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Just thought I'd share this video produced by the Solar TV / PBA team. (Muchos gracias guys)
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It’s Coach Joseph Uichico’s first time ever to be swept in a series and for him it’s downright “embarrassing”. Digesting the humbling experience against the amazing Alaska Aces in the semifinals, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings mentor said they just played a better team.
The usually reticent mentor talked to me about how they tried to motivate the Gin Kings as best as they could but there was just no immediate response. “Alaska’s a great team. Maybe if they win, it’ll be a consolation because we would’ve lost to a champion team”. Coach Jong added that they spent a lot of physical and emotional energy on Talk and Text and that didn’t help them in their battle against Tim Cone’s wards.
One of the casualties was JC Intal who was astonishing with his 23.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.0 blocks (43% FG) average output in the quarterfinals, but we only saw fragments of his game on the semis stage as he normed 7.8 pts, 5.8 rbs 1.3 assts 1 steal (26% FG). “Can’t blame JC though. In Talk and Text, he was never expected but he came through. Now he felt like he was expected to do the same and he has never been in that situation”. He added that “JC has gone a long way from his Air 21 days and it’s not fair to pinpoint him as the missing link because he was never in that situation”.
Speaking of missing links, the injuries on Celino Cruz and Erik Menk in game 1 of the series were devastating blows. Menk is one of their legit post threats and that could’ve given them an inside game they were desperate for. During my chat with him, he said he was having his best conference since his MVP time (2004-2005 season) then the groin injury (re)occurred. Coach Jong concurs saying “Eric really had a lot of concentration on Talk and Text and the eliminations. He was so frustrated because his injury was a freak accident”.
Also ill-fated was Celino Cruz’s ankle sprain in game one which sidelined him for another game, but before half time of game 4, he injured his inner thigh muscle prompting the entry of Johnny Abbarientos whose fate looms as his current contract expires at the end of this conference. (Side note: If Ginebra does not renew Johnny or even keep him in the coaching staff, perhaps Alaska can offer him a spot and eventually “retire him” with the Aces? The Flying A though says he still has a year or two left on those legs)
There’s still a 3rd place trophy to play for next week where Ginebra will face the loser of the Purefoods-San Miguel series. “This break, if you can call it that, can give us the opportunity to have our guys fully recover. I hope they take this as a make up for the series. Make up for the 0-4 and show some semblance of the game.”
But Coach Jong has no regrets and acknowledged that his players did the best they could under the circumstances. Their biggest problem really was that they didn’t have good match ups against Alaska. “In a series, it’s always based on match up. Their bigs were just too hard for us.”
The coaching staff is reflecting on what they did wrong and are looking ahead to the future. Coach Jong shares “Alaska’s getting better, SMB and a lot of other teams are getting better. What can we do to improve?” Hmmmm.
Enter trade talks? (on a future column perhaps)
With the upcoming reinforced conference, the Gin Kings is looking at import Awvee Storey who played in several international leagues and 3 NBA teams. Storey was undrafted in 2002 and played 2 years later with the New Jersey Nets for 9 games. Then, he was on the Washington Wizards lineup where he had an episode with the police. Him and Gilbert Arenas were charged for disobeying the police while in Miami Beach but these were soon dropped after Storey made a donation to charity. Storey apparently also had an altercation with teammate Martynas Andriuškevičius who he punched in the head during practice fracturing Andriuškevičius’skull. No charges were filed but Storey was suspended by the NBA. He came back though and suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for 26 games and averaged 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. And that’s (part of) his story.
www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com
The usually reticent mentor talked to me about how they tried to motivate the Gin Kings as best as they could but there was just no immediate response. “Alaska’s a great team. Maybe if they win, it’ll be a consolation because we would’ve lost to a champion team”. Coach Jong added that they spent a lot of physical and emotional energy on Talk and Text and that didn’t help them in their battle against Tim Cone’s wards.
One of the casualties was JC Intal who was astonishing with his 23.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.0 blocks (43% FG) average output in the quarterfinals, but we only saw fragments of his game on the semis stage as he normed 7.8 pts, 5.8 rbs 1.3 assts 1 steal (26% FG). “Can’t blame JC though. In Talk and Text, he was never expected but he came through. Now he felt like he was expected to do the same and he has never been in that situation”. He added that “JC has gone a long way from his Air 21 days and it’s not fair to pinpoint him as the missing link because he was never in that situation”.
Speaking of missing links, the injuries on Celino Cruz and Erik Menk in game 1 of the series were devastating blows. Menk is one of their legit post threats and that could’ve given them an inside game they were desperate for. During my chat with him, he said he was having his best conference since his MVP time (2004-2005 season) then the groin injury (re)occurred. Coach Jong concurs saying “Eric really had a lot of concentration on Talk and Text and the eliminations. He was so frustrated because his injury was a freak accident”.
Also ill-fated was Celino Cruz’s ankle sprain in game one which sidelined him for another game, but before half time of game 4, he injured his inner thigh muscle prompting the entry of Johnny Abbarientos whose fate looms as his current contract expires at the end of this conference. (Side note: If Ginebra does not renew Johnny or even keep him in the coaching staff, perhaps Alaska can offer him a spot and eventually “retire him” with the Aces? The Flying A though says he still has a year or two left on those legs)
There’s still a 3rd place trophy to play for next week where Ginebra will face the loser of the Purefoods-San Miguel series. “This break, if you can call it that, can give us the opportunity to have our guys fully recover. I hope they take this as a make up for the series. Make up for the 0-4 and show some semblance of the game.”
But Coach Jong has no regrets and acknowledged that his players did the best they could under the circumstances. Their biggest problem really was that they didn’t have good match ups against Alaska. “In a series, it’s always based on match up. Their bigs were just too hard for us.”
The coaching staff is reflecting on what they did wrong and are looking ahead to the future. Coach Jong shares “Alaska’s getting better, SMB and a lot of other teams are getting better. What can we do to improve?” Hmmmm.
Enter trade talks? (on a future column perhaps)
With the upcoming reinforced conference, the Gin Kings is looking at import Awvee Storey who played in several international leagues and 3 NBA teams. Storey was undrafted in 2002 and played 2 years later with the New Jersey Nets for 9 games. Then, he was on the Washington Wizards lineup where he had an episode with the police. Him and Gilbert Arenas were charged for disobeying the police while in Miami Beach but these were soon dropped after Storey made a donation to charity. Storey apparently also had an altercation with teammate Martynas Andriuškevičius who he punched in the head during practice fracturing Andriuškevičius’skull. No charges were filed but Storey was suspended by the NBA. He came back though and suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for 26 games and averaged 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. And that’s (part of) his story.
www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com
VON HARRY LANETE – ON HIS OWN
It must’ve been a riot growing up in a family of 4 boys who were just as crazy over basketball as their father who played college hoops in the south. Ascof Lagundi’s newly recruited point guard Von Harry Lanete shares that it was chaotic to have that much testosterone enclosed within four walls but luckily his mother was always around to calm the turbulence.
This depicts how the Lanete household was in the quiet town of Isabela, Basilan. Well, Basilan was quiet if you compared it to how frenetic the competition was between the Lanete boys on the basketball court across the street before their 6pm curfew.
When the backboard broke, their father put together an improvised basketball court in their garden but their mom wouldn’t have any rough-housing by her planters. And when they decided to move their little court to the living room, mommy Carol who teaches elementary and high school in Claret, put her iron fist down. Soon enough though, her appreciation for the game became as substantial as her boys’.
There’s Chico who’s 31 now, then came Al who’s 4 years younger, followed by Von Harry or Bonbon who’s 24, and the youngest is Garvo who’s 21 and plays for the San Beda Red Lions. Of the four, Al is the only one who didn’t pursue basketball and focused on his computer engineering course in college in Cebu after he starred in his high school squad.
The doting father taught the boys everything he knew about basketball, but the most important thing they learned from him is love for the game.
Chico, who is currently signed up with the Coca Cola Tigers in the PBA, led the pack and was the first one to follow in the footsteps of their dad Boy Lanete, a Southern City Colleges of Zamboanga standout during his time. Chico was also the first one to leave home, going from Zamboanga to Manila to pursue his academics and basketball at the Lyceum of the Philippines. That kind ofindependence inspired Von Harry as well to venture off on his own.
In 2008, he graduated from the University of the Visayas where he didn’t just earn a Business Management degree, but a spot in the amateurs. He’s slowly establishing his own budding career which started with the vaunted Harbor Center Batang Pier. Although relegated to the reserves, he was able to get trained one of the best and with some of the best in the PBL. That kind of experience did him some good.
And yes it was a plus that he had his brother Chico giving him the lowdown on how things are in the pro league. The life coaching, the advice on attitude and work ethic are some of the instrumental lessons Von Harry got from his big brother. Eventually, the Pascual Laboratories franchise saw not just his promise, but also his good attitude. So they signed him.
One tournament that the former Pharex squad joined last year was a 6-country tourney in Malaysia where he had a great showing. He knows though that defense is still one thing he needs to work on.
This depicts how the Lanete household was in the quiet town of Isabela, Basilan. Well, Basilan was quiet if you compared it to how frenetic the competition was between the Lanete boys on the basketball court across the street before their 6pm curfew.
When the backboard broke, their father put together an improvised basketball court in their garden but their mom wouldn’t have any rough-housing by her planters. And when they decided to move their little court to the living room, mommy Carol who teaches elementary and high school in Claret, put her iron fist down. Soon enough though, her appreciation for the game became as substantial as her boys’.
There’s Chico who’s 31 now, then came Al who’s 4 years younger, followed by Von Harry or Bonbon who’s 24, and the youngest is Garvo who’s 21 and plays for the San Beda Red Lions. Of the four, Al is the only one who didn’t pursue basketball and focused on his computer engineering course in college in Cebu after he starred in his high school squad.
The doting father taught the boys everything he knew about basketball, but the most important thing they learned from him is love for the game.
Chico, who is currently signed up with the Coca Cola Tigers in the PBA, led the pack and was the first one to follow in the footsteps of their dad Boy Lanete, a Southern City Colleges of Zamboanga standout during his time. Chico was also the first one to leave home, going from Zamboanga to Manila to pursue his academics and basketball at the Lyceum of the Philippines. That kind ofindependence inspired Von Harry as well to venture off on his own.
In 2008, he graduated from the University of the Visayas where he didn’t just earn a Business Management degree, but a spot in the amateurs. He’s slowly establishing his own budding career which started with the vaunted Harbor Center Batang Pier. Although relegated to the reserves, he was able to get trained one of the best and with some of the best in the PBL. That kind of experience did him some good.
And yes it was a plus that he had his brother Chico giving him the lowdown on how things are in the pro league. The life coaching, the advice on attitude and work ethic are some of the instrumental lessons Von Harry got from his big brother. Eventually, the Pascual Laboratories franchise saw not just his promise, but also his good attitude. So they signed him.
One tournament that the former Pharex squad joined last year was a 6-country tourney in Malaysia where he had a great showing. He knows though that defense is still one thing he needs to work on.
SAMPSON VS GILAS – FIGHT TURNED UGLY
Many criticized former Smart Gilas reinforcement Jamal Sampson for not playing up to par or choosing not to play during the national team’s Dubai invitational stint. But now, he’s showing his fangs and actually fighting back. It’s just unfortunate that in this war of words, Smart Gilas is on the receiving end of Sampson’s punches, and it’s ugly.
I have to credit Jaemark Tordecilla of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and of the www.firequinito.com fame (2009 Philippine Blog Awards Best Sports blog) for posting Sampson’s ire. Tordecilla had a series of email correspondence with the former NBA player which gave him an opportunity to have his side aired.
Jamal Sampson played for a perennially nationally ranked high school powerhouse Matter Dei (same school as Vince Hizon) before going on to play for a highly respected Division 1 program University of California Berkeley (same school as Jason Kidd). He was drafted 47th overall by the Utah Jazz in 2002 but was traded to the Orlando Magic and later to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played for the LA Lakers, acquired by the Charlotte Bobcats, signed with the Sacramento Kings and played for the Denver Nuggets. He’s apparently back in the US but claims to still be under contract with Gilas. He also asserts that the Smart Communications backed organization still has financial obligations to fulfill.
Sampson wrote that “December’s payment that was owed to me was late. Under my contract, they owed me a payment by January 1st, no later, well before we left for Qatar and Dubai. If it wasn’t paid, my contract states that I didn’t have to play or practice. I wasn’t obligated to play in Qatar or Dubai”
“I tried to play through the injury because I like the guys on the team. They expected me to go out and risk my knee, while I haven’t even been paid from the first month.” He added that “the (Gilas) team didn’t meet numerous contractual things. I had a bigger deal in China, but the team wanted to keep me so they kept upping their offer to meet, that’s why the process of me signing took so long. Unfortunately, from the beginning all those things put in the contract to get me to stay weren’t met, late and missed payments, and other things promised in the contract couldn’t be delivered”.
Newly installed Smart Gilas team manager Frankie Lim came to the defense of the organization and said “we paid him” and that he thinks that this is all a “big lie. SBP’s Executive Director Noli Eala was supervising the squad prior to Lim and refuses to comment at this time. Sampson also made remarks on Eala’s motives on ostensibly starting the program “only to get back at the PBA for what they did to him”.
“The whole impression is he just didn’t want to play for some reason. He has a history for refusing to play. It was an important game and the team needed him. The fact is, he signed a contract and he should have played. He said he was hurting but everybody was sore. You got to play over that. It’s not like he had an ACL and he was being asked to play”. Lim also reasoned that Sampson has a reputation for being soft and for complaining a lot.
In the following round, Sampson criticized the team for being disorganized and having a lot of unqualified personnel. He had callous remarks towards the coaching staff particularly the assistant coaches whom he feels do not have the proper tools. “How is someone in their life under 5 feet who never played in the post in their life gonna be a big man coach and show me stuff? Someone under 5 feet can be a great coach, don’t get me wrong, but to be a big man coach and have never played in the post or even played high level ball? C’mon now.”
Frankie Lim simply said that “if you have respect, you don’t say that”, again putting Sampson’s character in question. “He should have showed respect for coaches who have been patient with him.” Well, for me, I don’t think Toroman played post in his life either but I’m sure he can show what a big man should do in the post within his system and gives strict instructions to his assistant coaches on how he’d like it done. He did lead the Iranian national team to victory in the 2007 Fiba-Asia championships and won a slot for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing by maximizing his 7’2” behemoth Hamed Haddadi who now is a mainstay for the Memphis Grizzlies. But if that was how Sampson felt, then we can’t do anything about that.
Next round, Sampson went for the jugular and said that he slept on the floor for his first 5 days because his condo didn’t have a bed. Lim finds this accusation preposterous since they got a fully furnished condo for him. “Any import we have in Talk and Text (his former team) we put in a condo or hotel. We’re not that stupid. Look at the logic. Are you saying that Smart does not have money? I don’t think so.” Lim just countered every single punch coming from Sampson. He also tried to go for the knockout by saying “why will you believe something he says when he’s a head case and feels that everyone owes him something?”
But despite the bad light on Jamal, he says he loves the Philippines. “I signed for less money because I love the country, how nice and friendly the fans are, and the players on the team, who are a great group to be around. Also, the country probably has the most supportive fans I’ve seen anywhere, to be honest, and that I loved.” One has to wonder though if that love is reciprocated. Lim just finds all of it “funny and ridiculous”.
With all the tragic experience with CJ Giles and Jamal Sampson, recruiting becomes a harder task for Smart Gilas. Frankie Lim is hard at work presenting all the options to Coach Rajko Toroman who is set to leave for the US on February 15 to see potential candidates in action. One of the top aspirants Jameel Watkins who played for Shell and Magnolia in the PBA is in town to try out for 3 days.
Follow the next rounds on www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/patriciahizon.
I have to credit Jaemark Tordecilla of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and of the www.firequinito.com fame (2009 Philippine Blog Awards Best Sports blog) for posting Sampson’s ire. Tordecilla had a series of email correspondence with the former NBA player which gave him an opportunity to have his side aired.
Jamal Sampson played for a perennially nationally ranked high school powerhouse Matter Dei (same school as Vince Hizon) before going on to play for a highly respected Division 1 program University of California Berkeley (same school as Jason Kidd). He was drafted 47th overall by the Utah Jazz in 2002 but was traded to the Orlando Magic and later to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played for the LA Lakers, acquired by the Charlotte Bobcats, signed with the Sacramento Kings and played for the Denver Nuggets. He’s apparently back in the US but claims to still be under contract with Gilas. He also asserts that the Smart Communications backed organization still has financial obligations to fulfill.
Sampson wrote that “December’s payment that was owed to me was late. Under my contract, they owed me a payment by January 1st, no later, well before we left for Qatar and Dubai. If it wasn’t paid, my contract states that I didn’t have to play or practice. I wasn’t obligated to play in Qatar or Dubai”
“I tried to play through the injury because I like the guys on the team. They expected me to go out and risk my knee, while I haven’t even been paid from the first month.” He added that “the (Gilas) team didn’t meet numerous contractual things. I had a bigger deal in China, but the team wanted to keep me so they kept upping their offer to meet, that’s why the process of me signing took so long. Unfortunately, from the beginning all those things put in the contract to get me to stay weren’t met, late and missed payments, and other things promised in the contract couldn’t be delivered”.
Newly installed Smart Gilas team manager Frankie Lim came to the defense of the organization and said “we paid him” and that he thinks that this is all a “big lie. SBP’s Executive Director Noli Eala was supervising the squad prior to Lim and refuses to comment at this time. Sampson also made remarks on Eala’s motives on ostensibly starting the program “only to get back at the PBA for what they did to him”.
“The whole impression is he just didn’t want to play for some reason. He has a history for refusing to play. It was an important game and the team needed him. The fact is, he signed a contract and he should have played. He said he was hurting but everybody was sore. You got to play over that. It’s not like he had an ACL and he was being asked to play”. Lim also reasoned that Sampson has a reputation for being soft and for complaining a lot.
In the following round, Sampson criticized the team for being disorganized and having a lot of unqualified personnel. He had callous remarks towards the coaching staff particularly the assistant coaches whom he feels do not have the proper tools. “How is someone in their life under 5 feet who never played in the post in their life gonna be a big man coach and show me stuff? Someone under 5 feet can be a great coach, don’t get me wrong, but to be a big man coach and have never played in the post or even played high level ball? C’mon now.”
Frankie Lim simply said that “if you have respect, you don’t say that”, again putting Sampson’s character in question. “He should have showed respect for coaches who have been patient with him.” Well, for me, I don’t think Toroman played post in his life either but I’m sure he can show what a big man should do in the post within his system and gives strict instructions to his assistant coaches on how he’d like it done. He did lead the Iranian national team to victory in the 2007 Fiba-Asia championships and won a slot for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing by maximizing his 7’2” behemoth Hamed Haddadi who now is a mainstay for the Memphis Grizzlies. But if that was how Sampson felt, then we can’t do anything about that.
Next round, Sampson went for the jugular and said that he slept on the floor for his first 5 days because his condo didn’t have a bed. Lim finds this accusation preposterous since they got a fully furnished condo for him. “Any import we have in Talk and Text (his former team) we put in a condo or hotel. We’re not that stupid. Look at the logic. Are you saying that Smart does not have money? I don’t think so.” Lim just countered every single punch coming from Sampson. He also tried to go for the knockout by saying “why will you believe something he says when he’s a head case and feels that everyone owes him something?”
But despite the bad light on Jamal, he says he loves the Philippines. “I signed for less money because I love the country, how nice and friendly the fans are, and the players on the team, who are a great group to be around. Also, the country probably has the most supportive fans I’ve seen anywhere, to be honest, and that I loved.” One has to wonder though if that love is reciprocated. Lim just finds all of it “funny and ridiculous”.
With all the tragic experience with CJ Giles and Jamal Sampson, recruiting becomes a harder task for Smart Gilas. Frankie Lim is hard at work presenting all the options to Coach Rajko Toroman who is set to leave for the US on February 15 to see potential candidates in action. One of the top aspirants Jameel Watkins who played for Shell and Magnolia in the PBA is in town to try out for 3 days.
Follow the next rounds on www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/patriciahizon.
ALASKA AND SAN MIGUEL'S PRE SEMIS PREP
Written for the PBA website: www.pba.ph
For masterfully securing 13 wins each in the elimination round, the Alaska Aces and the San Miguel Beermen, obtained their ticket to the semis straight off, and are just four victories away from the finals, and another four from the coveted all-Filipino title.
Alaska last played on January 22 when the Aces (finally) clinched the outright semis seat against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, while San Miguel’s last time in action was during the game they allegedly put under protest because Talk ‘N Text did not have the right (shade of) uniform. That’s 25 days before Game 1 of their best of 7 semis series.
SMB assistant coach Gee Abanilla shares that they’ve been focused on the fundamentals during the break. They wanted to underline the team’s conditioning and enhance the mobility, speed, and agility of the squad. Despite their measures, their timing or rhythm will be suspect till gametime.
“Purefoods already has a high level of intensity and already know how it feels to be in the playoffs while we still have to feel our way. But they had to fight in five hard games so we’ll use that to our advantage. If we can extend the series to seven, it’ll be to our advantage,” shared Abanilla.
SMB head coach Siot Tanquincen devised a 3-week practice plan which was critical because such a long break could backfire if not handled properly. They started off with a five-day break and didn’t practice on weekends. They mixed it up with hitting the gym and doing road work like running around the oval.
But they certainly have reaped the benefits of a lengthy time off. For one, it gave a lot of time for the injured players to heal like Danny Ildefonso who was facing a career-ending ankle injury. But with hard work, obedience and great support (like from his lovely wife Ren), Danny I. will be back in action. The coaches agree that he’ll be a big factor for San Miguel. Shoring up the squad of course is Danny Seigle, Jay Washington and Dorian Pena who are all fully recovered from their knee injuries during the lull. It’s only Lordy Tugade now that still has issues, but soon, the Alaminos Assassin will be available to make this squad even more formidable.
So is San Miguel overwhelmingly more talented than Purefoods? Coach Gee does not think so. “They too have a deep lineup plus they’re long and athletic. They have James Yap and Kerby Raymundo but Roger Yap is a surprise factor. (PJ)Simon is coming off an injury but he could give problems. Rico (Maeirhofer) is the leading rookie of the year (candidate) while Ping (Marc PIngris) came from SMB and is familiar.”
What’s important for the Beermen in this series is to just maximize their talents. “We do have a lot but we have to move them as a single unit” added Abanilla. The Beermen have great guards who can create and spread the floor and they also have big men who dominate inside but can also shoot from the perimeter.
The Alaska Aces on the other hand, had a bad spell after a couple of long holiday breaks having only been scheduled four times the entire month of December and being the last team to plunge action in 2010. Consistency in their game and level of competitiveness was a concern.
Alaska assistant coach Luigi Trillo said that after the Christmas break, they weren’t playing their best ball, which almost cost them their outright semis ticket.
For this pre-semis break, the Aces focused on core exercises and agility to not lose a step. “Number one on Coach Tim (Cone)’s mind is he wanted the players to be sharper so he wanted to focus on conditioning and strengthening” shared Trillo. They also had tune up games against San Miguel and the Smart Gilas team to sharpen the saw.
It was hard for them to key in their preparations while Talk ‘N Text and Barangay Ginebra were still competing in the quarterfinals so they just dedicated a full week of practice for each possible opponent, going over their rival’s tendencies against them. More than that, the coaching staff worked on tweaking individual players and were able to run a lot of intense practices.
Looking at the quarterfinals, Barangay Ginebra had about seven guards in their nine-man rotation which somewhat equated to blinding speed. This is the same kind of game that gave the Kings a win in their last meeting with the Aces. In Batangas City last January 9, Alaska enjoyed an 18-point spread in the second quarter but once head coach Jong Uichico’s wards went into a zone with their predominantly guard line-up and exploded down court, the Kings were able to steal the game from them in the end 93-90.
Trillo pointed out that they’re a set type of offense so if Barangay Ginebra’s guards get going, that means they get their transition, isolations on pick and roll, etc. which could be difficult to counter. So controlling the tempo is a huge factor this series.
The Aces will need to rely on their big men match ups a lot more as the rebounding battle will be vital. Barangay Ginebra was ahead in that stat against Talk ‘N Text in four of their five quarterfinals games which means the Aces will have to find a way to clear that glass.
The Final 4 teams are prepared to wage war to get to the main stage of the KFC Philippine Cup. Fans waited 13 long years to relive the remarkable Ginebra-Alaska playoffs rivalry of the late 90s during the Jaworski era. And also fans are eagerly anticipating the parade of heavy artillery for the Purefoods-San Miguel duel. Let the battles begin!
(www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com)
For masterfully securing 13 wins each in the elimination round, the Alaska Aces and the San Miguel Beermen, obtained their ticket to the semis straight off, and are just four victories away from the finals, and another four from the coveted all-Filipino title.
Alaska last played on January 22 when the Aces (finally) clinched the outright semis seat against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, while San Miguel’s last time in action was during the game they allegedly put under protest because Talk ‘N Text did not have the right (shade of) uniform. That’s 25 days before Game 1 of their best of 7 semis series.
SMB assistant coach Gee Abanilla shares that they’ve been focused on the fundamentals during the break. They wanted to underline the team’s conditioning and enhance the mobility, speed, and agility of the squad. Despite their measures, their timing or rhythm will be suspect till gametime.
“Purefoods already has a high level of intensity and already know how it feels to be in the playoffs while we still have to feel our way. But they had to fight in five hard games so we’ll use that to our advantage. If we can extend the series to seven, it’ll be to our advantage,” shared Abanilla.
SMB head coach Siot Tanquincen devised a 3-week practice plan which was critical because such a long break could backfire if not handled properly. They started off with a five-day break and didn’t practice on weekends. They mixed it up with hitting the gym and doing road work like running around the oval.
But they certainly have reaped the benefits of a lengthy time off. For one, it gave a lot of time for the injured players to heal like Danny Ildefonso who was facing a career-ending ankle injury. But with hard work, obedience and great support (like from his lovely wife Ren), Danny I. will be back in action. The coaches agree that he’ll be a big factor for San Miguel. Shoring up the squad of course is Danny Seigle, Jay Washington and Dorian Pena who are all fully recovered from their knee injuries during the lull. It’s only Lordy Tugade now that still has issues, but soon, the Alaminos Assassin will be available to make this squad even more formidable.
So is San Miguel overwhelmingly more talented than Purefoods? Coach Gee does not think so. “They too have a deep lineup plus they’re long and athletic. They have James Yap and Kerby Raymundo but Roger Yap is a surprise factor. (PJ)Simon is coming off an injury but he could give problems. Rico (Maeirhofer) is the leading rookie of the year (candidate) while Ping (Marc PIngris) came from SMB and is familiar.”
What’s important for the Beermen in this series is to just maximize their talents. “We do have a lot but we have to move them as a single unit” added Abanilla. The Beermen have great guards who can create and spread the floor and they also have big men who dominate inside but can also shoot from the perimeter.
The Alaska Aces on the other hand, had a bad spell after a couple of long holiday breaks having only been scheduled four times the entire month of December and being the last team to plunge action in 2010. Consistency in their game and level of competitiveness was a concern.
Alaska assistant coach Luigi Trillo said that after the Christmas break, they weren’t playing their best ball, which almost cost them their outright semis ticket.
For this pre-semis break, the Aces focused on core exercises and agility to not lose a step. “Number one on Coach Tim (Cone)’s mind is he wanted the players to be sharper so he wanted to focus on conditioning and strengthening” shared Trillo. They also had tune up games against San Miguel and the Smart Gilas team to sharpen the saw.
It was hard for them to key in their preparations while Talk ‘N Text and Barangay Ginebra were still competing in the quarterfinals so they just dedicated a full week of practice for each possible opponent, going over their rival’s tendencies against them. More than that, the coaching staff worked on tweaking individual players and were able to run a lot of intense practices.
Looking at the quarterfinals, Barangay Ginebra had about seven guards in their nine-man rotation which somewhat equated to blinding speed. This is the same kind of game that gave the Kings a win in their last meeting with the Aces. In Batangas City last January 9, Alaska enjoyed an 18-point spread in the second quarter but once head coach Jong Uichico’s wards went into a zone with their predominantly guard line-up and exploded down court, the Kings were able to steal the game from them in the end 93-90.
Trillo pointed out that they’re a set type of offense so if Barangay Ginebra’s guards get going, that means they get their transition, isolations on pick and roll, etc. which could be difficult to counter. So controlling the tempo is a huge factor this series.
The Aces will need to rely on their big men match ups a lot more as the rebounding battle will be vital. Barangay Ginebra was ahead in that stat against Talk ‘N Text in four of their five quarterfinals games which means the Aces will have to find a way to clear that glass.
The Final 4 teams are prepared to wage war to get to the main stage of the KFC Philippine Cup. Fans waited 13 long years to relive the remarkable Ginebra-Alaska playoffs rivalry of the late 90s during the Jaworski era. And also fans are eagerly anticipating the parade of heavy artillery for the Purefoods-San Miguel duel. Let the battles begin!
(www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com)
WALKING OUT .... OF THE PLAYOFFS
The best thing that came out of the Talk and Text walk out was that there were over 21,000 paying patrons who crowded the Big Dome for Game 5 of the quarterfinals series against Ginebra. Undoubtedly, Solar TV had millions of viewers who were glued to their screens.
Looking back at what transpired, Talk and Text kept everyone guessing. I grilled Chairman Lito Alvarez on Mr. Ricky Vargas’ text saying that he was instrumental in convincing the team to play for the millions of Filipino loving basketball fans, and yet, there was no sign of them. Mr. Alvarez said it was already a done deal but was obviously baffled at the team’s absence like the rest of us who camped at the entrance, waiting for a sign. Okay, well I was the only one camped out like a stalker. I just didn’t want to miss it.
Usually, players arrive 3 to 2 and a half hours before game time but halftime of the Purefoods-Rain or Shine game, there was no sign of blue and yellow. Not even the ball boys were there. Word spread that Ali Peek (allegedly) arrived at the Big Dome but I guess, like us, he didn’t get the memo. He (probably) quickly dashed off to some (supposed) secret meeting place as soon as he got his info straight.
My insider tells me that they were all informed Sunday morning that they were to meet at the Moro Gym in Ateneo at 4pm. There, the players geared up, got taped, stretched and got massaged. The entire Talk and Text family also heard mass together. They had time to warm up and shoot around, then they all left in 4 vans complete with a police escort.
The Solar production staff already had plans A and B drawn out. We knew they were in Moro but we just had to be ready for anything. Alas, by 6pm, the gates opened and everyone (in the parking lot) jumped for joy (kinda). “Tuloy ang laro”, Ginebra’s ball boy jubilantly squealed as he dashed off to the Gin Kings locker room to make the announcement.
Not only were the players dressed in their white armor, they also sported the #33 on their jerseys, dedicating the game to a fallen team mate, Ranidel De Ocampo. He was serving his 1 game suspension for that FF2 call against him which led to the walk out. Not only that, they all had their game faces on.
But those game time faces broke into angelic smiles (or a look of bewilderment) when some ladies passed them white roses at the entrance. Apparently, the secretary of Smart Sports director Pato Gregorio did it as a way …. To….. uhm….. as…… uhm….. well, they…… they just wanted to show them their support and that they believe. There. I thought it was a sweet thing to do. Very…. appropriate.
I’m assuming that you already know what transpired. The energy was astonishing, the battle was fierce, and the fans were thrilled. As my journalist friend and one time golf buddy Francis Ochoa tweeted, talk and text walked out of the game and Ginebra showed them the exit. (brilliant my friend. As brilliant as your golf game)
JayJay Helterbrand said in my interview with him that they’ll make talk and text regret doing what they did. And I’m guessing, deep inside, some of them are somewhat regretting. Well, my insider tells me that MVP was embarrassed and he feels bad for the big boss. It’s no secret that MVP is such an admirable person and that he’s very generous with his basketball team. So my insider felt real bad.
He said no one ever asked the players if they wanted to go back and play. My insider was sure that all the players were willing to settle the game at that time but no one asked them. If MVP was consulted to ask the players himself, maybe they could’ve done a Red Bull and walk back from a walk out.
Maybe the Tropang Texters needed more time to decide but the clock was running and they were given an extra grace period. Ginebra’s coaching staff was keeping guard of the official timer. The announcement of nullifying the game was all done according to the PBA rules.
One coach who does not want to be named said that walking out of the game could’ve given the message to the TNT players that they can’t do it. They can’t beat Ginebra. They can’t rise above this challenge.
Another thing that could’ve affected them was the whole Moro gym decision. Players have their rituals. They have their unique ways of getting in their zone. Having to alter their pre-game rituals could’ve affected them.
Well, it’s done. Everyone learned from the experience. And I’m sure Talk and Text will bounce back. They are still one of the most talented squads out there and they do have a great coaching and management staff to back them up.
Thanks for making the PBA even more interesting.
Looking back at what transpired, Talk and Text kept everyone guessing. I grilled Chairman Lito Alvarez on Mr. Ricky Vargas’ text saying that he was instrumental in convincing the team to play for the millions of Filipino loving basketball fans, and yet, there was no sign of them. Mr. Alvarez said it was already a done deal but was obviously baffled at the team’s absence like the rest of us who camped at the entrance, waiting for a sign. Okay, well I was the only one camped out like a stalker. I just didn’t want to miss it.
Usually, players arrive 3 to 2 and a half hours before game time but halftime of the Purefoods-Rain or Shine game, there was no sign of blue and yellow. Not even the ball boys were there. Word spread that Ali Peek (allegedly) arrived at the Big Dome but I guess, like us, he didn’t get the memo. He (probably) quickly dashed off to some (supposed) secret meeting place as soon as he got his info straight.
My insider tells me that they were all informed Sunday morning that they were to meet at the Moro Gym in Ateneo at 4pm. There, the players geared up, got taped, stretched and got massaged. The entire Talk and Text family also heard mass together. They had time to warm up and shoot around, then they all left in 4 vans complete with a police escort.
The Solar production staff already had plans A and B drawn out. We knew they were in Moro but we just had to be ready for anything. Alas, by 6pm, the gates opened and everyone (in the parking lot) jumped for joy (kinda). “Tuloy ang laro”, Ginebra’s ball boy jubilantly squealed as he dashed off to the Gin Kings locker room to make the announcement.
Not only were the players dressed in their white armor, they also sported the #33 on their jerseys, dedicating the game to a fallen team mate, Ranidel De Ocampo. He was serving his 1 game suspension for that FF2 call against him which led to the walk out. Not only that, they all had their game faces on.
But those game time faces broke into angelic smiles (or a look of bewilderment) when some ladies passed them white roses at the entrance. Apparently, the secretary of Smart Sports director Pato Gregorio did it as a way …. To….. uhm….. as…… uhm….. well, they…… they just wanted to show them their support and that they believe. There. I thought it was a sweet thing to do. Very…. appropriate.
I’m assuming that you already know what transpired. The energy was astonishing, the battle was fierce, and the fans were thrilled. As my journalist friend and one time golf buddy Francis Ochoa tweeted, talk and text walked out of the game and Ginebra showed them the exit. (brilliant my friend. As brilliant as your golf game)
JayJay Helterbrand said in my interview with him that they’ll make talk and text regret doing what they did. And I’m guessing, deep inside, some of them are somewhat regretting. Well, my insider tells me that MVP was embarrassed and he feels bad for the big boss. It’s no secret that MVP is such an admirable person and that he’s very generous with his basketball team. So my insider felt real bad.
He said no one ever asked the players if they wanted to go back and play. My insider was sure that all the players were willing to settle the game at that time but no one asked them. If MVP was consulted to ask the players himself, maybe they could’ve done a Red Bull and walk back from a walk out.
Maybe the Tropang Texters needed more time to decide but the clock was running and they were given an extra grace period. Ginebra’s coaching staff was keeping guard of the official timer. The announcement of nullifying the game was all done according to the PBA rules.
One coach who does not want to be named said that walking out of the game could’ve given the message to the TNT players that they can’t do it. They can’t beat Ginebra. They can’t rise above this challenge.
Another thing that could’ve affected them was the whole Moro gym decision. Players have their rituals. They have their unique ways of getting in their zone. Having to alter their pre-game rituals could’ve affected them.
Well, it’s done. Everyone learned from the experience. And I’m sure Talk and Text will bounce back. They are still one of the most talented squads out there and they do have a great coaching and management staff to back them up.
Thanks for making the PBA even more interesting.
THE DILEMMA
Talk and Text is still not 100% sure they will be playing tomorrow.
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF MR RICKY VARGAS...1) "I WILL RECOMMEND to Chairman MVP that the tropang texters play tomorrow. 2) But we would like tobe ASSURED of fairness and the refs associated wth these unfairness NOT be allowed to officiate the game . 3)We wil not hesitate to walk out again if such unfairness continue. We cannot, as a matter of principle, tolerate biased officiating in the PBA. 4) I sincerely appreciate the personal appeal of the Chairman of the PBA, Lito Alvarez who is a respected colleague for tnt to play for the sake of the millions of filipino basketball fans.
The reactions on my blogsite and my twitter page have been overwhelming. And because I do appreciate the time people take just to have their two cents worth heard / read, I thought I'd post some more reactions here.
Here's one from Bulkrum:
Here are however the undisputed facts of the series so far:
1. Despite the absence of a "fair chance" asked for by Chot Reyes, his team, TNT is up in the series, 2 wins against 1 by Ginebra.
2. We never heard him complain about the fouls called against them in the first two games (50-66 that time) BECAUSE HIS TEAM ENDED UP WINNING BOTH GAMES.
3. The following Ginebra players are those who have the most attempts made behind the free throw line:
Game 1: JC Intal, Cyrus Baguio, Willy Wilson and Eric Menk
Game 2: JC Intal, Ronald Tubid, Willy Wilson & Eric Menk
Game 3: JC Intal, Willy Wilson and Eric Menk
Game 4: Ronald Tubid, Cyrus Baguio and Eric Menk
Would it be so hard for him to figure out why? Or to accept why these men receive the benefit of the calls?
4. The call against Deocampo had the benefit of a replay and if it was deemed a flagrant 2 foul, then it was the referee's discretion at that time. HOWEVER, the PBA is not so inflexible as to take it as it is, once a call is made under protest. That happened to Artadi once, while he was still playing for Ginebra. The Flagrant 2 call (which granted the opponents 2 free throws plus possession) was reduced to Flagrant Foul 1 so Paul did play in the next game. HAD CHOT BEEN SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THIS "CHANCE" EXISTS, then he could have resorted to that also and if the PBA finds Deocampo not guilty of Flagrant Foul 2, Ranidel could definitely play in Game 5
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bulkrum.
Meantime, TM said "haven't been this excited about a quarterfinals in a long while. *thinks of anejo and formula shell days*
On twitter the responses are still overflowing.
@akoerick: magwo-walkout pa rin ba ang tnt team kung sa ginebra naman unfair ang game? fairness naman ang pinaglalaban nila di ba?
While a great point was raised by @dregonz: correct me if I'm wrong but if a team complaints abt officiating, I know they can ask for change of officials at halftime ...But I'd that's possible then all the games in the pba wouldve changed officials every halftime. Maybe 1 of 3 officials?
Can't deny that there are a lot of Ginebra fanatics that are vocal like @thaniathania5 who says: --we never quit, we never give up, we never surrender, we never say die and, we never ever lose our faith.
But the Talk and Text supporters are standing by their men no matter what. Even Nic Belasco thanked the REAL fans last night for believing and for supporting them. That's awesome.
It's just funny that last week some of the commentators (Sev, Quinito, Dr. J, Coach Norms, Paolo and I) attended a lunch at the Commissioner's office where they enumerated the measures they've been taking to improve the officiating and the officials themselves. From having sports psychiatrists to optometrists (so no one can scream "baliw" or "magsalamin ka" to the refs), the PBA has gone an extra mile to improve their personnel. Maybe they can go another mile or two or three to achieve a more acceptable level of game officiating that would satisfy the teams.
Just like all of you. I'm still waiting for the FINAL word. Although it looks like TNT is leaning on playing tomorrow, it's still up to MVP. HE does not look like a man who will back down from a challenge so he might just allow the Tropang Texters to play.
Waiting...
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF MR RICKY VARGAS...1) "I WILL RECOMMEND to Chairman MVP that the tropang texters play tomorrow. 2) But we would like tobe ASSURED of fairness and the refs associated wth these unfairness NOT be allowed to officiate the game . 3)We wil not hesitate to walk out again if such unfairness continue. We cannot, as a matter of principle, tolerate biased officiating in the PBA. 4) I sincerely appreciate the personal appeal of the Chairman of the PBA, Lito Alvarez who is a respected colleague for tnt to play for the sake of the millions of filipino basketball fans.
The reactions on my blogsite and my twitter page have been overwhelming. And because I do appreciate the time people take just to have their two cents worth heard / read, I thought I'd post some more reactions here.
Here's one from Bulkrum:
Here are however the undisputed facts of the series so far:
1. Despite the absence of a "fair chance" asked for by Chot Reyes, his team, TNT is up in the series, 2 wins against 1 by Ginebra.
2. We never heard him complain about the fouls called against them in the first two games (50-66 that time) BECAUSE HIS TEAM ENDED UP WINNING BOTH GAMES.
3. The following Ginebra players are those who have the most attempts made behind the free throw line:
Game 1: JC Intal, Cyrus Baguio, Willy Wilson and Eric Menk
Game 2: JC Intal, Ronald Tubid, Willy Wilson & Eric Menk
Game 3: JC Intal, Willy Wilson and Eric Menk
Game 4: Ronald Tubid, Cyrus Baguio and Eric Menk
Would it be so hard for him to figure out why? Or to accept why these men receive the benefit of the calls?
4. The call against Deocampo had the benefit of a replay and if it was deemed a flagrant 2 foul, then it was the referee's discretion at that time. HOWEVER, the PBA is not so inflexible as to take it as it is, once a call is made under protest. That happened to Artadi once, while he was still playing for Ginebra. The Flagrant 2 call (which granted the opponents 2 free throws plus possession) was reduced to Flagrant Foul 1 so Paul did play in the next game. HAD CHOT BEEN SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THIS "CHANCE" EXISTS, then he could have resorted to that also and if the PBA finds Deocampo not guilty of Flagrant Foul 2, Ranidel could definitely play in Game 5
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bulkrum.
Meantime, TM said "haven't been this excited about a quarterfinals in a long while. *thinks of anejo and formula shell days*
On twitter the responses are still overflowing.
@akoerick: magwo-walkout pa rin ba ang tnt team kung sa ginebra naman unfair ang game? fairness naman ang pinaglalaban nila di ba?
While a great point was raised by @dregonz: correct me if I'm wrong but if a team complaints abt officiating, I know they can ask for change of officials at halftime ...But I'd that's possible then all the games in the pba wouldve changed officials every halftime. Maybe 1 of 3 officials?
Can't deny that there are a lot of Ginebra fanatics that are vocal like @thaniathania5 who says: --we never quit, we never give up, we never surrender, we never say die and, we never ever lose our faith.
But the Talk and Text supporters are standing by their men no matter what. Even Nic Belasco thanked the REAL fans last night for believing and for supporting them. That's awesome.
It's just funny that last week some of the commentators (Sev, Quinito, Dr. J, Coach Norms, Paolo and I) attended a lunch at the Commissioner's office where they enumerated the measures they've been taking to improve the officiating and the officials themselves. From having sports psychiatrists to optometrists (so no one can scream "baliw" or "magsalamin ka" to the refs), the PBA has gone an extra mile to improve their personnel. Maybe they can go another mile or two or three to achieve a more acceptable level of game officiating that would satisfy the teams.
Just like all of you. I'm still waiting for the FINAL word. Although it looks like TNT is leaning on playing tomorrow, it's still up to MVP. HE does not look like a man who will back down from a challenge so he might just allow the Tropang Texters to play.
Waiting...
THE WALK OUT
Talk and Text walking out of Game 4 of the quarterfinals best of 5 series against Ginebra has put this basketball addicted populace in a quandary. When I asked on twitter if they would’ve walked out of the game like the Tropang Texters did, majority of them, whether TNT supporters or non-Ginebra fans felt that the act was unnecessary. Excessive it may be to some, but to the Pangilinan group, it was done in sheer disgust of the officiating of the game and the series.
Here’s the text from the TNT officials:
PBA FIASCO! D numbers dont lie- in d other series, after 3 games, rain or shine was given73 free throws, to purefoods 79. In tnt -ginbra series, tnt was given 80 free throws to ginebras 126 . And ginebra is taking 25 more 3pt attempts. In d 1st 10mins of game 4, ginebra was already given 18 free throwsto only 5 for tnt, even if gin took 4 more 3pt shots. In d flagrant 2 on Ranidel resulting in a thrown out, all d guidelines were not present. It was nota hit above d shoulders, not a closed fist nor an elbow, he did not trip or undercut - yet they threw him out. A team can only take so much! Maawa namankayo barrios! Pls pass
Here’s the flipside (thoughts from the other side):
1. If you look at the elimination round stats, it will show that TNT is one of the most foul prone teams in the league.
2. Looking at the same stats, it will also tell you that Ginebra is one of the teams that gets fouled THE MOST
3. Ginebra does not give up as much fouls as Talk and Text.
I’m not for or against the walk out. I have respect for individuals who stand for what they believe in but at the same time, I thought it could’ve been handled differently.
Would you have walked out too? Here are some of the reactions of twitter:
@shaynelinden yes it was really unprofessional! Sana inisip nila yung fans nilang dumayo just to watch and support them!
@arnjak if Ginebra were on TNT's shoes, I doubt they'd walked out coz they've got something that TNT lacks, d never say die attitude
@thaniathania5: sayang po ang tikets namin. Ung iba, galing pa ng bulacan, at ibang malalay0ng lugar.. Rily unfair..
@Gesima30 Sorry po k Mr. Vargas.. we really cant understand... lahat namn ng TEAM may mga calls na hindi natatawag ahh... :(
@susan_garcia saw the replay at btv and i thnk the call is correct, not bcoz i'm a gins fan. tnt should have played d game up to the end.
@ravingfanatic it had 2 b said, n said out loud that d refs hav bn calling it shady 4 years. if it stayed unsaid, there's no hope 4 change.
@Alvin_Louis remember when coach Chot was coaching SMB, refs also favored BGK in the finals. Ask him, I'm sure he remembers because I do
@bongski888 they are such a poor sport. dang!! gins was only up by 7 and it was jst the 1st quarter//oh well, maybe they shouldnt play
@tataybulls Hey MVP I hope you did not encourage that walk out #TNT. Baka magtayo ka sarili mong liga :)
@cardona23 dpt naglaro nlng ang TNT kya p nman nla manalo, 7 lng un, kaysa talo cla ng ganun lng.
@philipali numbers don't lie..it's correct..but there's such a thing called 'love of the game and fans' TNT does not have that..
@abetdelacruz bad move . No matter how bad officiating is nothing merits a 'walkout'.Ginebra/Anejo learned that years ago. One word.. FANS
@weyah If they(TNT) wanted to send a message, they should've just let their game speak.
@dethboneo03 coz there is NO SENSE kung babalik pa sila! EVERYTHiNG JUST FAVORS GiNS!
@plesaux The walkout is so childish chot reyes should be punished by sending him to the corner for a timeout
@desmaglajos i anticipated so much for today's game.i ♥ TNT so much but i didn't like their decision to walk out of the playing court :(
@balkrum TNT should bear the burden of ticket refunds since they're for "Justice" in the league
@onepowlow this is sick!!! haven't seen so much pba drama, since jaworski era... this is reality! :)
@loumaya finish the game like you should have. Tell the commissioner about your dissatisfaction during the half
@dada_061101 i know.. not good for the pba. im not a big ginebra fan, but what chot and TNT did was very bad for basketball fans in gen.
@ka_family agree! they shld not have walked out.. or they shld have come back like what RB did before :)
@deth can you pls say to that FREEMAN ders no sense if TNT continuous d GAME!! everything favors GiNEBRA! even the commentators!
@plesaux I totally agree. A walkout is tantamount to a childish tantrum. Play thru adversity. That should be the coach's msg.
@jzrecinto no. Id rather be someone who lost an unfair game than someone who walked out of a challenge
@bangengeman Hassle naman on the fans who made time to watch the game live, the ones who watched on TV na nagmadali umuwi.
@anpocampo Good point chot! But walkin out was uncalled for. unfair for the fans. whatcha gonna do? Give the fans TnT sims & Loads? lol.
@frey03 Thats Sucks I'LL go w/ TnT.. I think Ref & Mr. Barrios r w/ SMC Corp. for d money.. cause d Crowd Fave are Losing..my opinion
@lheyn_07 walking out is n0t d ryt thing 2 do but maybe dey think dat's d only way 2 tell d refs dat deyr calls r unfair..
@neoryder nope, even with backs against the wall I believe in my teammates. TNT didn't.
@dregonz that wasnt a flagrant. It wasnt even a playoff foul. It wasnt a hard foul. But then, it's part of the game.
@lolornmarie walking out is so OA. Play the game and let others protest. But keep the sportsmanship. Keep it classy
@theionman as professionals, they should have contained their emotions and set it aside for the game.
@mencomouse TNT start out flat... different line up... but the game is only 1st quarter.. 3 qrts left... they can still win it...
@architectkim thats the only way they will tell the PBA na hindi nila gusto ang mga ngyayari. & the move was an exclamation from TNT
I tried to get as many reactions from my twitter as possible and find the balance but reality is that a lot more people were upset about the walkout.
One of the things that I gathered is that Talk and Text actually was considering to come back. They asked for more time but that the commissioner's office said they already went beyond the 5 minute (+2 more) grace period.
One of the TNT officials I spoke to said they wanted more time but didn't get that.
Obviously, they are dissatisfied with how Commissioner Barrios has handled the situation, and were even irked at how Comm stayed on Commissioner's row and not reacted right away. I'm sure Comm Barrios had his reasons. Besides, he has to allow the technical crew and chief to take care of the matter as best as they could.
In a few minutes, Talk and Text and Ginebra will be having a conference with the PBA. I'm just hoping that fans won't be deprived of another game between the two bitter rivals.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Here’s the text from the TNT officials:
PBA FIASCO! D numbers dont lie- in d other series, after 3 games, rain or shine was given73 free throws, to purefoods 79. In tnt -ginbra series, tnt was given 80 free throws to ginebras 126 . And ginebra is taking 25 more 3pt attempts. In d 1st 10mins of game 4, ginebra was already given 18 free throwsto only 5 for tnt, even if gin took 4 more 3pt shots. In d flagrant 2 on Ranidel resulting in a thrown out, all d guidelines were not present. It was nota hit above d shoulders, not a closed fist nor an elbow, he did not trip or undercut - yet they threw him out. A team can only take so much! Maawa namankayo barrios! Pls pass
Here’s the flipside (thoughts from the other side):
1. If you look at the elimination round stats, it will show that TNT is one of the most foul prone teams in the league.
2. Looking at the same stats, it will also tell you that Ginebra is one of the teams that gets fouled THE MOST
3. Ginebra does not give up as much fouls as Talk and Text.
I’m not for or against the walk out. I have respect for individuals who stand for what they believe in but at the same time, I thought it could’ve been handled differently.
Would you have walked out too? Here are some of the reactions of twitter:
@shaynelinden yes it was really unprofessional! Sana inisip nila yung fans nilang dumayo just to watch and support them!
@arnjak if Ginebra were on TNT's shoes, I doubt they'd walked out coz they've got something that TNT lacks, d never say die attitude
@thaniathania5: sayang po ang tikets namin. Ung iba, galing pa ng bulacan, at ibang malalay0ng lugar.. Rily unfair..
@Gesima30 Sorry po k Mr. Vargas.. we really cant understand... lahat namn ng TEAM may mga calls na hindi natatawag ahh... :(
@susan_garcia saw the replay at btv and i thnk the call is correct, not bcoz i'm a gins fan. tnt should have played d game up to the end.
@ravingfanatic it had 2 b said, n said out loud that d refs hav bn calling it shady 4 years. if it stayed unsaid, there's no hope 4 change.
@Alvin_Louis remember when coach Chot was coaching SMB, refs also favored BGK in the finals. Ask him, I'm sure he remembers because I do
@bongski888 they are such a poor sport. dang!! gins was only up by 7 and it was jst the 1st quarter//oh well, maybe they shouldnt play
@tataybulls Hey MVP I hope you did not encourage that walk out #TNT. Baka magtayo ka sarili mong liga :)
@cardona23 dpt naglaro nlng ang TNT kya p nman nla manalo, 7 lng un, kaysa talo cla ng ganun lng.
@philipali numbers don't lie..it's correct..but there's such a thing called 'love of the game and fans' TNT does not have that..
@abetdelacruz bad move . No matter how bad officiating is nothing merits a 'walkout'.Ginebra/Anejo learned that years ago. One word.. FANS
@weyah If they(TNT) wanted to send a message, they should've just let their game speak.
@dethboneo03 coz there is NO SENSE kung babalik pa sila! EVERYTHiNG JUST FAVORS GiNS!
@plesaux The walkout is so childish chot reyes should be punished by sending him to the corner for a timeout
@desmaglajos i anticipated so much for today's game.i ♥ TNT so much but i didn't like their decision to walk out of the playing court :(
@balkrum TNT should bear the burden of ticket refunds since they're for "Justice" in the league
@onepowlow this is sick!!! haven't seen so much pba drama, since jaworski era... this is reality! :)
@loumaya finish the game like you should have. Tell the commissioner about your dissatisfaction during the half
@dada_061101 i know.. not good for the pba. im not a big ginebra fan, but what chot and TNT did was very bad for basketball fans in gen.
@ka_family agree! they shld not have walked out.. or they shld have come back like what RB did before :)
@deth can you pls say to that FREEMAN ders no sense if TNT continuous d GAME!! everything favors GiNEBRA! even the commentators!
@plesaux I totally agree. A walkout is tantamount to a childish tantrum. Play thru adversity. That should be the coach's msg.
@jzrecinto no. Id rather be someone who lost an unfair game than someone who walked out of a challenge
@bangengeman Hassle naman on the fans who made time to watch the game live, the ones who watched on TV na nagmadali umuwi.
@anpocampo Good point chot! But walkin out was uncalled for. unfair for the fans. whatcha gonna do? Give the fans TnT sims & Loads? lol.
@frey03 Thats Sucks I'LL go w/ TnT.. I think Ref & Mr. Barrios r w/ SMC Corp. for d money.. cause d Crowd Fave are Losing..my opinion
@lheyn_07 walking out is n0t d ryt thing 2 do but maybe dey think dat's d only way 2 tell d refs dat deyr calls r unfair..
@neoryder nope, even with backs against the wall I believe in my teammates. TNT didn't.
@dregonz that wasnt a flagrant. It wasnt even a playoff foul. It wasnt a hard foul. But then, it's part of the game.
@lolornmarie walking out is so OA. Play the game and let others protest. But keep the sportsmanship. Keep it classy
@theionman as professionals, they should have contained their emotions and set it aside for the game.
@mencomouse TNT start out flat... different line up... but the game is only 1st quarter.. 3 qrts left... they can still win it...
@architectkim thats the only way they will tell the PBA na hindi nila gusto ang mga ngyayari. & the move was an exclamation from TNT
I tried to get as many reactions from my twitter as possible and find the balance but reality is that a lot more people were upset about the walkout.
One of the things that I gathered is that Talk and Text actually was considering to come back. They asked for more time but that the commissioner's office said they already went beyond the 5 minute (+2 more) grace period.
One of the TNT officials I spoke to said they wanted more time but didn't get that.
Obviously, they are dissatisfied with how Commissioner Barrios has handled the situation, and were even irked at how Comm stayed on Commissioner's row and not reacted right away. I'm sure Comm Barrios had his reasons. Besides, he has to allow the technical crew and chief to take care of the matter as best as they could.
In a few minutes, Talk and Text and Ginebra will be having a conference with the PBA. I'm just hoping that fans won't be deprived of another game between the two bitter rivals.
Keep your fingers crossed.
REINFORCEMENT FOR GILAS
From my Mla. Standard column 02/05/10
One of the prevailing issues enveloping the local basketball scene concerns the Smart Gilas squad’s need to get reinforcement for their formidable team. Formidable for finishing 3rd in the 10-team 21st Dubai International Basketball Tournament armed with a great system, big hearts, awe-inspiring Filipino fans, and an import who contributed chump change.
New team manager Frankie Lim is currently hard at work touring the US to find a candidate for naturalization. Coach Rajko will be joining him next week. Some considerations include height and athleticism, high basketball IQ, ability to follow and stay within a system, willingness to relocate, good knees, good back (and being upfront about injuries), and a big heart. Big enough to love this basketball crazy country of ours.
As of now, there’s a shortlist of imports they are seriously considering. Last Wednesday, Darian Townes flew in to try out. He just played with the Utah Flash in the NBDL last December but only averaged 1 point and 28% FG in his 6 games there. He had a longer stint in Holland (yes Hollanders got game!) where he normed 10.4 ppg in 19.9 mins.
He’s 26, 6’10” and weighs about 240 lbs. He was a vital cog for the Arkansas Razorbacks, where he became part of the school’s all time blocked shots, 1,000 point club, and was part of the top 10 in rebounding. He’s been lauded for his ball handling ability and his proficiency in the paint. His competitive spirit will be tested by Coach Rajko in the next couple of days.
Remember Jameel Watkins? He played for Shell and Magnolia here, and was impressive in college playing for the Georgetown Hoyas in the NCAA Big East… in the 90s! He’s making waves in China and is part of the short list. He’s already 32 years old which may be an issue.
A younger dominant big man could be a better choice. How about 7’1” former Gin Kings and 2008 Best import Chris Alexander? According the Assistant Coach Allan Gregorio, Alexander is 30 now and in 2 years (Olympic year) he can still be ripe. “Coach Rajko has hard practices every night so age will be a factor. He has to be able to survive the hard practices”.
They’re also checking on Earl Barron Jr. who played for the Red Bull Thunders and went on to get an NBA Championship ring in his 3 year stint with the Miami Heat where he logged 82 games, started in 15 of them, had 13.9 minutes on average with 4.9ppg and 3rpg. He’s a year younger than Alexander but the evaluation of the two (and all the rest) will boil down to athleticism and efficacy in the system.
Despite the possibilities that are brewing, no one can blame Gilas for thinking that they might not need to go transcontinental to find another piece of the puzzle. Besides, they can only naturalize 1 import but will still need another big man. So they’ll need to go local for that. There are a plethora of great talents in the PBA who could fit the bill, and Kelly Williams is the top candidate for locally flavored reinforcement.
Chris Tiu and I talked about it but I guess it’s best to just share his text: “I think Kelly Williams will fit our team well because he’s a hardworking, physical, tough, athletic and smart player. I thought Coach Rajko’s wish to bring him on board was confidential but somehow it reached the sports columns which probably preempted talks with the PBA and caused some misunderstanding. But I’m sure there will be an official request coming and a solution will be worked out for the good of the country”.
Well, the boat has been rocked and Mr. Buddy Encarnado (and the PBA) has been vocal about his disappointment because this has wedged them between a rock and a hard place. Saying no to the offer could make them look unpatriotic, while agreeing to lend their MVP could dampen their chances in the next PBA conference.
When I asked Williams about it, of course he’s “flattered by the compliment of being touted by Coach Toroman” but also said it would be difficult for him to leave Sta. Lucia at this point. He loves his team and is aching to boost them after a shortened All Filipino stint.
Well, everyone just has the greatest of intentions and this spat is all just a misunderstanding. What’s more important is that the next couple of days will be crucial in terms of finding the right man or men for our national team. Stay on top of it through www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com.
One of the prevailing issues enveloping the local basketball scene concerns the Smart Gilas squad’s need to get reinforcement for their formidable team. Formidable for finishing 3rd in the 10-team 21st Dubai International Basketball Tournament armed with a great system, big hearts, awe-inspiring Filipino fans, and an import who contributed chump change.
New team manager Frankie Lim is currently hard at work touring the US to find a candidate for naturalization. Coach Rajko will be joining him next week. Some considerations include height and athleticism, high basketball IQ, ability to follow and stay within a system, willingness to relocate, good knees, good back (and being upfront about injuries), and a big heart. Big enough to love this basketball crazy country of ours.
As of now, there’s a shortlist of imports they are seriously considering. Last Wednesday, Darian Townes flew in to try out. He just played with the Utah Flash in the NBDL last December but only averaged 1 point and 28% FG in his 6 games there. He had a longer stint in Holland (yes Hollanders got game!) where he normed 10.4 ppg in 19.9 mins.
He’s 26, 6’10” and weighs about 240 lbs. He was a vital cog for the Arkansas Razorbacks, where he became part of the school’s all time blocked shots, 1,000 point club, and was part of the top 10 in rebounding. He’s been lauded for his ball handling ability and his proficiency in the paint. His competitive spirit will be tested by Coach Rajko in the next couple of days.
Remember Jameel Watkins? He played for Shell and Magnolia here, and was impressive in college playing for the Georgetown Hoyas in the NCAA Big East… in the 90s! He’s making waves in China and is part of the short list. He’s already 32 years old which may be an issue.
A younger dominant big man could be a better choice. How about 7’1” former Gin Kings and 2008 Best import Chris Alexander? According the Assistant Coach Allan Gregorio, Alexander is 30 now and in 2 years (Olympic year) he can still be ripe. “Coach Rajko has hard practices every night so age will be a factor. He has to be able to survive the hard practices”.
They’re also checking on Earl Barron Jr. who played for the Red Bull Thunders and went on to get an NBA Championship ring in his 3 year stint with the Miami Heat where he logged 82 games, started in 15 of them, had 13.9 minutes on average with 4.9ppg and 3rpg. He’s a year younger than Alexander but the evaluation of the two (and all the rest) will boil down to athleticism and efficacy in the system.
Despite the possibilities that are brewing, no one can blame Gilas for thinking that they might not need to go transcontinental to find another piece of the puzzle. Besides, they can only naturalize 1 import but will still need another big man. So they’ll need to go local for that. There are a plethora of great talents in the PBA who could fit the bill, and Kelly Williams is the top candidate for locally flavored reinforcement.
Chris Tiu and I talked about it but I guess it’s best to just share his text: “I think Kelly Williams will fit our team well because he’s a hardworking, physical, tough, athletic and smart player. I thought Coach Rajko’s wish to bring him on board was confidential but somehow it reached the sports columns which probably preempted talks with the PBA and caused some misunderstanding. But I’m sure there will be an official request coming and a solution will be worked out for the good of the country”.
Well, the boat has been rocked and Mr. Buddy Encarnado (and the PBA) has been vocal about his disappointment because this has wedged them between a rock and a hard place. Saying no to the offer could make them look unpatriotic, while agreeing to lend their MVP could dampen their chances in the next PBA conference.
When I asked Williams about it, of course he’s “flattered by the compliment of being touted by Coach Toroman” but also said it would be difficult for him to leave Sta. Lucia at this point. He loves his team and is aching to boost them after a shortened All Filipino stint.
Well, everyone just has the greatest of intentions and this spat is all just a misunderstanding. What’s more important is that the next couple of days will be crucial in terms of finding the right man or men for our national team. Stay on top of it through www.twitter.com/patriciahizon and www.patriciahizon.blogspot.com.
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