F8 rewarded

It's been a long day...
(Photo credit: inq.net)

It took eight years and what now seems like a platoon of coaches before Barangay Ginebra San Miguel won another PBA championship, but last night everything just fell into place.

Coach Tim Cone was outsmarting his counterpart on every turn; the team held a 3-2 series lead; the other team’s (Meralco) most defiant soldier—Jimmy Alapag, was hurting; Ginebra’s aging duo of Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand were rallying the "kids";  and no less than the Ginebra beloved Robert Jaworski, Sr. was in attendance. 

The near buzzer-beating triple by import Justin Brownlee, to break an 88-all lock, was icing on the cake.

May liwanag ang bukas

The Future
(Photo credit: bleachersbrew.BlogSpot.com - Sir Rick TY)

Sing no sad songs for the Meralco Bolts.

Despite losing the 2016 PBA Governor’s Cup crown to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the future is brighter than ever for head coach Norman Black and his unheralded Bolts. After all, they started the season with an abysmal 1-11 record before working their way up the standings (and eventually the finals) in the last two conferences.

So what is next for the Bolts?

Come Rain or Shine

Southern Sharpshooters
(Photo credit to the owner)

What now, Rain or Shine Elastopainters?

First, Coach Yeng Guiao opted to bolt for the NLEX Road Warriors which basically offered him the real difference between an RoS “max contract” and that of a well-financed team. No, there was no under the table scheming here and there. Only an opportunity for Guiao to work on other things “outside of the basketball court” such as handling NLEX’s Corporate Social Responsibility program which would most likely help him win (back) a political seat in the future.

Second was JayR Quinahan, this season’s most consistent player and leading scorer at times, being dealt to Globalport Batang Pier for Jay Washington. The beefy forward reinvented himself this season, in hopes of securing a longer deal perhaps, averaging 14 and 7 as compared to Washington's 8 and 8. When the negotiating period came, both sides couldn't agree on the length and well, here we are now. We respect Washington's body of work, but Quinahan's intimidating defense and shot blocking will be missed.

Finally, came the biggest trade of them all: 27-year-old superstar guard Paul Lee for the “face of the PBA,” 34-year-old, 2x MVP James Yap.

41st Leo Awards Fallout

He's got the whole world, in his hands
(Photo credit to the owner)

What a season it has been for the Philippine Basketball Association-- controversial commissioner, ugly gossips, banned media man, terminated marketing head and all.

We will let certain people worry about it, as we only truly care about the sport of basketball and the players (and coaches) involved. Like we previously said and will forever maintain, we will laugh at all the gossips and rumors (through Twitter), but we will not write about it on this blog as we prefer to keep this one all about basketball.

No backdoors involved.

Yesterday was Game 4 of the 2016 PBA Governor's Cup Finals AND also the 41st Leo Awards which recognized and celebrated this season's best individuals. Here we try to offer our two cents' worth on the winners:

Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award - Junemar Fajardo
Where did this come from? Fajardo's one of the nicest guys on the court and all, but uh... okay, he gets fouled a lot and hardly retaliates so that's well and good. It also sets a good example and puts a nice spotlight to an otherwise "blah" award that people don't really care about. Here's a high-usage rate player, the PBA MVP, playing the game the right way and not at all concerned with theatrics, show-boating or even the hard fouls.

A Star is born

Show me the money!
(Photo credit to the owner)

Paul Lee wanted out in 2014.

It was all over the news back then, with his now former coach Yeng Guiao even asking (through the media) what the difference was between Rain or Shine's max contract offer and those of other teams. Lee ended up signing the extension, but not after a heart-to-heart with Guiao.

Well, we are almost at the end of 2016, Guiao has opted to transfer to the NLEX Road Warriors, so...

James Yap; Rain or Shine Elastopainter

May resbak na si Yap
(Photo credit: AKTV)

There are no sacred cows in the PBA.

It doesn't matter if you (literally) broke your back carrying a team for 12 seasons en route to multiple championships and 2 PBA MVP recognitions; if the team wants to send you elsewhere, then that is exactly what will hapen regardless if your name just so happens to be James Carlos Yap-- the man widely accepted as the "face of the PBA."

Today we learned that the Star Hotshots were sending their 34-year-old star to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters for the much younger Paul Lee, also a certified PBA star in his own right. Business-wise, this is what was best for the Hotshots. They got a 27-year-old Gilas standout, probably for a more reasonable price than Yap's long-rumored "max++" contract, who has yet to really hit his prime in a league that favors attacking, combo guards.

Emotionally-speaking however, this was shit. The whole trade was, no, IS shit.

The 2016 PBA Gilas Mock Draft

Graduation Day
(Photo credit to the owner)

The 2016 PBA Draft slated for this October 30 is going to be quite… entertaining, since we have been promised TWO rookie draft proceedings. The first one will be the traditional rookie draft with all the hopefuls while the other will feature 12 players from the Gilas Pool picked by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas head Al Panlilio.

We will just have to trust in the SBP and Mr. Panlilio that he will make the best players available and not try to hide this guy or that guy somewhere (as Gilas has a working pool of 24 college players as far as we remember). After all, the SBP brain-thrust is still largely Team MVP while the 2016 PBA Draft, and even the order of the special draft, rewards Team SMC more than anyone else.

That is not a knock on the SBP, Mr. Panlilio, or Team MVP, but rather an acceptance of the current basketball landscape. These Gilas players after all are not only prized college standouts, but “assets” that have already benefited from several trainings and exposure both here and overseas so you can understand if Team MVP is not too keen on sharing their “living investments.”

SPECIAL DRAFT ORDER

On jammed signals and Beeracles

It has been a couple of days since we last saw both the San Miguel Beermen and TNT Katropa strutting their stuff in the 2016 PBA Governor's Cup which has yet to be concluded. This comes as a bit of a surprise to everyone, since both teams were the wise man's bets to make the season-ending Finals based on how they dominated the elimination round.

TNT simply crashed and burned in the semifinals, while the Beermen just couldn't "switch it on" like they thought they could after going on "cruise control" most of the way.

Let us start with Coach Jong Uichico's TNT first, shall we?

We have to apologize to the Katropa fans out there for basically raving about how their team was killing it this conference and that they were already assured of a seat in the Finals. As it turns out, the team nearly swept (10-1) through the Eliminations owing to their solid rotation but once they reached the playoffs and the core guys started going down, well, you know the rest.

Salamat Kots Yeng

Hanggang doon na lang pala.

2017 NLEX head coach
(Photo credit ABS CBN)

Nung huling conference, nung natapos yung nine-straight playoffs appearances ng Rain or Shine, bilang isang fan parang may mali kaming naramdaman. Kaka champion lang ng team namin noong PBA Commissioner's Cup, partida binuhat pa ng mga local yung import, pero bakit ganun, bakit ang asa balita e hindi pa nagsisipirmahan ng mga kontrata yung players?

Pati pala yung si Kots Yeng Guiao, hindi din pumirma.

Pumirma, pero para tapusin lang yung season. Hindi para mag extend ng isa o dalawa o tatlong taon. Lahat sila na core, sa pagkakaalam namin: Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Jericho Cruz, Beau Belga at JayR Quinahan. Damay din ata si Jeff Chan. Parang may kakaiba. Siguro alam na nung mga players, alam na din siguro ni Kots. Hanggang doon na lang yung samahan nila, at hanggang doon na lang yung kwento niya sa RoS na kanyang itinaguyod.

2016 PBA GC Finals: 3 Ginebra vs 4 Meralco

"Yo, you take on LA okay?"
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

When was the last time that both the lower seeded teams in the Semifinals faced off in the PBA Finals?

Usually, a higher seed (or two) are almost, always locks for a spot(s) in the title series. However, in the 2016 PBA Governor’s Cup, we saw both the 1st ranked TNT Katropa and 2nd San Miguel Beermen fall at the hands of this entry’s protagonists who are ranked lower and should technically be “weaker.”

Right?

Wrong. They just beat the top seeds, so their being supposedly “weak” is moot.

First to make it into the PBA Finals are the Meralco Bolts of Coach Norman Black. After an embarrassing campaign to open the season, the Bolts’ true form started to surface once they were able to work with a dominant center as reinforcement. We saw flashes of how good the team could be in the Commissioner’s Cup when they had mammoth import Arinze Onuaku and now we are seeing even more with Allen Durnham.

On the other side of the fence are the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel; already destined and penciled in for greatness after acquiring the services of 2x PBA Grand Slam coach Tim Cone earlier this year. While they are missing the services of 7”0 slotman Greg Slaughter, everyone has appeared to step up and rally around import Justin Brownlee who was not even their original choice to start the conference.

Two grand slam coaches, two team-oriented philosophies: who wins?

adidas releases James Harden Arizona State U PEs

The latest James Harden Crazylight 2016 drops and pays tribute to James’ alma mater: Arizona State University.

James' path to the NBA took shape at ASU, where he created a style all his own as a lights out three-point shooter with Eurostep drives to the rim.

“Arizona State helped mold me into the man I am today and this is my chance to show love, respect and how much they mean to me,” James explained. “I’ve been up there practicing this summer and it’s one big family. You find certain things in life, and you get attached to them. It’s no different with ASU.”

The ASU edition Kicks feature a light gray jacquard upper, maroon detailing and Harden’s No. 13 badge accented in gold on the tongue. Crazylight 2016 incorporates full-length BOOST cushioning, a TPU forefoot roll cage and reengineered fast traction to amplify control at all angles of play.

The Crazylight 2016 ASU Edition is already being sold in Titan stores for P7,995.

Follow the conversation @adidashoops on Twitter and Instagram with #Crazylight.

2016 PBA Mock Draft Version 2

The good: we did the freaking 40%, 30%, 30% math for this one based on how each team finished in the each of the three conferences.

The bad: we used the standings, and not the actual order of finish, so there is definitely room for error. Also, we did not consider the traded picks and all of that because quite frankly, we are too lazy at the moment to do any research (promise to fix it by version 3).

The ugly: You, we, only have Teams MVP and San Miguel to blame as they always trade draft picks.
Does this change the order of draftees from our Version 1? Yes, it does. Because we are going with who we feel are the most logical choices for each team and not just simple starpower.

Let’s go.

2016 PBA GC SF: 1 TNT vs 4 Meralco

Ready to rumble
(Photo credit to the owner)

A magnificently blonde-haired, former 16-time world wrestling champion was once famously quoted as saying: “to be the man, you have to beat THE man.”

The above is something that we feel best captures the Meralco Bolts’ current state: in order for them to achieve PBA royalty they must first go through their big brothers: TNT Katropa—the the crown jewel among their owner’s three PBA franchises. While the Bolts have spent the majority of the season trying to start a winning culture, TNT has managed to remain near the top of the standings each conference despite battling injuries (Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo) and some on-court chemistry issues (incorporating their prized rookies, the messed up/ redundant frontline, finding a backup for Castro, etc.).

Some folks call this one “TNT A vs TNT B,” with all the TNT “discards” over at the Bolts’ front: Jimmy Alapag, Jared Dillinger, John Ferriols, Rabeh Al Hussaini including Coach Norman Black.

Here are the telling match-ups:

Building blocks

Sino ba bebenta?
(Photo credit: DZRHnews website)

Three more teams have been eliminated in the on-going 2016 PBA Governor's Cup: the NLEX Road Warriors, Alaska Aces and Rain or Shine Elastopainters. Their exit also officially puts an end to their season, which was pretty much successful for both the Aces (back-to-back Finals runners-up) and Elastopainters (2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup champions) while a bit mediocre for the Road Warriors.

So what is next for these three teams? Where did they succeed (and fail) on the court from our perspective?

Also, and what is up with all these rumors?

PBA GC SF 2 San Miguel Beer vs 3 Ginebra

The Kraken vs The Aguila(r)
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

We are going to be in for quite a #TeamSanMiguel slobber knocker of a semifinals clash between sister teams: defending PBA Governor’s Cup champions San Miguel Beer and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

In a sense, this is the basketball God’s way of “testing” head coach Tim Cone’s Ginebra squad: should they wish to further themselves and live up to championship expectations, then they will have to go through arguably the most dominant team in the last two seasons. It won’t be easy, since the Beermen appear to have (re)embraced a certain “win now, win big” philosophy anchored on making the most out of 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo’s (still young) basketball career.

So who will win the Best-of-Five affair (which, in all honestly, would most likely command audiences worthy of any PBA Finals or All Star Game all in itself)? Here is our take:

PBA GC QF 1 TNT vs 8 Phoenix

Can the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters stop the TNT Katropa juggernaut? Can Eugene “El Destructor” Phelps muscle his way against TNT’s formidable frontline? Can Simon Enciso hold his own against the supernatural Jayson Castro?

It is definitely going to be an uphill climb for the Fuel Masters, with TNT in a groove that has helped them land 1st place in the elimination round after winning 10 games versus 1 loss. Whatever buttons Coach Jong Uichico has pushed, it appears to have definitely worked in his favor after TNT's woeful exit last conference.

Here is our take on the match-ups:

PBA GC QF 4 Meralco vs 5 Mahindra

Don’t be surprised if this match-up will largely go under-the-radar, basketball hype-wise, considering the styles of both teams involved.

The Meralco Bolts, though they have athletic wonders Chris Newsome (32mpg/13ppg/4rpg/4apg) and Cliff Hodge (32/12/7/2), mostly rely on their blue collar approach on the defensive end while the Mahindra Enforcers, still cannot (and most likely will not) shake the shadow cast by their “head coach” Manny Pacquiao.

Still, this should be a fun and exciting match-up if you consider how Enforcers’ point guard L.A. Revilla (30/9/4/5) will be pitted against veteran Jimmy Alapag (27/9/3/6). In wrestling parlance, if TNT Katropa’s Jayson Castro is the current gold standard, Triple H, then Alapag would be Ric Flair. Batista (the next-in-line) would be a toss-up between Ginebra’s L.A. Tenorio and San Miguel’s Alex Cabagnot while Revilla would be the wide-eyed, snot-nosed kid Randy Orton.

*High-fives to all of our sports-entertainment brethren*

2016 PBA GC QF: 2 San Miguel vs 7 NLEX

SMB's Spiderman and Crunchman (ugh, Quinito)
(Photo credit: PBA.inquirer.net)

Is NLEX ready for the semis? Is Coach Boyet Fernandez going to be around for next season? Will he call another ill-opportune timeout and have his assistant Adonis Tierra save his ass through the media?

Or will San Miguel move one step closer to defend their remaining title from last season?

Check-out our QF preview/ prediction and hit us up @kilikilishot on Twitter!

2016 PBA GC QF: 3 Ginebra vs 6 Alaska

It's Japeth's time
(Photo credits to the owner)

Paki taas lang po ng kamay yung mga Alaska fans na nakahinga ng maluwag na hindi San Miguel ang napares sa kanila sa Quarterfinals. Seriously, we wouldn’t blame the Gatas Republic if they have developed some sort of Beermen-trauma by now.

That being said, it should be rather entertaining to see the “Never Say Die” heirs squaring off with the “No Quit Squad” with much of the focus squarely on Calvin Abueva. It is no secret that Abueva loves to play against Ginebra (and their legion of fans); and that since he has been inserted into the starting unit the Aces have been on a roll in the PBA Governor’s Cup.

Here is how we see the match-ups playing out:

Season of learning

The Slash Brothers
(Photo credit: cnnphilippines.com)

You win some, you lose some.

Now that the PBA has expanded to twelve teams (soon to be thirteen), winning a title—let alone staying competitive, is becoming a much more difficult task. There are a lot of factors that affect a team’s chances of winning, none more than the possibility of high caliber players (even coaches) being pirated by big-money franchises.

Heck we even learned this season that even big-money, sister, franchises are not safe from “cannibalizing” one another; a fate suffered by the Star Hotshots, who lost both their grand slam coach Tim Cone and versatile wing Joe DeVance, at the hands of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Three teams have already been officially eliminated in the season-ending PBA Governor’s Cup: the Hotshots, GlobalPort Batang Pier, and Blackwater Elite. Here are some of the things we noticed in their respective campaigns, where they went wrong and could build on moving forward and through the 2016 PBA Draft.