October 14: The Primer
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Talk N Text. The return of Renren Ritualo at the shooting guard spot is the biggest problem for Coach Derrick Pumaren. While the Rainman was gone, his reliever Mac Cardona finally turned out to be of the same size for the pure scorer uniform other players like Danny Seigle and Mark Caguioa have long snug into. The catch with the blue tights and red cape is that the wearers have to eat much of the minutes in their spots-- 42 and 47 both averaged well into the 30s last time they were around. If Pumaren somehow solves this hitch in his rotation of the two stars, then we can all willingly give the first Finals seat to the constellation of the Phonepals.
Magnolia. The loss of rebounding robot Dorian Pena to an injury dampened the Beverage Masters’ rights to the #1 spot. Timely but unpolished replacement Samigue Eman looks like he’s more on the path of the Balingit than of the Taulava, thus their problems in facing more war-hardened frontlines like those of TNT and Alaska. With an insane rotation at the wings (Seigle, Lordy Tugade, Chris Calaguio, Wesley Gonzales?!), however, Coach Siot Tanquingcen may not be really be that bothered about offensive rebounding.
Red Bull. Let’s reminisce. Their number one scorer Tugade was given to San Miguel a season ago. “Uh-oh, say buh-bye to playoffs, Barakos!” everyone said. Leo Najorda replied with a “Surprise!” and brought the Bulls to a win short of a third straight Finals appearance. Next conference, Enrico Villanueva was dealt in exchange of a Don Camaso and Yeng Guiao was relegated to mere spectatorship during the elections. “Tough luck,” critics consoled. But then Carlos Sharma and Cyrus Baguio pulled Red Bull to six games in the semis. Reflect on the NOW. Larry Fonacier gone, Rich Alvarez gone. Could it finally be an All-Filipino trophy?
Alaska. The switch of steady veteran Nic Belasco for younger but slower duplicate Junjun Cabatu may not be a very wise move for the Fiesta Conference champs, especially if the alibi would just be the usual “for the future” angle. The Aces after all already got two rookies of practically the same quality in the last draft, Ken Bono and JR Quinahan. Plus, Sonny Thoss is still no Kerby Raymundo maturity-wise, and two more leaders of the team (Jeffrey Cariaso and Mike Cortez) are likely to miss much of the Philippine Cup. The jist: can 2007 MVP Willie Miller then play his trophy’s worth this superstar-filled conference and lead his army of babies back to the Finals?
Ginebra. The Kings should really be in the Final Four, being the defending champions and all, but Rudy Hatfield’s AWOL-ship and the scathed muscles of Rafi Reavis makes Ginebra no better than Alaska. They do have the league’s best backcourt now, with Macky Escalona and Paul Artadi enabling enough firepower for Ronald Tubid to permanently become Sunday Salvacion’s back-up at the 3rd position. The problem is, without a better rebounder (thus, an outlet-passer) than the inconsistent Billy Mamaril and the declining Eric Menk, even The Fast and The Furious would find it hard to jumpstart the Ginebra F1 machine.
Purefoods. The Giants’ preseason championship should be good for the team’s morale, especially that they are coming back from a disappointing 6th place finish in the 32nd season after being Finalists twice the year before. The downside is that Seigle doesn’t really average two points a night (just as he did during his team’s preseason match with PF), so despite all the reconstructions, the Giants will have to play as the Davids once again till 2008. Coach Ryan Gregorio’s resident Goliaths James Yap and Kerby Raymundo will be returning juiced up though; with an impressive mix of veterans and youngsters at the post, the Giants won’t be on their knees for very long.
Air21. Thanks to three highly-touted neophytes, the Express enter Season 33 as the dark horses—YET AGAIN. Year after year, this squad gets to parade the most promising players in the league and year after year that’s all they manage to accomplish: make more promises. Right now they have a UAAP Mythical Five, plus a Snatcher, a National Team out-of-place, and a brittle version of Mark Caguioa (who’s currently injured as of writing). Think they can finally wear out the “mga-bata-pa-kasi” jinx? Maybe that roaring basketball manliness is the X-factor the Air21 management finds more in prospect Robert Jaworski than in present mentor Bo Perasol?
Welcoat. From edible dragon hotdogs to possible playoff underdogs. Having a better frontline than the defending champions doesn’t assure the Dragons of at least a quarterfinal win though, with their wing positions being virtually featherless. Denver Lopez and Froilan Baguion have improved tremendously, but unless they become a Miller-Cortez by October 14, Leo Austria will have to expect his team to retain the best in turnovers title after Season 33.
Sta. Lucia. The Realtors have another formidable roster with the inclusion of PBL wavemaker Ryan Reyes and 3rd pick flop Joseph Yeo. And as if they are a more mature version of the Air21 jinx, they still don’t look like they’re on the way to greatness. The surprise explosions of Kelly Williams and now Tiger Alex Cabagnot last year gave Sta. Lucia a near-fantasy 1st place status in the team standings, only to suffer an avalanche on their way to elimination. Additionally, physically decent center Marlou Aquino plays as if he’s not already getting enough villas for his salary.
Coke. The Tiger management deserves applause for the efforts to restore smiles around the camp through their off-season moves, most notable of which was the acquisition of flexible center Mark Telan. Ali Peek will no longer be dissected alone and John Arigo won’t have to worry of a possible Coke collapse while he’s resting since Yeo is now gone for good. Binky Favis is smarter than this, however; minus the firepower of rifle-thin Arigo, the Tigers have no sharper teeth to use.
Is Talk N Text really an effortless 1515 away from their first trophy since Alapag’s rookie days? We’re talking here about Southeast Asia’s toughest basketball league, mate. My answer to that is an arrogant “HELLO???”
posted by arvee @ 12:58 AM,
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The Youngsters The Old-Timers Would Respect
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
(RV thanks and muah-muahs Ana Mae Roa for her indispensable help for this article. although she doesnt really need citations of acknowledgement; she, after all, has already shelved one of the greatest trophies a Thomasian writer can ever receive)
Sure. Rico Maierhofer, Marcy Arellano and Chris Tiu are shoo-ins to the PBA. But weren't Rich Alvarez, Mark Telan and Denok Miranda, too? Where are those college basketgods right now? Being shifted from team to team like season-confused migratory birds.
The thing is, just because you're the best shriek-inducer back among the girls back in the University doesn't mean that you'd make the boys screech for you in the bigger leagues. La Sallian legend Renren Ritualo did fairly well but all Enrico Villanueva got outside Redbull were boos.
Who will be the next James Yap? Here's a Madame Auring without the malicious touch:
1. Rookie Tamaraw Ricardo "JR" Cawaling was groomed to be like that certain Hanamichi Sakuragi when he entered the UAAP this year: a Secret Weapon. Even though fresh from prom, the kid forward spends more than half of the game on the court, and is just a shade below ten points per game. Decent long-distance game, an array of inside moves, amazing footwork for a 6'3"- no wonder his bosses forbid him to talk to strangers before he was signed.
2. Joseph Evans "JV" Casio is with a spotlight of his own already but it may even be brighter in the grandest stage of Philippine Basketball. The build, the speed, the love for those nerve-melting final minutes- reminds you of anyone? How about Team Pilipinas’ top gunner, Mark Caguioa? He even shoots ice for three quarters before a big fourth quarter explosion on a regular basis! Never mind that he’s just 5’9”. Two-time MVP Willie Miller is even just 5’11”. And he's a shooting guard at that. La Salles’ Casio is just 21. And is a playmaker. Scary.
3. Patrick Cabahug though is even scarier. Already as tall as most professional shooting guards and yet is just 23, a little more maturity and the Adamson firebrand would effortlessly send twos and threes over his defenders in the PBA with that patented fadeaway of his. And that’s still exclusive of his zone-shredding capabilities. In their first game versus Ateneo this season for example, with just three seconds on the clock, Cabahug stepped through the Blue Eagle defense and buried an overtime-forcing jumper. How’s that for brilliance?
4. If shooting stances, forms and release are the standards of a player’s beauty though, as not is missing in the case of Cabahug, then Rookie Tiger Khasim Mirza must be Helen of Troy. How else can you describe that swift, boneless flight to the air of his and that weird pendulum-ic swing of arms for that three? UAAP commentators have likened it to the shots of NBA’s Eddie Jones and of our own 79-point-hitting Allan Caidic. The Varsitarian people have called it the bicycle shot. I like to call it The Shot That Would Launch a Thousand Defenders.
5. Hercules is Mirza’s teammate, even. Jervy Cruz is averaging 16-points-15-rebounds per game. And he’s just a sophomore. He seems to be Ali Peek’s second coming with that lowly 6’4” stand, but not even Man Mountain in the PBA could dish off passes and two-points the way this Tiger here does. Just give him already next year's MVP Trophy to avoid arguments.
posted by arvee @ 3:21 AM,
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How Do You Top a 14-0?
Saturday, September 22, 2007
By chopping it down to a 14-2.
Which is almost an impossibility for the three teams remaining with the right to challenge the flawless University of the East's Red Warriors.
The thing is, Dindo Pumaren's team looks like it's misplaced in the UAAP.
Where else in the country can you find their league-best and second-best averages of 85 points and 48 rebounds a night but in the PBA? And get this: despite their game-to-game onslaughts, only Mark Borboran and Kelvin Gregorio consistently drop in more than 10 points in every game.
Against such a squad whose brotherhood extends even to sharing the 85-point-cake without tantrums, employing the usual clamp-down technique (like what most teams try to do in vain versus Jervy Cruz or Patrick Cabahug) won't work. It's like you handcuffing Pumaren so he can't use his pistols only to watch his chests open up and gun you down a-la Gundam HeavyArms.
Especially that teamwork isn't just a word that the Red Warriors write on their Post-Its and plaster on their refs. They practice it- complete with malice. That's why they lead the league in assists with almost 19 per game, thus the excellent shooting records. They're the only team that hits six of every 10 attempts while burying three of every 10 three-pointers-- the latter, another statistic they're the best at in the college league.
With ball movements and shooting touches seemingly inspired by Cupid, the only way that would ensure of crumbling this red-white wall is an offnight. Interestingly, it did came, but coincided with their opponents' El Ninyo as well, which was the NU Bulldogs. Both shot below 30% the entire night, but UE, being the better team assists-wise, came home with the oasis on the face.
If the Warriors at least have an Achilles' heel, it must be their hands- they pass the ball to their opponents about 18 times per night. However, unless the challengers keep in mind that they too must keep dribbling the ball, this UE weakness isn't that weak anyway. Pumaren's boys snatch the ball back at least 6 times every game while they pull it down after a missed shot for about 48 times.
An "A" for Efficiency.
So how do you register at least two wins against these Spartans who never had more than two games they won by anything less than five? And which is yet to happen again?
Pray. The same prayer that plagued UE back last August23. Then unleash the Archer, the Eagle or the Tiger.
The Warriors are not invincible.
posted by arvee @ 1:30 AM,
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How Inquirer.net Messed Up My 2nd Entry
Friday, September 14, 2007
UPDATE: as of Sept. 16, '07, talks between Belasco and the Dragons have resumed, reportedly, with the smiles again genuine. I knew Yu and Que took too much coffee Thursday.. -RV)
I've already written a piece on how the resident PBA chinatown Welcoat Dragons would be cheering KungHeiFatChoi! as early as October14 next month when they start fielding in biggies like Nick Belasco, Devance and Arana.
And then I read this news that Belasco won't be signed anymore. And that a possibility has arisen that in place of him would be a pair among Brgy. Ginebra Kings' Ronald Tubid, Mike Holper and Macky Escalona.
The wider smile really should've been with Welcoat in that trade last month when they landed Belasco for incoming sophomore JunJun Cabatu. Belasco, the supposed-to-be spiritual leader of the team according to the management, is a complete package-- with Christmas wrappers and ribbons, if you like. He is a defensive specialist, has sniper senses anywhere on the court, is a bloodhound for rebounds and is quite big for his swingman position. No wrinkles, too, at all despite his years in the league, face-wise or leg-wise.
Cabatu, for now, is just a big three-point shooter with a big rooster on the head.
Nick reportedly wanted additional "perks" aside from the maximum salary contract Welcoat offered, which is P350 thousand a month for two years. The Dragons administration found this too much so to the market they went.
Which, because we don't know what those ooh-so-intriguing "perks" might be, was a little exaggerated in my opinion.
Same goes for the Ronald Tubid + Mike Holper Welcoat was asking. While Holper is indeed promising, Tubid has already acquired superstar status after that Caguioa-less stint last season. When bargained with a draft pick, I'm sure Tubid now has the value of a Tugade or an Arigo.
Although that Holper + Escalona is an unbalanced Libra in favor of Ginebra. They're in desperate need of a bigman, too, right now, and Paul Artadi's recent inclusion have made the rookie Escalona dispensable.
But Ginebra reportedly refused both offers for the spiritual leader. And thus, the Dragons are back to atheism.
And my blog is still a drag.
posted by arvee @ 2:29 AM,
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The Scariest
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
3. Mark Cardona
He won the Best Player of the Conference plum last conference but all he got outside the yellow throngs of supporters of his team were sneers.
Capt. Hook's a flashy player with an even fierier heart. No way will you see him let those sneers grow to grins when October 14 kickstarts.
2007's best Willie Miller is always with these knives stabbing him all around about those two MVP awards of his. That he only got them- those two- because on both occassions, all his toughest rivals were out there, donning the Philippine flag for international basketball. And so, to prove his rejuvenated-2001-critics wrong, come the next confy Mister Thriller here would send basketball thrills down the veins of everyone on the hardcourt- play like the MVP that he is.
Get real. Miller has always played like that way.
Cardona, though, has just found his "i don't believe it!"-game. Right when the Justice League were out of the country.
Expect a stomach-ached-infested population because of eating their "dahil wala lang sina asi at jimmy.." comments.
2. Mark Caguioa
How good was The Spark before he skipped the '07 Fiesta Conference? Well, he finished the Elimination Round of the previous confy with league-leading 22 points-per-game record. He fired more than 30 points in six of his Ginebra's 12 playoff games. He was player of the week twice.
In the months that followed, the 6'0" firebrand was groomed to be the second offensive-option for the National Team. The result: a stronger, bulkier, faster and more accurate Caguioa. With the way his physique and speed looks like right now, it seems like only fellow NT-mainstay and resident defensive ace (and beefed-up too, if I may add) Dondon Hontiveros may be able to contain him. Speed, power, stamina- the debunked reality that Caguioa is smaller than all but one of the league's shooting guards got outdated even more.
How good was The Spark before he skipped the '07 Fiesta Conference? He was the All-Filipino Cup Best Player. How good might he be this next season? Try the three letters.
1. Asi Taulava
But even then, Caguioa can still be limited. The same statement is teetering on the brink of falsehood when The Spark's name is replaced by Asi's.
Even in that most recent Philippine Cup, Taulava was already the most dominant bigman of the league. Standing at 6'9" and with excellent stripe-shooting for a man of his size (and, of his reputation), the only reason that his Talk N Text Phonepals lost to Ginebra back then was because Asi could not run as fast as a guard.
Dare him to guard Caguioa this October 14 conference and he might think it over.
The need to grapple with a couple of seven-footers around Asia required The Rock to move the couch and the TV over at the gyms. But, the need to grab all those offensive rebounds also required Asi to lay off the cholesterol.
No one would be able to guard against the faster and bigger version of Rudy Hatfield right now.
posted by arvee @ 8:25 PM,
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