The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Hay salamat Panginoon at natupad
ang dasal ko na mabalik sa contender

What a day it has been for local professional basketball-- while it may not look like much, anytime you can get five teams to agree on a deal that would have ten guys changing uniforms no matter their status in the league, this "mega deal" could prove to help balance a top heavy PBA come next conference.

To summarize, here are the guys who were part of the trade and where they have landed:

Ronald Tubid: Petron Blaze Boosters
Mac Baracael: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Aldrech Ramos: Alaska Aces
Alex Mallari, Leo Najorda and Lester Alvarez: San Mig Coffee
JC Intal, Jonas Villanueva, Allein Maliksi and Jojo Duncil: Barako Bull Energy

Now to help keep things interesting (and give us entries to have fun with while waiting for the Commissioner's Cup to start), we will split the entries into three parts. Since San Mig Coffee and Barako Bull got the most players out of the deal, it is only just that we give those teams separate entries all to themselves.

Payong Kaibigan: A Tale of Two Eagles Part 2

Ako ba pinag uusapan nila?

Author's note: While there are thousands of basketball bloggers out here on the Internet world, this writer wishes to separate himself somewhat by coming up with this small space we'd like to call Payong Kaibigan (first effort was to refrain from immature heckling/ cat-calling and posting any showbiz-oriented/ malicious). We will touch on certain professional basketball players plying their trade in the Philippines and critique their overall game-- identifying what we see as their strengths and areas of improvement.

Of course, we could easily and unimaginatively just go with tagging them as being "one-dimensional" or even bano, but we're not that great a basketball player or legit coach to be in the position to do so. We could only call them out, in hopes of them improving in these areas to further their careers. We'll try our very best to keep everything constructive.


With the operating word being "try."

Here we go again.

Don't Cry for Rain or Shine

Tiu-torial's now in session
Photo courtesy of Interaksyon.com)

As painful as being swept from the PBA Philippine Cup Finals may seem, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and their ever-growing fanbase should not feel sorry for themselves. While others were caught off guard by the way this team was blatantly man-handled by the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters in four games, don't forget that this is still an over-achieving roster that doesn't feature household names as compared to 8 of the 10 teams in the league.

We say that because truthfully, even the hapless and rebuilding GlobalPort Batang Pier has established stars like Willie Miller and Gary David on the fold. This team? They have the all-around 10-5-5 guy Gabe Norwood, followed by two young studs who are still trying to make a name for themselves in reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Lee and streak shooter Jeffrei Chan. The rest of the guys on the roster wouldn't even make a Team SMC or MVP rotation-- rising Jervy Cruz included (undersized power forwards don't make waves anymore in the PBA unless they're a hybrid like Alaska's Calvin Abueva).

So what's next for the Elastopainters following the blowout?

HIS3: Texters win rare 3-peat

Norman Black steers "new" Texters
to 1st title under Black Magic Era

Congratulations to the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters for winning the PBA Philippine Cup and pulling off a rare 3-peat to take home the coveted Jun Bernardino Perpetual Trophy via a 4-0 sweep!

It was an amazing, lopsided affair right from the get go as the Rain or Shine Elastopainters never got into any form of rhythm owing to the Texters' intensity and focus. Before anything else though, our hats off to the Elastopainters for putting up a tough fight despite the clear disparity in talent and roster. The Yeng Guiao coached team tried their darndest, spreading the ball, looking for the open guy and playing defense the right (and surprisingly honest/ clean) way but unfortunately for them they just ran right smack into a team that, thanks to all the rough-housing care of up-and-coming Alaska, decided to get back into work and focus at the task at hand.

Kumbaga, ung isa ang gamit sa pagkabit ng poster thumbtacks. Ung isa, gun tacker.

On the right track for Gilas Pilipinas

Stop El-Khatib? Wright? Iranian's wings?
Keep calm and Pingris.

Author's note: Before anything and everything else, let us all take the time to thank Manny V. Pangilinan for all he has done for Philippine basketball. To put and push everything aside, and concede his own SMART brand (despite him having all the rights to put it there since it's his money that's the lifeblood of the team in the first place) if it meant that the other PBA owners would allow their employees to join the national cause-- that's just inspiring and something we should appreciate and laud. This isn't politics wherein you're not supposed to be branding this and that, he's the chief financial sponsor of a team that he put together with his money. He dresses them, feeds them and puts them in fancy hotels. He could have chosen not to, and he doesn't really need all the Silent War drama between Team SMC and his own Team MVP-- but he has done so (patiently at that) all for the glory of the sport that we have adopted as our own.

Mabuhay ka MVP! Wag ka lang tatakbong presidente, para hindi ka abusuhin ng iba.

Now that we can move on from the whole branding issue and have gotten the commitment of the other PBA owners in terms of assembling the best men's basketball team to represent the country in the coming FIBA-Asia qualifiers, here's a complete 15-man roster of who we believe should be part of the new and improved Gilas Pilipinas.

Date with destiny for Texters

Texters: blue-collar
and no-frills basketball

As the mighty Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters set their sights on winning the PBA Philippine Cup for the third straight year and earning for themselves the beautiful Jun Bernardino Perpetual Trophy, let's not forget when this "commitment to winning" all began to take shape.

Granted, no one forms a PBA team to simply be part of Asia's first, premier basketball league (okay, with the exception of any and all Lina franchises)-- they're all here to win titles and contend for years. That's how teams are built, with dreams of confetti raining down the high ceilings of the glorious and historic SMART Araneta Coliseum and fans and supporters of the winning team lost in jubilation. The Texters enjoyed some degree of success during their formative years, they built it around one Asi Taulava-- a 6"9 Fil-Tonggan who is a legit behemoth compared to his peers at the center position.

ABL: All eyes on "Our Time" Beermen

Mr. Short Shorts

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

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

Top 10 things that would spice up the PBA Finals

Thank you for the 90s.
Now please retire before you embarrass yourself
even further. Or give out a lame moniker.

10. Bring back the AKTV Center
We understand that Mico Halili, Jason Webb and Magoo Marjon are all preoccupied doing live commentary, and that Aaron Atayde is doing his thing and holding the fort at some impromptu set within the compounds of whichever arena the games are being played-- but we seriously miss the silver and red set with LCDs. Sometimes we wonder, if Richard del Rosario's episode with the well-endowed ring girl played a role in the AKTV Center's "hiatus."

9. Less TV time for Quinito Henson
Did "The Dean" really say that Rain or Shine's power forward Jervy Cruz a.k.a. "Young Alvin Patrimonio" can play and dominate the 3, 4 and 5 positions? He's already under sized at the four and that's where we'd like to keep him, but seriously, when the hell did it ever cross anyone's mind-- Jervy's included, that the former King UST Tiger play the SMALL FORWARD position? Also, it's getting really embarrassing for his co-anchors (we feel for you Mico Halili) to try and ignore all the B.S. that Henson spews like he hasn't been doing his homework as of late.

Roll over and die

TABE! Dadaan ang Hari
(Photo from PhilStar.Com)

In yet another sleepwalker of a game that should serve as a demoralizer more than anything else to the "growing" Rain or Shine Elastopainters' "Bayan ng Rain or Shine," the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters put on a clinic on how basketball is played by the elite.

Again the Texters were in full control of the game despite enjoying only slim margins going into the fourth. Again the Elastopainters seemed to have forgotten what brought them to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals-- their aggressiveness and relentlessness on the basketball (coupled with some heavyweight physicality). There's no going around this one, they were just beat. Bullied into submission save for the mini-run that they were able to muster in the 3rd and 4th quarters which were easily doused with ice waters which runs through the veins of the Texters' Ranidel de Ocampo (and shared by Larry Fonacier and Jimmy Alapag-- just pick you poison really).

Stronger, better, faster

Jared's O trumped Gabe's D in Game 1

There’s a school of thought that dictates this to be “just another PBA Philippine Cup Finals” and that we’re simply looking at two teams who just so happen to have won over the rest of the field. That there’s nothing remarkably earth-shattering or historic about this series other than one of the combatants, the Talk ‘n’ Text Tropang Texters, wanting to take home the beautiful Jun Bernardino Perpetual trophy.

If you just nodded your head in agreement, dumbfounded with the point that we’re trying to make and left scratching your head asking “what else are we missing?” then we have this say this to you with all distaste:

Shame on you!

Abueva > Hodge

Pantay sa hustle, pero sa gulang,
diskarte at laro lamang si Abueva di hamak

Now that the dust has settled and all the smoke has cleared, let's lay one of this season's top arguments to rest: that the Meralco Bolts' Clifford Hodge and the Alaska Aces' Calvin Abueva are the same player. Hell, some even argued that Hodge is better than Abueva.

Counting all the games, Abueva averaged 27 minutes and put up 14 points and 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block and 2 turnovers. Hodge played 30 minutes, scored 10 points and pulled down 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Abueva has under his belt a number of double double games while Hodge only has one to speak of. And before you say that their numbers are almost identical, don't forget that the 3 rebounds disparity shouldn't be taken for granted considering Abueva is 6"1 1/2 shifting from small forward to power forward in the Aces' rotation while Hodge is 6"5 and plays the power forward position for the Bolts.

So yeah, Abueva > Hodge. Right now.

PBA Finals: New vs Old School of Pinoy Basketball

Whichever guard dictates early,
wins the Finals

On one side, you have a team brimming with talented, high basketball IQ athletes who can run the full 48 minutes without whining about fatigue or off nights. They are cerebral, gifted and clutch. They can score in many ways both inside and out and do not rely on one guy alone to win basketball games. They are the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

On the other end of the floor, you have a team of over-achievers whose frontline would finish dead last in a league-wide 5k dash. What they lack in athleticism, speed and vertical prowess, they make up for with craftiness, excellent positioning and crisp passing. They have two guys who can go toe-to-toe with the league's best and even win them a game or two in Paul Lee and Jeffrei Chan, but most nights they just win because they share the wealth and find open guys. These are the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

Texters show poise, tries for 3-peat

Castro was just too fast for Casio et al

We're not sure about the early days, but in the last 20 years no PBA team has successfully defended the Philippine (then All Filipino) Cup for three straight years. History is about to change however if the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters have their way after dismissing the young Alaska Aces in tonight's "you reach, I teach" Game 6 clincher.

We say and quote the great Michael Jordan simply because that's how the Texters played the game. The Aces were battling, scrapping for points behind rookie phenom Calvin "The Beast" Abueva and were in it despite off nights from guards JVee Casio and Cyrus Baguio but they were never really able to take control of the game thanks to the poise shown by the Texters.

A tale of three coaches

Sumusunod sa galaw mo
(Photo from Spin.Ph)

With the rebuilding process already underway for the teams that have been eliminated in the Philippine Cup, reports have it that there will be three new head coaches come next conference. One is a fiery long-haired mentor whose claim to fame is winning in the amateurs and letting his hair down with victories. Another is the epitome of 1970s Pinoy Macho, complete with pomade and porn-stache. Then there's another one, who hasn't signed yet but is rumored to be going that direction, a guy who reminds you of your favorite odd uncle who laughs with you most of the time but will call you out with curses the next to straighten you out.

Alfrancis Chua (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
The writing was on the wall the very first time the pony-tailed tactician made an appearance on the Ginebra sidelines. Fans were clamoring for change, the players were becoming restless with the oddball rotation and rolls being handed them-- the timing couldn't have been better for Chua to step in. Though it took two-three conferences to happen, probably so that Chua can have a feel for the team first, Ginebra desperately needed change. Players weren't responding quite as well to former coach Siot Tangquincen's system and there were a lot of head-scratching decisions being made left and right. The last we saw of Chua (we're Santa Lucia diehards, we know how he is), he is a guy who preaches the run-and-gun system and is very strict.

Rain or Shine triumphs, heads to Pinoy Cup Finals

Sige mag usap muna kayo jan,
ititira ko muna ito

For the record, the San Mig Coffee Mixers did whatever they could to try and salvage a win and extend the series for another night. And though top gun, 2x PBA Most Valuable Player, James Yap had another rough outing (relentlessly being hounded by the Rain or Shine Elastopainters) their other superstar PJ Simon went to work early to give the Mixers the lead in the first half.

Simon looked to be unstoppable, as he kept draining jumper after jumper right at hapless Paul Lee's grill as though the bald-headed reigning PBA Rookie of the Year wasn't there. Marc Pingris also looked like he was up for another big night, jumping all over the place and hauling down monstrous one-handed rebounds over the Elastopainters' frontline. Then there was also Joe DeVance, taking advantage of the mismatch in skillset and scoring time and again against either smaller or slower defenders asked to guard him. Truly, save for Yap going AWOL, everything was clicking for the Mixers. Even when things started to get chippy the Mixers appeared to be well in control, ending the first half with a Yap triple (which, for Mixers fans, was a great sign).

Then came the second half.

PBA New Year's Resolutions and Wishes

10. Teams (coaches specifically) Refrain From Whining About the Physicality
It's how the league is, and while some of the coaches are stuck in the 90s and the earlier parts of 2000, the PBA now preaches a highly-physical and competitive brand of basketball. It makes for more adversity, it brings out the craftiness of each player and is highly entertaining from a TV audience standpoint because of our natural bloodlust (what's a wild swing here and there from time to time among peers?)

BRICK!

9. Players work on their mid-range game
Most of today's players are stuck in two gears: lay-up/ dunk and three point shot. Sol Mercado is the biggest culprit here, imagine if he had a stop-and-pop pull-up jumper to go to? Or even a Jayson Castro? That would be the day. It would also be good for the younger generation because they'll see that a jumpshot is just as good as a dunk. That for all the flash of a James Yap (carry) lay-up, it scores just the same amount of points as a Larry Rodriguez corner pocket jumper.

Whatever happened to Paul Lee

Asan na ung Angas ng Tondo?

Basketball is a team sport, it is not played by any certain individual no matter how dominant he may be on the hard court. A guy can score 100 points, average 50 for his career and still have only about a handful of rings while other, lesser talented individuals win more than you have fingers (Wilt Chamberlain: Bill Russel). There are times however, when these "superstars" stand out just because of what they can do and how others need to adjust to them.

For the San Mig Coffee Mixers, there's James Carlos Yap. The 2x PBA MVP who has become so unparalleled that it took a highly-motivated, vastly improved Jireh Ibanes of the Rain or Shine Elastopainters (with some help from today's "loose" PBA officiating that allows holds, grabs, bumps and what not) to keep him at bay (not even stop him, just enough to keep him from blowing up and dropping 30 points). Yap has been the barometer for his team in the on-going series between the Mixers and Elastopainters. When he's off, they lose, and the only time they won with him having an awful game (Game 5), it took a concerted effort among his teammates to do so.

#LetAbuevaBeAbueva

If a guy gives you 100% on the floor,
how can you afford to get mad at him

It's funny how a lot of people, Alaska Aces "fans" or not, were quick to call out Aces' rookie Calvin Abueva for his now famed "fumble" of the basketball when he chose to take matters into his own hands to try and cut a 3 point deficit to 1 in the closing seconds of yesterday's 99-95 loss to the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

The original play designed by Coach Luigi Trillo called for a three from JVee Casio (who was blowing hot and cold yesterday-- mostly cold in the 1st three quarters before he realized that he needed to start putting up shots). There were other options as well, but Abueva was the only guy who the Texters "allowed" to receive the basketball. Abueva, mindful of his spotty three point shooting, chose to go hard to the rim versus Jarred Dillinger but ended up dribbling the ball against his knee for the turnover.

Joe-Ping come up big for Mixers

Pingris: Laban!

The San Mig Coffee Mixers live to fight another day as they triumphed over the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in last night's grind-it-out slugfest known as Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals.

Led by a defiant Marc Pingris who started at center once again (a ploy used by Coach Tim Cone to erase the Elastopainters' pick-and-roll advantage), the Mixers came out swinging. Not with jabs, but with haymakers all designed to force the action inside. On the flipside, the Elastopainters were settling for one too many long balls as the Mixers did a yeoman's job in clogging up the paint. It also didn't help the Elastopainters' cause that they opted to go for a more perimeter-oriented starting five (Chris Tiu, Jeffrei Chan, Gabe Norwood, Larry Rodriguez and Beau Belga) and took too long to adjust.

Yeng Guiao 3, Tim Cone 1

Uhm, hi Coach Tim. My name is Jonas.
Read the plaque. KTNXBYE.

At some point, you'd have to raise some concerns about San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone and his ability to bring out the best from his players. We know that he can coach the Xs and Os, we know that he can work wonders, but his Rain or Shine counterpart Yeng Guiao sure as hell is making him look amateur-ish this series.

There's the over-reliance on his starters, failing to draw up any other play for any other guy who just so happens to be open on the floor. The ball movement is slow and predictable, the offense is always run through 1) James Yap 2) PJ Simon 3) Mark Barroca and that's pretty much it. Joe DeVance is there, but he only gets his touches when he's the one bringing the ball up (have to give the man props for trooping to the paint, but still). Where's JC Intal? Where's the bench-- they still have guys that can contribute beginning with the returning Jonas Villanueva, big man Yancy de Ocampo (who appears to have lost whatever hard-earned confidence Cone had in him early this Philippine Cup), rookie Aldrech Ramos and Wesley Gonzales.

Texters dominant over gun-shy Aces

Machine Gun Kelly

This was as ugly a semifinals basketball game could get.

Players from both Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters and the Alaska Aces were jittery, they were over eager and looked to be out of their collective wits on the floor to start. Thankfully, PBA MVP and the heart and soul of the Texters' attack-- Jimmy Alapag, got the starting nod from Coach Norman Black and decided to take over the game without putting up points.

Alapag went to work early, looking for his bigs and making them work the Aces' frontline relentlessly. Kelly Williams, another former PBA MVP, shone thanks to Alapag always making sure to keep him involved in the offense. The adjustment made by Coach Black was clear: make the Aces' prized big man Sonny Thoss work hard on defense.

Building PBA San Miguel Gilas

Sila? Lalaro sa SMART Gilas? WEH.
San Miguel Gilas pa, pwede.

We already know the story and no matter how frustrating and "head-scratching" it may be, we are bound to see another FIBA-bound Philippine men's basketball team that features only half (a third even) of the league's best players (if any, depending on their availability).

Fortunately for us, we live in a world of Freedom of Speech and Expression. This allows us to conjure such discussions that may or may not see the light of day. It's not a secret, the PBA has allowed its players to be on loan to the national team-- depending on their respective mother team's of course. That's why Arwind Santos, arguably the PBA's best two-way basketball player the last three-four years, will not wear PILIPINAS on his chest any time soon (unless he gets traded elsewhere).

So, in the name of Christmas cheer, here's our "fantasy" All-San Miguel "Gilas" basketball team which looks to be pretty stacked on all fronts (making it even more frustrating):

Mental Toughness key for Mixers

Instead of working the refs,
Mixers need to go to work

The San Mig Coffee Mixers blew out the Rain or Shine Elastopainters just a few days ago, everyone thought that it would help turn the series in their corner and that they were in control. Well the "Nightmare on Christmas" happened, as the Elastopainters easily and handily returned the favor and sacked the Mixers in a demoralizing 98-72 fashion.

Elastopainters' head coach Yeng Guiao was right on two accounts: that his team had "more stoppers than they (Mixers) have scorers (James Yap and PJ Simon)" and also that the "burden of adjustments" fall squarely on Mixers' head coach Tim Cone et. al. There's no other way to go about it, it seems as though all the Elastopainters have to do to win the series is to "stay the course" which is to play to their trademark: aggressive, physical and relentless style. When they're sticking to the Mixers, hustling for the basketball and doing the little things such as Jireh Ibanes getting into Yap's face even when the 2x PBA MVP isn't even the focus of a play, it will translate to an Elastopainter victory no matter how close/ far the scores are.

As for the Mixers, they have no one else to blame but themselves.

Young, wild and free

Kalma lang mga brad,
i-guest ang Gilas sa GGV!

"We're just having fun, we don't care who sees... living young, wild and free." - Wiz Khalifa

So it's a Sunday morning and we're brushing up on the latest on the SMART Gilas men's basketball program-- specifically it's ever-changing roster. We've grown weary of all the drama that Team San Miguel keeps putting out there, so let's just not talk about the "what if's" and just go with who we have at the moment.

Enter the SMART Gilas "cadet pool"-- collegiate stars who would probably enter the league not until two or three years from now. Seriously, this team looks more like the NCAA All Star counterpart of the then UAAP-heavy selection of the original Gilas program bannered by Chris Tiu and JVee Casio. Below is a look at the possible roster for the coming Dubai and Hong Kong pocket tournaments:

Ready for a battle

From one King Warrior to another

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a series.

San Mig Coffee Mixers head coach Tim Cone stepped up to the plate to once again prove why he is arguably the league's best bench tactician (which was only in jeopardy the last couple of years because of the rise of now SMART Gilas head coach Chot Reyes), making the correct adjustments to stifle the Rain or Shine Elsatopainters' attack and equalize their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals showdown 1-1.

Of course, credit goes to hurting star James Yap for coming up big and knocking down shots while appearing as though he's hardly broken a sweat. The Mixers won 106-82 behind Yap's explosive 34 points built around an avalanche of long range shots while getting able and ample support from Mark Barroca, Joe DeVance (our pick as series X-factor for the Mixers) and PJ Simon.

SMART Gilas: The Filipino Dream

This is a public call-to-action for the country's premier basketball players. There are other sports out there (football is thankfully ever-growing around these parts) that also deserves our attention, but because this is a basketball blog, made by a basketball fan and a Filipino first, let this serve as a reminder as to why we should send and see only the best available talent there is.

When people clamor for your inclusion into a "select team," it is a recognition of your efforts, your accomplishments and the inspiration that you are able to share to Filipinos—rich or poor. That when you work hard enough, you are going to be appreciated (rewarded is a given, since these are professional athletes we are talking about) and adored by the people around you.

On even ground (?)

Ready to rumble!

The "other" PBA Philippine Cup semifinals pairing of the three-peat seeking Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters versus the Alaska Aces was supposed to be a yawner. Save for some fireworks brought about by rookie Calvin Abueva, the Texters are expected to just run right through the Aces and move on to the Finals.

The Aces made a case for themselves in yesterday's, ugly, grind-it-out game.

While we're still sticking to the Texters winning the series, it's just highly entertaining to see the Aces fighting tooth and nail against the league's best team for the last two-three (even more) years. This, from an Aces team that last season looked lost and ready to close shop after the unceremonious divorce with long time coach Tim Cone (who's part of the other semifinals pairing between San Mig Coffee and Rain or Shine).

No rebounds, no rings

One for UST!

The San Mig Coffee Mixers had an absurd height advantage highlighted by 6"8 slotman Yancy de Ocampo and 6"7 point-forward Joe DeVance among other members of the vaunted "Sampayan Brigade." So how did the Rain or Shine Elastopainters-- known for having the league's most bruising, able WIDE bodies, out-rebound them in Game 1 to win 91-83?

All heart.

We knew who would score for both teams, though James Yap had an off night (might be playing hurt) and PJ Simon was being his usual inconsistent self (same can be said for DeVance) for the Mixers while there's Paul Lee (too big, too strong), Jeffrei Chan (started off hot) and the pick-your-poison frontline for the Elastopainters.

Looking for the "Lee Stopper"

100% Effort

We all know the value of defensive stoppers in the game of basketball. Some players have built a career around it, averaging no more than five points a game but still being an invaluable part of his team's rotation and game plan.

The San Mig Coffee- Rain or Shine Elastopainters cannot be weighed accordingly just because "they faced each other a few months ago in the Governor's Cup Finals which RoS won." First and foremost there's RoS' return-to-form reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Lee who is looking like an elite level point guard-- a combination of Jayjay Helterbrand's IQ and Mark Caguioa's scoring smarts wrapped in a bald, baby fat-filled frame. Over at SMC, Yancy de Ocampo is putting on quite a conference thus far under Coach Tim Cone. Spending most of last season as an almost fogotten, third string center, YDO is proving his worth and showing the league that (when highly motivated) he is arguably the 2nd best game-changing big man there is (next only to younger brother Ranidel).

Lastly, and where this entry will come down to, is one Jean Marc Pingris.

Grudge Match: Rain or Shine versus San Mig Coffee

Simpleng sahod
sabay sorry by Papa Chris

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters successfully dispatched the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and their retarded coaching staff. Say what you will, but never did we doubt our earlier pick after Ginebra's over-rated "Never Say Die" performance in Game 2 of their quarterfinals match-up.

We're not hating on Ginebra, we're just as frustrated as their unwavering faithful that's all. This is a powerhouse team, they have the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player and arguable the league's best point guard the last year and perhaps the next three to four more. They feature an enviable combination of skilled wingmen and some All Star veterans who've won at every stop. They were playing against a team whose notorious bruisers were enjoying a rare off-series and a Negros Sniper whose been even more way off the mark.

D-Rose is a nightmare to guard

Dubbed “Nightmare” this limited edition colorway is inspired by an opponent’s mindset the night before facing D Rose on the court.

The purple, “vertigo” shimmer synthetic leather upper represents the bad dreams opponents have about guarding the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player. Other features include glow-in-the-dark outsole, black and white speckled midsole and wave patterned black and white laces. The inside of the tongue features 12-24-12 to represent the day this limited edition pair drops.

 

The D Rose 3 “Nightmare” drops this December 24 for PHP 7995, and is available at the following adidas stores - Rockwell, Greenbelt 3, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, Trinoma, Abreeza Mall Davao and Gaisano CDO.

Follow the adidas Basketball Facebook and @adidasHoops with #drose3 for the next exclusive colorway debut. 

Does Alaska have enough?

Let's get physical!

The Alaska Aces are back!

News of the team's "death" was greatly exaggerated, and thanks to the ever competitive brain-thrust led by boss Wilfred Uytengsu the Aces are back in the quarterfinals where they are to face three-peat Philippine Cup championship seeking Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

But do they really stand a chance? Most say that their sweep of the Meralco Bolts should be taken as a clear indication that they can wether the vaunted "dribble drive offense" used by the sister teams. Sol Mercado initiates and creates, Ronjay Buenafe and Sunday Salvacion look for the kick-out passes, Mac Cardona looks for seams and cracks to contribute and Cliff Hodge takes care of the hustle and energy. Over at TNT, there's Jayson Castro leading the charge with Ryan Reyes' unguardable corner pocket threes, Larry Fonacier's sniping from all over, Ranidel de Ocampo just waiting his turn and of course, ever-reliable Jimmy Alapag.

Dribble drive fails Meralco

Sol Train elevated his game this Pinoy Cup

There's something to be said about betting all your chips on one racehorse. For the Meralco Bolts, who were eliminated by budding rival Alaska Aces (because of the magnetic Clifford Hodge vs Calvin Abueva dynamic), it's their over-reliance on the Dribble Drive Offense anchored solely on star guard Sol Mercado.

Yes the numbers are there for Mercado, and he's our top guy when it comes to the Best Player of the Conference plum (outside of Talk 'n' Text's Jayson Castro and Rain or Shine's Jervy Cruz), but it just took so much out of the whole Bolts' offense at times that it made them look predictable. Predictable enough for a sophomore coach like Luigi Trillo, who hasn't really won anything meaningful anywhere, to solve what our Philippine National team SMART Gilas carried all the way to the Jones Cup title months back.

Air21 fails to force sudden death, bows out

Kiiiiiiissss. Sige na. Isa lang.

Despite point guard Mike Cortez eye-popping, DLSU vintage, 21 points, 18 assists and 9 rebounds statline, the Air21 Express failed to force a sudden-death rubber match versus PBA Philippine Cup top seed Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters.

For a while there, it looked as though the Texters were coasting and sleep walking all throughout the game. They did just enough to keep the game close, the Express did everything to take four to six point leads, but there was just no denying the three-peat seeking Texters. Cortez was taking his rivals to school, from PG flag bearer Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes and even the hapless Pamboy Raymundo.

We've been Tiu-torized!

Brother Jonas has been Tiu-torized

We'll be the first to admit it.

When a certain Chris Tiu started making waves out of Xavier High School we didn't really care as much. He's around our age, and we have mutual friends, but we've always belittled his abilities as a basketball player. When he chose Ateneo over La Salle where he's Xavier buddies Joseph Yeo and TY Tang were starring, we (because of our green bloodlines) cursed him out and saw him as no better than Ateneo prep star turned DLSU backup BJ Manalo.

Tiu brought out all the insecurities among all male basketball fans. While the women shrieked and frolicked, we booed and called out his lack of athleticism and speed. His efforts with Ateneo didn't really change anything. He was the guy who would knock down open threes or jumpers benefiting from superstar teammates throughout his collegiate basketball career. He was solid, yes, but definitely not someone you'd bestow James Yap kingship over.

Into the PBA Philippine Cup Quarters

Too many guns for TNT vs Air21

Talk 'n' Text vs Air21
No matter how great Air21 has looked the previous matches since the acquisition of point laureate Mike Cortez (and the renewed love-fest with coach Franz Pumaren), there is no denying Talk 'n' Text of advancing to the next round. Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag and Ryan Reyes all look healthy (okay, still waiting for Alapag who looks to be hurt in tonight's match vs Ginebra) and then there's Ranidel de Ocampo doing his thing. And if those guys aren't enough, there's still the steady Kelly Williams, Larry Fonacier, Jarred Dillinger and Ali Peek all ready, willing and able to take over. Nino Canaleta's having the time of his life looking like an all star out there, but his 5 minutes of fame will be and are up.

Fearless Forecast: TNT

The Other De Ocampo

The Postman Returns

Just when everyone has dismissed the San Mig Coffee Mixers' Yancy de Ocampo as the irrelevant party of the two siblings playing in the PBA, the former number one overall draft pick flashes his old vintage form to help lead his team to the number 2 spot in the Philippine Cup standings.

And while he no longer dominates the shaded lane like he used to given all the young, abled bodies of today's PBA (read: heavyweight enforcers), De Ocampo stands as the only legit 6"9 skilled big man who has both the touch and handles (sorry June Mar Fajardo fans) in all of Philippine basketball. Credit of course goes to Mixers head coach Tim Cone for getting the most out of his versatile big. Say what you will, but confidence and trust goes a long way in basketball-- specially for a big man who saw his more productive years gone to waste playing back-up to future PBA Hall of Famers Asi Taulava or Eric Menk.

The Talk 'n' Text Juggernaut

Texters' looking at the right direction

This was supposed to be the conference wherein the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters' winning ways would hit a snag given the change in coaching personnel. This was supposed to be the "transition period" as guards Jayson Castro and Ryan Reyes takeover the team full-time from PBA MVP Jimmy "Mighty Mouse" Alapag.

Well after last night's drubbing of rivals Petron Blaze Boosters to finish with an 11-2 slate, it seems that there's just no stopping the Texters' "juggernaut" no matter the cards dealt to them. Head coach Norman Black has the Texters playing more defensively and half-court oriented as opposed to the former regime's. Guys are finding ways to win, gutting it out via team plays more than one-on-one forays.

Introducing.. adidas' DRose 3 "Brenda"

Dubbed “Brenda” the colorway pays homage to the most important person in Derrick’s life, his mother Brenda Rose.

The red nubuck upper represents her favorite color, and the crackled grainy finish represents Derrick’s upbringing in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The inside of each tongue has a close-up print of the D Rose family story graphic featured in the D Rose apparel collection and launch colorways. The left tongue features an inscription of “Brenda” in stylized red script while the right features Derrick Rose’s lasered signature.

The D Rose 3 “Brenda” has been available since November 22 at adidas and other sports stores nationwide for PHP 7995

Follow www.facebook.com/adidasPhilippines for the next exclusive colorway debut.  

The Next Attraction

Helterbrand: Vintage Fast

While our idols (boss FireQuinito and Sir Mico Halili) over at the AKTVCenter will continue to hype any and all Manila Classico matches from here on out, same with any game that features Calvin Abueva or the famed/sickening Petronovela-- there's one under-the-radar PBA match-up that intrigues us the most: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel versus the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

If last Sunday's instant classic is to serve as a taste of things to come should these two face off, say, in a seven-game series, then the ratings/ social media activity would blow straight through the roof. There's one team that says they're still "Never Say Die" and try to play the underdog card despite their obvious souped-up line-up (only a blind, ignorant Ginebra die-hard would think that his/her team is not a title favorite or hasn't been one since The Living Legend left) and there's the other one-- cheered and jeered for the very same things that the old Ginebra wore proudly night in and night out.

Lesson in Humility

"Umuwi ka na baby..."

So 6"9 Japeth Aguilar's NBA dreams has hit another setback; this time by being cut from the NBA D-League team Santa Cruz Warriors' final 10 man season roster.

Well, we hate to say it if only because the meek and shallow minded would easily dismiss us as another Japeth-hater. First, you have to be worth a damn to have "haters." Second, we call Aguilar out for his flaws, in hopes that he or anyone close to him Googles his name on a daily basis and lands on this humble blog that's as honest as they come. We're not obsessed fanatics here, we won't pat your back after a bad game. We'll call it as we see it, and if you're serious about what you want to be (which, we presume is a legit and elite Filipino basketball player) then maybe you can consider what we (and other basketball fans like us) have to say.

Okay, back to Aguilar and his failed, most aggressive (to date) and nth attempt to be the next Jeremy Lin.

Aces Down

DARNA!

After surging near atop the PBA Philippine Cup rankings, the Alaska Aces have come undone and are caught in a string of misfortunes-- be it increasing non-calls, sour perimeter shooting or losing energetic rookie Calvin Abueva to a nasal issue triggered by a hit courtesy of Air21's Rob Reyes.

Head coach Luigi Trillo and even team owner Wilfred Uytengsu have gone on record asking for parity in officiating-- believing that their guys are getting the shorter end of the stick. There's also something to be made of Abueva being the target of opposing teams' "sahod boys"whose primary role is to make the former King Stag lose his temper and blow the game for the Aces (not like they need any help with that given their current five-game slide).

And nobody does it better

The PBA's Knicks-era Isaiah Thomas?

Or so he said.

There was a time when one Noli Eala was hailed as the savior of Philippine basketball-- the guy who will carry the torch after the great commissioner Jun Bernardino and those before him into the new millennium. But tragedy struck and the world came crashing down on the former prosecutor. We won't judge him for his actions off the basketball court, this is not what we stand for at KiliKiliShot.Com. We will however, judge his past and current actions as one of the driving forces for the San Miguel Corporation's basketball teams competing in the PBA.

Buenafe-ntastic Fit

Buenafe a.k.a. Boy Leggings

Carpe diem.

Our Atenean friends are taught to live by this code, Kobe Bryant and Nike used it as part of their revived marketing campaign and pretty much anyone who seeks more in life has chanced upon this simple yet impactful mantra that translate into three simple words: "seize the day."

For one Ronjay Buenafe of the Meralco Bolts, the timing couldn't have been anymore perfect. Though he was released by head coach Yeng Guiao from the Rain or Shine Elastopainters fold despite helping the team win its first ever PBA title, Buenafe has found a new home for himself with the Meralco Bolts.

Currently ranked number 13 among the league's leading scorers, Buenafe has been torching opponents with 14.62 ppg generated by the number of long balls he's been allowed by head coach Ryan Gregorio to take. The Bolts of course, are running the "Dribble Drive Motion Offense" popularized in Filipino basketball parlance by the successful SMART Gilas II program (which Gregorio was a part of).

PBA; Pride and Passion for Basketball

Thank you PBA. Thank you Kume Chito!

The year is 2012 going 2013, the PBA is back in terms of being one of the more preferred sources of entertainment in the country is concerned. The TV ratings are up, people are actually able to fill up about 1/3 of the venues and players enjoy immense popularity (even the undeserving ones) because of social media channels.

We'll go on record and thank Commissioner Chito Salud and the rest of the PBA Board of recognizing what the fans want. We want passion in games, be it in a blowout in the first round or a neck-and-neck grudge match in Game 7 of the Finals. We want animosity-- but only on the court. Physicality, but nothing borderline brutal or with mischievous/ murderous intent. The fans want emotions on the court, if we wanted to watch athletes flying all over and dunking, we'd troop to an And1 joint or download Harlem GlobeTrotters videos.

What's up Boss Mikee?

Hey Coach Glen, let the kids play!

The PBA's leading scorer the last two-three seasons, Gary David, is finally back for the GlobalPort Batang Pier following a bunch of missed games due to nagging injuries. Though David came up with another brilliant scoring display last Friday versus the struggling Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, it wasn't enough to give the Batang Pier their 2nd win in 9 games.

Expect David to burn the twine yet again alongside 2x PBA MVP Willie Miller and the 2012 PBA Draft "steal"Jason Deutchman-- these three guys can all bury the shot from deep all day when given the go signal. But that's not where we're going with in tonight's entry. We'd like to focus more on the wishy-washy handling of the rotation and the players that are starting to get more minutes on the floor.

Hostile: Alaska vs Rain or Shine

Ala-RoS has all the makings
of a WWE Title Fight

... is the word that best captures what fans wanted to see in yesterday's match pitting the streaking Alaska Aces and steady Rain or Shine Elastopainters. It was a glimpse of what the PBA was turning into: the team that embodies the last two years' physical, throwback, Pinoy game versus the other one that is exploring this "new" territory behind rookie Calvin "The Beast" Abueva.

But Beau Belga "pa-simples" aside, fireworks didn't erupt. Our prediction of "two flagrants and three technicals"didn't come into fruition. The game was tight with the Aces leading by no more than 6 points at the end of 3 quarters before the Elastopainters, true to form, came storming back behind ace gunner Jeffrei Chan (who we now understand was given the monicker "Negros Sniper"-- okay, we can work with that.)

Cool Cat and Coach Franz: Reunited and it feels...

Nilabasan ako
nung napanood ko to sa TV.
Orgasmic.
(Credit to Sir Vic Icasas) 

... so good. Right? Time heals all wounds, even the undisclosed ones it seems. Okay in case you've been living under a rock or is still a young/developing basketball mind, the relationship between Mike Cortez and Air21 Express head coach Franz Pumaren has been plutonic at best.

The year was 2002, and (my beloved kinder-grade-high school Alma Mater) De La Salle University Green Archers were on a tear of the hapless UAAP. Leading the charge was Coach Franz, Cortez, Willie Wilson, Mac Cardona and a wide-eyed Joseph Yeo. They were running right through the competition, Cortez was looking like the best point guard in all of Philippine basketball (yes, including his NCAA, PBL and PBA counterparts). He wasn't scoring as much, but he was big, strong, smart beyond his years and had swag all day (say what you want, but Cortez put the back-arm tattoo on the Philippine map). The guy was a walking triple-double, and with him leading the way the Archers' were looking pretty solid to win a rare-five peat.

The Return of D-Rose: PUSH (Ep. 4)

Are you ready?