Ginebra beats Talk 'n Text to set Finals with Alaska

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel saw their 22-point lead reduced to seven before holding on in the endgame to outlast the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, 111-103, on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

LA Tenorio was the best player of the game with 28 points, six rebounds, five assists and a 12-of-14 shooting clip from the freethrow stripe.

A Tony Mitchell three with 2:11 remaining cut the lead to ten after an LA Tenorio layup, before Vernon Macklin split from the line. Another Tenorio fastbreak layup made it a 13-point game with 1:33 to go, 102-89, as Mitchell made only one from the line at the other end.

A Ginebra turnover led to a Ryan Reyes steal and layup, cutting the lead to ten with a little over a minute left, but the Tropa sent Mac Baracael to the line for a split. The Texters called for time with 61 seconds left on the clock, which led to a quick bucket from Ali Peek.

Kerby Raymundo trooped to the line as TNT tried to stop the clock. Raymundo drained both, giving the Texters 56.2 seconds to deal with an 11-point lead. After Norman Black called for his final timeout, Mitchell rung in a quick three, but Tenorio hit both from the freethrow line.

TNT responded with a Ryan Reyes basket, while Tenorio sank two more from the strop. The Texters went to Fonacier for a three at the top of the key, as the former Ateneo Blue Eagle only made one. After a forced miss by Fonacier, Mitchell hit another three, 109-103.

With 34.5 seconds remaining, Mark Caguioa was sent in by Ginebra head coach Alfrancis Chua. WIth 25.5 remaining, "The Spark" sank two more from the line, making it an eight-point game.

After JJ Helterbrand missed two from the line, Ginebra collared the offensive board, with Tenorio giving Caguioa the ball to dribble off the time.


The scores:

GINEBRA 111 - Tenorio 28, Macklin 22, Baracael 21, Helterbrand 15, Raymundo 13, Hatfield 6, Urbiztondo 3, Caguioa 2, Ellis 1, Mamaril 0.

TALK N' TEXT 103 - Mitchell 42, Castro 15, Peek 11, Reyes 10, Ferriols 9, Aban 8, Fonacier 3, Al-Hussaini 2, Carey 2, Raymundo 1, Gamalinda 0, Alvarez 0, Alapag 0.

Quarters: 27-18, 61-41, 78-69, 111-103

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SMC to ‘re-evaluate’ PBA participation after Balkman incident

San Miguel Corporation, which owns the Petron Blaze Boosters, has accepted the PBA’s decision to impose a ban on Renaldo Balkman after the import’s meltdown last Friday against Alaska.

But the conglomerate said in a statement that it will “re-evaluate” its continued participation in the professional league after the damage to its reputation caused by the incident.

“San Miguel Corporation would like to apologize to basketball fans and the Philippine Basketball Association, for the unsportsmanlike conduct shown by its import, Renaldo Balkman, last Friday, March 8. We accept the decision to ban Mr. Balkman for life from the league,” said the corporation in a statement

“Unfortunately, the incident has been blown out of proportion and has damaged our good name. Already, news of the incident has spread throughout the country and overseas through traditional and online media.”

Apart from Petron, SMC owns Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Mig Coffee Mixers, the two most popular teams in the PBA. SMC has been a member of the PBA since the league’s inception in 1975 with the Petron franchise, which carried the Royal Tru-Orange, San Miguel Beer, and Magnolia brands.

SMC’s statement follows in full:

    San Miguel Corporation would like to apologize to basketball fans and the Philippine Basketball Association, for the unsportsmanlike conduct shown by its import, Renaldo Balkman, last Friday, March 8. We accept the decision to ban Mr. Balkman for life from the league.

    We do not condone his actions. The mandate of our basketball operations has always been to entertain basketball fans and foster camaraderie and a spirit of healthy competition. We pride ourselves in having great teams who serve as good role models to the youth and community.

    Unfortunately, the incident has been blown out of proportion and has damaged our good name. Already, news of the incident has spread throughout the country and overseas through traditional and online media.

    Our reputation is of utmost importance to us because we have worked hard to cultivate this good name through the decades. But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts.

    As such, given the possible long-term effect of this incident to the San Miguel organization’s image, and in consideration of our need to preserve our good reputation, Management has decided to re-evaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA.

    Moving forward, we believe sports is a pillar of Philippine society and we will continue to support it and Filipino athletes in general in meaningful ways in and out of the PBA.

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Caguioa Sparks to survive Mixers rally

Barangay Ginebra survived a late San Mig Coffee rally for a huge 96-88 victory Sunday night in the PBA Commissioner's Cup before a capacity crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

In front of the biggest crowd of the tournament, Mark “The Spark” Caguioa shone brightest


The Kings almost squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter cushion, but held on behind the outside snippings of reigning MVP Mark Caguioa.

The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel superstar scored 25 points, including two huge three-pointers in the last two minutes, to lead the Gin Kings to a 96-88 victory over the San Mig Coffee Mixers in their Manila Clasico showdown Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Two-time league MVP James Yap carried the reigning champion Mixers on his shoulders and engaged Caguioa in a virtual shootout entering the stretch run of the match the Kings dominated all the way..

The win gave the Gin Kings its second win in seven games, coming against their traditional rivals in front of a wild crowd of 16,617.

“Pinakita lang ni Mark Caguioa na he’s still Mark Caguioa,” said Ginebra coach Alfrancis Chua.

But Caguioa did not do it alone. LA Tenorio quarterbacked the squad masterfully, finishing with 12 points and 13 assists.

“Malaking isda ‘tong nahuli namin,” said Chua.

“They’re taller, they’re stronger than us. Pero mas malaki ang puso nila sa kalaban.”

Import Vernon Macklin added 20 points and 16 rebounds for Ginebra while providing the energy for the squad.

“Gusto siya ng mga players because of his fighting heart,” said Chua. “Yung mga ganun masarap kasama sa laban.”

Ginebra got key contributions from role players Billy Mamaril, who scored 13 points, and Chris Ellis, who added 11.

Denzel Bowles led the fight for San Mig Coffee with 25 points and 16 rebounds, while James Yap added 21.

The loss snapped San Mig Coffee’s three-game winning streak. The Mixers’ win-loss record fell to 3-4.

The scores:

GINEBRA 96 – Caguioa 25, Macklin 20, Mamaril 13, Tenorio 12, Ellis 11, Raymundo 6, Labagala 4, Baracael 4, Maierhofer 1.

SAN MIG COFFEE 88 – Bowles 25, Yap 21, Devance 13, Pingris 11, Mallari 4, Barroca 4, Simon 4, De Ocampo 4, Najorda 2, Gaco 0.

Quarters: 24-17, 48-35, 67-58, 96-88

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Manila Clasico: Mixers, Kings renew rivalry

Defending champion San Mig Coffee, in a logjam at midtable, tries to move up a notch when it battles cellar-dwelling Barangay Ginebra on Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup main at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Mixers are even at 3-3 after winning their last three games, going 3-1 with recently reacquired import Denzel Bowles. They go for their fourth straight win this conference against the Gin Kings (1-5) at 6:30 p.m.

“You get those runs of four, five or six-game winning streak. But everybody then starts gunning for you. For us, we’re desperate for a win. We’re trying to create our momentum,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

The Mixers are enter the match tied for fourth with Barako Bull and Meralco and hope to close in on the idle league-leader Alaska (6-1).

“I always tell the team, until we get to .500 we can’t talk about anything, like playoffs. But good news, because we got here now, and hopefully, we keep winning and get a good playoff position,” he added.

The 6-foot-10 Bowles, tapped to replace Matt Rogers, has been averaging modest numbers for the Mixers this conference – 19.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.7 blocks in 35.7 minutes of play.

The big difference is Bowles’ familiarity with Cone’s system, which made it easy for the team to adjust when Rogers was replaced after his one-game stint with Petron.

On the other hand, the Gin Kings are still struggling despite a change of import from Herbert Hill to Vernon Macklin.

While Macklin is a high-energy guy who can provide offense inside because of his size, strength and leaping ability, local players from the Gin Kings need to come to his support if they hope to begin their climb to respectability.

Barangay Ginebra is coming off a 93-96 loss to Rain or Shine last week after hitting just 27-of-46 free throws. Macklin said that pretty much explains the wasted opportunities.

“We just have to regroup and play harder. I kind of let my team down missing those free throws,” explained Macklin, who still finished the game with 27 points, 16 rebounds and two shot blocks.

Consistency is something the Gin Kings need to display this conference in order for the team not to be overly dependent on its import and Mark Caguioa for offense.

The “Spark” has been doing it all for the locals in the Kings’ first six games, averaging 21.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 37.1 minutes.

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Ginebra aim 2nd win against Rain or Shine; Petron faces Barako

Petron Blaze guns for a fifth straight win against Barako Bull in Sunday’s opening game as the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup resumes at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Boosters and the Energy Colas clash at 4:15 p.m. to be followed by the tussle between Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 6:30 p.m.

After losing its opening match to GlobalPort, Petron has won its next four assignments, including a 60-53 win against Air 21 last Friday.

And the Boosters are doing it minus starting point guard Alex Cabagnot, Chris Lutz, and Danny Ildefonso, who are all sidelined due to injury.

Petron coach Olsen Racela commended his players for playing together and import Renaldo Balkman for providing the leadership.

“I have to give it to our import. He’s our leader and he has stepped up his game,” said Racela, who will be facing his former consultant Rajko Toroman.

Toroman is now on the bench of Barako Bull also serving as consultant to coach Bong Ramos.

The Energy Colas (3-2) are coming off a 93-72 defeat to the Gin Kings last Wednesday.

In the second game, the Elasto Painters try to extend their winning streak to four games against a motivated Ginebra squad, which finally broke into the win column after dropping its first four assignments.

Rain or Shine is coming off a 99-97 win against the Express and coach Yeng Guiao cautions his players not to take the 1-4 Kings lightly.

“You cannot take any team for granted in this league,” said Guiao. “Like what happened to us against Air 21. Suwerte kami nakalusot kami sa game na iyon.”

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Ginebra finally grab its first win from Barako Bull

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 scores:

GINEBRA 93 – Caguioa 23, Macklin 21, Baracael 14, Tenorio 10, Ellis 9, Raymundo 4, Taha 3, Labagala 2, Espiritu 2, Mamaril 2, Helterbrand 2, Maierhofer 1, Hatfield 0.

BARAKO BULL 72 – Brock 16, Urbiztondo 16, Maliksi 10, Pennisi 8, Seigle 6, Kramer 4, Allado 4, Intal 3, Macapagal 3, Duncil 2, Weinstein 0, Anthony 0, Villanueva 0.

Quarters: 21-11, 39-26, 66-46, 93-72

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Ginebra import Macklin has already made good impression

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.

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Ginebra battles GlobalPort; Air 21 vs. Talk ‘N Text

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.

The Express seek win No. 2 in their 5:15 p.m. clash against the Tropang Texters.

In the main game, GlobalPort hopes to bounce back from a sorry loss as it faces Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 7:30 p.m.

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.

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David likes chances of winning against Ginebra because of Hill

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.

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Hill stay strong despite of Ginebra fans criticism

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.

“Stay tuned,” he said.

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Tenorio blame himself in Gin Kings’ loss to Air 21

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel star guard LA Tenorio had a nightmare start to his Commissioner’s Cup.

He missed all 11 of his attempts from the field and was a non-factor in the Gin Kings’ loss to the Air 21 Express Sunday night.

Tenorio took the blame for his team’s setback.

“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.”

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Caption this: Herbert Hill and Michael Dunigan getting entangled

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.

 

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Last minutes explosion of Air 21 defeats Ginebra

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.

Quarters: 17-13, 31-21, 48-50, 74-70

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Ginebra vs Air 21; Barako Bull vs GlobalPort clash

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.”

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2013 Commissioner’s Cup Imports: Barangay Ginebra, Alaska, Meralco

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.

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