PBA GovCup SF: Ginebra vs Northport

At this point, I'm just surprised that The Dean
hasn't given him a moniker yet.
(Photo credit: Sports.inquirer.net)

Talk about Never-say-die.

On one hand we've got the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, a powerhouse team on paper that continues to live up (or down, depending on which Kabarangay you're asking) to its glorious reputation. The team finished the PBA Governor's Cup as the 4th seed, starting a bit slow before turning it up in its last few games. On the other, you've got the Northport Batang Pier which was arguably on its way to packing its bags this conference following the injury to prized rookie point guard Robert Bolick before somehow landing national skipper Christian Standhinger (and prior to that, the trade that sent its other star guard-- Stanley Pringle to, well, Ginebra).

So we know what we're going to get with Ginebra. The offense runs through super import Justin Brownlee, and whenever he's around (like Meralco and Allen Durham), every thing just falls into place. Only, it was pretty obvious that they had a bit of a rough patch in trying to balance out the offense between Brownlee and Pringle. After those two guys, there's Japeth Aguilar, L.A. Tenorio, and a bit of Scottie Thompson.



Which brings our attention to the 8th seeded North Port. They recently made waves for that gruelling triple overtime upset of the 1st seed NLEX Road Warriors. Standhardinger is turning a lot of heads and making his case for Best Player of the Conference despite the fact that he was only recently traded to North Port by San Miguel. Their import, Michael Qualls, can do a little bit of everything and has the speed, length and athleticism to cover positions 3-5 in the PBA setting. Then there's the energizer bunny known as Sean Anthony, who, IMHO, is a modern day Rudy Hatfield.

This is going to be fun. The onus will be on who can dictate tempo from the get go. Also, if Ginebra can use its size to the hilt to really put the pressure on North Port with their height in the paint. The problem here is, North Port has the bigs, the bruising, elbows-out kind, that their Ginebra counterparts' are "allergic" to.

L.A. Tenorio vs. Nico Elorde
The pressure will be on Tenorio to once again lead Ginebra to victory. But it won't be easy versus Elorde, who is proving to be quite the tough defender who wears opponents down by simply sticking to them like a shadow.

Stanley Pringle vs Kevin Ferrer
Ferrer will get on Pringle's nerves in one of these games. But Pringle will need to make his presence felt enough for Brownlee and the rest to be able to operate freely and not be doubled. On paper, North Port has a few other big/ long guys like Sol Mercado and Paolo Taha to throw at Pringle just to give him different looks.

Scottie Thompson vs Sean Anthony
As good as Thompson has been for Ginebra as a relentless junkyard dog type, he's going to probably find himself matched-up against a mirror image in Anthony (if Coach Pido doesn't waste Anthony on Brownlee). Anthony can do just about everything Thompson does for Ginebra, only, he's bigger and has better range.

Justin Brownlee vs Michael Qualls
The thing about Brownlee that we've always found impressive is that, and maybe it's because he's been wearing the red, white and yellow for so long, he's no longer just a "scorer."

Japeth Aguilar vs Christian Standhardinger
We love Aguilar like the next guy, and have grown to appreciate what he brings to the Ginebra cause. But Standhardinger is cut from an old school, no excuses, no b.s. kind of cloth that every single Ginebra fan has been wanting to see from their own collection of bigs (everyone from Aguilar to Joe DeVance to Greg Slaughter). The kind of player who, as we say in Filipino, "nakikipagpalitan ng mukha" just to score a basket/ grab a rebound/ make a play. Sure, CSH flops and flails, but he also plays with a lot of passion and purpose. This isn't as simple as when Ginebra guards the 5x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo with Slaughter (bigger) or Aguilar (longer) as he tries to back them up. CSH forces the issue and often gets those guarding him in foul trouble by simply bulldozing his way inside. Major problem.

Prediction: Ginebra is going to be in a lot of trouble. A team that doesn't always appear to be playing at 100%, going up against a team that is hungry and has a lot of burning desire to prove their critics wrong. Should Ginebra go big? They have the tools for it, but chances are North Port steps on the gas and leaves Slaughter et. al. behind. Also, it takes away Thompson who does a lot of things for Ginebra.

X-factor: Pick any one of the ex-Ginebra guys who are all going into this match-up with huge chips on their shoulders. Kevin Ferrer might sink a few treys. Jervy Cruz is going to throw some elbows.

Gut feel? North Port. But my brain says Ginebra.

Your thoughts? @kilikilishot on Twitter

2019 PBA Mock Draft Version 1.0

Go number 1?
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

Mark your calendars as we are all set to welcome some new blood into the Philippine Basketball Association by way of the 2019 PBA Draft this Sunday, December 8.

Though it's rather unfortunate that some favorites and household names have already opted to skip this year's affair for one reason or another, this is a great opportunity for those who have decided to take a leap of faith to show just how good they are. In the previous years, we've seen a lot of NCAA standouts being picked in the 1st round over the more 'mainstream' UAAP hopefuls. Just this season, we were treated to the brilliance of Columbian' CJ Perez, the 1st overall pick, and Northport's Robert Bolick.

As per my previous Mock Drafts in the old blog: kilikilishot.blogspot.com ; we're going with who we feel each team needs and who's the best available.

Let's go!

1 Columbian - Roosevelt Adams, G/F
While the media continues to push Go down our throats, don't be surprised if this 6"5 Fil-Am ends up going 1st overall seemingly out of nowhere. Honestly, I've seen him play enough to be convinced that he has great potential-- he can knock down 3s, he rebounds, he doesn't force the issue and at 6"5 could easily be a match-up nightmare right away vs most of the PBA wings. Pairing Adams with Perez would be great on paper, with one guy slashing to the basket and the other knocking down 3s.

2 Blackwater - Isaac Go, C 
The Ateneo big man has been making waves as the potential top pick this year, but we feel like he'll slide down 1 spot to the more versatile Adams. Which isn't all that bad considering the guy's never been a career 10-10 machine. At best, he put up 9 points and 5 boards en route to a PBA D League MVP trophy. Still, the silver lining here is that you've got a kid who is coachable, has a soft touch and looks like he's willing to be great and just play his role. Also, 6"8 is 6"8 in a league currently being dominated by the 5x PBA MVP, 6"10 Junemar Fajardo.



3 NLEX - Rey Suerte, SG
Before he suited up for UE in the UAAP, Suerte was already making waves as a 2x CESAFI MVP. That alone should tell you that yes, this guy is good. Imagine him running with Kiefer Ravena and Jericho Cruz, as Kevin Alas continues to work his way into form and you're looking at a very dangerous NLEX backcourt.

4 Alaska - Sean Manganti, SF
Because you know, this Manganti kid and Alaska just goes together. Solid wing who can make shots, move the ball and play defense. At 6"5 he can play the 3 while Ahanmisi and Teng take care of the backcourt. All of a sudden, the Aces will be bigger at positions 1-3.

5 Rain or Shine - Jerrick Balanza, SG/ SF
What a feel good story which we feel has prepared Balanza mentally for the tough PBA grind ahead. He's a tough-as-nails, old school scorer who can get the job done on both ends of the floor with a lot of grit. Playing behind Kuya Rey Nambatac and Javee Mocon will also help in Balanza's development.

6 Rain or Shine - Aaron Black, SG
Just a hunch here, but we feel that RoS might take a gamble on Black who has shown flashes here and there. Sure, he's no Chris Newsome, but RoS management, specially Coach Caloy Garcia, has always had a penchant for players who look and play a certain way-- Sol Mercado, Mav Ahanmisi. Could very well be a sleeper and sound contributor to the RoS system.

7 Meralco - Arvin Tolentino, PF 
Prodigal son. Tolentino is too talented not to be a first round pick, and we feel that he's matured enough after his Ateneo exit while playing for FEU and in the MPBL. Yes, from time to time, you do feel like he's playing like one of those 'rich boys' who don't want to get hurt, don't want to get into scuffles and absolutely won't dive for any loose balls. But then you see him making a suave move that leads to a nice jumper and say 'hey, this kid is pretty good.' This kid reminds me a lot of Mark Borboran, only chubbier and not as hustle-ish. Wait. Yeah, Borboran.

8 Northport - Bonbon Batiller, SG
Keeping it all in the family, but this time, addressing an obvious need in terms of firepower while Bolick recovers from injury. His familiarity with Coach Pido (by way of Coach/ Manager Bonnie Tan) will give him a boost of confidence, specially on a 'hungry' team like NP that doesn't seem to mind who scores the basket as long as everything runs through Christian Standhardinger first, everyone else, second.

9 Magnolia - Richard Escoto, PF/C

This team needs all the big men that they can get. Stat. Escoto fits the bill and has enough experience, so should be an easy fit right away. For now, it's Escoto or some one else who's over 6"4. It just doesn't make any sense if they go for a guard at this point.

10 Ginebra - Matt Nieto, PG 
Call it a hunch but we feel that the search for L.A. Tenorio's heir apparent (provided Scottie Thompson continues to play the 2-3 spot opposite Stanley Pringle) is going to be addressed next year through ADMU point man Nieto. At 6"0, Nieto has the size and speed to keep up with most PBA point guards while also being capable enough to run plays (hell, he spent majority of his collegiate career running plays for Tab Baldwin). But what's a bit under-the-radar about Nieto, which I've seen in flashes, is his ability to make clutch shots which should be a welcome, 'low key' addition to Ginebra.

11 TNT - Allyn Bulanadi, SG
A floor-spacing lefty that would fit in nicely to TNT's high-octane, European-style offense. He has good PBA size for a 2-guard and should be a threat on the floor when left open (mostly when guys go and chase after Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy). His defense may need a bit of work, yes, but if it's just about getting buckets, Bulanadi's arguably Top 3 in this list.

12 San Miguel - Kib Montalbo, PG
Remember when Kib was that skinny superstar youth coming out of Bacolod? He's come a long way since the, winning a championship in college before opting to play in the MPBL to help polish his game. Montalbo quietly made a name for himself through his defense, and it should be nice learning the ropes from Chris Ross.

Your thoughts? @kilikilishot on Twitter !

PBA GovCup SF: Meralco vs TNT

McDaniels vs Durham
(Photo credit: Hoops PH)

Get ready for a slobberknocker of a Best-of-Five series between sister teams Meralco Bolts and the TNT Katropa.

Vastly improved, the Bolts finished the conference as the 2nd seed and easily disposed of the resurgent Alaska Aces behind the prowess of super-import Allen Durham and new recruits Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan. From where we are watching the games, it feels as though head coach Norman Black was able to address his team's weaknesses from previous conferences-- a need for a low post presence (this has been Durham's role from day one), a trusted scorer/ shot creator (Maliksi, who is absolutely the farthest thing from being gun-shy) and a rim protector (Almazan).

Sure, old hands Baser Amer and Chris Newsome are still delivering every now and then, but the addition of the above players makes the Bolts even more dangerous and well-rounded, similar to Black's previous champion teams. They're not really that exciting to watch, but they just keep wearing teams down be it a high-scoring affair or a grit-and-grind match.

It's going to be exciting when they finally lock horns with TNT, which beat them earlier this conference in a high-scoring affair (Durham finished with 43 while KJ McDaniels had 51).

For one, while the Bolts are the higher seed, the smart bet would be on TNT and their deep, superstar line-up. First, there's the returning Jayson Castro who has been playing like the FIBA Castro of old before suffering an injury mid-conference. In the Magnolia match-up, Castro outplayed a gauntlet of Grade A guards: Paul Lee, Mark Barroca and Jio Jalalon to steer TNT to a hard-fought victory.

Then you have McDaniels, who can do just about everything you'd want from an import who's asked to make plays and knock down shots. He also averages about 3 to 4 blocks per game so to say that he's more offensive than defensive minded would be a mistake. These two are followed by national players RR Pogoy (who is unfortunately hurt), Troy Rosario, Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes.

Then there's the new addition: Ray Ray Parks.

In the off-season, rumors had it that Parks was supposedly on his way to the Bolts to join his godfather Black. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out and he went to TNT (a move that was probably hastened by the mid-conference injury to Castro).

With TNT, we've seen glimpses, and it's quite obvious that Parks will be playing a major role in this series as a definite x-factor.

So, match-up wise, we're looking at both team's best 5 guys and how we expect it to go:

Castro VS Amer
For some reason, Amer almost, always plays well vs TNT. Perhaps it's by design, with Black wanting his trusted PG to attack Castro more in hopes of forcing him to play defense. But honestly, the way Castro has been playing this conference, we don't see Amer stopping Castro any time soon. Maybe get the pesky Caram in just to give Castro different looks. Or even Nard Pinto to rough the FIBA star up.

DiGregorio VS Newsome
Newsome has been steady for the Bolts as a role playing scorer. He's shown flashes of being "the Man," but from what we've gathered he's better off as someone who puts up points and does a little bit of everything through the whole game. More Pippen than Jordan. TNT will need MDG to wax hot from the outside to help space the floor a bit for Castro to operate. The real fun begins when old TNT hand Ryan Reyes gets his turn in, locks up Newsome, and knocks down corner threes. Then, the Bolts will have a big problem.

Parks VS Maliksi
Maliksi is not going to back down from Parks, that's obvious enough. He'll go at him for sure. And it does look like he's already gotten the green light from Black as well. Bong Quinto is another option here, but the onus will be on Maliksi to knock down shots from deep to open things up for Durham inside the paint and maybe mix it up from the outside. The problem here of course, is should (or when) Maliksi get the green light, he tends to lose control and jack up shots like there's no tomorrow. For Parks, with Castro and McDaniels taking care of the scoring, he'll be asked to contribute the way Pogoy does (knock down open shots, take over the offense when Castro isn't clicking, and play defense).

McDaniels VS Almazan
Almazan has been Alma-zing for the Bolts as their rim protector and weak side big man. This is going to be a rough and tough affair where we expect everyone from Almazan to Faundo to Hodge to take a crack at TNT's high-scoring import who plays the 4 position on paper, but is really a 3 by game.

Rosario VS Durham
Who is going to stop Durham? Will TNT let Durham get his, like they did in their October 12 match-up, or will they double him and force the Bolts' other guys to salvage the win? For TNT, we're not sure Taha can handle Durham in the paint one-on-one. So the best plan is to really pull the Bolts' big man outside with stretch 4s and 5s.

The Bolts' team will need to overcome TNT's starpower from the onset. Honestly, we feel that they need to force the issue a bit more and be the aggressor, they have the 'rough' players for it, nothing dirty like NLEX, just a bit more physical. If this turns into a high-scoring affair, TNT will win 9 times out of 10. But should the Bolts be able to secure the boards and max out each possession, they'll be able to steal a few games.

Still, TNT to advance.

Your thoughts?

@kilikilishot on Twitter

Playing catch-up

Author's note: It's been months since I posted on KKS2, I actually have a bunch of rough drafts in the oven but due to lack of time/ interest/ research, opted not to have you guys read it (and lose whatever modicum of admiration you have for this mediocre writer).

Who runs the GovCup?
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

KKS is a blog that I kept primarily to keep myself sane while overseas. While I was with my family, I needed something from home to keep my mind sharp and more importantly, my wits about. When we came back home after three years in the Middle East, the new job has kind of kept me away from the keyboard and television. I still tweet about the games, but as I've always said, writing is an art form that needs to be respected and honored with enough research. I don't just write random hot takes here, like I do when I tweet, I actually take time and watch film, break down plays, check out stats and so on. So we have something nice to talk about (hit me up on Twitter @kilikilishot). I'd like to think that as a writer, I've matured a bit, as with in real life. But basketball will always be a love of mine, it is a great source of entertainment/ joy/ pain/ anger. And I hope that you guys are able to drop by this blog every now and then to check on my latest works, short or long format, good or bad.

Many thanks for the continued trust and support!




So where were we?

Ginebra is in the semifinals after knocking out the grandslam-seeking San Miguel Beermen (who, from the outside looking in, looks like they need to consider a few player changes following that ugly fight during one of their practices). Justin Brownlee continues to stand tall as the barometer for imports, and it seems that he's a lock for yet another Best Import award should Ginebra continue to go deeper into the Governor's Cup.

TNT also managed to escape and unseat the defending Governor's Cup champions, Magnolia, with clutch free throws by new recruit Ray Ray Parks. It was a great match to say the least, and the game could've gone either way. It's just unfortunate that Magnolia appeared to have run out of gas in the end.

Just like the last two (or is it three) seasons, Meralco's doing quite well whenever Allen Durham is around. It's almost like the Ginebra puzzle, except that Durham plays in the paint while Brownlee plays outside. Basically, both teams seem to look average without those two super imports. The Bolts looked very impressive in dismantling the gritty Alaska Aces, and newcomers Raymond Almazan (rim protector) and Allein Maliksi (token scorer) brought the goods.

The TNT-Meralco sister team affair should be fun going into the next round.

Which leaves us with NLEX and Northport. Elbows, flops, ninja hood punches galore. I have no idea what happened or why NLEX approached the game with the intent to play physical to try and rattle Christian Standhardinger and co. Well, it didn't work. CSH flopped his way around the physicality, got the calls, and, well, NLEX' import failed to show up, which basically sealed their fate.

Who do you think will advance to the next round to face Ginebra? Will it be NLEX, the 1st seed, or Northport, which got a new lease on life despite the exit of super rookie Robert Bolick?

Terrence, who?

The right Terrence for TNT
(Photo courtesy

Looks like TNT Katropa finally found the right Terrence for them, huh?

Eight-year NBA veteran and current PBA Commissioner's Cup TNT super import Terrence Jones, that is. The former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging an impressive 34.5 peg 16.40 rag and 7.7 apg while shooting 41% from deep and 51% from two. Jones' all around brilliance has propelled TNT back to the top of the standings after the team's confusing/ disappointing play the last few conferences.

So here's where TNT is right now: 9-1 win-loss record, managed to do away with disgruntled, supposedly "future" cornerstones Terrence Romeo, Jericho Cruz and RR Garcia, and adding role players like the other Semerad twin and Don Trollano along the way. From the outside looking in, you'd think that they lost a lot of star power in the process, and perhaps they did, but they were able to pretty much simplify their game plan in terms of who is Alpha, Beta and so on.


Jones is Alpha. Clear cut. Beta is Jayson Castro, who was supposed to pass on the heavy burden of carrying the team to younger teammates. Turns out, there's little to no need for that, at least not in import-laden conferences. Castro may not be as Blurry as years back, but he isn't exactly on his last legs either. Now you've got Jones and Castro as the clear 1-2 punch, with other players knowing just when and where to be. Troy Rosario is back to doing Rosario things, and not pretending to be a small forward (hopefully, for international purposes, he can continue working on this). The addition of the other Semerad, and how he complements his twin, is pretty much what Rosario can go back to being. A tough enforcer who works the board on defense, and a sturdy screen setter with enough range to knock down any kick-out passes from the free throw line and out.

So just how far can Jones take TNT?

Honestly, Abueva-dance-gate kidding aside, we feel that he can take TNT all the way to the PBA Finals. The team looks like it is in great rhythm, they celebrate each other's made shots and plays, and  they do not ball watch anymore (which was a really odd sight to see last season, considering TNT has been the PBA's standard bearer for a more Euro-style of play).

Now what we'd really like to know is, how long are we going to keep calling Bong Ravena the "head coach?"

Also, you really mean to tell us that they couldn't simply have done this for Jimmy Alapag back then? You know, something like, he's "head coach" but you've got an import consultant, say a Rajko Toroman at the time, to be in his ear? Really? Really?

Your thoughts?

Trade RXN: Pringle to Ginebra

Author’s note: We simply cannot tell a lie—the most fantasy basketball-related thing that we really invest time and brainpower on are trade reactions. Of what is and what could be, how pieces would fit in a puzzle moving forward and so on. So the minute that we found out about this trade, we just had to drop everything and write a customary RXN piece. Enjoy!

Bagong ka-Barangay
(Photo: ABS CBN Sports)

For what it's worth, NorthPort had a great five-year run with All Star Stanley Pringle running the point. Sure, he spent most of it playing 2nd fiddle to Terrence Romeo, but he pretty much filled the gaps and when he was given the keys to the 'ship' following Romeo's exit, he delivered in grand fashion enough to merit a starting, starring role with Gilas Pilipinas.

Now, Pringle will take his act to Ginebra Ako, where he is expected to lead the charge and inherit the team from aging iron man L.A. Tenorio to form a young, formidable backcourt with Scottie Thompson.



We've always said-- from the old blog to Twitter, that Ginebra usually went only as far as Tenorio would take them. The star point guard is not only the team's best facilitator, but also their best creator both on and off the dribble following Mark Caguioa's journey into semi-retirement. This is why Ginebra Ako is so good when they have Justin Brownlee in the fold, and not as much when they don't.

Enter Pringle, who could easily slide into either 1 or 2. With Tenorio, he'll be the de facto 2 guard- scorer, finisher, long range bomber-- you name it. When Tenorio's on the bench, he could take the lead role or play off of Scottie Thompson (who has yet to be tasked to run the Ginebra offense full-time) or point-forward Joe DeVance.

Just another solid addition to the Ginebra fold that really makes them a better team all around. They have the bigs equipped with mid-range scoring, now they've got their guard of the future.

They lost three guys, two of which are rotation players, with the other one serviceable when healthy.

Which brings us to NorthPort.

In exchange for Pringle, NorthPort received guard Sol Mercado, small forward Kevin Ferrer and power forward Jervy Cruz. On paper, that's not a bad haul.

Mercado has sacrificed a lot to fit Ginebra's system, giving up his touches if only to allow bigs Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter to operate a bit more. He has openly welcomed coming off the bench for the great Coach Tim Cone, and has willingly played whatever role was asked of him-- be it scorer, stopper (he tries) or energy guy. There's no question on our minds that Mercado should start sooner rather than later for NorthPort as a capable replacement for Pringle. Maybe not as explosive scoring-wise, but still solid enough to put up good numbers.

Big man Cruz is reunited with his 2006 UST championship coach, and we sincerely hope that he finds the minutes this time around. We have seen flashes, but all in all Cruz has found it hard to be as dominant in the pros as he was in college-- blame it on the competition being taller, and bigger, and his opting to trim down a bit. When he's healthy and given minutes, Cruz is quite competent around the paint-- just don't ask Coach Yeng Guiao. But in an import laden conference, given NorthPort's line-up, we're not really expecting a lot from Cruz.

Now here's the interesting part.

The young tiger, the former Tiger King (was he ever officially coronated? Or is the title Alj-- I kid, I kid) Kevin Ferrer.

At this point, it's really to early to give up on Ferrer. He's had his moments with Ginebra, but for the most part he has looked like a lazier, more disengaged version of Mac Baracael. You know, another great college player who could play two-way basketball and had great range? Yeah, him. Ferrer's the new Baracael, only worse. While we wouldn't really question his work ethic (pretty sure he's a gym rat like the rest of them), we're basically making that whole statement based on what we have seen in his professional career on the court. When he's hot, he has unlimited range. His high release paired with his long arms make him almost unguardable. Problem is, he doesn't seem to care about moving his feet to get free or has a pet dribble to go to-- things he could have and should have learned from Ginebra veteran, textbook shooter/ scorer Jeffrei Chan (who is unfortunately injured) during their time together.

What's nice here is that, Ferrer will definitely get a chance to shine playing behind Sean Anthony at the 3 spot (or maybe even play together come Philippine Cup). Here's to wishing that Ferrer finally gets 'it' and shows his true worth under his old coach Pido.

Trade grade:

Ginebra Ako: A (they got Pringle!)
NorthPort: B (should've gone for draft picks but hey)

Your thoughts?

Make a stand

Standhardinger: Out of place
(Photo: Inquirer Sports)

The San Miguel Beermen are off to another mediocre start to the 2nd conference of yet another PBA season following a championship run.

Tell us if you've heard this story before: the Beermen put up a world-class, titan-like basketball display in the Philippine Cup versus worthy adversaries, only to look like mere mortals as their superstar core of multi-time MVP Junemar Fajardo, Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter are either saddled by injuries or play below par owing to fatigue.

But isn't this why they got Christian Standhardinger and this season, the flamboyant Terrence Romeo? Management did a heck of a job in fortifying their 2nd unit, throw in the help of a solid import in Charles Rhodes, the improved play of Matt Roster and Von Pessumal and the bruising Kelly Nabong, and you pretty much have a unit that could start in the Playoffs for any other team.

On paper, that is.

So far, the biggest disappointment has to be Standhardinger-- he of mighty FIBA Asia credentials, a thoroughbred who was primed to become Fajardo's bosom buddy in the post the way Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino flourished together with the Santa Lucia Realtors a decade or so ago.

The Filipino-German has found it hard to get solid minutes under Coach Leo Austria, and when he does, he mostly plays a garbage man's role to Fajardo. There's playing the weak side, then there's being asked to simply get out of the way-- Standhardinger appears to be playing more to the latter. What's odd is, Standhardinger can't seem to post-up PBA competition the way he is able to awkwardly manoeuvre in the paint versus FIBA bigs to get scoring position.

If you were to ask us, we'd openly accept that the SMB core guys, who all play at least 31 mpg, sit the 2nd conference (or maybe have their minutes cut down to the mid 20s mark) and have the 2nd unit take over. That's Standhardinger, Romeo, Rosser, Pessumal and an import, Rhodes. You simply cannot convince us that that unit can't get the team to the Playoffs at least, with Fajardo, Ross and Lassiter chipping in from time to time.

It's just unfortunate how SMB fans, who have already grown accustomed to this 2nd conference dip shoot down the rest of their roster if only to save their core starters' reputation. As though the Beermen's 2nd unit were composed of guys who'd be best of playing in minor leagues.

The only probable and logical reason we can come up with, why this has been tolerated for so long, is that Coach Leo and or management is mindful of their core starters' numbers, minutes and salary. They get paid a lot, so best to really get their money's worth, right?

We're not asking Standhardinger to suddenly average 20-10 in lieu of Fajardo, simply, for him (and the rest of the guys) to not look so lost out there on offense and not hesitate to maybe take a few shots here and there.

Your thoughts?

Out of control

A moment of peace
(Photo: PhilStar.com)

We failed Calvin Abueva.

The Phoenix Fuel Masters, the Alaska Aces, his teammates past and present, his coaches, his inner circle, and most specially, his fans.

The clothesline on Terrence Jones, the disgusting display with a female fan who turned out to be an opposing player's partner, the on court antics and bravado that is starting to spill out off the court based on rumours and his semi-private life which became a bit of a circus late last year-- which we never really cared much for (if you've been reading our blog and Twitter long enough, you'd know that we never really bothered about who's sleeping with who).

We have empowered Calvin Abueva to the point wherein he thinks that his antics are acceptable. There's physical Filipino basketball, and then there's the ugly, brash, bully-ball reserved for the streets where if the player can't beat you in the game, he'd simply just go out there and try to hurt you. Basketball hooligans. Fake thuggery. He sure as hell wasn't doing a lot of bully-ball when they faced San Miguel last conference and the champions had enough of him and simply put Kelly Nabong in the game.

Abueva the person needs help, mentally.

He is a great basketball talent, he is athletic, he hustles, he scraps, he is a game-changer.

But year after year, we see him getting out of control. Coach Louie Alas and Coach Topex Robinson appear to have him on a very long leash. Coach Alex Compton had him on one too, save for Alaska's classy owner Mr. Wilfred Uytengsu who finally (probably) put his foot down and prioritised integrity over winning dirty.

He says that he reacted to the female fan who was hurling insults at him. How? By performing lewd acts for the public to see? Is this what a grown man, a father, would like for kids, his own, to see and emulate?

Fans should also be held accountable of course and display proper decorum, but the league should know better and hold seminars for their players to NOT react or at least have self-control. Abueva needs counselling. Anger management issues. We're not even entirely sure if he has anger issues, it's just the way he's wired it seems.

You can be tough on the court, but you can also be a gentleman off it.

The hit on Jones was warranted. He got hit on the nuts. But only after he stood over Jones who he knocked down in the first place. A hit for a hit.

But instead of going after Jones, he disguises his revenge in a cowardly basketball play. He yells at the referees to watch him. Then he goes on and chases the guy on a loose ball and blindsides him with a clothesline from behind.

From behind. He hit Jones. Jones hits back. He waits and sneaks in a clothesline from the back because you know, he got what was coming to him and now he needs his payback, macho man style.

The indefinite suspension is warranted. Ban him for a year, maybe even longer. Let him think it over. Let him heal. Maybe find peace first. The PBA needs to be strong and set an example, no matter how talented the player is.

Your thoughts on Abueva and his indefinite suspension?

Genesis

Here we go
(Photo: ABS CBN News)

In 2015, Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. had a choice to make: prepare for the PBA Draft, which has been nothing short of a birth right given his rich pedigree and building accomplishments, or try for the NBA Draft and see how far his basketball skills were to take him.

He chose the latter, though he went undrafted and hardly made an impact in the Development Leagues. It took him four years of playing for Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League (where he is the reigning back-to-back-to-back ABL Local MVP) and some for Gilas Pilipinas, before he finally opted to apply for the PBA Draft wherein he was selected 2nd overall- something that probably had more to do with off-court politics than actual basketball skill.

Because let's all be honest about it, Parks, Jr. is the most polished basketball player we have ever seen since Willie Miller and Zandro Limpot, Jr.

Name a basketball move, be it for a guard or big, and Parks, Jr. probably has it nailed all the way down to the fundamentals.



We've been hard on Parks, Jr. on our old blog and on Twitter (where he blocked us following that disappointing NU-UST series), but it was never about because he was making incorrect plays on the court. It was more like, we expected more. Because of the skillset. Because of the proven track record.

The knock on Parks, Jr. is that he doesn't play with fire. With intensity. We see flashes, but in a full 48-minute game, you see him going through the motions. But with so much ease that you'd be wanting for more. The shots are effortless. Getting into scoring position for him is easy-picking. The only time we've ever seen him being locked up, is that NU-UST playoffs wherein Kevin Ferrer was blatantly holding on to his wrists Tyron Lue-Allen Iverson style (that the refs were not calling, and from what we can remember he injured that same wrist, which ultimately led to a subpar game for his standards).

Our knock on Parks, Jr., going into the NBA Draft, is that he didn't have any advantage going in. Versus Filipino competition-- slower, smaller, he was an A+, versus guys who were about the same size but more explosive than he was, well, there's a reason why he couldn't crack a starting spot in the D-League. He was a tweener. He has the smarts to run point, but not the range, speed or strength. He's not a natural explosive scorer, not a catch-and-shoot guy, so you couldn't put him at the 2. He plays more like a natural 3, and vs international competition where 3 guys are anywhere from 6"6 to 6"9, he's just a bit too short/ not as strong.

We said that he needed to zero in on a skill, and hard. Scoring? Passing? Running? Something. To an elite level. Just enough to get noticed.

But on the Asian front-- let's not lie to ourselves. In South East Asia? Parks, Jr. is better than 90% of the field. You have seen some of the best Asian-Americans/ Foreigners and how they were tasked to match up with Parks, Jr. and the Filipino made them all look like fools on the court.

Now with the Blackwater Elite, we are starting to see an even more polished game from Parks, Jr. Though a rookie, he is arguably the most battle-tested among his peers. The way he handles himself in games, the way he plays and 'controls' the match-- had he been playing since the Philippine Cup he'd probably be a lock for the Rookie of the Year award as early as July already. The way he is able to make Allein Maliksi and Roi Sumang, both one-trick pony scorers, look even better on the court, and how he is able to revive the play of Mac Belo-- Parks, Jr. is an elite player for sure.

Sitting here after years of frustration over our love-hate relationship with Parks, Jr.'s basketball odyssey, we could definitely say this: "Parks, Jr. is the real deal, and he is worth the wait."

Don't call it a comeback.

Because we never left.

The 2018 PBA Draft [RXN]

CJ Perez to Columbian
(Image courtesy of ABS CBN Sports)

Our Mock Draft came up a bit short (read: this writer forgot to post it!) so without further adieu, here's our reaction piece on yesterday's PBA Draft:

1. Columbian – CJ Perez, PG, 6”1 
What we love about Perez’ game is that he was not satisfied by being tagged as the “Baby Beast”—a tribute given his game’s (and background’s) similarity to Phoenix’s Calvin Abueva. No, he went from being that energy guy who can do it all a.k.a. ‘rebound ko, baba ko’ and transformed himself to 1) a slasher and scorer with a legitimate perimeter jumpshot and 2) a point guard who can make great reads and passes that are not a byproduct of the offense (like a dribble drive that makes lead combo guards look monstrous when in all, they’re simply kicking out the ball to guys who are locked into certain areas on the floor and not moving at all). While he may not be the best talent available in this year’s Draft, not a lot of fans would argue against his selection. Columbian would be complete and utter fools if they do not hand him the keys outright.

2. Blackwater – Bobby Ray Parks, Jr., SF, 6”3 
The best available talent in this year’s draft. He has the size. He has the handles. He has the range. He has the experience. Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. was born to be in the PBA. At 25, he’s already reaching his prime as a basketball player. Parks, Jr. has been so good, that the only flaw we could really point out is how sometimes, we feel like he could do more- when in reality, the numbers that he puts up on a daily basis wherever he plays, are good enough to win league MVP today. Sure, we want him to be more aggressive. Sure, we wish he’d put in more time in the gym and lose some baby fat. But make no mistake about it, you’d be very hard-pressed to find guys who are better than Parks, Jr. at the 2-3 spots in the PBA. We also appreciate how he’s played off the ball for Alab Pilipinas under Jimmy Alapag, if only to teach him other ways to be effective (he played off it for the most part last year but still won ABL Local MVP). Unfortunately, we’d have to wait until the 2nd/ 3rd conference to see his true worth.

3. NorthPort – Robert Bolick, SG, 6”1 
Bolick, if are to believe the NorthPort camp, is a Terrence Romeo replacement minus the long hair, flash and excessive ball-handling. He can definitely log in some minutes at the point, though his handles may not be as good versus a Chris Ross or Jayson Castro. What you like about Bolick is that he’s ready to score and willing to do anything to win, he can play off the ball while still being effective—which is what NorthPort really needs since we expect star guard Stanley Pringle to dominate the offense. A bit of an overlap with Jonathan Gray in terms of what they bring to the table, and maybe a concern defensively should the pair play alongside Pringle.

No Drama

Jordan Clarkson, Pilipinas # 6
(Photo courtesy of Rappler.com)

Save for the pre-Asian Games run wherein it really felt like boardroom nerds just had to get themselves in the limelight somehow, this current edition and run of the Philippines' men's basketball team is exactly how we want our team: no frills, no TV specials (until after the job is done) and definitely no other name or brand but PILIPINAS shining through.

A no frills coach who surprisingly has been off-television character, saying all the right things and keeping most of his thoughts to himself. A team that has been forged by fire, reinforced by players with no hidden agendas (like a wishful thinking of maybe there are NBA scouts watching and that this could be their shot at the big time). And the whole PBA, suddenly in unison after their dirty laundry was brought out in the open (by design or not), united for a cause.

So please forgive us, SMART, Chooks-to-go, and whichever brand wants to be plastered on the jerseys.

Trade RXN: Standhardinger to SMB

Soon to be unleashed.

Ah, the controversial deal that helped open a can of worms which could possibly a) end the Chito Narvasa reign , b) force PBA teams to bolt and or c) earn us a FIBA suspension.

The cellar-dwelling Kia Picanto opted to send the rights to their 2017 1st round draft pick to powerhouse San Miguel in exchange for Rashawn Mccarthy, JayR Reyes, Ronald Tubid and a 2019 1st round draft pick. The Beermen then wasted little time in making it known and eventually using that pick on 6"8 Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger who held his own and averaged near double-doubles in FIBA play.

Let's break this trade down, shall we?

#NarvasaResign

Man on fire
(photo courtesy of Rappler,com)

It has been a while, and we are quite thankful that there are some of you who still patronize this page and digest whatever understanding of Philippine basketball we have to offer despite the dwindling number of entries.

We have apologized quite a few times already, so there is no point in adding yet another paragraph just to do so. Long story short: life happens.

That being said, PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa has recently come under fire after 1) approving a "lopsided" trade that sent the 2017 PBA Draft 1st pick Christian Standhardinger to the San Miguel Beermen and 2) revealing that it was TNT personnel Magnum Membrere who processed Standhardinger's Draft Application, which put TNT under a bad light obviously.

2017 PBA Mock Draft 2.0

Number 2? Or Number 1?
(Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

12. TNT - Louie Vigil, SF, 6"3
A bit under-rated, Vigil is a legitimate PBA 3 who can play both ends of the court. In college, he has shown that he can fill in the gaps when asked to defer to his superstar seniors AND also step up to plate as team alpha. TNT just hasn't been the same since they dealt Larry Fonacier and blindly expected Matt Ganuelas Rosser to fill in that void (they traded him for point man RR Garcia which was brilliant). This move also saves Troy Rosario from looking stupid trying to learn the small forward spot on the fly when he's a natural stretch 4.

11. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel - Julien Sergent, SF, 6"3
Sergent has all the tools that coach Tim Cone just loves to work with; Ginebra doesn't need him to contribute right away, so he can be used as a practice player to help him develop into either a stopper (which he showed flashes of for DLSU) or a finisher around the rim. That small forward practice battle with Aljon Mariano, Kevin Ferrer AND Art dela Cruz should be crazy fun.

10. TNT - Jett Manuel, 6"0
Ryan Reyes is old. UP is Team MVP's latest project. Everything just fits. TNT needs to reload shooter-wise and adding a scorer like Manuel gives them just that.

2017 PBA Mock Draft

Dragonfire. (Photo credit: Inquirer.net)

The names are in. Let's go with version 1.

12. Ginebra - Louie Vigil, SF, 6"3
Because you know... Ginebra's building their own UST team with Aljon Mariano and Kevin Ferrer already in the fold. Seriously though, Vigil is a smart and efficient player to have as a backup for Ferrer and Mariano at the 3 spot. He has good PBA size and the tv-friendly looks. There are other guys like Onuwobre that we'd want to go higher, but based on need... Ginebra doesn't really have much room for another big man while Jamil Sherrif, arguably this draft's best natural PG, is a bit too short with no range for the PBA style IMHO.

11. San Miguel Beermen - Julien Sergent, SF, 6"3

Sergent had spurts for DLSU wherein he really did look like a solid, defensive ace. However, he wasn't being used as much which we always found odd. The Beermen are currently stacked on all fronts, with the one opening being at the 3 spot with Arwind Santos on a bit of a decline (age) and Matt Rosser still trying to fit in. Sergent won't take MGR's spot right away, but if he sticks to his strengths (defense, speed, mobility) he could crack the roster as a serviceable role player.

10. TNT - Rey Nambatac, SG, 5"10
They have a plethora of bigs. What they need is a shot creator who can take the load off Jayson Castro. Sure, Nambatac's name doesn't really hit you like a Jeron Teng or Kiefer Ravena would, but if there's one thing about the former Letran Knight-- he doesn't shy away from taking the big shots. What's nice about Nambatac is he also crashes the boards and plays sturdy defense which makes him a possible candidate to one day succeed Ryan Reyes.


9. Star Hotshots - Lervin Flores, PF, 6"4 
Let's face it. To this day, Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis are still the team's best big men. Which means, Ian Sangalang hasn't exactly lived up to what was expected (following his bouts with different injuries), while Kyle Pascual, Rodney Brondial and Aldrech Ramos are more stretch bigs than guys who can manufacture their own shots in the post. Flores is another mobile big, though based on what we've seen he is a bit more competent down low.

FIBA Asia Cup: Cursed

Not enough
(Photo credit: FIBA.com)

Against the South Korean men's basketball team, our Gilas Pilipinas (then, now... and the good Lord Almighty forbid, forever) appears to be cursed. There is just no other way to explain it.

We had a solid outing, our team shot 45% from the field, 44% from deep. We had 15 turnovers, sure, but that is still quite a respectable number when the opponent committed only three less. But what the hell- they shot 67% the entire night.

They shot 76% from three point territory, missing all but five of their 21 attempts. This was God's way of telling Magoo Marjon and friends to quit yapping about the whole "and the curse of Korea is about to be broken!" This was the Korean's way of telling us "that was 2013, this is 2017, get with the program."

FIBA Asia Cup: Thoughts on Gilas 3-0 start

PUSO

Three to nil.

Those are three wins over China, Iraq and Qatar in what was deemed by FIBA as the "group of death." Fortunately for us; China missed a few key players (though we were also without 3x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo AND naturalized reinforcement Andray Blatche), Iraq's still developing its young basketball program while Qatar is rebuilding.

We are not trying to take anything away from our Gilas team, because they fought tooth and nail for each one of those three victories. We are just saying that for the time being, it appears that the stars are aligning to our favor after years of heartbreak and close shaves.


First, let us all thank Chot Reyes for coming back and spearheading this program. He could've walked away and kept to his corporate role. He could've said "no thanks" after all the (unwarranted) backlash the last time he coached Gilas.

Thoughts on Gilas - Jones Cup 2017

The Future
(Photo credit: FoxSports.Ph)

We told you that it might take a while before we returned to blogging, didn't we?

The day job (which basically extends all the way into the night) is going strong. Those who are in the know hopefully understand why we're unable to provide any updates here or on Twitter as much as before. Long story short, we didn't want to write anything that we weren't invested in 100%. We've seen a few games here and there, but nothing quite up to par that will help us form strong arguments.

Still, while we couldn't quite sit down in front of the television (literally) to break down PBA games, we simply couldn't miss out on Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the 2017 William Jones Cup. Here are a few things that we saw, a few conclusions, commendations and a little bit of that good old cool glass of Haterade.

1. Kiefer Ravena, The PointS Guard
While Gilas head coach Chot Reyes opted to start lightning quick Jio Jalalon, they played their best with the slower, more methodical Ravena running the show. While we're still unconvinced that Ravena can keep in step with PBA-level point guards, his feel for the game is unparalleled: correct passes, great reads and just sets the table up nicely. What or where Ravena is still lacking is finding the right balance between facilitating and dominating. For the most part, Gilas did quite well when Ravena opted to put his head down and call his own number. They say he's transitioning to PG because that's what is required for him to chase his NBA dream (and maybe even against PBA competition). We say that he's too talented to be penciled in a certain position, and deferring to lesser equipped teammates would simply be a waste.

Trade rxn: Too many to mention

When NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao said that he was considering trading a few players to form the most competitive team possible; he damn well meant every single word.

The fiery head coach and his team figured in several trades that took place during the PBA All Star break that involved four other squads. There were some surprises-- considering the names that were included, and here we try our very best to make sense out of the Guiao-manufactured madness.

Meralco: Garvo Lanete
The Bolts decided to let go of the promising Grey (who kept opening eyes with his efficient play despite the obvious lack of hype and athleticism) to acquire former Gilas Cadet hand Lanete. Lanete comes in to possibly re-start his amateurs superstar partnership with the Bolts' lead point guard Baser Amer who is having a breakout in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. The move will also allow the Bolts to focus on rookie Ed Daquioag as their premier slasher/ creator coming off the bench, with Amer and Lanete as their lead 1-2 players from here on out.
Grade: B