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,
5 Comments:
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At September 27, 2007 at 7:50 AM,
said...
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I should have credits for this article. haha. So, si Cawaling pala yung pinili mo over Baracael, good choice.
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At September 28, 2007 at 1:35 AM,
Poli said...
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There next James Yap is...
...Jocelyn Hagedorn. -
At September 28, 2007 at 1:36 AM,
Poli said...
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"The" pala. Nyahaha!
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At September 28, 2007 at 4:11 AM,
The Rain Sprite said...
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eto yung article mo for i.t. ah.. XD
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At October 2, 2007 at 10:40 AM,
said...
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woot!! c ana nagpa credits pa talaga..haha
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Wow arvee! Ang masa2bi q lng.. favorite line q tlga ang Mirza description:
"The Shot That Would Launched A Thousand Defenders."
Panalo!
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On another note, i suggest that a better hanging question should be.. Who will be the next Mac Cardona? haha...