Air21: Back to old name, Back to old habits

Syet.

What the f**k is wrong with Air21?

Syet.

After I applauded the Air21 Express for bagging Renren Ritualo and Yancy de Ocampo, I now look at them thinking that their basketball honchos are insane.

Syet!

I seriously can’t see the reason why Air21 keeps on sending their top talents to the big franchises. I thought for sure they grew a backbone when they reverted back to their former name and took back the talents that made them work but as it is…

Their old name brought back their old habits.

First of all, I am not against Rich Alvarez, Doug Kramer, and Mike Cortez going to Air21. I think this is great. Kramer, if he’ll be used as a mere benchwarmer, shouldn’t have gone out of the Lina franchise in the first place. Rich Alvarez might be a “bust” as a top draft pick, but is still very valuable in terms of import stoppage and hustle. Mike Cortez proved he can still get solid numbers despite limited minutes and constant position shifts (he sometimes plays SF on Siot’s small ball). Lito Alvarez wants to see the stars of Ateneo and DLSU circa early 2000’s in one roof.

But what’s the point of trading away their two needs???

Needs are more essential than wants, as far as first grade science textbooks are concerned. Last conference, the then-Burger King franchise groped to form without top pick and current Smart-Gilas frontman Japeth Aguilar in the middle. JR Quinahan, Beau Belga, Carlo Sharma, and Richard Yee rotated at the power forward and center spots but these guys found foul trouble in the process. Clearly, even if these guys have bulk, what they lack was height. I am but certain this was one of the reasons why Yancy de Ocampo was brought to the club. Even if this means sacrificing their most consistent big man in Quinahan, the new-look Express are desperate for a scoring big man and Yancy fits the bill. With Yancy heading to Ginebra in place of Alvarez and Kramer, it again made Air21 vulnerable in the shaded area. While Kramer seems like a player that can play PF/C, Alvarez is more of a forward. The Fiesta Cup will be played by imports standing 6’6 and under which means that most of the imports suiting up are either athletic small forwards and undersized power forwards. I guess it’s safe to say Air21 will be praying to get the “latter” of the said choices from Leroy Hickerson.

Which reminds me of another thing: Air21 just gave Ginebra what they want. If Air21 found themselves “dooping” the Kings then they are wrong. Yancy is something Uichico has hoped for. He is a big guy that has scoring which he couldn’t see when Rafi Reavis was around. Also, if you’re Air21, how can you stop Ginebra now that they have the backcourt awesomeness of Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Ronald Tubid, Sunday Salvacion, Cyrus Baguio, JC Intal, and Junthy Valenzuela when their frontcourt is awesome as well? What can they do if Uichico decides to go tall and place a healthy Eric Menk, Enrico Villanueva, De Ocampo, Willy Wilson, Billy Mamaril, and Rudy Hatfield to join the fray? Sure, Alvarez and Kramer could probably get great stats from them but like I said, they’ll have a size problem. And don’t give me that crap about “size doesn’t matter but performance does” shit because they can’t rely on Ritualo, Ronjay Buenafe, Alex Cabagnot…

Oh wait.

Here’s another “need” I wanted to talk about.

You see, I admit, the Cool Cat is good. However, the untapped potential of Alex Cabagnot has been rising up in such a rapid pace. Remember during the trade that sent him and Wesley Gonzales to the Whoppers for Gary David and Chico Lanete, Cabagnot and Buenafe were the only viable scoring options for BK. Sure, now Air21 has Ritualo and Cortez but San Miguel is a vast talent wasteland that they could have gotten cannon fodders like Mike Holper, Chris Calaguio, Bonbon Custodio or the rights of James Sena (just joking, I know he’s in the PBL pissed as hell of applying in the draft too early, but I just want to bring this up). Were their draft picks involved because that would surely help? It is not like Air21 is the one that wants to take out Cabagnot. SMB wants him. Cabagnot averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, one steal and 38 minutes in two years which makes him capable to lead a team if he gets the proper players to work on. Sure, San Miguel seems like a great team to get his moves to dazzle but I’m wondering how he’ll do with a huge minutes slash in his playing time. Mike Cortez, as much as he is a good player, is more of a number 2 or number 3 option at best. Cabagnot can lead a team… which is why I think SMB had the better of this trade and would probably hurt Cabagnot’s chances to further cement his claim at a hall of fame career.

Air21 needs to evaluate their roster. Junel Baculi needs to perform his scouting magic and try to get a new “Mark Yee” to quench their lack of ceiling. Sena is a free agent that should interest them because he is a 6’6 slotman. How about Edwin Asoro? I thought Jerwin Gaco is a good choice but I doubt he would sign up for them since he is affiliated with Mikee Romero whose Harbour Centre has aligned itself with Barako Bull. Maybe they can knock at Purefoods’ door since they have guys like Don Allado, Romel Adducul and Jondan Salvador playing well but is getting superbly limited playing time.

Nonetheless, if the honchos want the Ube Republic to win a championship in this league, then they must not let people get their players. Deal wisely for the sake of your team and not submit to bullying.

Game over.

Purefoods wins the Philippine Cup!

Wow.

I am obviously eating my words. Who would ever think that Ryan Gregorio could outplay Tim Cone?

James Yap had a field day against his defenders… scoring-wise. Yes, King James was still struggling at times because of the defense thrown to him but compare his game against Willie Miller, it was miles apart.

For some reason I can’t understand why every time Miller scores big Alaska loses. Sure, one can say that Joe Devance was nonexistent in Game 4 but Miller has been in these moments. If you look at it closer, you’ll find that either the triangle is slowing the “run and gun” guard or Miller is wasting the effectiveness of the vaulted offense. I thought Jeff Cariaso would be an asset in this series. Even if he is old, Cariaso is dependable and could bring stability for the Aces. Tim Cone overused his starters. Sure, even if Gregorio used Rafi Reavis, James Yap, Roger Yap, Marc Pingris, and Kerby Raymundo for 30 minutes and more, at least Purefoods have a ton of players to relieve their starters.

Alaska dominated until the finals because their players are familiar with one another. Unfortunately, they fell to over-reliance. Guys like Mark Borboran, Larry Fonacier, and Cariaso were left seated to watch Purefoods climb double-digit leads to eventually snatch a win. John Ferriols, who was relegated to limited action in the conference, played an extended role with Sonny Thoss succumbing to foul trouble. Reynel Hugnatan and Joe Devance had a hard time posting up Purefoods defenders… without the Boss to scare the Giants. Actually, with the way he dominated the Ginebra series, Thoss had it bad against the Giants. The poor guy was roadkill for Purefoods’ towering bigs that wanted Thoss to sit in the bench every single time! Sam Eman could have been a good player for the Aces during these moments but I can’t believe Alaska didn’t use Ervin Sotto and Mike Burtscher. Yes, I know they aren’t in the same level as Thoss or Ferriols for that matter but if they need a wide body, why can’t Tim Cone just activate them?

Roger Yap first got the taste of success in 2004 and at 32, it seems like this scoring-rebounding-passing genius could blossom this season. Rafi Reavis, a transferee from Ginebra, was energized and it seems like he was playing like he was as a San Juan Knight during his MBA days. Yap had almost a triple double while Reavis almost had a 20-point, 20-rebound game. Rico Maierhofer was instrumental especially in Game 3. KG Canaleta and PJ Simon delivered when the starters needed to check their angst. Paul Artadi, Jondan Salvador, Romel Adducul, and Don Allado were good subs for Roger Yap, Kerby Raymundo and Rafi Reavis. Hell, even Chris Timberlake and Jonathan Fernandez proved their worth cheering for the team in their moment of triumph.

Ryan Gregorio, despite all the haters needs to be commended for bringing the Giants to the big dance. He got back his old core and combined it with a new core. Perhaps the biggest shock Gregorio gave was placing LA Tenorio and Willie Miller his rebounding demon, Marc Pingris. This would have puzzled critics but Gregorio trusted the abilities of his players and it conceived great things. The biggest booboo this move heralded for the Aces is even if Pingris was playing outside the shaded area, he was still getting rebound after rebound. This goes to show how important Pingris is to Gregorio’s starting core.

I hate to be proven wrong but the right team won the series.

Congrats Purefoods TJ Giants!

Game over!

YES! YES! YES!!!

(Note: By the way, check out sydrified.blogspot.com! CHEAP PLUG!!!)

Finally my prayers have been answered!

The Postman and the Rain Man are out of Bench Land!

Perhaps the second best move to start the Fiesta Cup on a high note (the first is Sam Eman’s dissing of the SMC to play for Alaska), the Air21 Express reclaimed their former draft picks Yancy de Ocampo and Renren Ritualo for JR Quinahan, Aaron Aban, and Mark Yee.

The two went to the 2002 PBA Draft in high spirits after stirring PBL’s Welcoat to multiple championships. Yancy was picked first while UAAP standout Renren slid to the eighth spot with De Ocampo, Rafi Reavis, Omanzie Rodriguez, Chris Calaguio, Homer Se, Migs Noble, and Eric Canlas drafted ahead of Renren. Gilbert Lao, Aries Dimaunahan, and Jason Misolas are the only players still in the league that were drafted below Ritualo (Rodriguez, Noble, Canlas, and Se have yet to play this season). Despite not being Air21’s (then called FedEx) top rookie and despite being Vergel Meneses’ backup, Ritualo claimed Top Rookie honors. He became a superstar when Meneses was traded to Red Bull for Se and he became the team’s chief gunner. He was hailed as the league’s next Allan Caidic because of his accurate three-point scoring. He was even hailed as the designated scorer in the FIBA Tokushima Games… which turned out to be his nightmare.

When Chot Reyes resigned as SMB coach to mentor the RP Squad and subsequently, Talk N Text, Ritualo was sent to the (then-dubbed) Phone Pals alongside Patrick Fran for Leo Avenido and two first round selections (which turned out to be Yousif Aljamal in 2007 (this pick was later returned to TNT) and Rob Reyes in 2008). Here, Renren’s defensive inabilities were exposed. However, playing limited minutes in the doomed team was not his sole problem. Back in the Philippines, a certain Macmac Cardona has been elevating his game to a higher level. When they played together and began to fight for minutes, Cardona emerged victorious because he was an inside-outside player armed with pesky defense. The additions of Jared Dillinger and Jason Castro also made his minutes scarce. We also saw his shooting go down which was a result of his lack of confidence.

Yancy de Ocampo has seen worse, actually. I remember when a rumor gone out that a USBL team was interested to acquire his services (I think it was the Valley Dawgs that also acquired the services of Bong Alvarez, Mark Magsumbol and Vince Hizon (?) to play for their squad). He played for the Lina franchise during his rookie year (2002-04) but was dealt to the Phone Pals (2004-05) and then returned to FedEx (2005-06) but found himself again as a Texter (06-10). Here’s the thing: Yancy posts good numbers as a Express and then those numbers deteriorate because TNT coaches bench him endlessly. If you look at his numbers, you’ll actually see that he has consistent stats with the minutes given to him. Yancy has had bad breaks every time he dons a TNT jersey and he’ll might as well retire altogether if he returns to the MVP franchise.

With the May 10 Elections approaching, perhaps we will see less Yeng Guiao and more Junel Baculi, who’ll probably take over the coaching reins. Baculi, the current Air21 assistant coach, was a former champion coach with Hapee and Welcoat in the PBL. Coincidentally, during Welcoat’s dominating PBL stint, amongst the players in his roster were Eugene Tan, Celino Cruz, Don Allado, Eric Canlas, RENREN RITUALO, and YANCY DE OCAMPO.

See those all caps players?

HELLO!!!

Do not let their current stats fool you. All of a sudden, Air21 gained big in this trade. Yancy is the center that the Express lack. He will now gain the plays designed for a certain Japeth Aguilar. Once his confidence picks up, expect him to body up alongside Beau Belga, Carlo Sharma, and Richard Yee. Yancy is such a great potential that at 30, he needs to do his best if wants to have a glorious end to his career. Same goes for Renren. Ronjay Buenafe, Wesley Gonzales and Ronnie Matias will likely share the SG and SF spots with Ritualo. As of this moment, the Express has only Buenafe and Alex Cabagnot as true and blue scoring threats for the squad. With Renren around, they can go small ball with Cabagnot orchestrating, Ronjay as the other wingman, and the import in the deep with either Yancy or Belga manning the post. In an instant, Air21 has a solid starting five on paper. Hopefully Ritualo and De Ocampo would make this stint worthwhile because except for Barako Bull, Air21 is the next best thing if they want themselves to get significant stats.

Just because the only players TNT got were bangers doesn’t mean they are bad choices. What TNT got is a burly center which is like a wall to his opponents (Quinahan), the first San Sebastian-Cavite player in the PBA that plays a lot like a young Junthy Valenzuela (Yee), and a seldom-used player that can explode when asked (Aban). These guys are great for a team that lacked role players. TNT is abundant in scorers but they have little to zero shock troopers. Having Quinahan in the fold would give Reyes another big body to double with Ranidel de Ocampo, Nic Belasco, Ali Peek and Harvey Carey. Quinahan is also a swat artist that had consistent stats ever since he started playing more than 20 minutes a game. Mark Yee can provide a pit bull-like stance on defense but expect him to shoot the lights out when he gets on scoring mode. Aban will get his time but I doubt if he could break in the positions Cardona, Castro, Jimmy Alapag, and now, Yee hold. I can even see Pong Escobal getting normal minutes in this setup.

So this is great for both camps! This trade was third party-free though, since the PBA has okayed that TNT and Air21 are free to deal with each other. These two teams are no strangers to one another since they’ve been players every year… and somewhat all the time.

But wait… does this mean that TNT will again use Air21 as their farm system squad…

Again?

Game over.

Top 50: 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup Final Rankings

Wow. Who knew Ryan Gregorio can do this? I mean… putting Marc Pingris on the guards is a great trick! And you know the worst thing about this? PINGRIS IS STILL GETTING THE REBOUNDS! I remember during the semis when Rich Alvarez was inserted by Jong Uichico… which for a time worked wonders because Alvarez is a rebounder that’s quick enough to defend on the high post. Gregorio placed Pingris a la Alvarez to pin down either Miller or Tenorio. This is like Tim Cone when he stopped JC Intal by putting Tony dela Cruz on him.

This time, it was Gregorio that pulled the rug on Cone.

Anyway, here are the players I thought were the best in this season’s Philippine Cup.

I took in consideration the following stats:

POINT 1: THE POINTS EQUATION – MINUTES PER GAME (POINTS PER GAME (X1) + REBOUNDS PER GAME (X1.5) + ASSISTS PER GAME (X2.0) + STEALS PER GAME (X2.5) + BLOCK PER GAME (X2.5) – TURNOVERS PER GAME) / (POINTS PER GAME (X1) + REBOUNDS PER GAME (X1.5) + ASSISTS PER GAME (X2.0) + STEALS PER GAME (X2.5) + BLOCK PER GAME (X2.5) – TURNOVERS PER GAME)
(Note: I just repeated the 6 stats and multiplied it with the minutes so that their total grades won’t look like 0.98766666666666666666666666666666).

POINT 2: ABSENTEE DEDUCTION – GAMES TEAM PLAYED – GAME PLAYER DID NOT PLAYED.

POINT 3: PERFORMANCE DEDUCTION – Wildcard losers have a -10 (Sta. Lucia, Coke, Burger King) on their total stats while quarterfinal losers get a -5 (TNT, Rain or Shine). Semi-finalists are exempted from the deductions while Barako Bull could have had a -15 deduction for missing the playoffs but since there team sucks, there is no need for them to get demerits.

By the way, after 3 PBFANTASY stints I realized that I lost in this conference (two second-place finishes and now a third-place citation). For some insane reason, I made a slew of wrong decisions that bombed my chances.

NUMBER 1: I should have never bet my chances Chris Tiu, CJ Giles, and the rest of the Smart-Gilas squad. These names didn’t play much at the start of the tourney and I waited four playdates in the process.

NUMBER 2: I predicted the events wrong. PBFantasy is partly gambling on which team will survive until the end. I was seriously looking forward to an Alaska-San Miguel series. This is why I wasted two playdates because I thought Arwind Santos and Dondon Hontiveros will score big and force a Game 7 in their semis matchup.

NUMBER 3: I didn’t believe the hype. The overpopulation of slashers at the Ginebra camp forced me to not acquire the services of JC Intal. The fact that he was often injured made me realize what a mistake it was for me to pick Solomon Mercado. And my biggest blunder would have pretty much been my snubbing of Rafi Reavis, Marc Pingris and Roger Yap for my San Miguel troika of Santos, Hontiveros and Jonas Villanueva. Even Santos failed to deliver his awesome stats while the three are getting the breaks from averaging big time minutes.

I am trying to device a new strategy poised to engineering a sterling effort en route to the top of the rankings. While waiting for my dream to get real, here are the Top 50.

BOX SCORES:
TEAM PARTICIPATION – 50: Alaska 8, Purefoods 7, San Miguel 7, Ginebra 6, Talk N Text 6, Rain or Shine 5, Burger King 5, Sta. Lucia 3, Coca-Cola 3, Barako Bull 0.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

(Except for Alaska and Purefoods, all stats are final. Matches against Smart Gilas are excluded.)

50 BEAU BELGA – BURGER KING (9.1PPG, 5.7RPG, 1.6APG)
49 LARRY FONACIER – ALASKA (5.6PPG, 1.7RPG, 1.7APG)
48 DENNIS ESPINO – COCA-COLA (11.0PPG, 6.8RPG, 1.5APG)
47 RICHARD YEE – BURGER KING (9.8PPG, 6.8RPG, 2.2APG)
46 MICK PENNISI – SAN MIGUEL (5.8PPG, 4.7RPG, 1.0APG)
45 MARK BORBORAN – ALASKA (5.6PPG, 3.3RPG)
44 LARRY RODRIGUEZ – COCA-COLA (10.0PPG, 7.1RPG, 1.7APG)
43 RONJAY BUENAFE – BURGER KING (13.9PPG, 3.3RPG, 2.4APG, 1.4SPG)
42 RYAN ARANA – RAIN OR SHINE (10.5PPG, 4.0RPG, 1.9APG)
41 JEFFREI CHAN – RAIN OR SHINE (10.4PPG, 3.6RPG, 1.9APG)
40 DENOK MIRANDA – SAN MIGUEL (7.9PPG, 2.4RPG, 2.5APG)
39 JAYR REYES – RAIN OR SHINE (7.5PPG, 7.2RPG)
38 RICO MAIERHOFER – PUREFOODS (7.3PPG, 5.0RPG, 1.0APG, 0.9BPG)
37 JOSEPH YEO – STA. LUCIA (13.5PPG, 3.8RPG, 3.7APG)
36 WILLY WILSON – GINEBRA (7.1PPG, 5.4RPG, 1.0APG)
35 ERIC MENK – GINEBRA (10.4PPG, 6.4RPG, 1.6APG)
34 JR QUINAHAN – BURGER KING (7.5PPG, 7.3RPG, 2.2APG, 1.3BPG)
33 PAUL ARTADI – PUREFOODS (6.5PPG, 2.5RPG, 2.6APG, 1.3SPG)
32 RANIDEL DE OCAMPO – TALK N TEXT (9.0PPG, 6.2RPG, 1.5APG)
31 DORIAN PENA – SAN MIGUEL (6.4PPG, 7.8RPG)
30 ALI PEEK – TALK N TEXT (8.7PPG, 6.6RPG, 1.3BPG)
29 CYRUS BAGUIO – GINEBRA (9.8PPG, 2.3RPG, 2.1APG, 0.9SPG)
28 ENRICO VILLANUEVA – GINEBRA (7.9PPG, 6.0RPG, 1.5APG)
27 ASI TAULAVA – COCA-COLA (14.1PPG, 12.5RPG, 4.5APG)
26 JIMMY ALAPAG – TALK N TEXT (14.9PPG, 2.8RPG, 4.7APG)
25 RAFI REAVIS – PUREFOODS (7.0PPG, 9.0RPG, 0.9SPG, 0.9BPG)
24 RYAN REYES – STA. LUCIA (11.2PPG, 5.5RPG, 4.6APG, 2.1SPG)
23 JASON CASTRO – TALK N TEXT (11.3PPG, 3.8RPG, 3.9APG, 1.3SPG)
22 SOL MERCADO – RAIN OR SHINE (16.4PPG, 3.4RPG, 4.6APG, 1.1SPG)
21 MIKE CORTEZ – SAN MIGUEL (10.0PPG, 3.2RPG, 3.2APG, 1.0SPG)
20 ALEX CABAGNOT – COCA-COLA/BURGER KING (13.1PPG, 4.4RPG, 5.8APG, 1.1SPG)
19 HARVEY CAREY – TALK N TEXT (10.7PPG, 9.0RPG, 1.5APG)
18 REYNEL HUGNATAN – ALASKA (11.0PPG, 6.4RPG, 1.8APG)
17 SONNY THOSS – ALASKA (10.5PPG, 7.0RPG, 1.2APG, 1.0BPG)
16 JONAS VILLANUEVA – SAN MIGUEL (7.9PPG, 4.0RPG, 5.0APG, 1.0SPG)
15 MARC PINGRIS – PUREFOODS (8.3PPG, 8.5RPG, 1.4APG)
14 JC INTAL – GINEBRA (11.9PPG, 5.0RPG, 1.5APG, 0.9SPG)
13 DONDON HONTIVEROS – SAN MIGUEL (13.4PPG, 4.6RPG, 2.0APG)
12 KERBY RAYMUNDO – PUREFOODS (14.3PPG, 6.0RPG, 2.9APG)
11 TONY DELA CRUZ – ALASKA (9.4PPG, 6.7RPG, 1.8APG, 0.9SPG)

THE TOP TEN:

10 MACMAC CARDONA – TALK N TEXT (19.0PPG, 4.5RPG, 3.0APG, 1.1SPG): Averaging under 20 points, the scoring leader of the Philippine Cup found himself having multiple 30+ scoring nights. However, the inconsistency of TNT’s winning streak relegated him to this point (also, imagine TNT NOT WALKING OUT).

9 ROGER YAP – PUREFOODS (12.0PPG, 5.2RPG, 3.8APG, 0.8SPG): Confession: I moved him two spots down. I must admit though that his numbers started an upward surge during the Rain or Shine series. The Rabbit is actually embarking on a Jonas Villanueva-like stat surge with his rebounds and assists doing most of the damage than his scoring. Unlike Jonas though, he has more shot selections since most of the Giants are role players for James and Kerby.

8 JAMES YAP – PUREFOODS (17.5PPG, 3.7RPG, 2.0APG, 0.8SPG): I must admit, his numbers gone up during the playoffs. He is a Best Player contender even if he’s at the tail end of the top ten. With Purefoods a game away from winning the Philippine Cup, I’ll give King James a glimmer of a shot to book a Best Player plum.

7 RONALD TUBID – GINEBRA (15.3PPG, 5.7RPG, 1.6APG): With Mark Caguioa and then Jayjay Helterbrand, the Gins campaign appears to be in peril. The Saint/Rocket/Fearless pounded sense to the critics by leading the Kings to fourth place. While he was displaced by the rejuvenated JC Intal and the comebacking Caguioa during the playoffs, he was still a valuable asset to the team.

6 LA TENORIO – ALASKA (14.4PPG, 4.3RPG, 4.5APG, 1.3SPG): Johnny Abarrientos saw extended minutes this conference but “Flying LA” saw him being compared to the former MVP in his prime at the Alaska camp. Whenever he gets a good game, great things happen for the Aces. The two had a mini-faceoff during the semis series which Tenorio won (Jong Uichico could have used Flying A more).

5 GABE NORWOOD – RAIN OR SHINE (14.9PPG, 7.0RPG, 3.6APG, 1.4SPG, 0.8BPG): During the elimination round I place Norwood at the 20 to 25 spot in my Top 50 because while his stats are great, his team’s winning percentage wasn’t. For some insane reason, they can’t buy a win. Come playoff time from ninth place, they surged to the quarterfinals. While some could thank Sol Mercado for their drive to the top, Norwood was the only player consistently playing for the team since day one.

4 JOE DEVANCE – ALASKA (13.8PPG, 8.0RPG, 1.9APG, 0.8BPG): Finally we are seeing the power of Joe Devance! His shots outside the shaded area are consistently going in and his defensive presence in it has improved. While he is still a PF/C, Tim Cone can easily rely on him if he decides to go on his big but quick lineup (although their big but quick lineup proved no match to the Giants’ big but quick lineup).

3 WILLIE MILLER – ALASKA (15.8PPG, 6.0RPG, 4.3APG): As I observe, Miller Time is a double edged sword for the Aces. During the Ginebra series, Miller struggled in the field but the Aces managed to sweep the Kings but now that he poised in leading the scoring for the squad, alas Alaska is dwelling on a shitty situation. Miller has been so inconsistent this conference that I would rather have Yap or Santos claim the plum than the Thriller. Sad but true, usually when Miller scores big, especially in the second round and in the playoffs, the Aces find themselves in the losing end.

2 KELLY WILLIAMS – STA. LUCIA (17.9PPG, 14.6RPG, 3.4APG, 1.7SPG, 0.7BPG): If somebody played like an import this conference, Kelly Williams takes the cake. Barely recovering for the blood disorder he suffered midway in last season’s Fiesta Cup, Machine Gun Kelly displayed the skills to move the Realtors to a winning record. Add the woes that included the Dennis Espino trade, Marlou Aquino’s inability to lift the Realtors’ center spot and the injury that slowed down Gabby Espinas, Williams has been the group’s most consistent stat producer. Had SLR reached the semis, he would have been a tremendously easy choice for Best Player.

1 ARWIND SANTOS – SAN MIGUEL (17.6PPG, 10.1RPG, 1.4APG, 1.1SPG, 1.3BPG): I am picking Arwind Santos to win with the following reasons. 1) The stats he is producing are his stats when he was in Burger King. It is easy for him to get that stats since that team regard him as their top dog but carrying those stats as a Beerman makes him a player unlike any other. 2) Except for SMB’s disastrous semifinal campaign, no one can’t say that Arwind and the rest of the San Miguel team didn’t dominate the Philippine Cup. During this time The Spiderman played all but one of their games (his DNP happens to be the third place game). And 3) While I rated Miller at number 3 and while the Yaps, Devance, and Tenorio are still playing; the way Santos and Williams played in this conference belittles their output.

The race could be Willie Miller versus James Yap but I am still hoping Arwind Santos would win the Best Player plum.

In terms of the finals output, the series will still have six games… but I missed the mark by saying that Aces will win this. That 3-0 mark is too huge of a hole to dig out and I sense Purefoods would successfully win the conference after their third try.

Am I right or am I right?

GAME OVER!

Purefoods versus Alaska in the 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup!

The zone defense makes you do things you don’t really want to do.

For example, not attacking the basket and FALL IN LOVE WITH THE THREE POINT SHOT!!!

San Miguel joins Ginebra and Talk N Text as those that fell in love shooting beyond the arc and NEVER made the finals of the 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup.

At the start of the season, Purefoods pushed a lot of trades that sent two of their “prodigal sons” back in the fold. Paul Artadi fled to Ginebra after getting “hell” treatment from Ryan Gregorio for his inability to knock outside shots. Marc Pingris was sent away so that Enrico Villanueva can fill the need of the Giants to have a wide body in the inside after Romel Adducul was sidelined because of cancer. The team got two rookies – the best in the batch Rico Maierhofer (because Japeth Aguilar joined the Smart-Gilas roster) and Chris Timberlake. Gregorio had to also unload Richard Yee, Celino Cruz and Villanueva (the last two were instrumental for the Giants to claim Rafi Reavis). The better version of Artadi and the more seasoned version of Pingris were amongst the notables in Purefoods’ rise.

Say what you want about Ryan Gregorio, but the defense he put in to destroy San Miguel is genius! Making San Miguel lose three straight is a feat itself. The scary thing about SMB is that you don’t know who’ll erupt. Their bench can play like their starters. When Arwind Santos and Jay Washington needs to rest, Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso enter. Unlike Ginebra in the Alaska series though, Purefoods wanted to get the Beermen to fear them. Again, I give props to the awesome defense Purefoods gave SMB. Reavis, Pingris, Maierhofer, and Roger Yap flourished in this system while their main guns Kerby Raymundo and James Yap were gracious enough to not hog the field goals for themselves. While Don Allado, PJ Simon, KG Canaleta and Artadi hardly played and hardly became a factor in the SMB series, I expect these three to have a say on things for the Aces.

Speaking of which, Alaska has had a very lazy preseason. The major difference of this lineup was seldom used newb Mike Burtscher. While they have acquired Samigue Eman, he is barred to play for the team until the Fiesta Cup. However, their non-transformation heralded a long winning streak. While they after they suffered their first loss, things started to go downhill, they bounced back to claim the last outright semis spot. Willie Miller was superb in their opening games but his points are currently lackluster and inconsistent. However, Miller this season is happily playing his role as decoy, and letting his teammates share the limelight. Sonny Thoss was the bar none MVP of the Ginebra series because he was unstoppable in the shaded area. Mucho accolades also goes to Tony dela Cruz, Reynel Hugnatan and Joe Devance for anchoring the team’s scoring with Miller’s scoring absence. However, LA Tenorio is the team’s stabilizer. Unlike his other Ateneo teammates, Flying LA has certainly found a home in Tim Cone’s turf. He is scoring, orchestrating, and defending the ball as if he is a ten-year pro. The bench mob of the Aces might be inferior, but you need to be wary of Hugnatan, John Ferriols, Mark Borboran, Larry Fonacier, and Jeff Cariaso because all I can say is that the bench of Alaska is underrated.

So matchup-wise, I’ll say Alaska is more organized than Purefoods. Tim Cone has a unit very familiar to each other and you know they are organized because not anyone can adapt to his system. Alaska also has a great defense despite the fact that they aren’t that big. In terms of starting fives, the Aces have five players that normally play around 30 minutes per game. However, the Giants have intensity. While Alaska solved Ginebra’s run and gun game, Artadi, Pingris, Simon, Canaleta, and Maierhofer are all thrillseekers at Ryan Gregorio’s disposal. The fact that Purefoods’ bench is deeper than the Aces is another plus point for the “blue” boys. Their zone defense is suffocating and after Thoss, there is no other big to properly contain Kerby and Reavis. How Gregorio would use Maierhofer is also something to ponder upon.

I want to say more but I just got constraints…

I just got lazy.

Boohoo.

I won’t say which outduels what but I sense that Alaska will prevail in this matchup at 6 games.

Until then, GAME OVER!

Weep the Sweep!

I sense a lot of sad basketball fanatics.

It’s probably because Ginebra got swept in their semis series against Alaska.

Sad but true… after a physical and emotional series with TNT, it seems as if the Kings found themselves huffing and puffing against the Aces. This is the fourth time (and a second time for non-finals matches) a team handed an opposing team the broom to sweep their asses. A few years back, Ginebra swept Red Bull. Junthy Valenzuela, Cyrus Baguio, Rich Alvarez, and Celino Cruz were amongst the players in that Barako squad then.

Willie Miller struggled in this series no thanks to Ronald Tubid. Guys like Tubid, Baguio, JC Intal, and Valenzuela are great players to have because they have offense and defense. However, Jong Uichico couldn’t solve Alaska’s size.

What? Alaska’s size???

TNT was bigger than Alaska in terms of heft and everything and yet Ginebra clawed consecutive three wins to clinch the series. Sonny Thoss, who barely averaged 9 points in the regular season, erupted for almost 16 points and 9 rebounds in the series. Sure, Eric Menk got hurt but they still have Enrico Villanueva, Billy Mamaril and the overachieving Willy Wilson! Jong Uichico should have used Rich Alvarez more in that series with Wilson and Intal failing to dish out their intensity from the TNT series but Alvarez barely played. Alvarez is a decent enough defender to thwart Joe Devance who is more of a big SF more than anything. If they need size then why can’t they just activate Doug Kramer, Paolo Bugia, Homer Se, and Junjun Cabatu???

And for these players, why the fuck would they still want to play for a team that won’t use them wisely? I know Bugia and Kramer have binding contracts but Cabatu and Se could just leave the team to go for a team that would use them!

Why do you think Norman Gonzales, Gilbert Lao, Ricky Calimag and Jason Misolas are getting the minutes even they aren’t “star potential” players?

I’m sold that Jong Uichico can’t use Villanueva properly. Fans loved his entry to the team at the start of the season because with a healthy Menk or Mamaril, they can have a twin tower setup. Villanueva shouldn’t be used as a center. Villanueva should also get enough touches to make his self effective. E-Vil averaged a mere 6.9 shots per game, which is almost half of what Ronald Tubid makes. Ginebra has a lot of scorers from the point and slasher positions that’s why I know think that sending Reavis to Purefoods was a bad idea. Same goes for Cyrus Baguio. I am beginning to think that Baguio will become Ginebra’s version of Renren Ritualo. I like Renren and I like Baguio so managements shouldn’t be greedy about their services and send them to teams that would use their talents wisely! People are saying all Baguio thinks is to score but what can Cyrus do??? He is a scorer for the longest time and people should spunk themselves if they think that Baguio would play 14 minutes and just pass and defend?

That is why I applaud Sam Eman. If you are a second pick overall playing less than 15 minutes to a squad that won’t likely use you, then you have to decide if you want job security or superstardom.

Now for you SMC haters, this is how San Miguel gets their top players. Remember when Ron Jacobs “molested” the 30-second injury timeout back in the 90’s? Well this is the salary cap version.

San Miguel would sign their players to inexpensive and short-term contracts. Even if they are left unsigned, they will still practice and be associated with them so that when a player comes back from injury; their salary cap would be able to accommodate these players. The only reason why players to continue to stick with SMC is that they overload the players with great benefits and bonuses!

Don’t you know that SMC janitors earn over 20,000 pesos? Who doesn’t want to work for SMC? Ten years of working for them and you’ll live awesomely, be the envy of the people in your high school reunion and make your bullies cry about their pathetic existence.

Okay, I’ll shut up on the money part. Returning to Eman, SMC reportedly offered Eman a transfer to the Ginebra camp to bolster their size. But Eman had other things in mind. Unlike reserved list-mate Chris Calaguio, he still has a future (Calaguio has too but he’d rather go with a “secure” job than getting a storied career). Going to Alaska solves the Aces’ need for size. If he blossoms in Tim Cone’s system, imagine a troika of Thoss, Eman, and Devance, who will now have an easy time unloading his three point shots with Eman striving in the middle.

More Ginebra loss to Alaska’s gain…

JC Intal, the MVP of the TNT series, was grounded in this match up. Chot Reyes didn’t cared much on Intal but Cone gave The Rocket Tony Dela Cruz and TDC made the up and coming star revert back to his rookie days.

And finally, the aged-old question…

Did Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand disrupted Ginebra’s gameplay?

Remember when the early 2000’s version of the Sacramento Kings were eliminated after a strong showing and the fault was ruled that Chris Webber disrupted the team’s system? While I think Tubid, Baguio, Cruz, and Intal propelled the team to where they are today, Ginebra is not Ginebra with Helterbrand and Caguioa. Come playoff time, the big guns blossomed. Check out Eric Menk – until his injury, he was regaining form to battle the bigs of TNT. Except for Baguio, these guys have playing time. Ronald Tubid bungled the chance to tie the game towards the end of Game 3 while the constant shackling of Dela Cruz on Intal made the Rocket force his shots. Without The Bandanna Brothers, I don’t even think the Kings stand a chance against the Aces. Even Sunday Salvacion played well in this series. I strongly believe that the old guns give the team the added oomph.

It’s just a shame that the Kings got bamboozled by the Aces.

Hopefully the Kings can fill their need on height with a great post up import. Mind you though, the only constant in the small positions are Jayjay Helterbrand headlining and Celino Cruz backing him up. Caguioa will claim the SG spot as he’ll also fight with Tubid, Baguio, Intal, Junthy Valenzuela, Salvacion and INJURIES to secure that spot.

Is Chris Alexander available?

Game over.

Xxx0xxX

Meanwhile… Alex Crisano and Adonis Sta. Maria just became free agents! After a stellar season in a ragtag squad, the erstwhile Barako Bull team captain is team-less. Unlike Adonis though, Crisano will get offers. Burger King, Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine, and Coke are amongst the teams that could use his services. I won’t be surprised if a top team considers hiring him. This colorful character that debuted in the pro circuit with the MBA’s Nueva Ejica Patriots logged 8.9ppg, 6.2rpg and 0.8apg in 22.6 minutes.

The 2010 PBA Philippine Cup Quarterfinal Breakdown

I like the PBA Philippine Cup tournament format, especially if it features the teams with the biggest fanbase. Unlike telenovelas, the final episode would likely not disappoint (endings matter if the show sucked or the actor does drugs, jumps network, or gets impregnated). Perhaps the best series this season came from the best-of-five tilt between the crowd darlings Baranggay Ginebra Kings and the defending champs Talk N Text Tropang Texters.

And yeah, this is only a quarterfinal matchup.

Usually a team checks in to their locker rooms at around 3pm. Even if the game is the second of two double-headers, players and coaching staffs need to come early to check the surroundings, get a bit of shoot-a-round action, and help the team map out a plan to seal the opposing team.

As of 4:30pm, TNT has yet to crowd their designated locker room.

Talk N Text, if they play, will miss the services of Ranidel de Ocampo. Before that controversial Game 4 walkout which prompted the Ginebra-Talk N Text series to get a do-or-die match, Ranidel is averaging under ten points and seven caroms for the Tropang Texters. Sure, he hasn’t been his normal scoring self since getting traded from Air21 midway last year’s Philippine Cup, but if TNT wants to get a crack at the semis berth against Alaska, Chot Reyes will need his services.

Unfortunately, he can’t. His suspension was the subject of controversy for the walkout. TNT thinks the refs are favoring Ginebra while the Kings think their accusations are baseless. Actually as Quinito Henson pointed out in his Philippine Star column, free throws will get a huge chunk of airtime when you pit the league’s most fouled team against the league’s most foul-ridden team.

You can contest all you want if Ranidel de Ocampo deserves the flagrant foul 2 infraction, whether Ronald Tubid needs to get a counter flagrant foul, or whether TNT overacted but it sucks that a series has to end like this. Do you think Sonny Barrios, the guy that denied San Miguel an outright win because TNT had to wait for their right uniforms during an out-of-town game, could persuade the Texters to return to the court? There are a lot of ways to mock a series. Can a quintet of Jonathan de Guzman, Pong Escobal, Mark Isip, Orlando Daroya, and the Yakult mascot be a better way to ridicule the refs? Funny… but no! TNT had to do that but its either they walk out altogether… or win to claim their redemption.

While the Purefoods-Rain Or Shine series proved entertaining as well, its fanfare fails compared to TNT vs GIN. Purefoods sealed a matchup against Fiesta Cup defending champions San Miguel after extinguishing Rain or Shine’s Cinderella playoff run. James Yap churned out monster numbers for the Giants after Kerby Raymundo scored 34 points in a losing effort.

I went to mass at around 5:30pm.

I came back at around 7:30 and Ginebra leads as the first half is about to end.

Aside from the fanfare, and the “Be Fair” shirts worn by the Tropang Texter faithful, there is nothing much to cheer in this match.

As of this writing, you’d probably know that Ginebra won a semis berth against the Aces. The odds were up for grabs until the dying seconds of the first half. The lead ballooned to 17 at some point and except for a five-point interval, the situation was never close.

Here’s why:

Small Ball: You cannot small ball Ginebra. Ginebra is the king of small ball. They have eight players that can act as shooters or slashers for crying out loud! You take out Ronald Tubid and Cyrus Baguio and Jong Uichico unleashes Celino Cruz, Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand. If needed, the Kings can summon Sunday Salvacion, Kevin White, and Johnny Abarrientos. Plus, JC Intal and Willy Wilson can play that spot with ease. The only reason why I’m not bundling Intal in this point is that he’ll have a different point!

Rebounds: Even without Ranidel de Ocampo, the Texters still have Harvey Carey, Ali Peek, Yancy de Ocampo and Nic Belasco. Did Ginebra expose the fact that these guys do not have the legs to go head-to-head with Enrico Villanueva, Willy Wilson, JC Intal, and Eric Menk? Okay, my bad. You can scrape off the point I brought about Ginebra’s small ball. The lack of height caused Chot Reyes to send in a speedy lineup. At this point, Uichico grabbed the chance to “circulate” Villanueva, Menk, and Wilson in that PF/C spot. He still has Billy Mamaril and Rich Alvarez in his disposal.

Ineffectivity (the inability to play effectively): I heard TNT didn’t even practice the day before Game 5. Then I noticed that the big guys are getting muscled and the small guys are merely hurling their shots. Jason Castro is missing easy layups, Mac Cardona is forcing his shots, and Jimmy Alapag is nailing his threes without even bothering to call for ball movement! Where are the plays?

JC Intal: During Game 1, Chot Reyes insisted to let Intal do the damage but go all out in punishing Ronald Tubid and Cyrus Baguio. The Fast and the Furious duo have played sparingly and Skyrus has been grounded in terms of minutes. No thanks to Intal and Wilson, Jong Uichico found it easy for him to revert Baguio’s minutes as sporadic. Intal destroyed his career high twice in this series. Making the Rocket go berserk is one of the biggest mistakes of Chot Reyes.

The Mind Games: I think this perhaps the biggest thing they failed to prey in. The last time a successful walkout happened was during Robert Jaworski’s time. Everyone should be scared on how TNT will react. Will they blurt it out on the refs? Will another incident occur? Will the ratings soar because of this…

Fact is, Chot showed his emotions when TNT was getting rocked by the Gins in the closing minutes. All of a sudden, the lack of urgency played an unsettling noise in the TNT huddle. Even Chot’s sarcastic clap for a ref botch call could spark a TNT crowd to try to upstage the Gin crowd.

Looking to the future, maybe this was a better call. Imagine the Gins fans going full force against Tim Cone and the Alaska Aces? I tell you, we can be looking at another less controversial but action-packed series! Purefoods versus San Miguel is also an interesting matchup.

It’s disappointing though that the perfect avenue to make the refs your bitches was wasted on uninspired action.

Did I mention TNT is 500,000 pesos poorer?

Game over.

Behind the Box Score: Where Ginebra and Purefoods are advancing

Yes this is a shameful PBA version rip-off of Ball Dont Lie’s Behind the Box Score.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings 113 Walk err Talk and Text Tropang Texters 100

This is one of those games that you just cannot miss. A knock-out game coming off a very controversial fouth game? What more can you ask for? This is a game that even when you’re not a fan of either team, you’d tune in just to see who ends up on top.

Ginebra finished the series with their best offensive performance yet. 113 points 24 assists on 39 field goals? Not bad. They had some problems with their turnovers, but their rebounding (63-51) and hustle made up for it.

JC Intal, much like through out the series, was phenomal. 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks with no turnovers. What more can you ask for from this young man? He was Ginebra’s lifeline when things aren’t going right. He nailed a crucial three when TNT cut the lead to 6, made a very impressive put back slam to end the third quarter (And TNT’s mini-run). JC was a borderline bust when he was rotting in the bench of Air 21 (And for early parts, in Ginebra) but this is JC’s team now. Ginebra fans, welcome to the JC Intal era.

Willie Wilson doesn’t get enough credit from the fans, but he’s always been one of my favorite players. This guy scored all of his 14 points in the second half and made crucial offensive rebounds in the latter stage of the game. He epitomizes the word energy. Eric Menk as usual went solid in the latter stage of the game. He may not be the MVP type of player that he once was, but he’s Ginebra’s anchor when their offense are going nowhere.

Ronald Tubid also made his presence felt offensively, but he will be more credited here for something that isn’t seen in the box score. Celino Cruz? Effecient. 13 points on 6 shots, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He played waay better than Jayjay and Mark, two guys who I think should get their minutes limited.

For Talk and Text, Mark Cardona and Jason Castro should be getting more shots. Cardona took 23 shots (For 21 points) but in a do or die game, he should be good for atleast 5 more shots. No one in Ginebra is capable of guarding Jason Castro, but can you explain to me how Jimmy Alapag took 6 more shots than him?

Jimmy shot the game away for Talk and Text. He forced the issue too much during clutch where in they should’ve been setting up plays for their best offensive player in Mac Cardona or taking advantage of Jason Castro’s quickness against his defenders. Bad decision making and failure to make any significant run ended Talk and Text’s title defense.

Overall thoughts on the series? The Texters shot themselves on the foot by walking out on Game 4. They were viewed as unprofessional, they lost out a good chance at closing the series and gave the Ginebra fans more reasons to get rowdy in the deciding Game 5. Their pride became their very own downfall and Ginebra capitalized on it. In a series as close as this, you wouldn’t want to give Ginebra some breathing room. Lesson learned for TNT, Ginebra fans rejoices.

Purefoods TJ Hotdogs 95 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 85

Awesome game for Purefoods. They were executing well offensively and choked the life out of Rain or Shine’s offense defensively. They showed poise and made great decisions all through out the game, something Rain or Shine wasn’t able to do in the second half.

For all the shit James Yap has been getting all season long, he finally showed why he’s considered as one of the best shooting guards in the league today. 28 points on 22 shots while making Jeff Chan and Ryan Arana look like amateurs on defense. None of his shots were forced too. Overall, it was a big time game in a big time game for Big Game James.

Marc Pingris ate the Painters alive in the Paint (Pardon the pun) 14 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. He had the same number of rebounds as Jervy, JR Reyes and Mark Telan combined.

I think it’s time for the Painters to part ways with Coach Caloy Garcia. He did his share in lifting the team up from the cellar but I think they won’t get to that “next” step with him around. I might be a little too quick on pulling the trigger on him, but I feel like he failed to pull his team together when things are falling apart. Their offense was stagnant for most part of the second half and when you have Gabe Norwood and Solomon Mercado on your team, that is unacceptable.

Speaking of the duo, they played solid. Sol scored 23 points (20 shots) and Gabe added 20 (18 shots) however, they should be more concerned on attacking the hoop more. They took 15 three point attempts combined (Made 4) where in they should have been getting to the foul line more had they attacked the rim.

Their support however, choked. Big time choked. JR Reyes should be taking more shots. When you’re projected as the next best big man in the league, you should be taking more than 7 shots in a do or die game. Their next best scorer Jeff Chan got torched by James Yap on defense and he wasn’t much better on offense too (8 points, 2-9 shooting)

Purefoods deserved this game. The lead should have been bigger with the way they ran their offense and played stifling defense. Rain or Shine is blessed with two of the most dynamic players in the league right now with Gabe and Sol. Now’s the time to look for able support and a coach who will make his players take the next step.

Got questions? Ask it here just don’t ask for my number or something.

ON TO THE NEXT ROUND + EARLY SEASON AWARDS

Beer and milk rule the PBA All Filipino conference after the end of the elimination round.  Polar opposites in composition, both literally and figuratively,  SMB’s superstar laden squad was able to get it’s bearings after a so-so start while Alaska, with it’s vaunted triangle offense, was able to capitalize on a strong start to compensate for sputtering in its last few games.  Both teams tied for the best records and have free berths to the semis.  Behind them, Talk N Text, Ginebra Purefoods gear up for the quarterfinal opponents for the right to indulge in beer or milk.

 

Left to fight it out for the single remaining slot are Sta. Lucia, Rain Or Shine, Coca Cola, and Burger King.    The wildcard round has proven to be a great equalizer and this conference is no different as the Realtors, the only team with the winning record, is to be first to be booted out by Rain Or Shine, a team, up to this point, has been fairly underachieving.  Burger King followed suit after being eliminated in convincing fashion by a revitalized Coca Cola Tigers. Based from the recent form, the Tigers are favorites to end up wildcard survivors. 

 

Still a long way to go and anything can still happen.

 

 

Early Season Awards: recognizing the performers after the elimination round.

 

MVP: Kelly Williams – it’s a shame they got booted out early, as it puts an end to an outstanding conference and will negate his lead the Best Player of the Conference race.  Unlike Arwind Santos, who gets a lot of support, he pretty much carried the team, leading the Realtors in scoring, rebounding, minutes, and highlight reel dunks.  He also led the league in rebounding (14.6 rpg) and double doubles. 

 

Best Rookie: Josh Urbiztondo – The Fireball is the surprise of the conference and is hoping to be the first undrafted player (not direct hires) to win ROY.  Has cemented his spot as the starting PG for the Realtors and leads all rookies in scoring at 9.3 ppg.  His bid is also jeopardized by the Realtor’s elimination.

 

Best Coach: Tim Cone – Longest tenured coach on 1 team still proves that the triangle offense is still a force to reckon with.  This despite all these years, changes in personal, and evolving offensive and defensive schemes by opponents.  The Aces started on fire and is again championship contenders.

 

Most Improved: (Tie) LA Tenorio, JC Intal – Former King Blue Eagles elevated their games this season.  Tenorio has bloomed to be a solid, and a lot of times, spectacular starting PG for the Aces, often times single handedly leading Alaska to victories.  Intal has seemed to have taken off after being stuck in the launch pad in Air 21. He has stepped up his game to make up for the many injuries in the Gin Kings lineup.

 

Comeback Player: Kelly Williams – Yes there is no such award but you have to recognize and appreciate his remarkable performance this year considering his career was in jeopardy just 6 months ago due to a rare blood-disorder.  Expect him to return with a bang next conference.

 

Most Disappointing: Jay-R Reyes – Expected to be the franchise center for Rain Or Shine for years to come.  Responded with 8.1 ppg and 7.4 rpg. This after renewing his contract before the start of the season.  The passion and desire seems to have disappeared.  Perhaps a change of scenery will help.

Wynnie Arbolada (Special mention) – No further explanation necessary.  Clotheslines and attacking fans are for the WWE.

 

 

 

Transition Points:  Talk N Text and SMB caused a minor hubbub when their crucial out of town game was placed “under protest” by the Beermen after the Tropang Texters arrived with the wrong color jerseys and after an hour’s delay, eventually won the game in OT….Grace period was given by the commissioner’s office so as not to disappoint the paying fans.  After being escalated to the PBA board, it was explained that SMB was just seeking clarification, not actually protesting.  Sounds fishy.  If there are rules for this, why not implement it?  Understandably there were paying fans and the game was out of town but making exceptions to the rules sets precedent.   Also, if SMB was adamant to put the game under protest to begin with, they should have been settled even before the game was played.  Since SMB agreed to play, they should have accepted the results….Smart Gilas finished 3^rd in the recent 21^st Dubai Invitational.  Playing against most powerhouse Middle East teams (with the exception of Asian champs Iran) and beating squads from Jordan, UAE, Lebanon, and Egypt.  They were also 3 points away from making the finals.  What’s even more promising is that they beat teams playing with imports while their own candidate for naturalization, Jamal Sampson, turned out lame and barely played.  See what playing in actaul international tournaments can do?  Their 2 week stint here has helped them more than their PBA guest stint……Props to Mac Bacarael, Chris Tiu, and Jason Ballesteros for stepping up their games and to Marcio Lassiter for fitting in real well In a short period of time…..Jamal Sampson turned out to be a dud.  The talent is their but the passion and desire to play 100% is non-existent.  He may be more focused in getting back to the NBA than helping our country.  It’s back to the drawing board and begin looking for a new candidate.   Here’s hoping the 3^rd time’s a charm….Speaking of Gilas, aren’t you relieved they switched to Nike for their jeseys?  Their previous Accel sponsored jersey’s made them look like a local barrangay team….. “Dear God, thank you for helping me be an All-Star this year. This after almost not signing with a team in the beginning of the season, then spoiling my chances by acting like a spoiled brat with the Memphis Grizzlies.  I promise to practice.  Allen Iverson”.

Sydman’s Philippine Cup Top 50 (From start to January 24, 2010)

The Road for the Best Player of the Conference has caused a lot of upsides and downsides.

As of January 24, three teams have crashed out of the 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup.

And as of January 24, these guys were the forerunners for the BPC award.

How I got the rankings? Click on this!

http://sydrified.blogspot.com/2009/10/sydmans-25mm-day-1-up-to-october-25.html

You can also see the rankings two weeks ago by clicking this!

http://sydrified.blogspot.com/2010/01/top-50-race-to-get-conference-mvp-from.html

GAME STARTS NOW!!!

1 REALTORS – KELLY WILLIAMS
2 BEERMEN – ARWIND SANTOS
3 ACES – WILLIE MILLER
4 ACES – JOE DEVANCE
5 ACES – LA TENORIO
6 TEXTERS – MACMAC CARDONA
7 KINGS – RONALD TUBID
8 REALTORS – RYAN REYES
9 BEERMEN – JONAS VILLANUEVA
10 BEERMEN – DONDON HONTIVEROS
11 ACES – TONY DELA CRUZ
12 ACES – REYNEL HUGNATAN
13 GIANTS – JAMES YAP
14 BEERMEN – MIKE CORTEZ
15 TEXTERS – JIMMY ALAPAG
16 ACES – SONNY THOSS
17 TEXTERS – JASON CASTRO
18 GIANTS – KERBY RAYMUNDO
19 GIANTS – ROGER YAP
20 REALTORS – JOSEPH YEO
21 KINGS – JC INTAL
22 TEXTERS – HARVEY CAREY
23 KINGS – CYRUS BAGUIO
24 BEERMEN – DORIAN PENA
25 PAINTERS – GABE NORWOOD
26 GIANTS – MARC PINGRIS
27 GIANTS – PAUL ARTADI
28 TEXTERS – ALI PEEK
29 GIANTS – RICO MAIERHOFER
30 BEERMEN – DENOK MIRANDA
31 TEXTERS – RANIDEL DE OCAMPO
32 TIGERS – ASI TAULAVA
33 KINGS – ERIC MENK
34 BEERMEN – MICK PENNISI
35 KINGS – ENRICO VILLANUEVA
36 REALTORS – JOSH URBIZTONDO
37 TIGERS – LARRY RODRIGUEZ
38 KINGS – BILLY MAMARIL
39 BEERMEN – LORDY TUGADE
40 WHOPPERS – JR QUINAHAN
41 KINGS – WILLY WILSON
42 ACES – MARK BORBORAN
43 REALTORS – NELBERT OMOLON
44 ACES – LARRY FONACIER
45 GIANTS – RAFI REAVIS
46 WHOPPERS – RONJAY BUENAFE
47 TIGERS – DENNIS ESPINO
48 WHOPPERS – ALEX CABAGNOT
49 GIANTS – DON ALLADO
50 REALTORS – GABBY ESPINAS

Yes, you have every reason to get pissed at the list.

But don’t fret.

First of all, Kelly Williams will not win the BPC because Arwind Santos will get that trophy (unless the Alaska guys, Ronald Tubid, or Macmac Cardona can go berserk in their following assignments). Also, I expect the lower 25 to dramatically alter with teams like Sta. Lucia and Burger King bowing out, either Coke or Rain or Shine surging in the rankings, and players from the winning teams getting towed in the rankings because of their team’s winning record. If Asi Taulava can tow his team to the semis, he’ll have a shot in the award despite having limited appearances.

Anyway, this will return during the semifinals.

Until then…

GAME OVER!

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