UAAP Power Rankings (Start - Sept 1, 2010)

There’s a new number one in town and you’ll definitely notice him!

I might be late but I am now here.

GAME STARTS NOW!

First of all… PLUGGING TIME!

I made a post about Renren Ritualo. He has been recently added to the Powerade Tigers’ cast and hopefully this will reunify him with his former scoring machine self. See it when you type www.sydrified.blogspot.com at your browser.

Anyway, I have been busy lately so hopefully you’ll be contented with the details or lack thereof of the current rankings. Inside the Top 20, Ateneo’s Nico Salva failed to salvage a place.

Don’t worry though because he was replaced by another Eagle.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

20 EAGLES – JUSTIN CHUA (FORMERLY # 19)
19 BULLDOGS – JOSEPH HERMOSISIMA (FORMERLY # 18)
18 EAGLES – RYAN BUENAFE (RETURNING)
17 ARCHERS – SIMON ATKINS (FORMERLY # 20)
16 MAROONS – MIKE SILUNGAN (FORMERLY # 14)
15 ARCHERS – MAUI VILLANUEVA (FORMERLY # 16)
14 EAGLES – KIRK LONG (FORMERLY # 12)
13 MAROONS – WOODY CO (FORMERLY # 15)
12 FALCONS – ERIC CAMSON (FORMERLY # 8)
11 MAROONS – ALVIN PADILLA (FORMERLY # 13)

THE TOP TEN:

10 TIGERS – JERIC FORTUNA (FORMERLY # 11)
STATS: 10.2PPG, 3.9RPG, 4.5APG, 1.4SPG
His points are still inconsistent but the other facets of his game remains on sync. Until we see a dominant big man wearing the UST colors, we will never see his true potential.

9 EAGLES – ERIC SALAMAT (FORMERLY # 6)
STATS: 10.7PPG, 2.8RPG, 4.2APG, 2.0SPG
He started the season weak but slowly and surely his stats blossomed. I expect him to lead the drive of the Eagles to the title now that they are safely in the Final Four.

8 TAMARAWS – REIL CERVANTES (FORMERLY # 9)
STATS: 11.7PPG, 6.5RPG, 2.7APG
Fresh from a suspension due to over-eagerness to inflict pain, this is the season where he needs to excel. Perhaps the “time out” happened to teach him focus.

7 MAROONS – MAGI SISON (FORMERLY # 7)
STATS: 10.9PPG, 9.0RPG, 1.0APG, 1.8BPG
Wonder why most of the players in the top ten come from cellar-dwelling squads? Probably because most of the players from these teams attack their foes by their lonesome! Magi is a case in point.

6 TAMARAWS – RR GARCIA (FORMERLY # 4)
STATS: 17.5PPG, 3.7RPG, 2.5APG
The league’s leading scorer is finding himself drifting to the back part of the top ten but don’t pity him. With FEU preparing for the Final Four, I’m sure he’ll rather have a win than to top this chart.

5 TIGERS – CHRIS CAMUS (FORMERLY # 3)
STATS: 10.9PPG, 9.1RPG, 1.7APG
He needs to practice his small forward skills because when he climbs to the PBA… SF would be the position he’ll be taking. Hopefully, UST can find a big man next season to regain their “growl”.

4 WARRIORS – KENNETH ACIBAR (FORMERLY # 5)
STATS: 12.3PPG, 9.4RPG, 1.3BPG
Despite UE’s season downfall, they found a jewel in this kid. He played bullish despite his experience and you can see it in his stats. UE must expect more from him next season.

3 TAMARAWS – ALDRECH RAMOS (FORMERLY # 7)
STATS: 11.7PPG, 8.2RPG, 1.7APG, 2.4BPG
With the way this Smart-Gilas forward has been playing, FEU has a strong chance to win the title. It’s a tossup between Ramos and Garcia for the UAAP MVP plum.

2 WARRIORS – PAUL LEE (FORMERLY # 1)
STATS: 14.5PPG, 6.8RPG, 4.3APG, 1.8SPG
A string of bad scoring and excessive turnovers made Acibar rise and him fall. The Cobra Commander’s drought ignited UE’s giant-killing ways although it was worth very little, and it seriously too late.

1 BULLDOGS – EMMANUEL MBE (FORMERLY # 2)
STATS: 13.4PPG, 12.8RPG, 1.4BPG
After weeks of wait, Mbe is finally the top man of this rank. Lee’s inconsistency and his consistency proved to be the trigger. While NU will probably miss the Final Four, this is a very good upside from their yester-teams circa 2000. Expect him to continue his sound game next season.

Just because Mbe is my top choice, this doesn’t mean that he is my MVP for this season. I still believe that the winner must come from a winning school and like I said earlier, the distinction would be a tossup between Ramos and Garcia. Ramos is ahead for now but Garcia is the team’s energizer.

As long as Garcia delivers the offense and boosts up his other stats, he can pin the trophy to his side.

By the way, there is a more detailed version of this article and you can see it when you visit here.

Until next time,

Game over!

2010 PBA Draft Results

During drafts, the easiest pick to predict is often the first round pick.

That my friends, is a given.

But wait…

What’s this!?!?

The interesting things in this event are the picks from the bottom parts of the draft. Rain or Shine lacks size, Ginebra is souped up in the backcourt, and Barako Bull is pretty much in need of an overhaul.

Those are gimmes.

But once you have the name Yeng Guiao adjacent to the top three picks, complacency will lead you to huge jolt!

Yes, now that Meralco is the new PBA team, expect a lot of electrical terms coined by the Solar TV’s play-by-play boys.

Welcome to 2010 PBA Draft Coverage Report! I am not affiliated in any way with the PBA but just like most of you reading online, I am an armchair jock.

I loved Mico Halili’s reason for the rookie camp – so that fiascos like Jason Webb and Richard Del Rosario won’t happen again.

That’s funny.

Say hello to Chito Salud, the incoming PBA commissioner. Sonny Barrios did well but Salud looks to be a long term commish. Hopefully he wouldn’t do a Noli Eala.

The Powerade logo is too blue and too black. Really… the logo is too blue and too black. The Meralco Bolts has a cool logo. The Powerade logo is too dark for my liking… and it’s too blue and too black!

The Meralco AVP… looks like a presidential campaign. Since they wear orange, why not let Manny Villar join in?

What… too soon?

Regine Tolentino danced but she was off-sync. I was glad a man appeared to be her partner because a slightly-dressed woman dancing in front of a lot of manly men is…

Luckily wasn’t a second or third song for that matter because I fear people would be ordering beer!

Patricia Hizon is the host. She’s bubbly. It’s not robotic. She introduced Chito Salud.

He’s robotic.

The PBA offered a minute of silence for the peaceful repose of the victims of the Quirino Grandstand Massacre. It’s a nice touch.

They gave Lito Alvarez a plaque of appreciation… hence the lengthy remark! Air21 should have a great tagline so that Lito Alvarez wouldn’t have to borrow an Alaska slogan ever again.

By the way, here is the draft proper. Alongside Patricia, Mico, and Jason are “courtside” reporters Magoo Marjon and the cute Lia Cruz (she should be in the FHM Top 100 next year).

DRAFT PROPER STARTS NOW1

FIRST ROUND

1 AIR21 / RABEH AL-HUSSAINI – Are you shocked? Where the hell have you been? Every blog, broadsheet, and sports channel in the country predicted that Rabeh will be the 2010 top pick of the 2010 PBA Draft…

Wait…

The hell!?!?!

Let’s do this again!

FIRST ROUND

1 AIR21 / NONOY BACLAO – Yes, you saw it right. What on earth just happened? Who the fuck knew??? Everyone inside the mall was shocked. What did Rabeh do to piss Yeng Guiao like that? Dammit! Maybe just because Rabeh is friends with Japeth Aguilar or something that Yeng Guiao is punishing Rabeh for being a “Smart-Gilas” person. Maybe this is a way to neutralize the “star quality” inside Rabeh’s head? Anyway, I don’t know if Nonoy Baclao will be the star player or not but everyone knew he’ll be an Express… but he shouldn’t be the top pick though. He should really, REALLY perfect his offense because his defensive passion will always be there. And I agree with Mico, he reminds you of Vic Pablo. Hopefully he’ll have Pablo’s scoring smarts because if he rides the bench and Rabeh gets all the action, he’ll likely be a draft bust.

The only thing I was thinking at the moment was maybe the envelopes got mixed up.

I am just looking for excuses because even if Air21 was going to get Rabeh, I believe that the right person should always be the top pick. Baclao is a good player but package-wise, Rabeh is a much complete basketball player.

By the way, Air21 drafted… but where are the cowboy hats? It must have disappeared when Lito Alvarez accepted the Customs post.

2 AIR21 / RABEH AL-HUSSAINI – Looking at Rabeh’s face, he is not that happy. When he was interviewed, Rabeh admitted he was insulted. I have seen outtakes from his Team Pilipinas trips covered by GMA Pinoy TV where he always jokes around but now he’s super serious. Hey, you just got drafted – imagine the other 41 guys who’ll love to be in Rabeh’s position! Maybe Yeng Guiao will motivate Rabeh by embarrassing him. I just don’t know how Yeng Guiao thinks! He’ll power Air21’s scoring frontline that will also have JR Quinahan, Rich Alvarez, Ronnie Matias, and Carlo Sharma. Rabeh and Sharma are the third brother tandem of Air21 following Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo and Mark and Richard Yee. I was kidding about Mark and Richard for those idiots who think I’m an idiot. I am obviously the opposite of what you think… if you’re thinking I’m an idiot right now.

3 AIR21 / REY GUEVARRA – Wow! The events are flustering me! What did this former Letran Knight do to score such a feat??? I am shocked but this is a happy kind of shock since this guy had a top climb to get where he is in. I expect Guevarra to key the backcourt of the Express and hopefully his recent ACL injury won’t bother him professionally. He was about to cry when Magoo Marjon was talking to him. He should… because he being third is shocking. I know he’ll get drafted but I was thinking he would be in the late first round to early second round spots. He should be a workhorse for Coach Yeng since he’s thankful on how high he was picked. Hopefully he’ll have his Samboy Lim attributes working for him. Yes, I just compared this injury-prone ex-Letran Knight to another injury-prone ex-Letran Knight… hall of famer.

Now I know this draft was pre-recorded. Solar had a broadcasting booboo! Their plugs were repeating and repeating which means they had a crisis that needs to be cleaned up before their big bosses get uber pissed! I don’t want to say “Major, major” because with all the networks using the quote excessively, it has become seriously annoying but… THIS IS A MAJOR, MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT!

Admit it, I annoyed you.

4 ALA / ELMER ESPIRITU – TNT traded their pick to Alaska. This was a great trade by the Aces but giving up Larry Fonacier gives them a void in their shooting guard spot. Fonacier was shocked at this development but hopefully he’ll gobble the minutes Macmac Cardona left in TNT. Espiritu is certainly athletic and he could play a vital role in Alaska’s charge next season. He will probably boost Alaska’s second unit but I think he needs to learn how to play small forward because his height would be an issue playing against the league’s big men.

5 ROS / JOSH VANLANDINGHAM – Fire Quinito said Vanlandingham reminds him of Dwight Lago. For starters, Lago had a short name. Vanlandingham would likely spell out Gabe Norwood’s playing time but he will also give the Painters a huge backcourt with the Fire and Ice tandem in full swing. After Norwood’s departure to the pros, it was Vanlandingham who replaced Mr. President in Hapee’s PBL squad. Who is excited when this emphatic trio of Gabe, Sol, and Josh come in and torch their foes?

6 AIR21 / SEAN ANTHONY – This Fil-Am is 6’4 and he plays guard/forward. That is something players should look at. Anthony impressive a lot of scout because he has range, he has offensive awareness, and he’ll dive for the ball when he needs to. He is scrappy? Yeng Guiao loves scrappy players so he fits the bill! This guy has the potential to be the league’s next Tony dela Cruz but do you remember the last Fil-Am Yeng Guiao acquired? Well hopefully he won’t turn to be a bust a la Denver Lopez.

7 GIN / JOHN WILSON – He has offense and playing with the likes of Jayjay Helterbrand, Johnny Abarrientos, Mark Caguioa, Willie Miller, and their other guards could work well for Wilson. He doesn’t have a shot he doesn’t like but how will Jong Uichico control his over-eagerness to contribute? Will he have playing time – this is another question. Ginebra is a guard-loaded squad and this could pretty much be their team’s main…

8 GIN / JIMBO AQUINO – Oh. They picked a guard again! DAMMIT, WHY! I knew this Ato Agustin-clone is a first rounder but I never thought he’ll land in a team filled with guards. Aquino is PBA ready and he has the potential of becoming the baby version of the combo snipers in the PBA today like James Yap and Macmac Cardona. I hope they will use these players as trade bait because I am afraid at what Jong Uichico will do to the careers of Wilson and Aquino.

9 BMEG / PARI LLAGAS – Can he create points for himself, that is the question. I like how the Llamados addressed their big man problem. They also took the best available big man left in the draft so I have no worries in this pick. My only concern however is if Llagas can have the minutes for him to grow which will benefit his career. Offensively, he can perform great moves to parade in the shaded lane which could help the Llamados since Kerby Raymundo is recovering from an injury.

10 MER / SHAWN WEINSTEIN – Meralco acquired this pick for the Alaska Aces, getting Bonbon Custodio in the process. Weinstein is former BMEG import Tony Washam’s teammate so it seems that Ryan Gregorio has already scouted this player. By the way, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT HARD HAT ABOUT!?! I was happy to see Air21 losing the cowboy hats! Again… WHAT THE FUCK!?!

SECOND ROUND

Jason Webb should punch Mico Halili for telling him that he has zero outside shooting.

But wait… he agrees.

He must be learning from Richard Del Rosario’s school to overcome rash criticisms!

11 MER / BAMBAM GAMALINDA – I expect him to play for the Bolts. This former San Beda Lion would seriously love playing alongside his buddies. However he needs to change his playing style because his pretty boy stance in getting physical will be gobbled up by Asi Taulava and Mick Pennisi. Hell, I don’t even think he has a chance when Wynne Arboleda gets on his face!

12 GIN / ROB LABAGALA – WHAT?!? SHOCKER!!! While I agree, I was hoping the Kings would soup up their frontline, Labagala is a decent enough quarterback to have his chance in the PBA. The only problem I have with this pick is he landed to Ginebra – the same team that is surrounded by a lot of guards and a few minutes ago just acquired John Wilson and Jimbo Aquino. During Jong Uichico’s post draft interview, he joked that he could be playing five-small at the same time. Brace yourselves people… because that may be true.

13 BMEG / VAL ACUNA – He reminds me of Bruce Dacia, that former San Juan Knight and FedEx Express slasher that could pump up a crowd by his offense brilliance. He had stints with the UE Red Warriors and ABL’s Philippine Patriots. He will be called up to create instant offense off the bench and if he wants to become a bigger deal, he needs to deliver… big!

14 MER / FORD ARAO – It was said that his stock dropped when officials found out that he was just 6’4 and not the towering 6’5 big man he tells people. YOU LIAR! Anyway, he will get minutes with the Bolts since this team lacks size. He needs to perfect his skills especially with regards to his scoring and rebounding. I thought he was a sure first round pick but it did him good dropping a few notches.

15 ROS / RJ JAZUL – Alaska traded the rights to pick Jazul for Rain or Shine’s second round pick next year. Jazul shouldn’t be happy on how this draft turned out for him. Sure, Rain or Shine will need him, but if this is a testament on what he should expect, I think this undersized shooting guard should have stayed in Smart-Gilas and learned a lot more on how to become an effective point guard.

16 MER / KHASIM MIRZA – Khasim “The Dream” Mirza? Not a chance, Mr. Halili. However, this is was a cool move for the Bolts. Mico likened this pick on how Mirza can be Ryan Gregorio’s KG Canaleta in Meralco. Mirza is big and this can score long bombs and dunks. The only cause for concern in his game is his inconsistency. He has the potential to become a superstar and he could shine as a Bolt if he wants to.

17 BAR / BORGIE HERMIDA – I was hoping Barako Bull would find a way to trade up but since they have lost their draft privileges until 2012, finding a winner like Borgie Hermida is perhaps what they need at this point. Before getting drafted, he scored a triple-double in his last game. With San Beda riding high, Hermida should get all the wins he can at Beda because wins are hard to come by in the Barako Bull camp.

18 POW / JAI REYES – Air21 trades their pick to Powerade. This was useless since both teams passed up their picks though. Anyway, Powerade should be happy to pick Reyes since this would spell their immediate need for a “starter-like” presence in their PG spot. I think the only thing Reyes is happy about right now is that at least he has a gig other than “Show Me the Manny”!

19 POW / PASS

20 AIR21 / PASS

21 ALA / MARVIN HAYES – He is a banger out of JRU. He plays with a special kind of fury. He will dive for loose balls and he will snub the elbows in his face just to claim a commanding presence. I am hoping Alaska will sign him because I remember during Willy Wilson’s rookie season, Tim Cone loved using him.

The draft left a sour taste in my mouth. I never really thought it would end like that. Two teams passed and I was hoping it would only be Yeng Guiao. I mean… Powerade needs to strengthen their squad and they could have used this draft for great things. Actually, there are a lot of great rookies left in the draft. JR Gerilla was outstanding in the rookie camp. John Smith was a projected first round choice but he can find a team that would use him in free agency. Other un-selections that could be used well are Gio Ciriacruz, Mark Canlas, Hans Thiele, JR Tecson, Rudy Lingganay, James Mangahas, Hyram Bagatsing, Toti Bandaying, and others.

Anyway, who do you think are the winners and losers of this draft?

Click this link for my perceived Winners and Losers!

Game over.

SYDMAN’s 2010 PBA MOCK DRAFT

By the way…

Go to my site . I have there a “WHAT YOU NEED” special where I preview a PBA team and I’ll tell you what I think they need. Well… maybe except for San Miguel… SINCE THEY’LL PROBABLY DESTROY THEIR POTENTIAL!!!

Uhurm.

I finally finished my mock draft. This is super final. This cannot be changed.

With the importance of online research going full steam, the results of what I think will unfold in the 2010 PBA Draft is now complete!

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Uhurm.

So here are the 20 names that I hope to see in the draft with the teams I predicted them to be on!

BUT WAIT!!!

It has come to my attention that there 21 picks in the 2010 PBA Draft!

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

I discovered this while snooping around various websites and I discovered PBA-ologist Fidel Mangonon’s Twitter account. Yes, this made me some sort of an internet stalker but what you call stalking…

I call researching!

Also, I discovered that San Miguel RELINQUISHED their draft pick to Powerade! Actually, I found a lot of changes that would probably tinker draft selections.

Anyway, it’s not as if this is relevant.

I just want to predict things.

I like the way how my pet blog has a ratings spike.

Hopefully this spike would last after the PBA season.

So here is my most definite prediction of the 2010 PBA Draft.

GAME STARTS NOW!

THE FIRST ROUND:

1 AIR21 / RABEH AL-HUSSAINI – I believe it’s a cruel joke to pick Rabeh number 2 or 3 just to drive him insane. That’s Yeng Guiao’s chore. One factor that would surely boost the Express is his ability to score via low post or by short stabs. His defense is invaluable as well. Hopefully he won’t get any ideas to return to Smart-Gilas.

2 AIR21 / NONOY BACLAO – The guy is lean but he also has size. Do not expect him to become a goldmine on offense (a part of his game he needs to develop) but he is your man in terms of defense. Looks like Yeng Guiao found himself an import stopper. Is he the PBA’s next Defense Minister?

3 AIR21 / ELMER ESPIRITU – He can play both forward positions and he can leap to either dunk or block shots. He has defense like the first two mentioned but he has a better shooting range that Guiao could exploit. I’m guessing teams like Ginebra would try to claim this pick though. Yeng please save Enrico Villanueva’s career!

4 TNT / JIMBO AQUINO – People are saying Josh or Sean but my gut is telling me that Chot Reyes is looking for a Cardona clone. It will take a while for him to develop but this bigger version of Captain Hook has the potential to become a superstar in this league. Yes, I am hoping he gets the break!

5 ROS / SEAN ANTHONY – What if Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado fused? I was hoping to say baby but that’s a little too gay for these readers. Anthony could be their spawn. If he can play four positions, then he is what Rain or Shine ordered. They could pick a big man but they’ll have better luck in free agency.

6 AIR21 / RJ JAZUL – With all the big bodies Yeng Guiao engulfed, it is time for him to shore up his backcourt. Jazul is a good offense/defense player and his services should matter when they need a spark of the bench. Also with all the rumors surrounding Renren Ritualo’s move to Coke, picking Jazul is something they need to do.

7 GIN / JOSH VANLANDINGHAM – The last thing this team needs to do right now is to draft a guard. They are overloaded in these spots right now but if Vanlandingham is still available, they could probably keep the best player left or give him up for a team that badly needs players. Barako Bull should beg for a trade.

8 GIN / PARI LLAGAS – He has improved offensively to sync it with his rebounding tenacity. He could play the power forward spot for the Kings but he can also be quick enough to be in their fast breaking lineup. Llagas could languish in the bench but with the health of Ginebra’s bigs, I’m sure Jong Uichico can find time for him.

9 BMEG / FORD ARAO – The logic behind here is that Kerby Raymundo is injured. Sure, the team has a lot of frontliners riding their bench but they need an able body until Kerby heals from sickbay. Also, Don Allado and Romel Adducul’s contracts are up and they could look for a team that can give them playing minutes.

10 ALA / JOHN SMITH – I don’t really know who this guy is but Smith has been in Tim Cone’s wish list for some time now. His entry could give LA Tenorio more time to rest. He can also play both guard positions and could be a great relief for the big guns. I’m just hoping he’ll play well enough to land some graces from the Alaska fans.

To catch the second round, go to http://sydrified.blogspot.com/2010/08/2010-pba-mock-draft-final-version-as-of.html

Until then…

Catch my PBA Draft review!

AND GAME OVER!!!

New Nike Video, New Breed

Nike Basketball - “New Breed, New Game, New Legacy”. Featuring Ateneo Blue Eagles, FEU Fighting Tamaraws and San Beda Red Lions channeling the strength of their respective team animals and transforming into today’s new breed of basketball players.

This is not a superstar-rich draft but this is a supplementary-plenty draft!

Meralco, Barako Bull, Air21 and Rain or Shine are talent-starved squads! Maybe they’ll get equal footing against the “super powers” once the draft takes place!

GAME STARTS NOW!

Expect size to play a major role in the draft. Actually, it’s expected in every draft. While Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose and John Wall were amongst the notable little guys that became top picks, I don’t expect this year to claim what Paolo Mendoza and Mike Cortez did during their rookie years.

From the net, I got hold of the first round of the PBA Draft. In roughly two weeks, a new name will headline the future of the league.

There are 20 spots in the draft but let us not forget that the undrafted players can still claim a PBA team thru free agency. The most notable player who used this edge wisely was Josh Urbiztondo, who was the runner up in the Top Rookie award that was claimed by pseudo-top pick Rico Maierhofer (since Japeth Aguilar didn’t want to play and there is virtually no second overall pick).

Note: I will revise this when I get hold of the complete draft order.

1 AIR 21 / The team will surely pick RABEH AL-HUSSAINI as their top pick. They are “under”-loaded with bigs and they need this former Blue Eagle to establish a dominating presence up front. He is the consensus top pick and Air21 is nuts to not pick him…

2 AIR 21 / But Rabeh can also see himself at the second overall spot if the Express performed a twisted joke and decides to pick NONOY BACLAO. Baclao is not an offensive powerhouse but he’ll likely flourish on Yeng Guiao’s defense-oriented system.

3 MERALCO / There are talks that Meralco would send their pick to TNT for Macmac Cardona. I would love Jimbo Aquino to play for the squad but ELMER ESPIRITU will get the nod because Espiritu is an offense/defense combo.

4 AIR21 / JIMBO AQUINO should fit the bill. Yeng Guiao isn’t that high on Renren Ritualo since TNT benched him and robbed his confidence. Aquino is also a James Yap do-it-all clone. At least they need to acquire a scorer to play the SG/SF positions.

5 RAIN OR SHINE / ROS is still searching for an able big man but I don’t think they’ll pass up JOSH VANLANDINGHAM if he is still available. The guy can play three positions and he could the Painters’ ticket out of the quarterfinal purgatory.

6 AIR21 / Another big man wouldn’t hurt the Express. PARI LLAGAS was dominant in their 14-0 elimination season and his offense and his defense evolved well enough to garner him a seat on the first round. He’ll also feel at home with him joining new Express Marcy Arellano in the lineup.

7 GINEBRA / SEAN ANTHONY looks like a guard but at his size he can fit the SF position nicely. I can compare him to when the Kings drafted Mike Holper a few years back. With the way the Ginebra lineup is stacked, I’m guessing the forward positions are their top priority.

8 GINEBRA / The unheralded Mark Jeffries could be a sought-after find but if they need a player that is “mature” enough to play in the majors, then FORD ARAO is a find. Sure, Arao has overstayed his “semi-professional” career but he could be the solid role player the Kings badly needs right now.

9 ALASKA / While this is an extremely low pick for his caliber, RJ JAZUL is tailor-fit to become an Ace. Jeff Cariaso’s retirement will open a void in the SG spot. He is also a combo guard if Tim Cone wants to have a big guard lineup. They need to soup up their bench with scorers and he has that ability.

10 BMEG / A former NCAA MVP, JOHN WILSON is something BMEG should need. He is a defensive specialist and he can shoot as well. He is also wily and crafty and he’ll give new coach Jorge Gallent a defensive off-guard which has been non-existent in the BMEG roster for sometime now.

MY MOCK SECOND ROUND CAN BE SEEN IF YOU CLICK HERE!

As the days go by, counting the days to the 2010 PBA Draft, this could change.

Until then,

GAME OVER!

Unknown fil-am cager in the draft this year

We’ll post this email in full…

Dear Sir,

My name is Joe Salcedo and I googled "filipino sports agent" and the first
organic link was to your site. I am very impressed on how efficient your
site is and that you did predict James Yap to be the MVP and you sure was
right. This just goes to show that you really know a basketball talent when
you see one.

The reason I am emailing you is that I have a friend here from Reno Nevada
that is in the draft this year and his name is Martin Tejano Trovela. I know
my subject title says Fil-Am but he really is a full blooded Filipino who
grew up here in the states. Please give me a few minutes to share you his
story in the hopes that it catches your attention and watch him at the
rookie camp starting tomorrow my time which is probably today your time by
the time you get this.

You probably get a lot of these emails and this kind of hype about their
friend or about a player but I am so sure that Martin is an exception and he
will shine.

Again he is Filipino. Plays point guard, excellent ball handler, fast, a
lefty and only stands 5'7" but will dunk the ball with two hands and is very
deadly on the three pointer and a great basketball IQ. Most especially, has
the heart of a lion and will want that ball during crucial moments but off
the court is a very timid person.

The whole Filipino- American community here in Reno Nevada and I are helping
him to reach his dream to play there and to make something of his life and
God given talent.  He was there before in the PBL with Granny goose back in
'05 but of course being young and away from his whole family and was
cultured shocked and decided to come back here. He at that time had an offer
to play for New Mexico State but later found out that he could not qualify
because of grades. He played with players that are now in the PBA, like
Jimmy Alapag (fil-am league in California) Solomon Mercado (Junior College
Basketball league)and a few others through his junior college days.

 In 2007, ABA penetrated Reno and held tryouts for the Reno Sharpshooters.
Out of many candidates, Martin shined and was picked and was the team's
starting point guard together with David Wood who played in the PBA as an
import before who also resides here in Reno. Unfortunately, the team was
disbanded even before an opening tip-off happened. Needless to say, Martin's
opportunity to have a stepping stone to get to the PBA was gone and somehow
his spirit. But with the whole town behind him, we have encouraged him to
keep on keeping on and the journey begun again.

He and I went there last November last year 2009 with the hopes that he will
get a try-out with some teams namely: Rain or Shine (we knew a guy who works
for the owner that promised a tryout), Sta. Lucia and Barako bull with the
"contacts" that were introduced to me when we were still here who promised
to give him the opportunity to be seen. Obviously they all turned out to be
either fake and or were not at all true to their promises (this includes a
lunch meeting with Coach Leo Isaac who is an acquaintance of my god-father,
canceled on us the last minute which made his promise to have his whole
college team work out with Martin so he will be able to see him play which
of course did not happen). Another discouraging blow to Martin and the whole
town.

We also met with Danny Espiritu, an uncle of one of our friends here in
Reno, but as soon as Mr. Espiritu saw him, he was obviously not interested.
Without even asking to see him play. He saw the height and went from there.

Martin and I went back here on Jan. 18,2010 discouraged and beaten down but
determined to "shock the country" given the chance to be seen. I promised
Martin that I will find a way to get him there and with the help of my
friend who lives there in the Philippines, we found out about the draft
having a rookie camp. So here we are, on the third try, still determined,
physically, mentally and emotionally ready (you see that I said "we" I feel
so involved in this journey that I feel like I'm the one who is going to the
try-outs tomorrow.).

Martin Trovela is there since the 15th of this month sir and I wanted to see
if I'm just full of it or Martin is really a gem for any team that needs a
point guard and win a championship and also a new star for the league that
will put everyone in awe with his skills.

My friends and I and his high school and college coach pitched in to make
this website for him and I hope that you can give it a minute or two to see
it. www.martin.renosparksfilam.org

Please make sure to use Internet explorer so you will be able to watch his
video.

Very nice story to tell don't you think?  But I know you got to see to
believe. Let me know what you think of him if you ever do see him play at
the camp. =)

Thanks for your time, Martin is on the "Red Team" and he mentioned that Ford
Arao is on that team as well and a few more good players which will just
compliment Martin's game. Again thanks for your time.

With kind regards,

Joe

www.renosparksfilam.org

Sydman’s UAAP Rankings (Start to August 15)

The rankings were absent last week.

UAAP took a backseat for the PBA.

UAAP will still take a backseat to my other endeavors. This is why my rankings wouldn’t be lengthy.

Anyway, it is evident that the list was nonexistent for a week with the way the player ranks jolted. Four players from the Top 10 dropped significantly while three mowed their way to the lower half to the top half. Two players are new entries as Adamson’s Lester Alvarez and Ateneo’s Ryan Buenafe went down from the ranks.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

20 ARCHERS – SIMON ATKINS (FORMERLY # 15)
19 EAGLES – JUSTIN CHUA (RETURNING)
18 BULLDOGS – JOSEPH HERMOSISIMA (FORMERLY # 17)
17 EAGLES – NICO SALVA (FORMERLY # 11)
16 ARCHERS – MAUI VILLANUEVA (FORMERLY # 14)
15 MAROONS – WOODY CO (FORMERLY # 9)
14 MAROONS – MIKE SILUNGAN (FORMERLY # 6)
13 MAROONS – ALVIN PADILLA (NEW ENTRY)
12 EAGLES – KIRK LONG (FORMERLY # 5)
11 TIGERS – JERIC FORTUNA (FORMERLY # 8)

THE TOP TEN:

10 MAROONS – MAGI SISON (FORMERLY # 12)
Good news for UP – they have four players in the Top 20! Bad news for UP – While they have three players averaging in double figures, there are only seven players nailing two points and more for the squad.

9 TAMARAWS – REIL CERVANTES (FORMERLY # 10)
This fiery point producer can certainly create damage on both ends of the court. But he should keep his temper in check. Maybe his one game suspension would teach him to control his anger.

8 FALCONS – ERIC CAMSON (FORMERLY # 13)
He moved up from five spots to make a statement that he is a force to be reckon with inside the paint. With the way Adamson is situated in the UAAP rankings, who would argue with him?

7 TAMARAWS – ALDRECH RAMOS (FORMERLY # 7)
Steadily solidifying his spot at number 7, Ramos needs to maintain focus because he is the team’s biggest asset inside. Hopefully that loss would fuel the Tamaraws to never underestimate their opponents.

6 EAGLES – ERIC SALAMAT (FORMERLY # 16)
In his final year, he is expected to become the team’s leader. Unfortunately he hasn’t been responding to the task given to him… until now. His solid performances catapulted the former SSC Stag to jump ten spots on the list. However, he is not the week’s biggest jumper.

5 WARRIORS – KENNETH ACIBAR (FORMERLY # 18)
He moved 13 spots as his team won two of their last four. With Paul Lee getting the lion’s share of opponents, Acibar was given the green light to become more aggressive offensively. This gamble worked and UE found an inside force they have been yearning.

4 TAMARAWS – RR GARCIA (FORMERLY # 4)
His team is in Cloud Nine but that was tarnished when they were handed their first loss. Being the chief tactician inside the court, the blame was for him to gather. Instead of sulking they made it a basis and it’s hard to see FEU losing since.

3 TIGERS – CHRIS CAMUS (FORMERLY # 3)
He continues to perform well for the Tigers. Unfortunately the Tigers eternal lack for centers is what makes UST a couple of wins short on the win column. The guy is almost the same size of Mike Silungan and the UP Maroon is a small forward!

2 BULLDOGS – EMMANUEL MBE (FORMERLY # 2)
Mbe is unstoppable and his play resembles with what Samuel Ekwe had when he was in San Beda. Unfortunately for this Cameroonian, he needs more help if they want to claim their first final four of the century!

1 WARRIORS – PAUL LEE (FORMERLY # 1)
Lee wins the rankings again but Mbe almost dislodged him. Performances from his teammates need to be better because the defense is clamped against him. His points and assists are down while his turnovers have gone up. He is one of those players that can score and direct but how can he do that if his team mates are contented in spotting up rather than going to a motion offense. The Cobra Commander’s team is slowly clawing en route for a Final Four seat but they need to grab successive victories in order for this to happen.

Paul Lee hung to secure the top spot but unless he regains his form, Mbe, Salamat, and Garcia will try to uproot him from his spot. Camus? Whatever Lee is going through, he has it twice as hard.

CLICK THIS LINK IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE TOP 30 VERSION!

Until next week,

Game over!

SYDMAN’S OVERALL POWER RANKINGS: THE TOP 20 OF THE PBA SEASON (2009-10)

We saw the top pick refusing to play for the team that drafted him. We saw the Philippine Team play against the professionals. We saw a fan getting hammered by Wynne Arboleda. We saw Talk N Text stage a walkout.

These were the news of the “incumbent” PBA Season.

Anyway, these are the 20 best players of the season. I based these facts by adding their total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. I also used other tangibles like minutes played, games played, and turnovers.

Unlike in the NBA, the PBA mixes the playoffs in their regular season stats. If you see no Barako Coffee players in the list, then the games played also played an important role in the computation. 60 games is the magic number for a player to have a viable chance on winning the MVP award. Barako Coffee played a mere 36 games compared to BMEG 60+. That discrepancy alone makes the guys from Barako useless in terms of overall accomplishments.

Anyway, here are the players that made the list.

GAME STARTS NOW!

20 RAFI REAVIS / BMEG – At first replacing a scoring big man like Villanueva for a defensive-minded Reavis is insane. But as the weeks turn into months, fans saw the value of this man. He relied on putbacks and gimmes for his scoring while he concentrated on rebounds and defensive that may or may not translate to a fast break or a second chance point. His addition to the squad was a good thing for Ryan Gregorio and his wards.

19 DONDON HONTIVEROS / SAN MIGUEL – It seems with all the talent in the San Miguel camp, the Cebuano Hotshot doesn’t need to cram for rebounds and all he needs to is wait for the ball to come to his lap so he could create something special with it. Personally I waited for him to explode just like what he did during the ‘08-‘09 Fiesta Cup but it seems that this season will miss his consecutive 30-point games.

18 RANIDEL DE OCAMPO / TALK N TEXT – Funny how Ranidel de Ocampo had a dismal Philippine Cup (highlighted by his flagrant foul on Tubid that gave the Texters reason to walk out of the game) only to have a monstrous Fiesta Cup? De Ocampo was like a house on fire and he consistently produced the numbers for the Tropang Texters which was why he was hailed the Best Player of the Elimination Phase of the tourney. However, his offense was seriously missed when the Texters lost to the Alaska Aces in the semifinals in seven games.

17 HARVEY CAREY / TALK N TEXT – With all eyes focused on his more popular teammates, this muscular forward produced numbers no one thought he produced. He continues to be a force on both sides of the court and he managed to withstand the entry of Kelly Williams and while the Machine Gun struggled to fit in, the Bulldog was fighting to keep his minutes. In fact he finished the Fiesta Cup with ten points and almost eight rebounds per game.

16 ALEX CABAGNOT / SAN MIGUEL (FORMERLY AIR21… STARTED THE SEASON WITH COCA-COLA) – When Cabagnot was traded from Coke to Air21, I was looking at a superstar in the making. And then when he was traded to San Miguel, I thought his growth would be sidetracked. Going to the talent-loaded Beermen is more or less career suicide for the young quarterback. But when managed to secure the team’s starting spot, it was excellent for him. With that hair, he looked like the Olsen Racela of old and he could be the sure heir apparent to Rara’s throne.

15 JIMMY ALAPAG / TALK N TEXT – He has aged but that doesn’t mean that his talents have diminished. Mighty Mouse has repelled his other minute-grabbing teammates by orchestrating the ball well. He is the league leader in assists. In the Fiesta Cup he performed much better in terms of scoring and assists. He was actually the most consistent Tropang Texter during the Fiesta Cup semifinal round. If the Texters passed the quaterfinals of the Philippine Cup, then Jimmy’s rank would have been a little higher.

14 MIKE CORTEZ / GINEBRA (FORMERLY AIR21… STARTED THE SEASON WITH SAN MIGUEL) – San Miguel solved their backcourt woes when they used Cortez in the off-court (this was Coach Siot Tanquingcen’s small ball lineup) and the Cool Cat proved best in this spot. However he was traded to the Express in a deal that sent Cabagnot to SMB. He played extremely well until Wynne Arboleda returned from suspension and he was sent to Ginebra because Air21 wants to solve their lack of height by bringing in Billy Mamaril.

13 MARC PINGRIS / BMEG – With Pingris and Artadi returning to Purefoods, the team wasted no time in strengthening their bond via a Philippine Cup title. Pingris was very helpful in their cause even if he was riddled with injuries (which also forced him to miss out a few games as well). Come Fiesta Cup, he worked sick with the Llamados due to Kerby Raymundo’s near-season ending injury. He might not be scoring machine but he did what needs to be done for BMEG to win most of their games.

12 CYRUS BAGUIO / ALASKA (FORMERLY GINEBRA) – Baguio never dug being a second-string scorer. Before the season started, he was one of the top players during the 2009 FIBA-Asia Championship. He had his moments playing great in games that the Fast and the Furious tandem missed but when JC Intal rose from limbo, he played sparingly anew. No one could be happier than him when he was traded to Alaska for Miller. His minutes doubled and since Miller was the primary option on offense, he inherited a couple of plays for himself. It was like Baguio was back in Red Bull… but he is in Alaska where he won’t be traded once they run out of budget.

11 MACMAC CARDONA / TALK N TEXT – Only Gary David and James Yap rival Captain Hook in terms of shooting and slashing prowess from the SG/SF position. He never took a shot he didn’t like and most of his shots were accurate. While TNT didn’t have the success it had two years back, Cardona remained one of the league’s finest scorers even if he stats suffered a dip. Just like always, I believe he’ll have a good next season, particularly during the Philippine Cup.

10 WILLIE MILLER / GINEBRA (FORMERLY ALASKA) – He traded a monopoly and he could be regretting it next season. Had he stuck with Alaska, he could have been a MVP candidate because he continues to be a great scorer, rebounder, and passer. His scoring dropped at least eight points because he was fighting time with the other scorers in Ginebra. He struggled at the start but come playoff time, he managed to do well. The problem is there is nothing constant in that Ginebra team because unlike with the Aces, a bunch of bad nights could lead you to the doghouse. Perhaps Miller is second guessing his decision? The only thing good about this scenario is that he won’t be forced to carry a team in his shoulders.

9 SOLOMON MERCADO / RAIN OR SHINE – Sure, Rain or Shine isn’t exactly knee-deep in terms of talent. This was evident during the team’s struggle to latch on wins at the start of the Philippine Cup. Mercado was coming off from injury and his wounds have yet to heal. But when his wounds healed, it was during the playoffs and it was winning time for the squad. His jaw-dropping performances in the playoffs almost catapulted the team to the semifinals. This continued onto the Fiesta Cup where he again made points easy for the squad. He was basically the ignition factor the Painters needed to make a statement on both conferences this season. The Soul Train tag is also a nice way to market Mercado.

8 JOE DEVANCE / ALASKA – Throughout the season, I am comparing Devance’s game to future Hall of Famer Bong Hawkins. Devance can shoot the ball in all parts of the halfcourt and he can dominate the inside if he wants to. Clearly the difference amongst the two is that Devance is more athletic than the Hawk. During his Alaska days, Hawkins was a perennial MVP contender and this looks like the path where The Speaker of the House is headed. Devance was consistent in both conferences and he engages on more rebounding battles than he did a second ago. I see bright things for this guy in the near future.

7 KELLY WILLIAMS / TALK N TEXT (FORMERLY STA. LUCIA) – After disappearing most of the 2009 Fiesta Cup fighting to be saved from a blood disorder, he all of a sudden became somewhat as the Realtors import in the Philippine Cup. At one point he was averaging 17 points and 13 rebounds which is a rarity for a local. Unfortunately for Williams, he didn’t have help in the frontline with Captain Dennis now with Coke. In the middle of the Fiesta Cup Kelly was in the news because Rajko Toroman and the rest of Smart-Gilas desperately wanted his services. He was traded to Talk N Text where he struggled adjusting to the team’s system. After the Texters were eliminated in the Fiesta Cup, Machine Gun Kelly will probably go full-time for Team Pilipinas.

6 GABE NORWOOD / RAIN OR SHINE – Mr. President found the start of the Philippine Cup hard. With Jay-R Reyes and Solomon Mercado either struggling or injured, he had the lonesome task to pick up the slack. Come playoff time his team managed to win the Wildcard Phase en route to a quarterfinal finish. With former college teammate Jai Lewis failing to produce the numbers to keep them on top of the Fiesta Cup, he worked double time anew and again ROS managed to end the conference via the quarterfinals after winning the Wildcard Phase anew. Norwood continues to be a great all-around player regardless of how weak his offensive intensity is.

5 ROGER YAP / BMEG – I thought for sure that the Best Player of the Conference for the Philippine Cup was given to the wrong Yap. Roger Yap’s contribution to their championship team cannot be denied. Dubbed the Rabbit by Quinito Henson (what the hell was he thinking… basic his moniker to a late 80’s live animation), he was orchestrating awesomely for the squad. There was a point where he was constantly having five or more points, rebounds, and assists. If he was a credible player to give the award too, then he’ll probably bag this award easily. In the Fiesta Cup, he mellowed but again he delivered the goods when it mattered. Sad to say, media votes would probably snub him and it’s a shame considering how he was an important cog to the success of Purefoods/BMEG.

4 ARWIND SANTOS / SAN MIGUEL – For the third straight year, Arwind Santos has the chance to win the MVP award. Unfortunately for him, this year is his bleakest moment to win the plum. While he had a great Philippine Cup run, his numbers significantly dropped when the Fiesta Cup ensued. The superb conference Jay Washington performed and his battle with Gabe Freeman in terms of stat-hugging were factors as to why his numbers dropped. Nonetheless he still gives San Miguel great numbers, still claiming at least a “1” in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks although his scoring and board crashing were the most notable casualties.

3 LA TENORIO / ALASKA – Flying LA is the unanimously playmaker of the squad. He commands attention whenever he weighs what-to-execute-what inside the hardcourt. Unlike his Ateneo teammates, it seems that he has found a home in Tim Cone’s boot camp. Tenorio can score, pass, defend, and even board when he finds a chance! This season, LA played his best. It was further accented when Willie Miller left the squad. We saw how he grew as a player and the scary part is that he is still in his prime. While he is a distant second or third in the MVP race, to have Tenorio leading a squad that is not close to SMB, Ginebra, BMEG, and TNT in terms of personnel to consecutive playoff appearances is an awesome feat by itself.

2 JAY WASHINGTON / SAN MIGUEL – Actually he ranked 21st initially on my list but because he won the Best Player of the Conference plum for the Fiesta Cup, he gains an automatic seat on the top. He was injured most of the Philippine Cup and in the process; he missed a lot of games. However when he became healthy, he made it a mission to make up for lost time. With his impressive showing, the Beermen raced to the top of the pack and they made the finals by getting vengeance over BMEG. J-Wash can play the frontline positions with relative ease and I’m betting the Philippine Cup would have a different ending if he was healthy during those times. But nonetheless, at least he finished strong for the Beermen.

1 JAMES YAP / BMEG – Actually he is my hands down MVP in this season. While he started so-so in the Philippine Cup, he finished strong to not just seal the Best Player of the Conference but a title for Purefoods (perhaps the last title the brand will ever get in the league). Sure, King James is more known from his off-court battles with Kris Aquino but marital problems made his game even more powerful and dangerous. Yap was at his best during the Fiesta Cup when the first two BMEG imports aren’t offensive threats. He was the only true source of offense for the squad especially with Kerby Raymundo sidelined. Even when Tony Washam was brought in to replace Clif Brown, he was still tasked to score buckets of deuces and troikas. You know that he’s trying too hard when he is now also rebounding and defending rabidly. A quitter would probably hot rock bottom with all the obstacles he had to endure but Yap remained steadfast and resilient which makes him the perfect candidate to win the MVP award.

NOTE: THIS LIST BECOMES A TOP 100 LIST WHEN YOU CLICK THIS LINK!!!

I am rooting for Yap to win the MVP award while I can see Washington, Tenorio, Santos, and Yap gaining prominent spots in the Mythical Team.

Will my predictions prove right?

Actually this and the Leo Awards are different entities.

One is real and one is make-believe.

…

This is me trying to save face if my list falters!

Game over.

THE SYDMAN SPECIAL: STA. LUCIA TOP 10

This is for the devotees of Sta. Lucia who remained faithful with the squad through their joyous and sorrowful times.

Sta. Lucia traced its roots from the old Great Taste franchise that became the Presto Tivoli squad. Sta. Lucia was a glorious contender in the PABL upon their entry to the league. Notable stars included Marlou Aquino and Boyet Fernandez. When SLR was called to the pros in 1993, it hoped to reach the big league’s heaven.

Nat Canson initially called the shots and they were to anoint DLSU star center Jun Limpot as their top pick. Allan Caidic didn’t have the spirit to join the squad and he ascended to San Miguel, leaving a couple of hopefuls consisting of Vergel Meneses, Gerry Esplana, Bong Hawkins, Apet Jao, and Zaldy Realubit. Onchie dela Cruz went to Shell, Abe King finished his career with Purefoods (then known as Coney Island), while Arnie Tuadles retired before SLR redeemed themselves with Limpot. Amongst the notables joining the squad were Limpot, Boyet Fernandez, and Max Delantes.

Before we go to the rankings, EXY ROBLES should be praised! He was the man that took the team out of PABL limbo and he did not lose hope even if his team was suffering. ADONIS TIERRA is another name that the followers should admire because he remained dedicated with the flock whether he is the assistant or an interim head coach. It would have been splendid if he won a championship as a SLR coach. He never complained whenever a big named coach appears and forced him to descend from his spot.

So without further adieu…

GAME STARTS NOW!

DISCLAIMER: By the way, this is MY TOP 30. If you don’t like how your teams fared then you need to make your own list. You see, it’s easy for people to type comments but I bet my balls it’s harder to create articles. I listed these guys in terms of popularity, tenure, stats, contributions (good or bad), and impact.

10 ROMY DELA ROSA – A pick up from Shell, this former Ginebra draft pick transformed from a post up scorer to a three-point shooting expert when he played for the Realtors. He played well for the team up until he chose to play for the Negros Slashers in the MBA.

9 NELBERT OMOLON – The guy is oozing with potential. He can either slash or shoot the open jumper… and he can play both forward positions effectively. The PCU star was always a step away for being a top draw but he is inconsistent most of the time. However, when he is in the zone, his immense array of arsenal will definitely destroy an opponent’s capability to win.

8 PAOLO MENDOZA – The guy once averaged 40 points in the UAAP. Playing for Agfa and Red Bull in the PBL, the UP hotshot was the top pick of the 2000 PBA Draft. Undersized for playing the SG, he played PG for SLR. While he had his moments, he wasn’t the offensive juggernaut the Realtors thought he would be. But he did prove to be vital in their championship squads.

7 GERRY ESPLANA – Before he was known as Shell’s Mr. Cool, he was the chief quarterback of the Realtors. A holdover from the Presto squad, the 1990 Rookie of the Year managed to extend his stay with the squad even if fellow Presto holdovers Vergel Meneses, Bong Hawkins, Zaldy Realubit, and Apet Jao were being sent to different places. He was traded to Shell were he made a bigger name for himself.

6 KENNETH DUREMDES – When Captain Marbel was traded to Sta. Lucia from Alaska (for a draft pick that was Brandon Cablay), it shocked the league. After all, Duremdes was a scoring juggernaut that would make the frontline of Espino and Aquino more invincible. While he was still the scoring threat, injuries plagued his stay with SLR. Worse, his entry proved costly. Because of his salary, SLR’s bench was dismantled. When he was traded to Coke, the scoring duties were transferred to Kelly Williams.

5 JUN LIMPOT – The guy was the first major piece of the Realtors’ hopes to win a PBA championship. Fresh from stints in Magnolia in the PBL and DLSU in the UAAP, the Big Deal was their inside powerhouse for almost a decade. Unfortunately he never won a championship for the squad and was sent to Ginebra for Marlou Aquino. Remember when he signed a huge contract to re-sign with the squad?

4 MARLOU AQUINO – Call the guy unmotivated and even lazy but when he came to the team, he was the ace in the hole. He brought the championship tradition he learned in Ginebra and gave it to the Realtors… in one season. Alongside Espino and Mendoza, Aquino was part of two Sta. Lucia title squads… and he was the one that remained after the two were shipped out to Coke. He was also a part of the Sta. Lucia squad in the PABL.

3 KELLY WILLIAMS – When Chot Reyes was forming his RP Squad, he discovered K-Will. The explosive frontliner would continue to bolster raves in PBL’s Magnolia. SLR had to pick him as their top pick and the Machine Gun didn’t disappoint. He played like an import for the squad – playing well in both sides of the court. His heroics claimed the second title for the Realtors and he will go down in history as the only Sta. Lucia Realtor to win MVP honours as part of the squad.

2 DENNIS ESPINO – Call him The Menace but he was the architect of their success. He is the Realtors’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and minutes. While he was the top pick of the 1995 Draft, he didn’t become an instant hit. An injury happened after an exhibition game in the Middle East that sidelined the former UST Tiger. While it was Limpot who was SLR’s first option in offense, Espino was the hard-nosed banger that can perform amazingly both in offense and defense. He also had an effective top-of-the-key jumper and back-to-the-basket shot. In 2000’s, this hot-head became the team’s heart and soul, resembling the captain role identified with Alvin Patrimonio. Because of his leadership, he was a key figure for the squad even during the time Kelly Williams was the focal point of the offense. Before he was traded to Coke, Espino was the active player with the longest stint with one team (SMB’s Danny Ildefonso now holds that distinction). You know SLR had problems when news broke about his trade. Why?

1 BUDDY ENCARNADO – I reserved this spot for the most notable figure in Sta. Lucia’s history. A relic as far as team manager and governors are concerned, he was with the franchise since it announced its entry to the league. He was SLR’s number one cheerleader and he stuck with the team in good and hard times. He was passionate about his work and he was hands-on in terms of personnel relations. He was the one Rob Parker owed debt and at the same time he was the one who is crying when the team won its first championship. He was the one responsible for giving his former wards good “homes”. While the SLR squad’s standing in the PBA was in question, he still tried to get a good deal in surrendering Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes (Encarnado was said to be responsible for also sending Charles Waters to TNT to be with his brother-in-law). And even if the documents were signed to deal the franchise to Meralco, he was still negotiating for the power company to give his former wards roster spots. After his SLR work, he will still be part of the league as one of the guys taking care of the PBA Developmental League.

The team was probably last in terms of fans during the 90’s but they persevered and never gave up which led to titles people never thought that could happen.

With Sta. Lucia’s exit, the re-opening of Meralco as a basketball juggernaut would be revealed.

For the devotees, the “miracle” squad will never be forgotten.

Note: THERE IS A TOP 30 VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE WHEN YOU CLICK THIS LINK!

Until then…

Game over.

UAAP 2010 Power Rankings! (Start to August 3, 2010)

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