Weekend Basketball Bitstuff 3: Nic Belasco Traded & Barrios Questioned
March 8, 2008 by Benhur
I commented over here that Sta. Lucia’s championship has a micro-asterisk on top of it because of the James Yap suspension. If Ronnie Nathanielz’ blow by blow account of the Robles Buddy Barrios eye-ball at Shangri La is true, let’s upgrade the micro-asterisk to mini-asterisk.
But while Sta. Lucia Realty deserved to win, the series was marred by what we consider poor judgment and impropriety both on the part of commissioner Sonny Barrios and Sta. Lucia team owner Exequiel Robles and team manager Buddy Encarnado. We know Mr. Robles to be a fine, upright and decent gentleman, who hardly ever interferes with the workings of his team and the league itself and that is why his decision to invite Barrios to a luncheon meeting on the very same day that the commissioner was to take up the case of Purefoods’ James Yap, was not in keeping with his style.
The article questioning Sonny Barrios here.
What’s wrong with Belasco? Welcoat sent him packing to Coca Cola for Mark Isip and some picks. This will be his 5th team. Back in 1997, he was picked 2nd by the RFM Franchise. Pick number two, sandwich by now 2 retired players, Jason Webb and Andy Seigle. If he doesn’t put his act together on the floor, he will soon join Andy Seigle playing Nintendo Wii at home or join Jason Webb in the TV booth.
Coca-Cola and Welcoat struck a trade deal Thursday night, sending veteran forward Nic Belasco to the Tigers camp in exchange for sophomore pro Mark Isip plus two future draft picks.
With the acquisition of Belasco, the Tigers have become a lot more formidable as he is expected to complement well with Asi Taulava, who joined the squad midway in the recent Philippine Cup. From ninth place at the end of the elimination round, the Tigers rallied to finish sixth in the all-Filipino tourney topped by the Sta. Lucia Realtors. The Tigers were beaten by the Alaska Milk Aces in their best-of-three quarterfinals showdown.
Taulava and Belasco were the league’s top two rebounders in the Philippine Cup, averaging 14.6 and 13.6 caroms a game, respectively. Belasco also normed 15.5 points, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steal and 0.6 block a game for Welcoat last conference. Welcoat was Belasco’s latest stop after his stints with Pop Cola, San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk in a pro career starting in 1997. Belasco is 34. Isip, on the other hand, put in only 3.1 points and 2.6 assists per game with Coca-Cola.
The deal looks one-sided in favor of Coca-Cola on the surface but the Welcoat management believes it would serve its purpose in the future.
…and what’s wrong with Welcoat too. They traded for Belasco and gave away Junior Cabatu. They then gave Nic a max deal. A conference later, they shipped him out. This could be because, (1) they are cost cutting or (2) Nic has some attitude problem or (3) They’ve done poor scouting on Joe DeVance and just found out the Nic’s and Joe’s game is virtually the same.
For Coke, this is must-do-well conference for Binky Favis. He can no longer have so-so results. With two imports and having Nic, Telan and Asi, they should contend.
O.T. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SONNY JAWORSKI! The Legend Lives On!
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Wow, the question here would be how would Coke be picking their imports? Would they go for another Anthony Johnson type of player and a super point guard because they already have the ceiling to provide inside toughness? Or will they go for another inside operator?
Ps,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAWO!
ewww… probably all. belasco was the only bright spot in that team (excluding devance) and coke will benefit from this trade.
isip in my view is still underachieving. i really think that i’d play junjun cabatu more than isip for the fact that cabatu really wants to get out of this hellhole season and convert it into courtside goodness.
this should never have happened but if welcoat wants to clear their cap when they get unsettling heroes then, whatever.
@syd, yes, parang ganun na nga ang nangyari, cabatu traded for isip then they just doled out over 350,000 a month (3 to 4 months) kay belasco for nothing. kumain lang ng minutes ng ibang players na sana na develop na lang last conference (say, jun jun cabatu nga).
…and they were booted din nmn. bad planning.
[...] benhur: @chris, actually they can get both PG and another inside banger as they are allowed to get 2 imports. I guess… [...]
tama kayo. It seems that way. Isip for Cabatu but its not bad planning at all kasi tumubo pa sila sa two second rounders in the future and definitely sobrang mas talented si Mark Isip ke Cabatu.
The deal by welcoat is superb in the sense na, it will really develop the games of Devance,Reyes and now Mark Isip.
Nag backfire kay Nic kasi kahit double double si Nic per game KULELAT PA DIN!
Might as well go for a young frontliner like Mark Isip.
With TWO IMPORTS FOR WELCOAT AND COKE (ironically they traded for each other), I AM ADDING THESE TWO TEAMS TO MAKE IT TO THE SEMIS.
And tama din kayo, IT PUTS PRESSURE TO FAVIS AND AUSTRIA WHO COULD BE COACHING THEIR LAST CONFERENCE !
Masyado naman ang handicapping ! Dapat Welcoat lang allowed ng 2 imports!
Kumbaga yung deadlast lang sa all filipino.
tHE 9 TEAMS SA PBA ARE EQUAL IN STRENGTHS! WELCOAT LANG ANG PARANG BASAHAN SO DAPT LAST PLACED TEAM LANG ANG HANDICAPPED.
KALAT KALAT SI BARRIOS TALAGA.