2015 PBA Philippine Cup: Rookie Report Card

One guy's been delivering, the other subpar
(Photo credit to Spin.ph)

Before things start to get too crazy in the PBA Philippine Cup Playoffs, here is our "Report Card" on the 2015 PBA Draft 1st rounders. With teams like Meralco and Mahindra now out of contention, we feel that now is the best time to come up with such since who knows what roles the rooks will play once the imports come in for the next two conferences (history says that they will probably and most likely enjoy reduced roles).

Special mention goes out to Mahinda's Bradwyn Guinto (24mpg 9ppg 9rpg) and NLEX's Simon Enciso (26mpg 8ppg 2rpg 3apg) for basically playing their way into their respective team's rotation and showing that while they were picked late (both 2nd rounders), hard work is always rewarded even in a league chockfull of talent and stars.

Oh, and Rain or Shine's Don Trollano is Mr. YOLO. God bless him.


12. Josan Nimes, SF, Rain or Shine
Stats: 9mpg 3ppg 1rpg 1apg

Nimes has legitimate Grade A basketball IQ, he knows when and where to pass, how to position himself on defense and actually plays a lot like a veteran PG. What is lacking at the moment is some aggressiveness, he hasn't shown a willingness to hit and get hit and most often is happy just creating plays for others. Kumbaga, nahihiya pa.

Grade: C

PBAPC16 QF: 4 Ginebra vs 9 Star

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

Call this a rallying point.

When Coach Tim Cone left Star for Ginebra (taking Joe DeVance with him in the process), the team was left in shell-shocked and in shambles. Guys were not responding to head coach Jason Webb, no matter how fun his free-flowing offense appears to be and you could just see the lack of intensity on the defensive end.

Well, you know what they say about champions and their pride right?

PBAPC16 QF: 6 Talk n Text vs 7 NLEX

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

You know how it goes in the family when you are the youngest: if you want respect, you will have to earn it the hard way no matter how spoiled you appear to be. And the fastest way into obtaining that respect, is to somehow best your gifted older sibling who either comes home with a technicolor stamped arm for all the Stars and what not or trophies. Lots and lots of sports-related trophies.

This is where Coach Boyet Fernandez and his NLEX stands at the moment, finding themselves with a twice-to-beat disadvantage versus big brother Talk'n'Text. They have achieved little in the PBA so far and just when they were about to make a push for a deep playoff run, they are stuck having to duke it out early with the "family favorite."

Defiantly leading the charge for NLEX are Asi Taulava (33mpg 20ppg 12rpg) and Sean Anthony (35mpg 20ppg 12rpg 4apg), followed by the revived play of a healthy Jonas Villanueva (32mpg 11ppg 4rpg 4apg) and rookies Simon Enciso (26mpg 8ppg) and Kevin Alas (25mpg 8ppg 3rpg 2apg). There are games wherein Taulava and Anthony appear to be the only ones competing, but lately every one's been in a steady groove-- MacMac Cardona included.

PBAPC16 QF: 3 Rain or Shine vs 10 Blackwater

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

Talk about having to go through a Rite of Passage for the Blackwater Elite: though they just earned their first playoff appearance in their young franchise history, they find themselves with a twice-to-beat disadvantage versus perennial title contenders, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

Elite head coach Leo Isaac will need to squeeze all he can from main guys Carlo Lastimosa (23mpg 16ppg 3rpg 2apg), JP Erram (26mpg 12ppg 9rpg), Art dela Cruz (22mpg 11ppg 4rpg), Reil Cervantes (19mpg 9ppg 3rpg) and whoever among Raphy Reyes, Keith Agovida and Jason Melano are up to the challenge of locking horns with a physical RoS group.

PBAPC16 QF: 5 GlobalPort vs 8 Barako

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

R.R. Garcia just cannot seem to catch a break in his young PBA career.

After being pushed to the backseat by former college and pro teammate Terrence Romeo, Garcia was finally able to show his old UAAP MVP form for Barako Bull this Philippine Cup. Unfotunately, he suffered a shoulder injury just a few weeks back which has kept him on the sidelines going into this Quarterfinals match-up with, hey, Romeo and his GlobalPort squad.

Had Garcia (29mpg 17ppg 3rpg 2apg) been healthy, he and Romeo (30mpg 23ppg 4rpg 3apg) would have been the clear focus of this battle of recognized SMC farm teams (from a fan boy's standpoint, it could have been our "what if" Jayjay Helterbrand vs Mark Caguioa dream scenario... guess we will have to wait a bit longer on this one).

Pain and Gain

Photo credit to ABS-CBNnews.com

You know what they say about life as a gym rat: "no pain, no gain."

The Alaska Aces' 6"4 power forward Vic Manuel is proof of those words having worked his way up the ranks enough to average a star-like 16ppg 8rpg 1apg 1spg 1bpg in only 24mpg of action. Manuel has been so consistent and solid; that it simply does not matter if he is starting for head coach Alex Compton or not since the results at game's end is almost always the same.

Did Manuel's steady ascension caught us off guard?

No, not really. Since you have to remember that this guy is a legitimate UCAA Most Valuable Player when he played for the PSBA Jaguars and also a former PBA D-League Best Player of the Conference awardee. So the game is there. Even when he was selected 9th overall in the 2012 PBA Draft by GlobalPort and played for that team and later Meralco before finally landing at Alaska, he was averaging a serviceable 8ppg to go with 4rpg in maybe 16-17mpg.

Have you seen the 2016 NBA All Star Unis???

adidas, the official on-court apparel provider for the National Basketball Association (NBA), unveiled the uniforms and apparel collection for the 65th NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 14 in Toronto. The uniforms incorporate elements indigenous to Canada and pay homage to Toronto’s NBA history, passionate basketball fans and cosmopolitan energy.

“This is the first NBA All-Star Game to be played outside the United States, and it is a very exciting time for basketball in Canada,” said Chris Grancio, adidas global basketball general manager. “To honor this global celebration and pay tribute to Toronto – the site of the NBA’s first game – we’ve incorporated design elements that are inspired by the city’s basketball history, sports culture and unique fashion scene to make an All-Star collection that players and fans will love.” 

The red-and-white Western Conference and white-and-blue Eastern Conference uniforms feature a maple leaf overlay on the front of the jerseys as a tribute to the national symbol of Canada, while Toronto’s cityscape is featured across the back to represent the host city. Clean, single-layered fonts are a nod to the NBA’s early days in Toronto, where the first NBA game was played on Nov. 1, 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers.