Barangay Ginebra vented its wrath on an off-form Barako Bull side, 93-72, to finally end a barren run in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Unlike in their first four games where the Gin Kings’ lacked intensity, the boys of coach Alfrancis Chua went all out against the Energy Cola, attacking the basket ferociously and clamping down on defense.
So ferocious was the Gin Kings' defense that held the Energy Cola to an abysmal 25.6 percent shooting in the first half (10-of-39) to take a 39-26 haltime lead that only swelled in the second half.
There was no let-up from there as Barangay Ginebra kept piling the point sto erect an insurmountable 84-56 lead going into the final five-minute mark on the way to its first win under Chua, who took over from Siot Tanquingcen at the turn of the year.
“I told the players since we lost against Alaska, I never, even once, got mad at them. I just told them, I trust in you, I hope you trust yourself,” sad Chua after his team improved to 1-4.
The Kings' last victory happened in Game Two of the PBA Philippine Cup against Rain or Shine, 79-77 on December 14, 2012. But Barangay Ginebra went on to lose the best-of-three series, 1-2.
It was also the first victory of Chua as coach since his final head coaching stint with Sta. Lucia Realty in 2007.
Barako Bull absorbed its second loss in five games as the team ended the game shooting just 33.8 percent overall (25-of-74).
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters edged the Air 21 Express in a thrilling shootout, 99-97, Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
It was the third straight victory for Rain or Shine, which needed one last defensive stop to deal hardluck Air 21 its third straight defeat.
The Elasto Painters led by just a single point, 98-97, after Ryan Araña and Wynne Arboleda exchanged three-pointers with under a minute left in the game. Rain or Shine center JR Quiñahan went to the free throw line in the next possession and split his charities, giving the Express one last shot to tie or win the match.
Arboleda missed a wide open corner three-pointer in the next play, but the Express were awarded get possession after the rebound was tapped out. Air 21 drew up a play for import Michael Dunigan in the paint, but was foiled by tight defending by the Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine won despite missing import Bruno Sundov for most of the second half due to foul trouble. The 7-foot-3 Croatian picked up his fourth and fifth fouls in quick succession with still less than nine minutes left in the third quarter, and fouled out of the game late in the fourth period.
“We kept on fighting back even when the import wasn’t helping us throughout the game. This is a big lesson for him. He just has to play a little smarter, keeping away from those fouls,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
Sundov played just 27 minutes, but managed to score 17 points. Paul Lee took over the cudgels for the Elasto Painters, posting 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in his finest game of the conference, while Araña added 11 points.
Dunigan led all scorers with 22 points.
Rain or Shine improved its win-loss record to 3-1, while Air 21′s mark fell to 1-3.
The scores:
Rain or Shine (99) — Sundov 17, Lee 15, Arana 11, Quinahan 9, Norwood 8, Rodriguez 8, Matias 7, Cruz 6, Uyloan 5, Belga 5, Tiu 4, Ibanes 4.
Air 21 (97) — Dunigan 22, Canaleta 18, Isip 14, Cortez 14, Wilson 11, Arboleda 9, Atkins 4, Reyes 3, Omolon 1, Ritualo 1, Sena 0, Baclao 0, Custodio 0.
With his team unexpectedly hugging the cellar, no wonder James Yap haters are coming and rejoicing in full force.
But for the two-time MVP and probably one of the most lethal offensive players in the league, detractors are a barometer of success. And in his team’s case today, added motivation.
“Haters? Nirerespeto ko sila, may negative na pag-iisip… may mga positive rin… hindi nam
an ako affected,” said Yap in an interview with Solar Sports Desk.
“Pag naapektuhan ka kasi nila mas makukuha nila ang purpose nila,” said the two-time MVP with a smile. “Sa ngayon ang focus ko is to help our team win.”
And just this Monday afternoon, Yap joined fellow Mixer Marc Pingris in a special appearance at top rating noon-time show, Eat Bulaga, where an ailing fan requested to meet them in person.
The said segment was part of the show’s popular segment - Juan for All, All for Juan - where the San Mig duo gave away jerseys, signed balls, shoes and pangkabuhayan showcase to a young fan named Robbie.
Yap also invited fan to a VIP seat in their game against Alaska Aces on March 6.
“Isa talaga siya sa pinakasikat na player ngayon ng PBA, 1 or 2 yun. Palitan sila sa pwesto ni Mark Caguioa? Sino pa ba ang pwede mong ilinya sa harap nila?” said Willie Marcial, PBA Media Bureau chief.
Marcial is also happy that mainstream programs like Eat Bulaga are now inviting again PBA players in different entertainment programs, something that was very popular back in the gloray days of Philippine basketball when players even take lead roles in some films like Last 2 Minutes, Shoot Dat Bol, Wooly Bully and Dunkin Donato.
In the most recent Metro Manila Film Festival, a number of current PBA stars like Pingris, Ronald Tubid and Jun-Jun Cabatu had a cameo role in Si Agimat, Si Enteng at Ako.
The amiable PBA official also told Solar Sports Desk that the PBA is always to accommodate guestings of players in different shows, provided that it will not be in conflict with team practice and schedule.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Escalante, Negros Occidental native is also rallying his teammates to continue on with the new-found grit, especially now that they’re coming off an impressive 90-82 win against heavily-favored Talk n’ Text Tropang Texters, that arrested their poor 0-3 start.
“Distracted ang team ngayon, pero kailangan talagang mabalik yung focus namin at kalimutan yung bad start namin,” stressed the soft-spoken Yap.
Averaging close to 30 minutes a game, Yap only played for 17 minutes Sunday night because of a still painful hip plexor injury that slowed him down Friday against the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.
With his ascension as the No. 1 point guard in the San Mig Coffee rotation, much was expected of Mark Barroca at the start of the Commissioner’s Cup.
In his rookie season, he backed up veterans Josh Urbiztondo and Jonas Villanueva. But with those players gone, the “Coffee Prince” finally had a chance to be a full-time starter for the Mixers.
But instead of shining, the start of the tournament saw the second-year guard struggle from the field.
Barroca admitted feeling the pressure of his new role.
“Hindi ko nga ini-expect, kaya medyo pressured rin ako, pero kung ano yung ipapagawa sa akin, yun ang gagawin ko. Kailangang magign ready ako parati,” he said.
The former Far Easter University stalwart finally broke out of his slump, scoring nine points in San Mig Coffee’s victory Sunday night against the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.
“There’s so much pressure on him, especially now that he’s playing the lead guard for the team. The reason why Jonas and Josh were traded is to open up playing time for him,” said Cone.
“We were joking that when Mark is playing hurt, he always plays much better, but when he’s healthy, he was struggling.”
But Cone knows that Barroca will eventually be able to step up to the challenge.
“I think Mark will start to get settled in the long run, he just needs to control himself,” said the coach.
Helping with Barroca with the adjustment is an all-time great PBA point guard who also happened to wear No. 14 — San Mig Coffee assistant Johnny Abarrientos.
“Johnny was watching him from the bench and seeing how will he perform,” said Cone.
Barroca said Abarrientos has been challenging him to step up.
“Kapag masama nga ang laro ko, sinasabihan niya ako ng naka-number 14 ka pa ha,” said Barroca, adding he wants to make his mentor proud.
“Alam ko biro yun, pero in a way, parang challenge na rin niya sa akin yun.”
Sunday Salvacion opened Sunday’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup doubleheader with his patented Sunday Special, banking home a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Meralco to a thrilling 90-89 victory over GlobalPort.
In the main game, Denzel Bowles showed his monster form, leading San Mig Coffee to a 90-82 win over Talk ‘N Text for the defending champions’ first victory of the tournament.
Denzel Bowles responded with a monster performance after a dismal debut to power defending champion San Mig Coffee to a morale-boosting 90-82 win over Talk ‘N Text in a rematch of last season’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals protagonists on Sunday at the Big Dome.
The 23-year-old Bowles, the best import during the Mixers' run to last year's championship, atoned for his poor 12-point performance on Friday night in a loss to Rain or Shine by punishing the Tropang Texters with 29 points, 23 rebounds and three blocks in 42 minutes.
He reserved his best in the final period when he exploded for 14 points while controlling the boards with ferocity to finally give the Mixers their first victory after opening the conference with three straight defeats.
“We had to realize the game is hard. And we’re gonna go through some tough times. But it doesn’t matter how we fall down, but how we get up. It’s so true in life and it’s so true in basketball,” San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone said after pulling off the stunning victory.
Cone said he felt really humiliated especially after the Mixers lost their last two assignments by an average margin of 26.5 points.
“In our first three games, and especially the last two, that’s the first time in my career na tambakan. But for us to come back with one day preparation. And Denzel playing well, he really inspired us tonight. He got all those rebounds and scoring for us,” added Cone.
San Mig's defense was also outstanding as it held Talk ‘N Text to just 4-of-21 shooting in the final period to turn the game around.
PJ Simon led San Mig Coffee’s locals with 13 points while Marc Pingris added 12 while picking up the scoring slack from star forward James Yap, who could only finish with six after being going into foul trouble early.
Jason Castro led the Tropang Texters with 18 points, while Keith Benson added 17 and 17 boards. The 6-11 Talk ‘N Text import though couldn’t go all-out defensively in the final quarter after picking up his fifth personal foul with less than three minutes to play.
The Texters dropped to 2-2.
The scores:
San Mig Coffee 90 - Bowles 29, Simon 13, Pingris 12, Devance 11, Barroca 9, Yap 6, Gaco 4, Najorda 2, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 2, Mallari 0
Talk ‘N Text 82 - Castro 18, Benson 16, Reyes 14, Alapag 8, Al-Hussaini 7, Fonacier 6, Williams 4, Carey 4, Dillinger 3, De Ocampo 2, Aban 0
Sunday Salvacion capped Meralco’s frenetic endgame fightback by banking in a three-pointer at the buzzer to lead the Bolts to a confidence-building 90-89 victory over Globalport on Sunday night in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Playing only his first game of the conference, the 6-2 forward repaid coach Ryan Gregorio's faith by scoring 20 points, spiked by 6-for-7 shooting from three-point distance, to help the Bolts snap a three-game losing skein and catch Batang Pier at 2-3 in the standings.
None of those shots were bigger than the desperation three-pointer he banked in without any hesitation after receiving a pass from Mac-mac Cardona, the designated shooter who failed to get off a shot after Globalport import Justin Williams rotated on him.
“It’s definitely a broken play. But that’s why we want veterans on the floor to play. I told Mac-mac (Cardona), if you get into trouble, there’s a safety pass behind you. And somehow, he expected someone to be free,” Gregorio said.
“Sunday has not seen the floor for at least three games but that’s what veterans come in to do. They come in and play. Fantastic shot by Sunday,’” he added.
Unlike in its game against Petron which saw Meralco scale a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit only to lose, 86-88, this time the Bolts had enough to go all the way.
“We need games like these to unite our team. We need situations like these to make us love one another. The script is like a Holywood script. We were down big but somehow we found ways to win,” said the Meralco mentor.
The Bolts fell behind by as many as 17 points, 29-46 as Batang Pier rode on the hot shooting hands of Gary David, Willie Miller and seldom-used JP Belencion, who scored 11 of his career-high 15 points in the first half alone.
But Meralco patiently cut the imposing lead down with its patient execution on offense behind Chris Ross, who finished with a career-best 17 assists, outdueling his best friend and former teammate Solomon Mercado, who had nine assists.
Mercado finished with just six points on 3-of-14 shooting, but the Batang Pier drew 27 points from David and 22 from Miller, who entering the game had only scored a total of 16 points in the team’s first four games.
Import Justin Williams failed to break into double figures after finishing with just eight points, though he still pulled down 13 rebounds and tied his season-high eight blocks in 37 minutes of play.
Talk ‘N Text eyes its third straight win while GlobalPort tries to bounce back from a demoralizing loss as they face separate rivals in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Texters face sliding San Mig Coffee in the main game at 6:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s Commissioner’s Cup finals. This comes right after the meeting of Batang Pier and Meralco at 4:15 p.m.
After losing to the Bolts at the start of its campaign, Talk ‘N Text now has won its last two games while defending champion San Mig Coffee has yet to win a game after three starts.
This concerns Tropang Texters head coach Norman Black.
“We are expecting a hungry San Mig Coffee team especially in light of their loss to Rain or Shine on Friday,” said Black, referring to the Mixers’ 93-65 defeat to the Elasto Painters.
“We just want to continue to improve on our defense, while keeping the game as uptempo as possible.”
Reigning Commissioner’s Cup Best Import Denzel Bowles returned to the San Mig Coffee lineup and scored just 12 points. He replaced Matt Rogers.
In the opener, GlobalPort hopes to bounce back from a 99-79 defeat at the hands of the Tropang Texters and nails its third win.
“Regroup, bounce back from a blowout loss,” said Batang Pier coach Junel Baculi. “We respect Meralco, they are a good team. We have to work on our defense. We allow too many points in our last four games.”
The Bolts enter the game on a three-game losing streak, including a heart-breaking 88-86 defeat at the hands of Petron Blaze.
“We’re trying. We’ve been competing hard but could not close out games on a high note. We just have to try harder. It is a long conference and a lot of things can happen,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio.
“We see a lot of good things despite our early losses, most notable of which is the fact that we simply don’t give up. Down big against Petron and still had a legit crack at winning, then disaster struck, the call by the ref which broke our momentum.”
Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva has apologized to PBA referee Edward Aquino, saying he was so focused on the game on Sunday night he didn't realize the game official was hurt in a freak accident late in the Aces' 85-81 win over Barako Bull at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Wala akong kaalam-alam na nasaktan si referee Aquino,” said Abueva in an interview posted on the team’s website. “Hindi ko akalain talaga na nasaktan siya. Kaya inuulit ko ang paghingi ng pasensya sa akin. Masyado talaga ako focused sa laro kaya hindi agad ako nakahingi ng paumanhin.”
The incident happened with a little over two minutes left in the match when Abueva tried to chase down a loose ball and ended up crashing into Aquino, his momentum causing the referee to be pinned between him and the baseline railing of the Big Dome.
The referee shook off the contact and finished the match, but later complained of pains and was brought to a hospital where he was diagnosed with swollen spine tissues and a possible slipped disc.
In an interview with Spin.ph in a hospital in Mandaluyong on Monday, Aquino said he was surprised that Abueva walked away from the incident as if nothing happened, not bothering to apologize.
“Ang tagal ko nang nagre-referee pero ngayon lang ako nabangga nang iniwan ako nung player,” said Aquino. “Kadalasan kasi pag nabangga kami, o worst nadaganan, yung mga players magsasabi ng sorry o kaya, tatapikin kami.”
Abueva said he never realized the contact was serious enough to cause injury to the game official.
“Ang alam ko na-out-of-balance lang siya kaya natumba. Hindi ako nakahingi ng patawad dahil focused ako masyado sa game at dahil nga akala ko walang ano man ang nangyari. Kaya muli akong humihingi ng dispensa sa nangyari,” Abueva explained.
The former San Sebastian Stag said that he even tried to contact Aquino through PBA official Rhose Montreal through a text message, the content of which was posted in the story posted on the website.
It read: “ate rhose gudeve. musta na si edward? pasencia na if hindi ako naka hingi nang dispensa sa nangyare. wala naman may gustong mangyare un eh. pagaling cia and godbless. salamat.”
HE lacks sleep and is still battling jetlag, yet new Barangay Ginebra import Vernon Macklin has already made a big impression on teammates.
“Ang lakas niya. Talagang nangangalabaw siya sa ilalim,” said Ginebra forward Rico Maierhofer at the end of the Kings’ practice on Monday at the Xavier School gym.
“Bigat bantayan,” he added.
Maierhofer even recalled one play during the three-on-three drills where Macklin put an emphatic finish on an alley-oop pass by Kerby Raymundo with a slam dunk.
“Ang lupit 'nung dunk niya. Puyat at may jetlag pa yun ... kaya tingin ko mas lalakas pa siya,” added the newly-wed Maierhofer.
Another Ginebra big man, Willie Wilson, described Macklin as a Denzel Bowles type of import who can make a big difference inside the paint with his size and behind-the-basket moves.
“Ang lapad niya, na may kilos, na malakas mag post up,” said Wilson, who guarded Macklin during the one-hour drill which coach Alfrancis Chua precisely called to size up Herbert Hill’s replacement.
Both Maierhofer and Wilson, though, want to see their new reinforcement in five-on-five drills before making a full assessment on Macklin.
The former Florida Gators stalwart joined Ginebra’s drills after arriving early Monday to take over from Hill, who was shipped out after the Kings’ 0-3 start to the season.
Aside from Maierhofer, Raymundo and Wilson, also present during the mini-practice were Rob Labagala, Elmer Espiritu and Keith Jensen.
This early, Labagala is sure Macklin will be a lot better than the out-of-shape Hill.
“Tingin ko mas okay ito, kasi may diin yung laro niya eh. Saka nakita ko yung mga bantay niya kanina sa drills napapa-atras,” bared Labagala.
When asked about his first impression with his new team, Macklin said he is happy to join the country’s most popular ballclub.
“Practice is pretty cool, we did some plays ... can’t wait to play with them,” said Macklin.
Air 21 eyes to join Alaska and Barako Bull at the top of leader board with a win against Talk ‘N Text in the opener of the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Air 21 shocked Ginebra in its opening assignment, 74-70, behind the solid effort of import Michael Dunigan who netted 26 points, 19 rebounds, and five blocks in his debut for the Express.
“Dunigan is a big factor. He gives us a presence underneath,” said Air 21 coach Franz Pumaren. “Man for man, I think we’re the weakest right now so we have to win it on defense.”
Talk ‘N Text is coming off a 99-92 loss to Meralco while Kelly Williams is coming back for the squad after sitting out the match against the Bolts.
“It’s a game we need to win to keep pace with the early leaders. I’m hoping our defense will be better and our import will stay out of foul trouble,” said Tropang Texters coach Norman Black.
Keith Benson fouled out in that game and finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Tropang Texters.
“We have to try and control their import who is very good, and slow down KG Canalate and Mike Cortez,” Black added.
In the main tiff, the Batang Pier, carrying a 1-1 slate, try to recover from a shocking 98-88 overtime loss to the Energy Cola with a victory over Ginebra.
The Kings are eyeing their first win after losing to the Express with import Herbert Hill dishing out a relatively so-so performance with 17 points though he had 18 rebounds.
The failure of a replacement to take over the spot of Ginebra import Herbert Hill certainly brings a smile on the face of Globalport top gunner Gary David.
Speaking to Spin.ph Thursday night, the Batang Pier offensive ace said he likes his team’s chances against the Kings with Hill around when the two teams meet Friday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
“Kung si Herbert Hill ang paglalaruin... medyo maganda ang tsansa namin,” the league’s three-time scoring champion said bluntly.
Like most PBA fans – majority of them Ginebra supporters – the 6-foot-10 Hill didn’t leave a lasting impression on the scouts of Globalport when they watched him go up against counterpart Michael Dunigan and the Air21 Express Sunday.
“Sinasabi sa amin nung mga scouts namin... mukhang talagang bano raw,” said the outspoken shooting guard from Dinalupihan, Bataan, who nonetheless, remained mystified at the true capabilities of Hill.
“Pero nagtaka kami kasi sa third quarter pumukpok eh.”
The 34-year-old David was also told that Hill had a sleepless night on the eve of his debut game.
“Napuyat daw kasi `yun eh. Na-excite siguro masyado kaya nawala sa rhythm.”
David, however, expects a much-improved Hill against the Batang Pier.
“Sa viewing nakita ko `yung galaw niya, siguro ganun na rin talaga yun. May galaw naman kaso... wala sa timing...
“Pero tignan natin, mahirap diyan biglang gumaling,” David added.
Asked what he will be suggesting to management had Hill been their import, the national team player replied with a straight face, “eh sasabihin ko palitan na yan.”
But David has all the respect on Globalport import Justin Williams, who had been a workhorse for the team by averaging 21 rebounds, 15 points, and three block shots in two games with the Batang Pier.
Herbert Hill knows there are consequences when you don't meet the expectations of the popular Brgy. Ginebra team and its multitude of fans.
And he has vowed to rise above it.
Coming off a sub-par debut performance in Ginebra's loss to Air21 on Sunday, the 6-foot-10 Hill admitted getting not only rude comments from fans, but likewise hate messages on his mobile phone.
Hill was a bit emotional when he made the stirring revelation to Spin.ph on Thursday, four days following the cold reception he got from Ginebra fans in the aftermath of his modest 17-point production – on 7-of-24 shooting - in a 70-74 loss to Air21 Express.
“I try not to pay attention to what people say. This is the most popular team, and if it loses a game … people’s gonna be upset about it,” said Hill, well aware of the passion of Ginebra fans.
A source from the Kings organization confirmed to Spin.ph that indeed, to their surprise, Hill received some negative text messages on his phone, mostly in Filipino.
“Huwag ka mag practice… Wala ka rin namang silbi,” read one of the messages the source recalled to have been sent to Hill.
Ginebra officials themselves are at a loss on how some fans were able to track down Hill’s personal number.
But the 28-year-old American seemed bent on ignoring the negativism.
“It’s not a big deal to me. I just have to show what I can do. I didn’t play the way I wanted to in the beginning of the game,” said Hill, who was once drafted by the Utah Jazz.
“It’s (the game) over now, there’s nothing I can do about it but learn from it.”
He added: “I was like zero percent of the old me in our last game. I was a little excited and nervous, that’s why I missed shots in the beginning. It comes with the territory. I’ll just play my best and play for my teammates, coaches, and people that support me.”
But Hill vows to be a better player in the Kings’ game against Globalport Batang Pier on Friday.
“I am so excited about our game tomorrow (Friday)... Whatever happens after that, I’ll just leave that on the court. You can’t change what people see in you,” he said.
In the wake of reports about his impending exit from Ginebra, the big man out of Providence replied, “honestly, I don’t really worry about that. I just worry about the job at hand. Right now, I’m (still) here and hopefully we will win tomorrow (Friday).
“If it doesn’t work out and they (Ginebra management) decide to make a move, it’s not yet the end of the world. There are other leagues to play. This is not the only league in the world.”
Hill has not denied that following his stint with the Incheon Elephants in the Korean Basketball League last April, the game against Air 21 was his first competitive one in nine months.
But he said he’s been giving himself extra training to bring his old form back.
And to his critics who had judged him according to what they saw in his first game, Hill has this one urgent message.
San Mig Coffee is now deep in negotiations with former PBA Commissioner’s Cup best import Denzel Bowles.
No less than team governor Rene Pardo revealed to Spin.ph that San Mig has revived its bid to lure the former best import awardee after the Mixers' 73-98 loss to Petron on Wednesday night.
"Depende sa availability ni Denzel, siya ang priority namin na papalit (kung magpapalit) kasi proven na yan eh," said Pardo. “If he’s available, there might be a possibility that we will replace Matt (Rogers)."
Pardo admitted that he immediately asked team manager Alvin Patrimonio to get in touch with Bowles on Wednesday night after Rogers was completely outplayed by Renaldo Balkman in the loss to the Boosters.
Rogers, who missed San Mig's debut game against Barako Bull due to food poisoning, finished with 20 points on 7-of-19 shooting to go with nine rebounds against Balkman and Co.
Pardo, however, revealed that San Mig has the luxury of time in weighing its import situation since its next game won't be until February 22 against Philippine Cup semis tormentor Rain or Shine.
Like most of the team's fans, Pardo was honest in his assessment of Rogers' performance.
“I’m sure he can do a lot better than what he did last night," Pardo said. "Pero para sa akin, hindi siya post-up guy. Post-up center ang kailangan namin... like Denzel.
“Mabigat ang competition dahil lahat halos ng imports malalaki at nakikipag-banggaan."
The hard-banging Bowles, a San Mig fan favorite, is now in the US after a stint with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in the Chinese Basketball Association.
San Mig officials are hopeful that Bowles has already been given a release by the CBA team, which became an issue when the Mixers first tried to sign him up before the start of the mid-season conference.
“Bukas, I will give you a better answer on whether Bowles will return or not," Pardo promised.
Meralco and Alaska square off for a share of the lead in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts and the Aces try to follow up their huge opening wins as they collide in the opener at 5:15 p.m. to be followed by the game of winless squads San Mig Coffee and Petron Blaze in the second offering at 7:30 p.m.
“If there is one team that I think is underrated it is Meralco. They have in my mind a Best Import candidate,” said Aces coach Luigi Trillo.
Dawson had 37 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks against Tropang Texters to lead the Bolts. He will be pitted against ex-Miami Heat draftee Robert Dozier, who tallied 21 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks in his PBA debut.
The locals of Meralco also contributed enough to snatch the win from the undermanned Talk ‘N Text five.
“They added athletes in (Vic) Manuel and (Rey) Guevarra and they seem to have better chemistry. I am worried for this game,” Trillo added.
Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio said their first win gave them the confidence they needed in facing the challenge especially after trading top player Sol Mercado to Globalport.
“We are upbeat after winning against Talk ‘N Text despite making road major roster changes one week before the tournament,” said Gregorio.
“Team defense is what we have focused on in our preparations. If we come out with the same effort on defense and match the energy of the Aces, then we are in a good match.”
The winner of the Meralco-Alaska encounter joins Barako Bull in the early lead at 2-0.
In the main game, the Mixers will finally have an import when they clash with the Boosters, who will be losing key player Chris Lutz for six weeks because of a rib injury.
“Aminado naman ako, masama talaga yung laro ko at kitang-kita naman ng mga tao,” Tenorio told InterAKTV in a telephone interview. “Siguro kung nakagawa man lang ako maski six points, mananalo pa kami.”
A cerebral point guard, he already knows what he did wrong in the last game.
“Bad shot selection is the main reason. Marami rin kasi akong iniisip. Iniisip ko kung paano ko isi-set up yung mga teammates ko kaya ang nangyari tuloy yung laro ko naman ang naapektuhan at apektado rin yung team ko dahil ako ang missing link,” he said.
“Ito na yung pinakamasamang laro sa career ko.”
Tenorio believes he can bounce back from the setback.
“Nangyayari naman talaga yan sa player. Even nung nasa Alaska ako, may mga times na masama laro ko, pero bumabawi agad ako,” he said.
“Next game, magiging aggressive kaagad ako sa umpisa, especially sa offense para rin mataas kaagad yung kumpiyansa ko. Baka kasi kapag hindi ako naging agresibo, mahirapan na naman ako maka-score.”
Tenorio knows that although he sets up the plays for his team, he is likewise tasked to produce points.
“Kailangan rin kasi yung scoring ko, hindi lang ako, pati rin yung mga kasama naming,” he added. “Kailangan tulong-tulong kami sa scoring.”
The contact on Bruno Sundov’s shot in the final play against Alaska last Saturday was a foul, the PBA told Rain or Shine.
The league also informed the Elasto Painters that referee Emmanuel Tankion, who missed the call, has been suspended for 10 playdates because of the error.
Rain or Shine team executive Mamerto Mondragon confirmed the news to InterAKTV.
Sundov’s final attempt was foiled by the Aces, leading to a loose ball recovery. Cyrus Baguio capped the play with a buzzer-beating layup that gave Alaska the win.
Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao asked for a review of the play, contending that Sundov was hit more than once on the play.
“Parang ang nangyayari referees na yung nagdi-decide ng outcome because of the judgment call or non-call,” said Guiao.
“I think substantial yung ipinakita naming mga evidence that Bruno was hit several times and no foul was called against him.”
Guiao said he wasn’t protesting the reversal of the result, but said it’s up to the PBA to clarify its stance on the rules about whether an official should call a foul or not.
“Parang ang nangyayari kasi, referees lang ang nakakaalam how a foul is beign called or not,” Guiao added. “They should give clearer definition how a foul is being called based on the rule we’re implementing right now.”
The coach added that the PBA should take it upon itself to educate not just the teams, but the public too.
“Kasama rito yung mga audience. They have the right to be educated how a foul is being called or not called. They should know bad officiating from good officiating in the same way they should know what’s a good game and a bad game,” he said.
“Gusto natin ng consistent officiating. Ayaw naman natin na magiging masaya tayo dahil nakinabang tayo sa bad officiating dahil you know pwede ring mangyari sa iyo yan na ikaw naman nasa receiving end ng bad officiating. Everyone has the right to know.”
After playing without an import in their opening game, San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone is looking forward to their second assignment at full strength.
“I guess we can throw that first game out the window,” said Cone, referring to the Mixers’ 79-75 defeat to Barako Bull with import Matt Rogers sitting out because of food poisoning.
“But our import, who ran into some bad luck (and some bad food), will be available this time around and we’ll get a chance to see where we are at this point.”
Rogers’s anticipated debut on Friday did not happen because of the illness, leaving the defending champions without a player who can match up Barako Bull reinforcement Evan Brock.
Despite playing without an import, San Mig Coffee managed to hang around against Barako Bull throughout the match.
Two-time Most Valuable Player James Yap carried the scoring load for the Mixers while new recruits Leo Najorda and Alex Malari had decent debuts with the team.
Najorda had eight points on 4-of-6 shooting off the bench while Mallari finished with five points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Cone said the game against Petron on Wednesday will give him a better idea about his team’s true strength.
“Petron and Talk ‘N Text are still favorites despite losing their first games so we obviously have our work cut out for us,” he said.
Michael Dunigan, who finished with 26 points and 19 rebounds as the Express outlasted Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 74-70. Dunigan scored 18 points in the second half to rescue Air 21 as he
completely outplayed his counterpart Herbert Hill, who scored 17 points
but shot a woeful 7-of-24 (24 percent) from the field. The Ginebra
import also committed six turnovers.
Air 21 got the kind of debut it needed from import Michael Dunigan, who finished with 26 points and 19 rebounds as the Express outlasted Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 74-70, in the main game of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.
Dunigan scored 18 points in the second half to rescue Air 21 as he completely outplayed his counterpart Herbert Hill, who scored 17 points but shot a woeful 7-of-24 (24 percent) from the field. The Ginebra import also committed six turnovers.
Hill was held to just two points in the first 24 minutes of play, but picked up his scoring in the second half, as the Gin Kings fought their way back from a 12-point deficit.
But Dunigan conspired with former Ginebra stalwarts Mike Cortez and John Wilson, who scored 13 points apiece, to seal the win for Air 21 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s always a nice feeling beating Ginebra, especially because of their star-studded line up,” said Air 21 coach Franz Pumaren.
“If you look at our lineup, man for man, we’re the weakest in terms of local line up because most of the other teams have upgraded their line ups.”
Pumaren said that beyond his scoring, Dunigan has shored up the team’s interior defense. Air 21 allowed just 19 points for Ginebra in the first half.
“We won this game because of defense. Michael is a big factor. His intimidation underneath is a big plus for us and when the time comes we needed to score, he provided it. He just needs to get used with those pushing and shoving in the PBA,” added Pumaren.
The loss spoiled the effort of Mark Caguioa, who finished with 26 points to lead Ginebra.
The scores:
AIR21 74 – Dunigan 26, Wilson 13, Cortez 13, Reyes 7, Isip 7, Custodio 5, Menor 2, Canaleta 1, Sena 0, Baclao 0, Omolon 0, Ritualo 0, Arboleda 0.
GINEBRA 70 – Caguioa 26, Hill 17, Helterbrnd 10, Wilson 7, Ellis 3, Tenorio 3, Baracael 2, Mamaril 2, Taha 0, Jensen 0, Maierhofer 0, Hatfield 0.
Barako Bull’s finish kick was so strong, the GlobalPort Batang Pier didn’t quite know what hit them.
The Energy Colas finished the game on a 22-2 run spanning the fourth quarter and overtime period, hacking out a 98-88 victory over GlobalPort Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Barako Bull looked dead in the water trailing by 10 points, 86-76, heading into the two-minute mark of regulation. But the Energy Colas locked down on defense and finished the fourth period with a 10-0 run capped by a three-pointer by a corner three-pointer Mark Macapagal to force overtime.
They finished the job in extra time, outscoring GlobalPort, 12-2, for their second straight victory and an early spot atop the Commissioner’s Cup team standings.
Import Evan Brock led the charge with 25 points and 18 rebounds, while Josh Urbiztondo added 24 points on six three-pointers for Barako Bull, which saw five players — Brock, Urbiztondo,, Macapagal, Jonas Villanueva, and Allein Maliksi — logging at least 35 minutes with a shorthanded roster missing five key players.
Villanueva chipped in 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while Danny Seigle added 16 points, including a slam dunk over GlobalPort import Justin Williams in the fourth quarter that fired up the Energy Colas.
The loss spoiled the fine efforts of GlobalPort’s top guns.
Japeth Aguilar led GlobalPort in scoring with 23 points and added 10 rebounds. Sol Mercado finished with 19 points and 16 assists, while Williams posted 12 points and 27 rebounds before leaving the game in overtime because of an apparent leg injury.
Gary David added 19 points for GlobalPort, whose win-loss record dropped to 1-1.
GlobalPort and Barako Bull battle for the early Commissioner’s Cup lead as they clash in the PBA opener on Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Coming off hard-earned wins at the start of the tournament on Friday, Batang Pier and the Energy Cola square off at 4:15 p.m. with the winner taking the top spot with a 2-0 win-loss card.
In the main game, Alfrancis Chua debuts as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach against Air 21 in their 6:30 p.m. duel. Herbert Hill will reinforce the Gin Kings while Michael Dunigan will lead the Express.
GlobalPort shocked Petron Blaze, 94-92, while Barako Bull upended the import-less San Mig Coffee, 79-75, to start their respective campaign on a high note last Friday.
Gary David, Sol Mercado and Japeth Aguilar carried the fight for Batang Pier after import Justin Williams was ejected in the game because of a flagrant foul penalty two on Boosters center June Mar Fajardo.
“But we still lots of jelling to do,” said Globalport coach Junel Baculi. “We cannot rely on individual talent. We have to build our chemistry.”
David had a game-high 28 points while Mercado and Aguilar, who came in via separate trades during the break, contributed 17 and 16, respectively, for GlobalPort.
The Energy Colas banked on their defense in silencing the defending champion Mixers, who played without Matt Rogers who was sidelined due to food poisoning.
Evan Brock provided the hustle plays for Barako Bull while guards Josh Urbiztondo and new recruit Jonas Villanueva contributed big numbers for the victory.
“We won by defense and that’s the great way to begin,” said Energy Cola consultant Rajko Toroman. “But we have a new system. A lot of things are new. We need time to put everything in the right spot.”
The Meralco import scored 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bolts to an impressive 99-92 victory over the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters in the Commissioner’s Cup Saturday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Dawson added 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Bolts, who squandered an 18-point first half lead before recovering in time to turn back the Tropang Texters.
“We played Talk N Text at the right time. They didn’t have extensive practice together and they have two new guys on their roster,” said Ryan Gregorio.
“We, on the other hand, were practicing a long time. Eric has been practicing for us for the past three weeks.”
Ronjay Buenafe and Mac Cardona added 19 and 16 points, respectively, for the Bolts. Chris Ross, starting at the point guard spot in place of the traded Sol Mercado, scored just two points but had nine rebounds and eight assists for Meralco.
“This is definitely a brand new franchise. It’s nice to win this game against the champs,” added Gregorio.
“I like the unpredictability of our game right now. We can go to the post and we can go off screen.”
Despite the team effort, it was Dawson who sealed the deal for the Bolts, scoring 11 of his team’s final 13 points. He drew the sixth and final foul of Talk ‘N Text import Keith Benson with more than three minutes remaining, taking the fight out of the Tropang Texters.
Benson led Talk ‘N Text with 25 points, while Jimmy Alapag added 18, 14 of which came in the second half. Jayson Castro had 15 of his 17 points in the second quarter, but played sparingly in the second half because of an apparent injury.
Cyrus Baguio hit a fastbreak layup in transition to beat the buzzer and give the Alaska Aces an 83-81 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Saturday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Baguio’s basket capped a thrilling endgame comeback for the Aces, who needed a desperation 25-foot three-pointer from Calvin Abueva to tie the game at 81-all with 10 seconds left in the game.
Rain or Shine set up a play for import Bruno Sundov for its final possession. But the attempt of the 7-foot-3 Croatian, who scored a game-high 30 points, was foiled at the basket by Abueva, leading to a loose ball.
That sequence led to a recovery by Baguio, who raced down court past three Elasto Painters to score the game-winning layup.
Import Robert Dozier led the Aces with 21 points in his PBA debut.
The game will be broadcast over AKTV at 10 p.m. Saturday.
GlobalPort import Justin Williams became the first reinforcement to be penalized by the PBA in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup.
The PBA slapped Williams a fine of P40,000 for his flagrant foul penalty two on Petron rookie June Mar Fajardo in the Batang Pier’s opening match against the Boosters.
The import landed an elbow to Fajardo’s kisser, resulting in the ejection.
GlobalPort coach Junel Baculi told InterAKTV in a text message that the fine was “too much.”
In his defense, Williams said he wasn’t trying to hurt Fajardo, saying the contact was incidental.
Donnell Harvey, the import who led Talk ‘N Text to the Commissioner’s Cup finals last season, is back in town for vacation over the Chinese New Year break.
But the former NBA first round pick is mixing a little business with pleasure.
Harvey’s agent Sheryl Reyes said the import is still open to suiting up for Talk ‘N Text, but would welcome opportunities with other PBA teams.
“Talk ‘N Text is his main priority because he loves his teammates and he feels that he can get the championship for them this time,” said Reyes.
“Pero if they don’t need his services, he is open to play for a different squad.”
Reyes said she had already asked Talk ‘N Text team manager Aboy Castro about securing a release for Harvey, whose PBA rights still belong with the Tropang Texters.
With Harvey still finish a tour of duty in the Chinese Basketball Association, Talk ‘N Text has moved ahead and signed another reinforcement, Keith Benson.
Castro said Benson has impressed for Talk ‘N Text so far.
“He’s been doing well. He’s a quick learner given that we’ve only had eight practices so far. He played well in a tuneup game against NLEX the other day, a team which had Greg Slaughter, Ian Sanggalang and Marcus Douthit,” wrote Castro in a text message to InterAKTV.
Harvey is currently the leading rebounder in the CBA, averaging 16.1 rebounds per game while playing for the Tianjin Steel.
Last season, Josh Urbiztondo and Jonas Villanueva helped the B-MEG Llamados win the Commissioner’s Cup.
One year later, the point guard duo was winning at their old team’s expense, as they led Barako Bull to a tight 79-75 victory over the San Mig Coffee Mixers Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Urbiztondo, who was traded to Barako Bull prior to the start of the season, posted 17 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Villanueva, who joined the Energy Colas after the Philippine Cup, had 16 points and five assists, including a key pass to Danny Seigle for a three-pointer that pushed the Barako Bull lead to five points, 76-71, with 30 seconds remaining.
Import Evan Brock added 18 points and 12 rebounds for Barako Bull, which took advantage of San Mig Coffee playing without reinforcement Matt Rogers. The Mixers import was confined in the hospital prior to the game because of suspected food poisoning.
“This is an important win for us,” said Toroman. “I have five or six players on injured list and the rotation was so small. But we played good defense.”
Despite playing with a handicap, San Mig Coffee kept the game close led by James Yap, who scored 19 points but suffered an injury late that kept him on the bench for key stretches of the fourth quarter.
GlobalPort could have given up after import Justin Williams was ejected from the game early in the third quarter.
But instead of rolling over, the Batang Pier came from behind to fashion out an impressive 94-92 victory over the Petron Blaze Boosters, 94-92, Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum to open their 2013 Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
“I begged the players to play defense, hang on and make the game close because I thought we can pull off an upset,” said GlobalPort coach Junel Baculi.
Gary David scored 28 points while new acquisitions Sol Mercado and Japeth Aguilar added 17 and 16, respectively, for GlobalPort, which bucked the disqualification of reinforcement Justin Williams with 8:18 left in the third quarter.
Williams still finished with an impressive line of 18 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocked shots before he was called for a flagrant foul penalty two after elbowing June Mar Fajardo, leading to an automatic ejection.
Mercado’s free throws with less than three minutes left gave GlobalPort the lead for good. GlobalPort was still up, 93-92, when Arwind Santos’ long-range attempt failed to hit the mark, forcing Petron to foul Aguilar with 1.8 seconds left.
Aguilar split his free throws, giving Petron one last crack. But Ronald Tubid was unable to get off his final shot, preserving the GlobalPort victory.
Aguilar added nine rebounds and three blocks while Mercado had 11 assists for the Batang Pier, which tied its win total from the Philippine Cup with the victory.
The scores:
GLOBALPORT 94 – David 28, Williams 18, Mercado 17, Aguilar 16, Yee 8, Salvador 3, Nabong 2, Miller 2, Deutchman 0, Lingganay 0, Juntilla 0, Aljamal 0, Adducul 0.
The big boys are back for the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup! With no height
limit and 10 new faces, the action promises to be titanic. Who will
stand tallest? Here’s an early look.
Bruno Sundov, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
In last season’s no-limit conference, Rain or Shine opted to go with a
smaller guy in Duke Crews. The Elasto Painters are going in a
completely opposite direction this time around, tapping the 7-foot-3
Sundov for the Commissioner’s Cup. He spent seven seasons in the NBA
with the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Cleveland
Cavaliers and New York Knicks, though he’s never played more than 26
games in a season.
Sundov will likely be the most compelling import to follow this
conference. For one thing, he is huge. He’s the largest import to ever
suit up in the league and with some teams opting to go small for their
import despite the lack of a height limit, Sundov’s size will be
apparent the moment he steps on the floor for the Elasto Painters.
The other thing that makes him interesting is his style of play. He’s
a big guy who likes taking jumpers, and if Rain or Shine coach Yeng
Guiao is to be believed, he’s pretty darn good at making them as well.
That, of course, makes him an excellent fit with the Elasto Painters,
where their centers have the green light to throw up treys whenever the
shot is there.
The downside to Sundov, obviously, is a lack of athleticism and
mobility. There are few players his size blessed with agility. That
means his teammates will have to compensate a little to allow their
import to stay in spots where he’s comfortable.
That’s not to say he’ll be a sieve defensively, though. At his size,
he’ll definitely be a big presence on either end. But it’ll be up to
Rain or Shine to make the mismatches work in their favor instead of
against them.
For a team like Rain or Shine that got so close to the title last
conference, this is a very interesting import choice. At his size, he’ll
very easily get his jumpers off and if he makes them at a high rate,
this team will be very hard to stop. It would be to no one’s surprise if
the Elasto Painters find themselves very much in the mix late in the
conference, and Sundov will have plenty to do with that.
Matt Rogers, San Mig Coffee Mixers
Rogers will be taking on the unenviable task of following the very
popular Denzel Bowles, who led this team to a title in last year’s
Commissioner’s Cup. There will be inevitable comparisons, which might
not be fair to Rogers, but San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone has assured
fans that the 6-foot-11, 225-pound Rogers is a guy they’re going to
like.
Like Bowles, Rogers is a skilled big guy. He led his Southwest
Baptist University squad with averages of 18.3 points and 8.7 rebounds
as a sophomore. He’s performed well with the Texas Legends in the NBA
D-League as well, scoring 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and over a block per
game while playing just 17 minutes per game. He also appeared in four
NBA Summer League games for the Indiana Pacers last year and moved to
the Spanish league LEB Oro to play for Coruna.
Cone has said that Rogers isn’t as physically strong as Bowles, but
is athletic and has shooting range that extends to the three-point line.
He has the ability to knock down long shots, although he doesn’t seem
to take too many of them — which is something you’d like of a 6-11 guy
anyway. In 11 games in the Spanish second-tier league LEB Oro, Rogers
hit a pretty impressive 44% from three-point range. He only had nine
attempts in that span, but made four of them.
So Rogers is looking like he’ll be a nice versatile presence for the
Mixers who can do his damage inside but also knock down shots if he
finds himself open on the outside, which will happen on occasion in
Cone’s system. He’ll be a nice fit and a good replacement for Bowles,
although for San Mig Coffee fans, the only Bowles comparison that will
likely matter is whether or not he can lead the team to the title.
Keith Benson/Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters
Benson played collegiate ball for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies — one
of the so-called mid-majors in NCAA Division I ball — where he set a
Summit League record for career blocks and received the Lou Henson
Award, an honor given to the mid-major player of the year. He was a late
second round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in the 2011 NBA Draft and was
able to play in two preseason games before being waived.
He is an interesting physical specimen. Benson stands 6-foot-11 and
has a terrific wingspan of 7-4 and will undoubtedly be a major lockdown
presence for the Tropang Texters in the paint. He averaged 10.7 points,
7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Erie BayHawks in his most recent NBA
D-League stint while playing just 24 minutes per contest. His
shotblocking ability should translate well to the PBA, with a quick
leap, good timing and his excellent length.
On offense, he’s not the most polished player, but he does have a few
reliable go-to moves like the jump hook and a nice midrange touch. He
probably won’t dominate offensively, but that won’t matter too much on a
talented offensive team like Talk ‘N Text.
Benson makes a lot of sense for the Tropang Texters. With what is
likely the best core of local players in the league today — they’ve won
the Philippine Cup three straight times, after all — they probably need a
dominant defensive presence more than they need a possession-heavy
offensive talent that could potentially mess up what’s obviously already
working.
And that’s exactly what they get with Benson: a player that’s an excellent fit on an excellent team.
The big boys are back for the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup! With no height
limit and 10 new faces, the action promises to be titanic. Who will
stand tallest? Here’s an early look.
Herbert Hill, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
The 6-foot-10 Hill was a former Utah Jazz draft pick that spent a
year with the Philadelphia 76ers, although never played because of an
injury. He averaged a modest 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in
11 NBA D-League games with the Bakersfield Jam in 2007-08, but upped
those averages to 17.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in a
five-game stint with the Tulsa 66ers when given significant minutes.
Last year, he wrapped up a season with the Incheon Elephants in the
Korean Basketball League where he posted numbers of 21.8 points, 11
rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 38 minutes per game.
The former Providence big man hasn’t shown much range, but performs
very well inside the paint, with a nice arsenal of shots from within 10
feet. He has a great touch around the basket and should put up
impressive numbers here in the PBA. Hill should provide a nice presence
on the defensive end as well, but offense is likely where he’ll shine.
The one concern about Hill is his free throw shooting, making just
42.1% of his attempts in 16 games in the D-League. He’s shown
improvement of late, hitting 68.1% of his free throws in Incheon. That’s
not so bad, though it will probably garner some attention if his
struggles resurface.
Hill will be in stepping into a thankless job as the import of
Ginebra, the most popular team in the league. Sure, a huge chunk of the
fans will be squarely behind him and his team… as long as they keep
winning. There will be a lot of pressure on him to lead the team to a
deep run this conference, and it will be interesting to see if he can
deliver.
Robert Dozier, Alaska Aces
The 6-foot-9 Dozier’s claim to fame was a nice run with the Memphis
Tigers in the NCAA where he and his teammates Derrick Rose, Chris
Douglas-Roberts, and Joey Dorsey made it to the national championship
game where they fell to Kansas Jayhawks led by Mario Chalmers. Dozier
had a pretty solid collegiate career, wrapping up his final season
averaging 12.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
He was drafted by the Miami Heat with the very last pick of the 2009
NBA draft, but couldn’t crack the lineup. After failing to make it to
the NBA, Dozier spent a couple of productive seasons in Europe. He
bulked up and earned himself a spot back on the Heat’s Summer League
team and an invite to training camp last year.
He’s described as long, athletic, mobile and with the ability to
defend multiple positions — all the tools necessary to be a dominant
defensive player in the PBA. He has a versatile offensive skill set as
well, showing the ability to stretch the floor for his team and a nice
first step that gives opposing bigs trouble. In his final year at
Memphis, he was comfortable shooting from beyond the arc, taking 1.5
attempts from three per game while making about 38% of them.
He’ll be a nice addition to the Aces. Dozier’s versatility will be
let him fit in nicely whether it’s beside or in place of Alaska center
Sonny Thoss. His length and athleticism will make him a tough cover for
locals and some of the bigger imports and it will be interesting how far
he can take the fast-rising Aces this conference.
Eric Dawson, Meralco Bolts
The Bolts’ reinforcement Dawson will be very interesting to follow.
He didn’t have a high-profile college basketball stint like some other
imports — Dawson played four years of Division II basketball for
little-known Midwestern State University. But he has played several
years with the San Antonio Spurs’ D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros,
and has used that opportunity to really, well, develop.
He played 81 games with the Toros through five seasons and has seen
his numbers rise almost every year. And that’s not merely an effect of
increased minutes. His production per-minute has risen almost across the
board. From an average of 10.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1
steals and 1.0 blocks in 24.5 minutes in the 2008-09 season, his first
year with a significant number of games, Dawson has raised those numbers
up to 17.2, 10.6, 2.3, 1.2 and 1.6 in 29 minutes per game. He was named
the D-League’s Impact Player of the Year and was actually called up to
play four games for the Spurs after Tiago Splitter went down with an
injury last season.
The lengthy, 6-9 Dawson, who has a 7-6 wingspan, should be a great
two-way player for Meralco who could be one of the standout performers
this conference. More than the numbers, though, he’s a player who knows
how to win, having led teams in Japan and South Korea to championships
and having spent a little time within the very impressive Spurs
organization.
Dawson’s already impressed his coach, Ryan Gregorio. But the Bolts
will face an uphill battle in trying to become contenders so soon after
starting a rebuilding process — trading cornerstone Sol Mercado for a
crop of promising young players and a draft pick. He’ll have to step up
in a big way, and it will be interesting to see if Dawson is up to the
task.
The big boys are back for the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup! With no height
limit and 10 new faces, the action promises to be titanic. Who will
stand tallest? Here’s an early look.
Justin Williams, GlobalPort Batang Pier
Williams is one of the more intriguing imports in the upcoming
conference. He wrapped up his college career at Wyoming with averages of
11 points, 11 rebounds and 5.4 blocks per game. He followed that up
with a nice stretch with the Dakota Wizards in the NBA D-League where he
posted averages of 12-12-3 before receiving a 10-day contract with the
Sacramento Kings in 2007. He played a total of 49 games with two teams
in the NBA.
The 6-foot-10 Williams is a nice athlete with length and timing so
he’s expected to shine on the defensive end. He has good instincts when
it comes to blocking shots, and is a smart team defender. He’s also a
strong rebounder with a quick second jump. He looks to have the
potential to be a huge presence defensively, something the Batang Pier
will surely appreciate.
Offensively, he may be a little limited, but is a decent enough
finisher around the rim to make an impact. He probably won’t be coming
out and scoring 30 a game like some imports do. He was being asked by
GlobalPort’s front office to be more aggressive offensively, but that
probably won’t be as much of an issue after the additions of Sol Mercado
and Japeth Aguilar to an offensively-loaded lineup that already
features Gary David and Willie Miller.
He was put under evaluation by GlobalPort when he first arrived here,
but has played well enough in practices and tuneup games to keep his
spot. Right now, he’s looking like an excellent fit for a team that
badly needs a defensive anchor. He’ll form a lengthy, athletic duo with
Aguilar up front, and it will be interesting to see if the newly-rebuilt
Batang Pier can make a splash as contenders right off the bat.
Evan Brock, Barako Bull Energy Colas
Brock is not a complete stranger to Philippine soil. The 2012 ASEAN
Basketball League finals Most Valuable Player led his Indonesia Warriors
past the hometown San Miguel Beermen last year, clinching the title in a
tight contest here at the Ynares Sports Arena.
The PBA is a different league from the ABL, of course, but there
aren’t a lot of reasons to think that Brock couldn’t replicate some of
his success here. After all, he averaged an impressive 21.7 points and
13.7 rebounds in the three-game finals series against the Beermen, a
team that featured two of last year’s Commissioner’s Cup imports in Nick
Fazekas and Duke Crews as well as PBA top pick June Mar Fajardo.
The 6-foot-8 Brock is a guy that plays above the rim with ease. In
the ABL, a good chunk of his highlight reel consists of him flushing
home alley-oops from teammates in transition. He likes to get up and
down the court and that should make him easy for local fans to like. He
uses his athleticism not just on offense, but also to challenge shots
and grab boards.
It’s hard to say what the fortunes for Barako Bull will be like this
conference. They’ll have a new person calling the shots in team
consultant Rajko Toroman, a new system in place, and a bunch of new
players from the five-team deal last month. Brock and his teammates will
have a lot to learn on the fly but they’ll definitely be an
entertaining team to catch this conference.
Michael Dunigan, Air 21 Express
Dunigan took an interesting route to the pros, ending his collegiate
career at Oregon after his sophomore season, where he averaged a modest
9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, to play professionally
in Israel.
He had nice stints in Europe, recording 12.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and
1.7 blocks in Ukraine and 11.1 points, 8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in
Estonia, before receiving an invite to the Memphis Grizzlies training
camp alongside former PBA import Jarrid Famous over the offseason.
Unfortunately for Dunigan, he was unable to lock down a roster spot in
the NBA. He then played four games in Australia where he posted 13.8
points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
The 6-foot-10 Dunigan is a strong interior threat who has improved
his mobility and athleticism since turning pro after he lost 30 pounds.
He’ll be comfortable in a role where he gets plenty of touches in the
paint, having already done that with some teams in the past. He’s a nice
finisher around the basket, and has shown the ability to draw fouls at a
decent rate.
The Air 21 franchise seemed to have turned a corner in the Philippine
Cup, finishing out of the cellar in the standings after three straight
conferences in the bottom. Dunigan is going to try to keep that momentum
going this conference, even after the two teams the Express topped last
conference retooled with big trades over the break.
Renaldo Balkman, Petron Blaze Boosters
Balkman likely has the best pedigree among this crop of imports.
Local basketball fans will undoubtedly remember the dreadlocked energy
guy drafted 20th overall by the New York Knicks in 2006. He’s a
legitimate NBA guy who played six season with the Knicks, the Nuggets
and the Knicks again. Balkman played about 62 games in each of his first
three years while logging around 15 minutes per game. He’s a also a
veteran of the international game, representing Puerto Rico alongside
guys like JJ Barea and Carlos Arroyo.
His numbers won’t blow you away, but like many other NBA role
players, the boxscore doesn’t tell much of the story. His best season,
statistically, was his rookie year when he averaged a modest 4.9 points
and 4.3 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game.
Bbut for stat-heads who like advanced statistics, that’s actually a
near double-double — 11.3 points and 9.9 rebounds — if you extrapolate
his numbers to 36 minutes instead of that 15 he actually played).
But he’s not the biggest guy, which is interesting in a conference
where there isn’t a height limit. Early in his career, Balkman was
measured at just a shade above 6-foot-5 without shoes, although he makes
up for it with his 7-foot-1 wingspan. He’s shown he can be a pretty
decent rebounder, though, even when playing the 3-spot, and there’s
little reason to think that wouldn’t translate to his PBA stint. He has a
reputation for being good in anticipating where balls go, which
contributes in his ability to track down boards and loose balls.
Balkman is an interesting choice for Petron Blaze, which has more
than enough offensive firepower to have an import who might not be a
dominant offensive player but will definitely be a major presence on the
defensive end. His smaller size might mean he won’t be taking minutes
away from rookie big man June Mar Fajardo, whose continued development
will be something to watch for this conference.
If Balkman can get the rest of this deep, talented squad to play hard
for 48 minutes by leading by example, then Petron should be a real
contender this conference.
So ferocious was the Gin Kings' defense that held the Energy Cola to an abysmal 25.6 percent shooting in the first half (10-of-39) to take a 39-26 haltime lead that only swelled in the second half.
