot, he's hot. And when he's not, well, he tends to shoot himself and even his teammates on the foot. So yes, though David is a better shooter than the famed James Yap, he belongs in the "scorer" mold. Chan on the other hand, has transformed himself into a "shooter." Lights out. Don't expect to see these two stopping one another in the series (I expect both Lassiter and Arana to switch assignments at some point), but of the two, a slight edge should be given to Chan who plays passable defense (since his FEU days). For David and the Tigers, they need to attack Chan early and get him in foul trouble to take away an important facet of RoS' game (kick-out basketball). Chan? He has proven time and again that he's effective without the ball and is maximized when playing with the "has eyes on the back of his head" Lee.

SF Marcio Lassiter vs Ryan Arana/ Jireh Ybanez
Arguably the most explosive match-up in this series other than the potential expletives and staredowns to be traded by Alex Crisano and the rest of the RoS bigs, Lassiter and Arana provide their teams with all the intangibles that their more popular, TV-friendly teammates do not. From a coaching perspective, it would be wise for both coaches to switch Lassiter on Chan and Arana on David-- if only to keep their own stars fresh for the stretch. Lassiter has the range to make Arana work, but other than ex-DLSU teammate Mac Cardona, there's no one craftier and more unorthodox than RoS' resident perimeter defender. Also, expect Lassiter to be in constant foul trouble should he be asked to guard Arana, owing to the latter's sudden aggressiveness to the basket and timely spins.

PF Sean Anthony vs Ronnie Matias/ Larry Rodriguez/ Jervy Cruz
Rudy Hatfield v 2.0 versus the league's most underrated power forward troika. Anthony will have his hands full on this one, since Matias is an accomplished post player who has a nifty jumper. Then there's Rodriguez, who's pretty much the same player as Matias only a bit slower. Cruz? Another solid power forward who is at his best in the shaded lane picking up drop passes.

C Doug Kramer/ Rommel Adducul/ Alex Crisano vs JayR Quinahan/ Beau Belga
Who has more ink on his arms-- Quinahan or Crisano? The pressure will be on Powerade because RoS' bigs prefer lurking by the three point lane-- something that will force their guards to rebound the basketball (easier said than done against RoS' Lee, Norwood and Arana). On the block, none of the names above are double-worthy so it's all going to come down on who scores more-- with an edge to both Quinahan and Belga. And though the co-founders of "Extra Rice, Inc." are not established shotblockers, they are arguably two of the best screen-setters in the PBA and are almost unmindful of handing out body checks here and there.

In summary, while the Tigers are enjoying a basketball high the last four or five games, don't expect them to win over the E-Painters in a seven game series anytime soon.

Yeng Guiao shows Siot how it's done

Ay 10-man rotation ba kamo? Chicken.

While most would rave about the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters' mighty efforts on the hard court (which is how it should be), credit should go to their temperamental head coach Yeng Guiao-- who showed the opposition how "heavy rotations" are done in the PBA.

As you all know, Ginebra's own Siot Tangquincen (and Jong Uichico) have been under fire early this conference for tinkering with its line up a little too much for their fans' liking. Stars sit in favor of younger, untested players during clutch/ close games, guys who look to be "in the zone" are taken out unexpectedly and so on.

This even led to the Gin Kings' star players Mark Caguioa and Eric Menk to rant about the crooked rotation and question their coach's decision openly via different media platforms.

In the Quarterfinals, the results of the Eliminations experiment showed as Rob Labagala- who was playing starter minutes for the team, sat in favor of Mike Cortez (who, to his credit, was playing like he was still wearing green and white). Jayjay Helterbrand, who wasn't reported to be injured, also played a minimal role during the short series and was hardly a factor. John Wilson, a guy who could've been used to keep Paul Lee at bay in the first game (and probably asked to stay in front of Jeffrei Chan in tonight's match-up) was also buried on the bench for one reason or the other.

Either Siot and Jong were just saving their stars for the big games (thus the Elims round benching) or, well, forget that. It's pretty clear that they were saving their big guns for the Quarterfinals (as Tubid and Cortez saw more daylight-- I don't know about Helterbrand though) only to have that blow up in their faces due to lack of familiarity/ on-court chemistry.

Truth be told, the only time the Gin Kings looked like a team was when Mark Caguioa called his own number, and everyone else concentrated on either playing defense or giving him the ball. Simple basketball-- but one that is hardly effective in this level of play.

On the other side of the floor, Guiao established his rotation early-- which is, well, he didn't have one. He plays about 9-10 guys (11 in tonight's game) regularly, and doesn't stick with a player for more than 7 to 8 minutes at a time.

This way, no matter who he had on the floor, he was assured that guys knew their roles and gave them enough freedom to make mistakes which cannot be said for how Ginebra's coaching staff went on with their business.

Happy for Guiao who is finally back into the Semifinals after a long while. Hate him for his antics, swagger and mean mug all you want, but the guy can coach and squeeze every ounce of fight off his players.

Also, the PBA board should look into Jeffrei Chan. They should check if he really is Chan, or Allan Caidic on heavy doses of Chin Chun Su.

Dream Game Part 2: Blue vs Green

A few years removed from the first of what could turn out to be a regular thing, the men's varsity basketball alumni of both De La Salle Green Archers will once again hook up with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in a duel that could either bury the Archers (they lost the first one) or serve as a prologue to a third (and hopefully final) encounter.

While the rosters aren't out yet, here's this writer's more popular picks for both sides:

ETO YUN E! (Photo credit to Mr. Vic Icasas)

DLSU

PG Mike Cortez
SG Mac Cardona
SF Willy Wilson
PF Rico Maierhofer
C Carlo Sharma

PG TY Tang
SG Jayvee Casio
SG Joseph Yeo
SG Ren Ren Ritualo
SF Ryan Arana
C Don Allado

ADMU

PG LA Tenorio
SG Larry Fonacier
SF JC Intal
PF Rico Villanueva
C Rabah Al Husaini

PF Nonoy Baclao
SG Eric Salamat
C Doug Kramer

From the outside looking in, the Eagles are just bigger, badder and better pound for pound. They have the more traditionally-built players to fill up each position as compared to DLSU's trademark bevy of isolation-heavy superstar combo guards.

Either DLSU runs the press full-time (that is, if coach Franz Pumaren can win over Wilson and Cortez who to this day are reportedly hurting from the whole "benta" and post-UAAP careers "snubbing" incident) or, ADMU coach Norman Black takes the game seriously after losing the PCCL title to an NCAA team, and asks his bigs to go hard.

Villanueva, Kraer, Al Husaini are arguably three of the more promising bigs in the PBA today, and other than Sharma, I don't see Rico Maierhofer trying to draw an offensive foul from any of those bruisers. The way the PBA is right now, there are more UE star alums to choose from than Greens.

Though I bleed Green and White (with some parts Black and Gold), I just don't see how the Green team (chemistry issues and all) wins over the boys in Blue. Credit to the organizers, but I think people would be more interested if they staged a SEVEN GAME SERIES between the San Beda Red Lions vs the San Sebastian Recoletos Stags.

To make it a little more even, the Stags will be reinforced by Philippine Christian University standouts. Shit. Jayson Castro-Jimbo Aquino-Calvin Abueva-Gabby Espinas-Beau Belga VS Escobal-Menor-Pascual-Marcelo-Ekwe. Tangamang yan.

Rajko no more?

Rajko: THIS is the thanks I get? No contract renewals? Nothing?

All signs point to Serbian and SMART Gilas I head coach Rajko Toroman not returning for an encore with the Philippine Men's Basketball team in any basketball-related capacity for the foreseeable future.

Should this be taken as a step back for Philippine basketball, which was praised and predicted to be just "five years away" from the Asian crown by no less than Hall of Famer (and senator) Robert Jaworski Sr.? Or is it a sign that hey, with all the basketball minds we have at our disposal and the endless funding provided by Manny V. Pangilinan et. al., that maybe it's time to move on from the Toroman-era?

Honestly, the biggest factor that separates Toroman from local coaches is recruitment credibility. He's won big before, and that's always a plus when trying to lure in top prospects and foreign reinforcements. Don't give me that "he's familiar with zone defenses" bull, as Jaemark "FireQuinito" Tordecilla once noted, it was his favorite Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio who came up with the more intrinsic zone defensive schemes for SMART Gilas and not the battle-tested Toroman.

We already have a short list of possible replacements, arguably the worse-kept secret in all of Philippine basketball- there's Talk 'n' Text's Chot Reyes, Meralco's Gregorio and finally, Ateneo de Manila University's Norman Black.

Of the three prospects, it's Reyes who is at the forefront given his familiarity with the international scene and success in the Philippine Basketball Association. The last time Reyes called the shots however for the Philippines, he was no different from the much ridiculed campaign of PBA All Stars coached by Yeng Guiao who went isolation heavy and tried to play streetball over a more disciplined approach.

After Reyes comes Black, who definitely looked like he was being groomed for bigger things after he was asked to coach the Sinag Pilipinas team in the Southeast Asian Games. Personally, what Black lacks in coaching moxie (that Reyes has tons of), he makes up with Xs and Os. Usually, star players turned coaches don't succeed as they fail to teach certain, "little" aspects of the game-- not Black. He is as sound as they come, and best of all, has shown that he can develop guys in all positions: JC Intal from sideshow slam dunker to all around scorer, Doug Kramer/ Rabah Al Husaini/ Claiford Arao from blah centers to beasts and Kirk Long from sniper to lockdown defender.

And then, there's Gregorio.

Of the three, Gregorio has surprised us with news of that defensive scheme of his.

And, in case you haven't been watching Meralco games as of late, he's preaching the  double screen up top for his guards much like Rajko did for Jayvee Casio/ Mark Barroca with Marcus Douthit and Kelly Williams.

Also, Gregorio is a player's coach with an undeniable gift of gab that can win over just about anyone.

Would SMART Gilas II's chances be hurt with Rajko's departure? Talent and coaching wise, I say not as much as people would think (hey, have some faith in our local brains!). Scouting and recruitment wise, we'd be lucky to get players who would actually WANT to play for the country instead of being paid to do so.

What the Powerade Tigers' win over the BMeg Llamados means for...

I christen thee, "Bataan Bomber." 

... Bo Perasol, that he can coach against Hall of Fame tacticians such as Tim Cone with the aide of course, by assistant Alex Compton (in case you missed the yesterday's replay of Powerade-Ginebra earlier this conference, Compton was pretty much on the whiteboard while Perasol was watching and nodding like a waterboy).

... Gary David, upstaging the league's most popular team (sorry Ginebra fans, but outside of you guys, BMeg takes the lead with its Visayas and Mindanao fanbase-- that's what having one too many Fil-Ams does to local teams) and its poster boy on all Media fronts, James Yap, to the tune of back-to-back 30 point games. If he's not recognized as the league's best scorer, then I don't know how "bests" are ranked anymore.

... Jayvee Casio, bragging rights over fellow rookie point guard Mark Barroca who was a non-factor in the two games after helping spark the Llamados' 8th game win streak.

... Tim Cone, that he was right all along and that his team is still far from meeting its full potential. But boy, did they peak early huh? Scary thought, all they need now is a legit post up banger or an SG who can actually play lockdown D.

... Rommel Adducul, after a scary bout with some nasal-related disease, is back in the Playoffs where the only other big with the same pedigree as him is Danny Ildefonso.

... James Yap, a sharp learning curve. In just a conference and some change, he learned to play off the basketball. Now, he has enough time to learn how to play consistent, lockdown defense.

... Kerby Raymundo, that he is definitely back as the league's premier low-high post player after a year of battling leg-related injuries.

... Marcio Lassiter, that despite the hype awarded to Rain or Shine's Paul Lee, the crazy efficiency of Petron's Chris Lutz, he is arguably the best wingman in the Quarterfinals to date-- backing up main man Gary David with timely baskets, solid defense and undeniable swag.

... PJ Simon, who is probably just as confused as all of us. They tried to play him as a big, Rodney Santos like point guard which failed. They put him back to his natural SG where he can score but (as proven versus Gary David) can't be called upon to guard a broom. In truth, and even if I myself doubted this before, Simon does belong as a 6th man where he is one of the best scorers out there.

... this writer, who will now refer to David as the "Bataan Bomber." "Mr. Pure Energy Gary D." had its moments and humor, but that was too easy. "El Granada?" Close, but why Spanish when the guy looks every bit Chinoy? "Bataan Bomber." Now THAT's gangsta.

... the Media, on how ridiculously nuts they'd be if Rain or Shine advances and we see a Paul Lee vs Jayvee Casio/ Marcio Lassiter Semis match-up.

... Wilfred Uytengsu and the Alaska Aces hopeful, a big "beh buti nga!" a la Cleveland's Dan Gilbert to you know who.

Ginebra flames out in Game 1, loses to RoS

What a game.

Billed to be one of the more intriguing quarterfinals match-ups in the Philippine Cup, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings- Rain or Shine Elasto Painters game lived up to all the hype and more in a game marred with physicality, Mark Caguioa's hairdo Photoshopped on just about everyone and Yeng Guiao celebrating with his arms up, fist pumping like we've never seen him before.

Lee rises in big games versus Ginebra

And while credit is being given to now Twitter trending topic and RoS rookie Paul Lee, let's not forget the great in-game performances from both camps in RoS' thrilling 112-105 overtime victory.

The Gin Kings were in control early behind the almost God-like sniping of Mark "The Spark" Caguioa who is easily back as the league's premier scoring threat (with Gary David sliding back to being 2nd best). The curled up spitfire guard was drilling jumpers from just about everywhere which opened things up inside for beastly center Rico Villanueva.

Enjoying as much as a 17 point lead, things were starting to get testy with usual suspects such as JR Quinahan, Beau Belga and little-used Gin Kings' center Billy Mamaril. Even RoS' guards Lee and Ryan Arana got into it with Mamaril at one point, and the Kings' own "Cool Cat" Cortez having a word or two with his on court opponents.

While the Gin Kings were drilling shots from everywhere, the Elasto Painters were struggling to find any rhythm over the zone defense. Ronjay Buenafe went back to his indecisive self, Jeffrei Chan couldn't see the light of day (guarded mostly by taller guys such as JC Intal and Nino Canaleta) and Lee was, well, being PBA Paul Lee (why his 3s aren't falling is beyond me, back in college and the amateurs, this guy was good at least 40% of the time). Credit should be given to RoS' Quinahan for playing like a beast and keeping his team in the game.

In the 4th, the Gin Kings were still up but a few hard fouls and some drama here and there quickly changed the tempo of the game. Ginebra wasn't attacking as hard, and RoS went from trying to knockdown jumpers to forcing its way into the lane behind the exploits of "Master Kick-out Artist" Lee.

Once Lee started breaking down the Ginebra zone with drives to the lane (and being fouled), the game was RoS' for the taking. Chan drilled in a three to give RoS' its first taste of the lead in what felt like forever, followed by clutch plays here and there.

Unfortunately, Ginebra answered back with a Willy Wilson save and under-goal stab that sent the game to overtime much to the delight of the good sized Friday crowd.

In OT, the Gin Kings looked a bit lost while RoS was their usual, "take no prisoners" self which saw guys like Gabe Norwood, Lee, Chan, and even beefy Beau Belga take over.

Does Lee deserve all the love for this win? I'd say yes, but not as much as you'd think. Quinahan kept RoS' in it with long balls while his teammates were out of it. Yes, he fouled out, but the technical he drew from a Mike Cortez' second motion allowed his team to inch a little more into the game in the dying moments of regulation.

Lee, love him or not, did the smart thing and started driving into the lane to try and create things for his guys. They say that the only way you can break a zone is to have knockdown shooters-- well, yes, but also if you have a solid ball handler who has the strength enough to battle bigs in the paint which is what Lee is all about.

Did the refs give Lee a lot of FTs to work with? Not at all, the guy was getting hit a lot while chasing guys on defense in the paint. Some of the FTs he took came from technical fouls being his team's designated shooter.

All in all, the biggest difference came from a coaching standpoint. Siot Tangquincen has been tinkering with his line-up for weeks now and when the time came that someone not named Caguioa needed to takeover, guys were afraid of making mistakes.

Guiao on the other hand, has all the faith in the world in his guys (okay, maybe not with Buenafe) and trusted them enough to keep them in the game for long stretches and wasn't going nuts over bad or hurried shots (which RoS did a lot in OT).

Also, too much freelancing for Caguioa (not his fault since he was on fire) that hampered the other guys from getting into any shooting rhythm. Personally, I like John Wilson's "in your face" defense on Lee, and Villanueva should be fed inside the paint a lot more.

Like Fire and Ice: Petron wins over Meralco

2 of the league's Top 3 combo guards: Cabagnot vs Mercado

Slowly but surely, Petron Blaze Boosters point guard Alex Cabagnot is shedding his soft, choker, drama queen tag (rightfully earned by him from Santa Lucia diehards such as this writer) and has even received a new monicker: "Mr. Clutch" as he leads the Boosters quarterfinals campaign.

In this afternoon's match versus the Meralco Bolts, the Boosters started sluggishly with their bigs failing to match the Bolts' Asi Taulava, Reynel Hugnatan, Gabby Espinas and Mark Isip. Still, the Bolts' failed to capitalize as their top guards Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona where being checked by the Boosters at all times.

The game was pretty close in the first three quarters, with both teams exchanging runs and stops but come 4th quarter, the Boosters' Lutz was back to his quiet double digit scoring ways, Arwind Santos was his usual, all-around self, big man Rob Reyes provided the energy and hustle that was missing early-- and oh, Cabagnot went HAM and just took over.

It was bad enough that Mercado couldn't get in his usual rhythm, but the temperamental "Sol Train" was being made to look like a street-balling fool by the "Cool Whip" who finished with a nice 14 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists line.

This early we may be looking at Cabagnot making a run for Most Valuable Player-- the way media voting is in these parts anyway, which may or may not sit well with teammate and franchise cornerstone Santos. Of course, both enjoy the full backing not only of SMC management, but of the VIVA Talent Agency as well (I'm waiting for both to co-star in a Sarah Geronimo/ Anne Curtis movie in 2012).

For the Bolts to force a do-or-die game, they need to get Cardona in rhythm early while Mercado does his usual combo guard thing. The only way the Bolts survive Game 2 and force a do-or-die third game is if Asi Taulava flexes his muscle down low and puts the Boosters' bigs in foul trouble early and not the other way around. Once Taulava controls the paint, things would open up for Cardona, Mercado and even Gabby Espinas who struggled mightily against Santos instead of canceling him out.

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First blood for Powerade, TNT

Do I have your attention now? Under-rated no more,
GD20 is just a win away from moving closer to the Finals 

Don't look now, but the Powerade Tigers are a game away from pulling of a rare upset against PBA Philippine Cup top seed B-Meg Llamados behind the efforts of Gary David and rookie Marcio Lassiter.

David takes care of the scoring, Lassiter provides the quintessential Scottie Pippen: Michael Jordan type of play by picking his spots and playing tight defense while the rest of the guys work on getting possessions for the Tigers' cause.

For the Llamados to win, head coach Tim Cone needs to squeeze whatever defensive tenacity he can from top guns PJ Simon and James Yap who were just as good as their Tigers' counterparts on offense, but not on the other end of the floor.

Daresay Cone might be forced to sit Simon if he continues with his subpar defensive play and try to find someone who can at least challenge David's shots. Yap? We all know he won't be benched anytime soon given his renewed superstar exploits under the triangle.

Should Cone try to put ace defender Marc Pingris on Gary David? I'm not sure if Cone's that much of a wildcard, but we have seen Pingris lockdown smaller, quicker guys (L.A. Tenorio back in a previous Finals match-up against Cone's then own Alaska Aces). This might also allow Cone to bring in more height with Kerby Raymundo and Joe DeVance on the block.

Also, Mark Barroca needs to get more involved in the offense and slash into the lane given his speed (and some height) advantage over the Tigers' Jayvee Casio, Rudy Lingganay and Celino Cruz.

For the Llamados to win, they need to get the Tigers' guards in foul trouble and force the ball out of their hands. This ploy would put the pressure on the Tigers' bigs Doug Kramer, Rommel Adducul and Alex Crisano-- and based on their collective talent, they're more bangers/ enforcers than go-to-guys.

In the other game, the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters continue to win despite an injury-plagued line-up behind the brilliance of guard Jayson Castro.

True Grit: Can't take the ball away from The Blur

We will probably never know how to properly classify Castro, other than him being a combo guard and the Pinoy version of the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, who scored the game-winning lay-up over the Barako Bull Energy's Dylan Ababou to send the darkhorses home on an 81-79 count.

While I placed my bet on the Energy based on their veterans' collective pride led by Mick Penissi and Willie Miller, the Texters answered back with sheer heart. Reigning MVP Jimmy Alapag suited up to score 15, Ryan Reyes-- while still hobbling, played a few minutes and Japeth Aguilar was as in control as we could ever hope for.

The victory allows the Texters to recuperate since they won't be playing until January while it's back to the drawing board for the inconsistent Energy.

SE it isn't so

Se took the: "no blood, no foul"
a little too seriously

The Bully from Bicol. The Bicolano Bruiser. The Big Enforcer. Mr. Here Comes the Pain. The Bad Guy.

Arguably some of the many (though a little negative) WWE-esque monickers that could've been used to describe the 6"6 former San Sebastian and now former Shopinas.Com Clickers standout Homer Se for the duration of his basketball career. Picked 5th overall in the 2002 draft by the Red Bull Barakos under head coach Yeng Guiao, Se comes from an underrated yet high-valued lineage of big league bruisers such as the JayR Quinahans, Jondan Salvadors, Caloy Loyzagas, Rudy Distritos, and Wilmer Ongs.

Yung player na alam mong pag pinasok, hindi pwedeng walang hindi masaktan.

What's nice about Se is that, he's not just another banger in paint. The guy actually has legit post-up game (though never asked to score) and can make a jumper or two in tight games. In the pros, Se suited up for the Barakos, Air21 Express, Barangay Ginebra before retiring for a year and a half and later coming back with the Clickers under coach Franz Pumaren.

And while Se had a rather forgetful Philippine Cup-- enforcer-wise, he was outshone/ outdone by teammate Ogie Menor, there's no denying that pound for pound, if you needed someone to protect his teammates out on the floor (or give up hard and heavy fouls to make slashing opponents think twice), Se belongs somewhere in the Top 10.

Philippine Cup Quarterfinals Match-ups

Hand on the ass, eyes on the prize

B-Meg Llamados (1) vs Powerade Tigers (8)

Man for man, the Tigers actually boast of sufficient personnel to challenge the heavily-favored and somewhat over-achieving Llamados. PGs Jayvee Casio and Rudy Lingganay are good enough to keep in step with Josh Urbiztondo and Andy Barroca. SG Gary David edges PJ Simon as far as being clutch is concerned but both are up there in the league's best scorers, SF Marcio Lassiter has enough "swag" to keep in step with 2x MVP James Yap-- and even make the Escalente native work on the defensive end. Sean Anthony's energy, though not as defensively skilled as Marc Pingris, is acceptable enough. Personally, this series is where the Llamados' Kerby Raymundo will shine the brightest. I don't expect him to pull down double doubles,  but the Tigers don't have anyone well-equipped to handle Raymundo in the shaded area. The Tigers have Doug Kramer, Rommel Adducul and Alex Crisano-- but most of them are traditional bangers and are a step or two slower than the one time National Player. And oh, Tim Cone vs Bo Perasol. Really? Really.

Prediction: Llamados
Must see TV: Casio vs Barroca, Lassiter vs Yap, Pingris' french swag vs Crisano's tattoos, Baby James on the sidelines and Quinito Henson talking about the younger Yap's keen fashion sense

Talk n Text Tropang Texters (2) vs Barako Bull Energy (7)

I smell an upset and maybe Texters fans will crucify me for this, but the Bulls are in good shape to win two games over their qfinals opponent. The Energy, comprised mostly of savvy veterans who may coast for a game or two during the eliminations, know how to win in big games. They have the talent, and most of all, are healthy enough to overtake the injury-plagued Texters. While I would never doubt the heart of a  proud champion (which the Texters are), if Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, Jimmy Alapag all sit out or are not at 100% , I don't see how Willie Miller, Danny Seigle, Dorian Pena and Mick Pennisi would allow the golden opportunity to give their old teams a big FU by moving on to the next round slip from their fingertips.

Prediction: Energy
Must see TV: Japeth Aguilar looking like Dorian Pena's b*tch on the rebounding end (if you want to be the man, you have to beat the man. This is where having Harvey Carey down in the block pays dividends)

Petron Blaze Boosters (3) vs Meralco (6)

Arwind Santos vs Gabby Espinas. I've been repeatedly stressing how, there was once a time when Espinas was deemed better than Santos. Yes, Santos was doing amazing things with the FEU Tamaraws even back in the day, but Espinas was down right BEASTING the opposition in such a way that San Beda had to resort to getting a 6"7 Nigerian to shut this guy down and prevent him from grabbing rebounds in a taller, black Calvin Abueva kind of way. But then, things didn't work out as well for Espinas in the pros while Santos flourished with his all around game. This series could be the opening Espinas needs to get back into the basketball limelight. Do I see the Bolts pulling off an upset over the Boosters? Not really, but they will give them problems as this team, as disorganized and isolation heavy as it may be from time to time, matches up well with Coach Ato's boys. Also, all bets are off when Sol Mercado's jumpers are falling and if he starts kamikaze driving his way to the rim.

Prediction: Boosters
Must see TV: Mac Cardona vs the Petron faithful, Sol Mercado vs Chris Lutz, Asi vs Demolition Man, Alex Cabagnot vs a bad hair day

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (4) vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5)

Wow. Talk about a battle for the ages- the Gin Kings versus the 2011 version of coach Yeng Guiao's original Batang Red Bull Thunder earlier this decade. The EPainters are looking more and more like a team that can be cheered for by the masa fans with their Pinoy style and swagger while the Gin Kings, though challenged by BMeg as of late, are still the crowd darlings of Philippine basketball. If the EPainters take control of the tempo and slow the game down, then they can pull off the wins behind their beefier frontline (Extra Rice, Inc.), top shooters (Jeffrei Chan) and savvy slashers (Ryan Arana, Jireh Ybanez, Paul Lee). If the Gin Kings were to dictate the tempo to their run and gun liking, then it's over. The EPainters don't have enough athletic bigs to cope up if the Gin Kings were to speed things up and may be forced to give up one too many fouls. Also, it would be quite interesting if Ginebra coach Siot Tangquincen will still stick to PG Rob Labagala vs the bigger Paul Lee (who's coming off an injury) or if he'll go with Mike Cortez (that would be nice, PBA-era Cool Cat vs someone who plays like the DLSU-era Cool Cat).

Prediction: 50-50 split
Must see TV: Lee vs Caguioa, Belga & Quinahan vs Menk & Villanueva, Gabe Norwood vs the paint, hard fouls and physical contact in general

James Yap Redux

When James Carlos Yap first barged into the limelight via the University of the East Red Warriors, fans were raving more about his looks than his game. We'd see flashes of his potential to be one of the game's best, but then he'd either choke in the clutch or suffer from a mysterious case of 4th quarter cramps (which he did a lot in big games in the UAAP).

James Yap: On the right path to greatness under Tim Cone

Then came all the showbiz affiliations and marital affairs that pushed Yap more as a celebrity rather than a solid basketball player. It was rather convenient for commentators to keep buzzing about Yap, who has become a household name, rather than players who were actually having better games at the time because that was what the fans wanted. Daresay that of the two Most Valuable Player trophies Yap has been blessed with, one should've gone to B-Meg Llamados teammate Kerby Raymundo (first one) while the other to a more deserving player.

Even Mico Halili has misguidedly credited Yap to be the "man with a million moves" when in reality, Yap just does thing prettier than others- shoot jumpers while looking like he's sitting on air, palm the ball Nelson Asaytono-style and so on. Personally, I'd give that monicker to Willie Miller (name a player who has more offensive creativity with Miller and you'd probably go with Mark Caguioa-- but even he doesn't have half the post-up game of WM11).

But this Philippine Cup, things are starting to change for Yap. He's becoming more efficient with the basketball, he's starting to take over games when it matters and not sitting idly by while guys like Raymundo or PJ Simon call their own numbers-- and lastly, he's back to just playing basketball and not caring about how he looks on the court.

Credit has to go to Llamados' coach Tim Cone, who still preaches the triangle offense quite considerably, but has also allowed his stars to freelance from time to time and have a feel for the game.

In my mind, Yap has always had the tools to become a mega star in a league of superstars. The only reason why we haven't seen him dominate as much, or take too many ill-advised shots and settle for jumpers is because no one has called him out yet.

His previous coach, Ryan Gregorio, preached isolation plays more than anything. While this helped Yap and co. put up the numbers (and wins), it stymied the players' growth individually. Yap was being asked to score so much, that he wasn't able to develop his passing and off-the-ball skills which showed when he suited up for the Philippine National Team (once his shots weren't falling for him, he just stood outside the three point line waiting for kick-outs).

That's not the case with Cone-- a more technical coach whose offensive system dictates where his players should be on the floor at all times.

Earlier in the conference, Yap was clearly struggling with his role. Yes, he was still putting up the Yap-ish numbers, but you could feel that he was being tentative at times on the floor. Lately, with the Llamados' eight game winning streak (where the roles have been defined), Yap is at the forefront of the offense without dominating possessions.

Now if only Yap could further improve on his defense, then a 3rd MVP might not be that far off given the Llamados strong chances this year (with Cone at the helm and teammates all still within their primes).

The PBA is BACK!

Great job PBA, AKTV!

I just read a rather disturbing entry on one of our fellow basketbloggers' site that enumerates why he has lost all hopes for the PBA. Pointing out how the league has lost its splendor with all the sister teams and lopsided trades, and of how no true superstar has come to take the cudgels for the Jaworskis, Patrimonios and Caidics of yesteryears.

While this entry would've been better had I gotten hold of PBA gate receipts, here are some of the things that I've seen this season that has made me believe that the love for Asia's oldest play-for-pay league is slowly on the rise if not back at this point.

1. Well attended weekday games
Weekend games are a given, specially if the top tier teams are on the headlines. But a good sized crowd on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for a Barako Bulls match? That's what having a bunch of veterans with starpower does for any team I guess.

2. Substance over style
Today, I argue that Jaworski was known more for his mega personality rather than his gameplay. He was a big point guard, yes, but not necessarily the best of his time. But he had everything you wanted from a TV basketball superstar- height, looks, appeal and the gift of gab which wasn't big among players back in the day. Now, we have guys who are not great on TV, but are just plain beasts on the court. Jayson Castro is arguably the best slasher in the league today. Mark Caguioa's brash attitude is tolerated only because he's with Ginebra but other than that you can't trust him to pitch anything. Arwind Santos is hands down the best Filipino basketball player on BOTH ends of the court today and all he has to his name is a roof sealant. See? They're not TV showbiz types, but they are legit, world class basketball players. Even James Yap looks a lot better minus the Kris Aquino bullshit and when he's just out there on the court.

3. SMART Gilas effect
When the MBA folded, the PBA's popularity dipped a bit because we saw players who were coasting (hello pre-Kelly Williams Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino). But create a little competition, say, the SMART Gilas team and call out the PBA's stars, and you're bound to draw a lot of interest. That's what happened this year, with all the Gilas boys "graduating" to the pros. We all wanted to see if they could hack it with the big boys, and hack it they did. It also gave the younger generation, future basketball players so to speak, reason to dream for the pros knowing that hey, college stars- not just flashy Fil-Ams, are being rewarded for their efforts and recognized in the PBA (Paul Lee, Jayvee Casio).

4. AKTV
I can't speak for the Southern regions, but a lot of love should be thrown AKTV's way. Who cares if it's run by MVP who just so happens to own two franchises in the PBA? We're still getting great coverages and being treated to acceptable commentating by Mico Halili, Magoo Marjon, Jason Webb, Quinito Henson and BOY BENGA! Yes, he's that famous that we won't even call him Chiqui Reyes anymore. BOY BENGA na lang. And when he finally gets to step in for Ms Patricia Hizon at the AKTV Center, we shall christen it "HOUSE OF BENGA."

5. Kampihan Na plug
Another brilliant move by the AKTV team. Yes, they featured players over teams, but they didn't go with just "James Yap vs Mark Caguioa" or "Arwind Santos vs Kelly Williams." They went with styles. Shot blocker vs Scorer. Shooter vs Slasher. Malaki kontra maliit. Something every basketball fan could easily relate to regardless of affiliation. Sometimes AKTV drops the ball (Mark Yee on website banners FTW), but mostly, it's been all aces from where I sit.

Lastly, and I guess the biggest factor of it all, is that the PBA has a credible commissioner in Chito Salud who seems to enjoy the support of the league and its board. They respect his decisions, even when he intervenes in lopsided trades. Yes, he gets outfoxed at times, but on a per case basis, he almost always delivers by pushing for parity and fair play. We're not looking at an old timer who could be bullied like Sonny Barrios, or a controversial personality like Noli Eala, what we have here is a man driven to make the product stand out for itself-- as it should be.

From a life-long PBA fan, great job to the whole PBA family!

P.S.

If only you could tell boss MVP to buy more satellites so I can watch the games whenever I'm on business down South? KTNXBYE. :)

Baculi's bull-ish approach dooms Energy

Grind it out or run and gun? Baculi's Energy needs an identity

Usually I'm on the side of coaches whenever their teams take a hit. It's one thing to draw up plays and throw out 30-second motivational speeches, it's another to have five guys execute what you just said or illustrated on a grimy whiteboard.

But after watching the Barako Bulls Energy's up and down campaign in the Philippine Cup where they are at risk of placing 7th going into the Quarterfinals, there's no other person to blame but head coach Junel Baculi.

Granted the Energy are made up more of veterans than hungry youngsters, but if Baculi really wanted to win games instead of padding his veteran stars' stats and egos maybe he should've taken a younger approach to things.

Looking at the roster, it could've gone either way: grind it out, old school basketball powered by Wyne Arboleda, Willie Miller, Danny Seigle, Dorian Pena and Mick Penissi or a run and gun system behind Paul Artadi, then Energy player rookie Allein Maliksi, Sunday Salvacion, Dylan Ababou and Leo Najorda.

Instead, fans were treated to a rag tag team that had near bizarre rotations with Ababou and Seigle playing together, almost canceling each other out by being the exact same players (if it didn't work at Petron with Jay Washington and Arwind Santos, it won't work anywhere), Miller passing when he should be scoring, Don Allado playing when Dorian Pena (or the now MIA Jondan Salvador) was needed to provide some muscle in the shaded area and so on.

The Maliksi trade for Aquino also hurt the Energy-- one, by reestablishing what we all know-- that the Lina franchise is only in the PBA to make extra money on trades, and two, subconsciously hurting the guys left on the rosters' egos/ feelings as them being possible future trade baits.

Of course, there are games when everything goes for the Energy and their vets play like role players on the end of a contract. Then, there are times (as expected from older teams) when they look lethargic but are still forced to produce by Baculi and his staff.

Hopefully, we see more of young guys Ababou and underrated forward Leo Najorda in the Quarters (and next conference). Do I still consider this team as a darkhorse in the Philippine Cup? Not really, I'm going with Powerade at this point, but I wouldn't count out the Energy to at least challenge whoever they're facing in the next round (if it's the injury-saddled Talk n Text Tropang Texters, then you can bet on the Energy to pull off an upset based on their veterans' pride alone-- playing against 2nd stringers and all).

End of the road for Alaska

Growing pains for Tenorio and young Aces

Following last night's 97-100 defeat to the Philippine Cup leading Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters, it's definitely back to the drawing board for coach Joel Banal and his Aces.

This conference, the Aces found themselves doing a little too much too soon. Yes, they kept the Triangle Offense as earlier promised by coach Banal, but they also incorporated a more concerned approach to the low post (which is probably another intricacy of the Triangle but not the norm since we usually see it being set up via the high post).

You can't really fault coach Banal for this, since he has two of the best young post players in cornerstone Sonny Thoss and the emerging JayR Reyes. Quite frankly, you won't find a better post player than Reyes (when he's focused) other than veterans Danny Ildefonso and Kerby Raymundo. While you'd be hard-pressed to find someone near the rebounding and boxing out skills of Thoss with the same size and strength (no, Joe DeVance surely doesn't count and we're still waiting on Rob Reyes).

The problem this coach potato fan blogger sees other than the "too much, too soon" bit are injuries to star L.A. Tenorio, the sudden dip in Cyrus Baguio's performance (he had nice games such as yesterday's, but all in all was very inconsistent), and finally, a sudden lack of depth-- which shouldn't have been the case.

Truth be told, the Aces had a boat load of untested guys waiting their turn on the bench. Since the whole Philippine Cup campaign looked more like a try-out/ practice to build familiarity and cohesion, it's a wonder why they didn't send in their other guys and experimented with the rotation some more.

For one, Eric Salamat could've slid to the PG spot to spell Tenorio. We're not saying that Salamat is a PBA-caliber starting PG, but surely he has enough handles, IQ and moxy to not make a fool of himself out there.

Also, a Tenorio-Tony de la Cruz-Mac Baracael-Reyes-Thoss line-up would've been very intriguing to say the least. Yes, TDLC doesn't have the footspeed to slash into the paint, but then the Aces could've played Euro-style and opened the floor a lot more for their bigs with Tenorio and TDLC sniping from outside.

Defense? TDLC, Baracael and Thoss has that covered.

The silver lining out of the Aces' failed Philippine Cup campaign is that they now have a conference under their young belts and, given the roster, there's no other way else to go but up.