Event of the Year: The SMART Ultimate All-Star Weekend

For most NBA fans, the lockout was a nightmare that everybody wished would end. For Filipino basketball fans, the lockout made our wildest dreams come true.

And considering all that it led to the lockout lasting a little longer probably wouldn’t have been so bad.

With the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement up in the air, many NBA players looked for alternative forms of income. New Jersey star Deron Williams was one of the first to look overseas, signing with Turkish club Besiktas for one year and $5 million. Some of the other high-profile stars weren’t quite so desperate but still needed a little something to tide them over.

So Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and a mix of veterans and young stars packed their bags and trooped to the Philippines for a pair of exhibition games against a PBA selection and the national team.

Yeah, I still pinch myself every now and then to make sure that it really happened. To put things in proper perspective: That was nuts.

Seriously, it was nuts. Look, the NBA has been bringing their preseason to Europe and China the past few years and even they don’t see as many All-Stars under one roof. The event was such a big deal that Sports Illustrated pointed to the event as a model for players to survive the lockout, while Grantland devoted a longform feature on how the weekend came together.

Barring another lockout, we aren’t likely to see an event like this anytime soon. And that’s what makes the SMART Ultimate All-Star Weekend really special. CBA negotiations happen once every six years and sometimes, like in 2005, negotiations wrap up quickly. That means we might have experienced a once-in-a-few-decades kind of game.

And what made it more fun was that the NBA players seemed to have genuinely enjoyed their trip here just as much as we enjoyed having them.

The players were treated like rock stars wherever they went. JaVale McGee did some on-court planking. Paul showed off his boxing footwork for Manny Pacquiao during a timeout late in one of the games. Bryant and Pacman shared a lengthy conversation. Bryant and McGee also reportedly missed a press conference when they diverted their car from an official function to do some shopping.

For a basketball-crazy nation like ours, this was nothing short of a dream come true, and hands-down, the Event of the Year.

source by Mikkel Bolante · image by InterAKTV/Markku Seguerra

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Villain of the Year: The South Korean national basketball teams

It’s really difficult to brand any one individual or team as a villain. Certainly, South Korea held no malicious intent when it rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to overtake the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team with 47 seconds to go in the third place game of the FIBA Asia Championships last September. Surely, all the team wanted was the same thing our team did – a medal finish and a berth in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Games. There is no doubt they held no ill will toward us and that they just wanted to perform as best as they could.

There was no malice either when South Koreans youth team eliminated Energen Pilipinas in the semifinals of the FIBA Asia Under-16 Championships, which would have given the Philippine team a spot in the FIBA World Under-17 Championships next year. Like the Pinoy teens, the South Korean kids were just doing their best.

But forget all that, it’s okay to dislike the South Korean national team.

No, they aren’t dirty, excessively physical players. They don’t celebrate in your face or rub it in when you’re down. No, they don’t hold hour-long TV specials just to announce which beach they’re taking their talents to this season.

There is, objectively, no reason to hate on the South Koreans.

But sports fandom is rarely about being objective. The most loyal fans cheer for their adopted teams through thick and thin. It doesn’t matter if they’re actually good. The only thing that matters is whether or not they’re wearing the jersey of the team that you love, regardless of wins or losses.

And it is especially true when talking about national teams. We cheer for the Philippine teams whether or not we actually like the players on the team. We’re almost compelled to like them just because they have PILIPINAS spelled across their chests.

The national team has a way of bringing us together, famously exemplified by former teammates-turned-rivals Robert Jaworski and Mon Fernandez burying the hatchet for the national team in the 1990 Asian Games. Jaworski, appointed to helm the team, chose Fernandez to be his team captain despite a bitter breakup after their partnership in Toyota.

SMART-Gilas inherited a Sisyphean struggle from years of heartbroken national teams that similarly failed to qualify for the world level. And much like the mythical Sisyphus before them, it actually seemed as if SMART-Gilas, in the dying seconds of the third place game, had finally rolled its own figurative boulder all the way up to the top of the hill.

Check out the other nominees for Villain of the Year

But here we are, right back where we started.

We can’t be blamed for disliking the South Korean team just as Sisyphus can’t be blamed for hating that damned rock he’ll have to push for the rest of eternity. They don’t mean us any harm, but that doesn’t mean we have to like them.

So, South Korea, please don’t take this personally. In fact, it’s a compliment to be identified as a villain, because it means you accomplished something we wish that we had in your stead.

Congratulations on being named Villain of the Year. You should feel honored.

Jerks.

source by Mikkel Bolante, InterAKTV · image by AFP file photo

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No. 7 – Gilas defies odds, gains Fiba-Asia semis

Bannered by college players and backstopped by a naturalized big man and a handful of pros, Smart Gilas Pilipinas defied the odds and turned in a fourth place finish in the FIBA-Asia Championship, the country’s best effort in two and a half decades.

The Nationals crashed into the Final Four but bowed to the mighty Jordanians, 61-75. They appeared headed for a breakthrough third place finish but cracked in the face of the sharp-shooting South Koreans’ fourth quarter surge, dropping a heartbreaking 68-70 setback in their bronze medal duel in 26th edition of the biennial event in Wuhan, China.

But it was no small feat for the Nationals, who made quite an impression with a team built around former collegiate superstars and beefed up by Marcus Douthit, a 6-10 naturalized player, and pros Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag and Ranidel de Ocampo of Talk N’ Text and Asi Taulava of Meralco.

In fact, the fourth place effort prompted Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan to announce that he is extending the cage program for the 2014 FIBA World Championship.

The Wuhan finish also proved that the Filipinos have the talent and skills to match up with the best teams in the region, including China, Jordan, Iran, Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Lebanon.

However, all but team captain Chris Tiu have joined the pro ranks, including JV Casio, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Mark Barroca, Mac Baracael, Dylan Ababou and Jason Ballesteros although experts believe there are enough talents available in the collegiate ranks, who could be tapped for Smart Gilas II squad.

source by Philippine Star

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Tiu ready for another tour of duty with Gilas

Smart Gilas Pilipinas and Sinag Pilipinas team captain Chris Tiu is looking forward to resuming national team duties for a Phl squad seeking no less than a berth in the 2014 FIBA World Championship in Spain.

Tiu, who skippered the Norman Black-mentored all-amateur team that snared the basketball gold medal in last month’s 26th Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, is itching for another tour of duty, this time with Smart Gilas II, which is expected to be formed early next year.

“Yes I want to still play for the national team and hoping that the Smart Gilas II program will allow me to fulfill my dream of playing in the World Championships or the Olympics,” Tiu yesterday told The STAR.

Smart Gilas II is a reprise of the program of the original Gilas team that came to within two wins of a ticket to the 2012 London Olympics.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president and Smart chair Manny V. Pangilinan has announced that the Gilas program would be retained without specifying the team composition.

The idea is to form the coaching staff first by the first quarter of 2012.

Being considered are Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman, Black and PBA coaches Chot Reyes, Ryan Gregorio, Tim Cone and Jong Uichico.

Tiu didn’t want to comment on his coaching preference.

“I’m as clueless as you and everybody and I don’t want to comment on who I want as coach of Gilas II,” said Tiu.

Tiu, however, stressed that the players who would be chosen to comprise Gilas II should be dedicated and committed to staying with the program.

“There are many talented players in the Philippines but not all truly desire to play for the national team,” said Tiu. “Of course height is important for the frontline but what’s more important is commitment.”

Tiu and naturalized Marcus Douthit are expected to be named members of Gilas II.

Greg Slaughter, Aldrech Ramos, Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks, RR Garcia, Garvo Lanete, Dave Marcelo and Kevin Alas are collegiate players likely to be considered.

source by Joey Villar |The Philippine Star

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Ginebra pummels Talk ‘N Text for 5th straight win

Barangay Ginebra waxed hot in the final period and pulled off an impressive 96-82 demolition of defending champion Talk ‘N Text in the final game of the eliminations of the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Sunday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Kings outscored the Tropang Texters in the final 12 minutes, 32-17, to pull away from a tight contest and end the initial phase of the tournament with a five-game winning streak for a 9-5 win-loss record.

Mark Caguioa had another sterling performance for Ginebra with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Mike Cortez added 17 points, 12 of which came on three-pointers in the second period.

JC Intal and Enrico Villanueva each had 15 points for the Gin Kings, whose quarterfinal foe was already determined prior to the game following Rain or Shine’s win over Alaska in the first match.

“It will be tough. Tinalo kami sa opening game by one point. They’re a pretty good team but we will be ready against them,” said Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen about Rain or Shine.

Ginebra’s did B-MEG a little favor with the win, as the Llamados ended up the No. 1 seed. B-MEG and Talk ‘N Text were tied with the best record at 10-4, but the Llamados had the better quotient. It was the first time in five conferences that Talk ‘N Text did not end up with the top seed.

Jason Castro led Talk ‘N Text with 14 points while Jared Dillinger, Kelly Williams and Harvey Carey each had 12 points.

The Texters were up by two points, 69-67, on Larry Fonacier’s two free throws before Caguioa, Cortez, Intal and Willy Wilson joined forces for a decisive 25-8 run to pull Ginebra away at 92-77 with 3:28 remaining.

After the onslaught, Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes decided to pull out his starters.

The scores:

GINEBRA 96 – Caguioa 18, Cortez 17, Intal 15, Villanueva 15, Wilson W. 14, Mamaril 8, Labagala 4, Canaleta 3, Tubid 2, Maliksi 0, Cervantes 0, Wilson J. 0.

TALK N’ TEXT 82 – Castro 14, Dillinger 12, Williams 12, Carey 12, Fonacier 10, Aguilar 7, Reyes 5, Raymundo 4, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 2, Weinstein 0, De Ocampo 0.

Quarters: 23-20, 41-45, 64-65, 96-82

source | PBA/Nuki Sabio

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Aldrech Ramos leads Philippine Patriots lineup

Former SMART-Gilas Pilipinas center Aldrech Ramos will serve as the foundation of the AirAsia Philippine Patriots when they plunge into action in the ASEAN Basketball League in January next year.

The 6-foot-6 Ramos was signed by the Patriots to beef up their roster as they try to regain supremacy in the league now entering its third season.

Also included in the Patriots lineup are ex-Singapore Slinger Al Vergara and former PBA players Marcy Arellano, Reed Juntilla, Jonathan Fernadez and Eddie Laure.

Erick Rodriguez, Ardy Larong, Eder Saldua, Angel Raymundo, Warren Ybanez and Rob Wainright are also included in the line-up.

Incidentally, the Patriots new head coach in Glenn Capacio coached Ramos at Far Eastern University in the UAAP.

“He has improved tremendously since the last time I handled him,” said Glenn Capacio. “He’s really a good catch because I know he can lead this team to greatness.”

“He’s lean but he can hurt you with his soft jumpers from medium range,” said Philippine Patriots co-team owner Mikee Romero.

The Patriots won the inaugural season defeating the Satria Muda BritAma in 2010 but lost the title to the Chang Thailand Slammers last year.

The Patriots will compete in a fund-raising tournament in Bangkok next week and will go up against the Thailand Slammers, Singapore Slingers and expansion teams San Miguel Beermen and Bangkok Basketball Holdings.

source | Reuben Terrado, InterAKTV

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B-Meg eyes 2nd playoff bonus

MANILA, Philippines — New B-Meg coach Tim Cone thought it would take some time before they will be considered as one of the top contenders in the league.

But to his surprise, his players learned the nitty-gritty of the “triangle offense” so quickly and skillfully that they are now on their way to earning the second twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinal playoff of the Philippine Cup.

Riding the crest of a seven-game winning run, the Llamados try to secure that privilege when they tackle the winless Shopinas.com Clickers at 5:15 p.m. today at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

In the other game, Barangay Ginebra takes on Barako Bull at 7:30 p.m. with the Kings out to extend their winning run to four.

Defending champion Talk ’N Text already clinched the first twice-to-beat with a nail-biting 80-78 victory over Petron Blaze Tuesday night that improved the Tropang Texters’ record at 10-3.

Second year forward Japeth Aguilar collared the offensive rebound off a missed second free throw by Harvey Carey as he scored on a putback and completed the three-point-play after he was fouled by Arwind Santos with 2.4 seconds left in the game.

TNT will still play Ginebra on Sunday, but whatever is the result of that game, the Chot Reyes-mentored squad, plagued by injuries to key players this conference – is already assured of the twice-to-beat.

B-Meg is hoping to follow suit since Shopinas does not have enough firepower to stop B-Meg’s run.

“Obviously, it’s a big opportunity for us to get that top two seeds,” said Cone, who took over the coaching chores of B-Meg two weeks before the start of the season when he left Alaska after 22 years and 13 championships.

Cone cautioned though that even they are up against the winless team, his Llamados aren’t taking the game easily.

Shopinas is hoping to avoid the worst start for a franchise in the league’s 37-year existence.

The Clickers’ 13-0 record already tied the 0-13 start of Country Fair during the 1984 Reinforced Conference, as well as the 13 straight losses by Great Taste, which eventually finished the 1982 All-Filipino at 2-16.

source | By WAYLON GALVEZ | mb.com.ph

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Stags eye PCCL semis sweep vs Webmasters

MANILA, Philippines—Already assured of a finals berth, San Sebastian shoots for a sweep of the single-round semifinals against University of Cebu Thursday in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Stags hope to keep their sharp form in the 4 p.m. duel against the Webmasters as they gear up for the championship round where they hold a twice-to-beat advantage.

While the Stags can afford to take it easy after back-to-back victories, UAAP champion Ateneo and NCAA titlist San Beda will still duke it out for the other finals berth on Friday.

The championship match is slated Monday.

“I’m going to tell the boys to win as much as we can and take it from there,” said San Sebastian coach Topex Robinson, whose team will be playing its third game in four days.

The Stags rallied from 12 points down in the final six minutes to nip the Eagles, 70-69, Wednesday with Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang combining for 38 points.

San Sebastian will continue to miss ace guard Ronald Pascual who has been sidelined for the next six months because of an anterior cruciate ligament tear he sustained last Monday against San Beda.

Guards Jovit Dela Cruz and Anthony del Rio are expected to fill the void left by Pascual.

The Webmasters – the Southern islands champion – are hoping to salvage what’s left of their campaign after losses to Ateneo and San Beda eliminated them from the title race.

Junmar Fajardo, still hobbled by an injury on his right knee, will be at the forefront of the Webmasters’ assault. Fajardo had 24 points and 14 rebounds in the 77-83 loss to San Beda last Tuesday.

UC coach Roel Gomez is also pinning his hopes on Edward Pao and Brian Heruela, who combined for 31 points against the Lions.

source Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Pacific Pipes, Big Chill clobber rivals

MANILA, Philippines—Jim Viray made his final game with RnW Pacific Pipes a memorable one.

Finding his rhythm in the second half, Viray pumped in 23 points to lead the Steel Masters to a runaway 74-59 victory over the Cobra Energy Drink Ironmen Tuesday in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the San Juan Arena.

The former San Sebastian Stag, who is set to leave for Australia for personal reasons, buried six triples and a key three-point play in the last two quarters to power the Steel Masters, who stayed in the hunt for a playoff berth by improving to 4-3.

“It’s a fitting tribute game for Jim (Viray),” said RnW coach Topex Robinson, whose squad broke away in the second quarter by outscoring Cobra, 26-9.

Later, Big Chill snapped Boracay Rum’s three-game winning run with an 85-75 drubbing.

Jopher Custodio fired 28 points, including six in the last 48 seconds as the Super Chargers rallied from 10 points down in the final seven minutes to claim their fifth win in eight outings.

It was a resounding comeback for the Super Chargers, who lost 46-78 to Freego Jeans last Thursday.

“We really wanted to bounce back from this game,” said Big Chill coach Arsenio Dysangco. “Its a good thing guys like Jopher (Custodio) and Jerry (Glorioso) stepped up.”

The scores:
First Game
PACIFIC PIPES 74—Viray 23, Ilagan 14, Buensuceso 11, Zulueta 6, Racal 5, Delgado 4, Dela Cruz 3, Sanvictores 2, Importante 2, Miranda 2, Maiquez 2, Antonio 0.
COBRA 59—Cortes 16, Enguio 16, Noble 14, Cubo 4, Sumido 3, Stevens 3, Casajeros 2, Nimes 1, Zablan 0,Flores 0, Tagarda 0.
Quarters: 14-15, 36-24, 57-46, 74-59

Second Game
BIG CHILL 85—Custodio 28, Collado 14, Glorioso 13, Reyes 8, Jensen 8, Galinato 4, Maconocido 4, Dizon 2, Tan 2, Santos 2, Mallari 0.
BORACAY RUM 75—Sabellina 25, Bandaying 15, Khobuntin 13, Baloran 4, Eguilos 4, Siruma 4, Morial 2, Abaya 1, Terso 1, Rosopa 0, De Guzman 0, Cornejo 0.
Quarters: 20-20, 40-33, 57-64, 85-75

source By Cedelf P. Tupas | Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Semerad twins confirm transfer to Ateneo

MANILA, Philippines – Collegiate basketball players Anthony and David Semerad on Wednesday confirmed that they will be leaving NCAA's San Beda College team to transfer to UAAP’s Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU).

“Yes it's official,” said David during the twins’ appearance on this week’s Hardball sports show on ANC. “We're really concerned about our development.”

The Semerad brothers, Filipino-Australians who played vital roles in San Beda’s NCAA title retention this year, said their school's sports program is not suited for their development.

“Yes, San Beda has a great basketball program but maybe for my brother and I, it's not suited for us,” said David.

The Semerads wanted a school where they can further hone their skills.

“We played basketball in Europe for the national team under-18, coming to the Philippines, to a new school where were not sure, had it,” said David.

Anthony admitted that San Beda helped them adjust to the Filipino style of play.

But he said they started stagnating after their first year in San Beda.

“[In the] second year, nothing new changed, then third year, we just stayed like that,” said Anthony.

The two could become eligible to play for Ateneo in 2013, when they serve their 1-year residency.

Ateneo is the reigning UAAP men’s basketball champion.

However, the UAAP board might force the twins to sit out an additional year for playing for the Maynilad team in the inaugural conference of the PBA-Developmental League.

source | abs-cbnNEWS.com

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Aguilar putback lifts Texters past Boosters

source | philstar.com | MANILA, Philippines – Talk n Text came through with four points on hustle plays in the last 3.7 seconds, an incredible feat leading to an 80-78 nail-biter over Petron Blaze and a guaranteed twice-to-beat incentive for the Texters in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Japeth Aguilar came in those dying seconds to grab a crucial offensive rebound and make a three-point play as the Texters salvaged the game that assured them of a spot in the Top Two at the close of the elimination phase.

The reigning champs secure top seeding in the playoffs with a win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings Sunday.

Petron wound up at 9-5, in danger of being relegated to the best-of-three series in the quarters.

“One thing this game showed was how big our heart is,” said an ecstatic Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

“We were playing minus five mainstays then we lost Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro. Half of our team were gone. But then the guys showed their heart. It’s all guts,” Reyes added.

The two teams fought big plays for big plays in the homestretch with Petron Blaze going up, 78-76, on a three-point play by Alex Cabagnot with 12.8 ticks left.

Shawn Weinsten missed his shot on a drive in the ensuing play but the Texters never gave up, fighting for the loose ball until Harvey Carey got it then drew a crucial foul from Arwind Santos.

Carey canned in the front end of his free throws and missed the last one.

Alas, the muffed free throw opened the opportunity for the Texters to snatch the win.

Aguilar beat everybody for the rebound and quickly scored the go-ahead shot.

With a foul to boot, the 6-foot-9 center sank the gift shot making it 80-78 in the end.

The scores:

TALK N' TEXT 80 – Williams 21, Fonacier 17, Carey 15, Castro 8, Weinstein 6, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 4, Aguilar 3, Lao 2, Raymundo 0, Alapag 0.

PETRON 78 – Miranda 15, Cabagnot 14, Yeo 12, Santos 11, Reyes 9, Ildefonso 8, Tugade 5, Guevarra 4, Doruelo 0, Baclao 0.

Quarters: 23-28, 29-40, 57-53, 80-78

By Nelson Beltran

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Anthony-led Powerade ends elims on a winning note

source | pba.com.ph | Powerade knows that in order for it to go deep in the playoffs, it must learn how to emerge unscathed from the expected wringer.

The Tigers, who will be making their first quarterfinal appearance in eight conferences, got an inkling of what to expect by narrowly beating Barako Bull 99-95 Tuesday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Marcio Lassiter scattered a game-high 20 points but it was the likes of fellow rookie JVee Casio and sophomore Sean Anthony who came up with the most crucial points down the stretch to ensure the Tigers' victory.

Its sixth win in 14 elimination round outings hardly mattered for Powerade, which has long been assured of a No. 8 seeding and a win-twice handicap against the top-ranked team in the ensuing quarterfinal round.

Yet head coach Bo Perasol maintains it is the same kind of pressure-packed experience his youth-laden squad needs for the tougher grind ahead.

"That's exactly what I drew on the board the other day, us winning close games," said Perasol. "The five (previous) wins we had were blowouts and the five we could have won were down the wire. If we can't win down the wire, we can't expect to win in the playoffs."

Depending on their remaining games, either Talk ‘N Text, Petron Blaze or B-MEG can wind-up on top of the 10-team field and Perasol said Tuesday's game should help prepare his team for whichever it is they will be facing next.

"This game is a good test because we have to know how to win down the wire," he stated. "Whether it be Talk ‘N Text, B-MEG or Petron, these teams are going to be tough to contend with.

"So we need to know how to win close games. Maybe part of the reason is most of my players being young. But these guys are experienced, including our rookies."

Casio scored six of his 15 points in the fourth and even had a rare four-point play to fan Powerade's drive while Anthony spiked a 17-point, eight-rebound game with three charities inside the last 51 seconds that sealed it.

Willie Miller paced Barako Bull with 19 points while Danny Seigle had 17 and eight rebounds. But the Energy still dropped to a 6-7 win-loss slate and in danger of winding up at seventh, which entails a similar win-twice handicap against the No. 2 team.

The only hope the Energy have of avoiding such a dire strait is for it to beat 7-5 Ginebra Thursday and for the Kings to lose to Talk ‘N Text at elims end on Sunday. Such a tie will be resolved via the quotient and the Energy have the advantage for beating the Kings by 13 the first time they met.

The loss, Barako's fifth in six games, seemed avoidable after Miller took charge over a three-
minute stretch and brought the Energy back from a 67-77 deficit.

The two-time MVP scored six points and his assists to Lou Gatumbato and Mick Pennisi led to triples that pulled Barako Bull within 84-85 and 87-89, respectively.

Casio, Gary David and Lassiter made it an eight-point game before Dylan Ababou laced an 11-point fourth quarter with two charities and Miller's nifty drive made it a 93-96 count, still 19.6 ticks
left. (NC)

The scores:

POWERADE 99 - Lassiter 20, Anthony 17, Casio 15, David 14, Lingganay 13, Kramer 6, Adducul 6, Antonio 4, Allera 2, Crisano 2, Vanlandingham 0.

BARAKO 95 - Miller 19, Seigle 17, Salvacion 12, Ababou 11, Pennisi 9, Pena 6, Gatumbato 5, Najorda 5, Allado 4, Arboleda 4, Artadi 3, Aquino 0.

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PCCL: Ateneo handily defeats University of Cebu

source | INQUIRER.net | MANILA, Philippines—Ateneo barely broke a sweat in the 100-53 dismantling of University of Cebu Monday in the final four of 2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League at the Arena in San Juan.

Quickly turning the match into a rout, the Blue Eagles got a headstart in the round-robin semifinals with the two best teams advancing to the finals of the nationwide collegiate tournament.

In the clash of the towering centers, the seven-foot Greg Slaughter got the better of the 6-foot-11 June Mar Fajardo in  the anticipated match-up with 18 points, 11 rebounds and a block.

“We got off to a good start. We played well defensively, but not offensively,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, who is fresh off a championship in the 26th Southeast Asian Games.

Ateneo also showcased swift ball movement as they registered 28 assists compared to UC’s 12 and limited its turnovers to just nine compared to 17.

UAAP finals MVP Nico Salva also delivered 18 points while the lanky JP Erram, who gave the Blue Eagles it’s biggest advantage at 99-48 at the tailend of the game, added 13 points and two rebounds.

Ateneo, hoping to retain its title in the PCCL this year, will shoot for the number one spot which will have a twice-to-beat incentive in the finals.

Fajardo, who will be playing for the San Miguel team in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) this coming January after his stint with the UC Webmasters, scattered 12 points and hauled down nine boards in the 14 minutes he spent in the court.

“Fajardo is a very good player. He’s played well every game I coached against his team,” added Black.

By Celest R. Flores

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Grudge matches in PCCL F4

Source | mb.com | A mouth-watering battle between two former rivals and the anticipation of a payback will highlight the opening day of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Final Four at The Arena in San Juan.

Greg Slaughter and Junmar Fajardo will meet for the first time in two years as UAAP champion and PCCL three-peat seeking Ateneo battles CESAFI winner and Southern Island titlist University of Cebu at 2 p.m.

But that match could be overshadowed by the second game pitting NCAA champion San Beda and San Sebastian at 4 p.m. in the first meeting of both teams since the "Black Friday" incident involving the former's cage squad and the latter's volleyball teams.

The Red Lions of coach Frankie Lim are expected to show up ready for battle after they figured in a brawl during the NCAA women's volleyball tournament that left the Stags' volleyball coach Roger Gorayeb and libero Mae Crisostomo with swollen faces.

While many will probably look for San Sebastian to exact revenge, coach Topex Robinson isn't going to let his team turn this match into what he described as a "basket-brawl."

"It's a chance for us to prove to everyone that we're not squatters," said Robinson. "I told them that it's an extra motivation for us since it was like a sister and a father who got involved in that fight."

Regardless, the Stags are out to get back at the Red Lions anyway after a stinging defeat in the NCAA finals last October.

Meanwhile, it will be an interesting showdown between Slaughter and Fajardo who last met in the 2009 CESAFI finals with the former leading University of the Visayas to its ninth crown.

Since then, Slaughter transferred to Ateneo and made a name for himself in the UAAP this season by leading the Loyola campus to its seventh championship. With him gone, Fajardo became the king of Cebu, powering the Webmasters to back-to-back championships.

The 6-foot-11 Slaughter could not hide his excitement of facing the 6-foot-10 Fajardo saying, "We obviously had a lot of battles during my time in Cebu and it's going to be another tough game for both of us."

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BOLTS, KINGS ON COLLISION COURSE

Source | pba.ph  | Meralco and crowd darling Brgy. Ginebra seeks to bolster their campaign of still finishing in the top two as the two collide Sunday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Bolts are coming off a pulsating 100-98 victory over the Powerade Tigers while the Kings,
arguably the most popular basketball club in the country today, pulled off an awe-inspiring 91-89
win  over the Petron Blaze Boosters making their fight more interesting.

The win weighs heavier for Meralco, currently at No. 4 with an 8-5 (win-loss) record which has a stronger chance of accomplishing the feat if it could beat Brgy. Ginebra in their 4 p.m. encounter and hope and pray that only one or none reach the 10-win plateau to force ties atop the heap.

Defending champion Talk N' Text leads the way with a 9-3 card, closely followed by reigning Governors Cup titlist Petron Blaze and resurgent B-Meg, both bearing identical 9-4 slates.

The Kings had almost the same scenario as they're just a couple of wins behind the Bolts with a 6-5 mark and would need to sweep all their remaining games against the Barako Bull Energy on Dec. 8, the Tropang Texters on Dec. 11 and this one.

"We still have a game left against Ginebra and we hope we still have the same intensity and will to win," said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio.

The same intensity Gregorio was mentioning was the ones they displayed when his Bolts survived the feisty Powerade Tigers in a gripping 100-98 win two days ago.

Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona fired 23 and 17 points, respectively, but more than their offensive heroics, the two made their teammates look good by sharing the ball as the two wound up with a combined 11 assists.(jv)

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PBA: Talk 'N Text ousts Alaska

Source | www.pba.ph | Talk n Text gave Powerade a free ride into the quarterfinals as it dropped the ax on Alaska Milk, 100-97, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday.

The Tropang Texters pulled away in the third quarter, building a lead big enough to cushion the Aces’ fiery fourth-quarter chase.

The Tropa snapped a two-game losing skein but coach Chot Reyes hardly felt relief.

“I sincerely feel that we lost the game. We deserved to lose the game. We’re really a poor team right now -- no spirit, no guts, no defense, no nothing,” said Reyes.

“We’re lucky it’s Alaska. If it were Petron or Ginebra, no way we could have won the game,” Reyes added.

The Texters hung in there on top with a 9-3 win-loss card but Reyes doubted they can stay there at the end of the elimination phase.

“We’re on top on the strength of the old team. But what we have now is a different team. The strength of the old team is chemistry and depth. We don’t have now,” said Reyes.

“We’re just a bad team now and we can only pray that our players heal faster,” Reyes added. “If we find some miracle to beat Petron and Ginebra, good. But the way we’re playing, I think we’ve no chance.”

Alaska’s own prayers were not heard.

The Aces didn’t survive the crippled Texters and eventually moved out of the race for the quarterfinals.

They failed to make it past the elimination round for the first time since the 2009 Fiesta Conference and only the third time since 1999.

Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Harvey Carey put in huge numbers as the Texters delivered the knockout punch on the Aces.

Alapag went 6-of-7 from beyond the arc and finished with 21 points that went with eight assists, Williams chipped in 20 points while Carey contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Japeth Aguilar came through with a conference-high seven blocks and added 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Texters took a 75-57 lead at the close of the third but the Aces mounted a rally in the payoff period, coming to within two at 97-99.

The Aces got an opportunity to force extension play when Carey split his charities in the ensuing sequence with 18 ticks left to play.

Alas, LA Tenorio muffed a good look from the three-point area.

Cyrus Baguio grabbed the loose ball but the Aces were no longer able to take another attempt. (SB)

The scores:

TALK N' TEXT 100 - Alapag 21, Williams 20, Carey 18, Fonacier 16, Aguilar 10, Gamalinda 7, Castro 7, Alvarez 1, Raymundo 0, Weinstein 0, Lao 0.

ALASKA 97 - Tenorio 25, Baguio 22, Baracael 15, Reyes 12, Salamat 9, Thoss 8, Eman 4, Custodio 2, Bugia 0.

Quarters: 27-22, 49-42, 75-57, 100-97

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Barroca tames Barako, makes presence felt

Source | The Philippine Star | MANILA, Philippines - Former Smart Gilas mainstay Mark Barroca dished out his best game so far as a pro, saving B-Meg from imminent danger versus Barako Bull in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Barroca fueled their searing second-quarter breakaway and later hit the winning shot in B-Meg’s 91-90 cliffhanger over Barako Bull that further enhanced the Llamados’ bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

“Mark is such a gutsy player. He doesn’t fear anything; doesn’t fear the wrath of the coach; doesn’t fear me. He does what he thinks is right, and 89 percent, he’s right,” said B-Meg coach Tim Cone, paying Barroca tribute for lifting the team past Barako. Through Barroca’s heroics, the Llamados notched a seventh straight victory that boosted their drive to finish in the Top Two at the close of the eliminations.

A win over the Shopinas.com Clickers Thursday will assure the Llamados of a playoff shot at the No. 2 spot. The top two teams in the elims enjoy a twice-to-beat edge over the seventh-ranked and eighth-seeded teams in the quarterfinals. Barroca saved B-Meg’s broken play in the closing seconds, eluding three defenders for the winning basket with 4.9 seconds left.

The former national player bailed the Llamados out of trouble after Danny Seigle went on a fourth-quarter rampage, almost single-handedly wiping out Barako’s 16-point deficit at 62-78.

The Energy surged ahead at 90-89 on five straight baskets by Seigle followed by a clutch shot by Willie Miller. With 13.7 ticks left, Cone called a timeout and mapped a play designed for PJ Simon to take the shot. Talk n Text gave Powerade free passage to the quarterfinals as it dropped the axe on Alaska Milk, 100-97, later in the night.

The Texters built a lead enough to cushion the Aces’ fourth-quarter rally, enhancing their own bid for playoff top seeding with their ninth win against three losses.

By Nelson Beltran

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Meralco keeps winning form

Source  | Manila Bulletin | MANILA, Philippines — Already assured of a playoff berth, Meralco kept its bid from earning one of the twice-to-beat advantages as it repeated against Powerade with a 100-95 victory in the PBA Philippine cup Friday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

A 9-0 run by the Bolts highlighted by a booming three-pointer by Mark Cardona early in the fourth quarter turned a 76-78 deficit to 85-76 lead with seven minutes left in the game. Asi Taulava, Mark Isip and Chico Lanete also contributed in that scoring binge.

The closest the Tigers got was when Gary David buried a triple, 95-98, with 1:33 remaining to play.

However, forward Gabby Espinas came through big on both ends of the court, first when he made a jumper from top of the key that gave his team a five-point cushion, 100-95, and then he followed it up with two crucial shot blocks on Doug Kramer and Sean Anthony.

Anthony had a chance to trim the lead but muffed two free throws. The two teams did not score, preserving the win for Meralco.

The win improved the Bolts’ record at 8-5, with a chance of gaining twice-to-beat in the quarterfinal playoffs as they shoot for another victory tomorrow when they finish their elimination round campaign against the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

“We’re very clear with our intention coming into the game and that is to fight for the character of team,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio, whose team also won against Powerade (98-96) last Nov. 16. “We very well know we’re in playoffs.”

“Right now the top two, we’ll try to reach our maximum potential. If we win and reach top two, why not? But the goal is keep playing hard and keep winning,” added Gregorio as his squad surpassed the franchise record of seven wins (in 16 games) in 2010 Philippine Cup.

Meralco guard Sol Mercado led the team in scoring with 23 points with six assists, while Cardona contributed 17 markers. Espinas recorded his seventh double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, which currently is third-best behind Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze (10) and Doug Kramer of Powerade (9).

Gary David led the Tigers with 25 points but wasn’t much of a factor because of foul trouble, while Kramer added 16 points and 11 boards.

Powerade dropped to 5-8 as it failed to clinch an outright quarterfinal slot, thus giving Alaska (3-9) a chance for that last playoff berth. The Tigers, though, can qualify automatically if they win against the Barako Bull Energy on Tuesday.

The Scores:

MERALCO 100 – Mercado 23, Cardona 17, Espinas 14, Lanete 9, Macapagal 9, Hugnatan 6, Yee 5, Taulava 5, Borboran 4, Isip 4, Omolon 4, Timberlake 0.

POWERADE 98 – David 25, Kramer 16, Anthony 14, Casio 13, Lassiter 9, Vanlandingham 7, Lingganay 6, Adducul 6, Cruz 2, Crisano 0, Antonio 0.

Quarters: 24-22; 49-54; 76-76; 100-98.

By WAYLON GALVEZ

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Caguioa, Ginebra step into QFs after thrilling win vs Petron

Source | InterAKTV |Barangay Ginebra labored its way into the quarterfinal round after snapping Petron Blaze’s six-game winning streak with a pulsating 91-89 win in the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Friday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Mark Caguioa rebounded from poor performances in the past three games with 22 points and a crucial assist to Willy Wilson in the closing seconds for the go-ahead basket.

The Kings then forced Danny Ildefonso into a desperation heave that failed to hit the mark, as the Boosters fell to second place in the standings with a 9-4 win-loss slate.

“I can’t explain. Sometimes you really have to go through this kind of adversity for the character to come out,” said Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“I thanked the players for putting up this effort especially Mark (Caguioa) who came out strong both on offense and defense.”

After averaging just seven points in the last three games, Caguioa broke out of his slump. It came at the right time for Ginebra, which secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-5 win-loss slate.

After Ginebra pushed its lead to ten points, 81-71, the Boosters unloaded a 15-6 bomb capped by Joseph Yep’s three-point play off Ronald Tubid to slice the lead to one point with 2:36 remaining in the game.

After the teams exchanged empty possessions, Caguioa delivered a huge jumper to give the Kings an 89-86 cushion with 40 seconds left in the match.

But Alex Cabagnot, who had a monster game for Petron with 28 points, knotted the count with a three-pointer, with 27 seconds left.

Tanquingcen sued for a timeout and isolated Caguioa at the top of the key. The 2001 Rookie of the Year started to attack the defense of Alex Cabagnot, before flipping a pass to a wide-open Wilson inside the shaded lane. The former La Salle forward scored and was fouled by Yeo.

Wilson missed the bonus shot, but his earlier basket gave the Kings a 91-89 lead with 5.5 seconds left in the game.

The Boosters had the chance to tie or win the game, but Ronald Tubid denied Cabagnot the ball from Ildefonso, who was forced to shoot way beyond the three-point line.

“I just told the players to stay in front of somebody,” said Tanquingcen. “Okay lang two points at least may chance sa overtime huwag lang three-points.”

Tubid had 16 points highlighted by four three-pointers while Villanueva added 14. Wilson also had a solid game with six points and 14 boards.

The scores:

GINEBRA 91 – Caguioa 22, Tubid 16, Villanueva 14, Cortez 12, Intal 8, Wilson W. 6, Mamaril 6, Canaleta 5, Labagala 2, Wilson J. 0.

PETRON 89 – Cabagnot 28, Santos 14, Miranda 14, Reyes 11, Ildefonso 8, Yeo 7, Tugade 7, Doruelo 0, Agustin 0, Baclao 0, Sharma 0.

Quarters: 20-16, 43-37, 71-65, 91-89

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SBP to conduct talent search for new SMART-Gilas pool

Source |  InterAKTV  | The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is planning a nationwide search for non-professional players to become part of the second incarnation of the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national program.

“We want to widen the search by tapping both the known and unknown players,” said SBP executive director Sonny Barrios. “The known players, of course, are those playing in the collegiate and amateur leagues, like those present members from the Sinag Pilipinas team that won the SEA Games gold medal and the unknown talents, who may have the potential, but have yet to be discovered.”

The planned search is scheduled after a new coach is named for a program in January. Among the candidates for the position are Rajko Toroman, who handled the program in its first three years and led the Philippine team to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship, Norman Black, who steered Sinag Pilipinas to the Southeast Asian Games gold medal, and Chot Reyes and Ryan Gregorio, the head coaches of PBA ballclubs bankrolled by SBP president Manuel V. Pangilinan.

“That should have been the first move, but it was also reset because our boss is very busy now,” said Barrios. The coach will be instrumental in the formation of the national pool of non-PBA players.

The SBP will then work with the PBA on a list of players who will join the pool. PBA commissioner Chito Salud earlier committed 16 players who will reinforce the national team in high-level Asian competitions.Barrios said that the choice of players from the PBA would be the last part of the process.

“It’s too early to do it,” said Barrios. “We still don’t know who will be the available PBA players are at that time. There will be a rookie draft coming in 2012, and the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship is still more than a year from now.”

by Reynaldo Belen

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