After flu James Yap suffers back injury

Nothing has been going right for James Yap in this conference. If it wasn't headline-hugging off-court issues, it was a battle with the flu and, now, a nagging back problem.

The San Mig superstar, though, is fighting on.

"Ganoon talaga, sana maging okay na," Yap said after once again playing limited minutes while scoring seven points in San Mig's 100-92 win over Meralco on Sunday night. "Pero laban lang ng laban, kaya yan."

Yap has been struggling in the entire PBA Commissioner's Cup and more so in his past seven games, with San Mig coach Tim Cone admitting the two-time league MVP wouldn't even be on the court if it weren't the playoffs.

"If this was a regular elimination game, he wouldn’t be playing," said the multi-titled mentor. "It just so happened it’s a playoff game so he had to fight through. He’s doing the best he can in the series."

His latest injury problem is, actually, an offshoot of his bout with the flu in the previous weeks. In his desire to get back in shape, Yap did extra practice and ended up hurting his back.

The back injury, in turn, has become a dilemma for Cone.

"(When) he’s had warm-up, he’s okay to start the game. But when he sits down, his back starts to stiffen up, then loosens up a little bit later, then tightens up again," said the San Mig coach.

"It’s constant management for him. I’m a little scared to play him in the fourth quarter."

Cone, however, is hoping that the two days between Game Two and the deciding match on Wednesday would give his top gun enough time to get himself in better shape. Yap is also set to undergo an MRI scan on his back on Tuesday.

"We’re hoping now we have two days for therapy for James," Cone said. "Hope he gets better and healthy."

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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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PJ Simon lift San Mig Coffee past GlobalPort

Denzel Bowles wasn’t quite the monster in his third game back for San Mig Coffee.

Fortunately for the Mixers, Peter June Simon and James Yap rose to the occasion just when their foul-troubled import needed backup against GlobalPort.

Simon scored 19 points, while Yap hit a dagger three-pointer at the height of a furious late rally by the Batang Pier, as San Mig Coffee grabbed its second straight Commissioner’s Cup win, 91-84, at the Jesse Robredo Coliseum in Naga City.

The Mixers led by as much as 23 points in the second quarter, but Bowles’ foul trouble — he picked up his fifth foul late in the third period — allowed the Batang Pier to come back.

Gary David and Japeth Aguilar tried to lead the GlobalPort uprising, only to fall short. David finished with 27 points while Aguilar added 21.

But the Batang Pier were unable to set up opportunities for import Justin Williams, who scored just 11 points despite Bowles suffering from foul trouble.

The scores:

San Mig Coffee (91) – Simon 19, Bowles 18, Yap 15, Devance 15, Mallari 9, Barroca 8, Pingris 3, Najorda 2, De Ocampo 2, Gaco 0, Ponferada 0.

GlobalPort (84) — David 27, Aguilar 21, Mercado19, Williams 11, Yee 3, Lingganay 2, Salvador 1, Miller 0, Deutchman 0, Mandani 0, Adducul 0.

Quarters: 27-15, 46-33, 68-56, 91-84.

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San Mig Coffee Mixers goes 'Mixin’ It with the Mixers' - Video

San Mig Coffee fan page released dance video featuring the San Mig Coffee Mixers team.

Get a chance to WIN a Meet and Greet with your Mixers Idols in their 'Mixin’ It with the Mixers' Video contest!

Mixin' It With The Mixers Video Contest- Promo Mechanics 

Check out the full video:

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Bowles too skilled not to be a great player in our league, said Cone

Defending champion San Mig Coffee still has a long way to go in its climb up the standings, but coach Tim Cone is convinced his team is headed in the right direction after a 90-82 win over Talk ‘N Text on Sunday.

Now, San Mig hopes to build on that victory when it clashes with unpredictable Globalport on Saturday when the PBA Commissioner’s Cup continues with a road game in Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Last season’s Commissioner’s Cup best import Denzel Bowles is coming off a monster performance against Talk ‘N Text after finishing with 29 points, 23 rebounds, three blocks and two assists - numbers which Cone said they can expect from the young, athletic reinforcement.

“He (Bowles) only had three practices before his first game … but he’s gonna get his rhythm,” Cone said of Bowles, who had a disappointing debut against Rain or Shine. “He’s too skilled not to be a great player in our league. But I think (his skill is) gonna consistently show up this conference.”

Bowles will be facing the conference’s top rebounder and shot-blocker in Globalport’s import Justin Williams. The 6-9 Williams is the least-offensive minded among the 10 PBA imports at the moment, but his presence in the paint has been huge this conference.

Williams though is coming off an anemic five-point effort in the team’s shocking 89-90 loss to Meralco which the Bolts won on Sunday Salvacion’s buzzer-beating three-point shot.

Globalport team owner Mikee Romero was so disappointed with Williams' performance that he later disclosed to Spin.ph that he’ll possibly be seeking for a replacement following the team’s two-game slide.

Among those being eyed as replacements to Williams are DJ Mbenga and Brian Cook, two former members of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Batang Pier star Gary David, however, said the news should serve as a challenge to Williams.

“Sa ganyang balita kahit naman sino macha-challenge. Pero pinangakuan siya na mag-stay siya kapag nanalo kami so somehow, pressured siya,” David told Spin.ph just before he and the rest of the Batang Pier boarded their flight to Legaspi City.

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James Yap in Eat Bulaga to grant wish of his fan with Pingris

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.


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Mark Barroca wants to make his mentor Johnny Abarrientos proud

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.”

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Monster Bowles is back: Past Talk n' Text for first win

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

Quarterscores: 17-17, 44-41, 63-68, 90-82

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Finals rematch San Mig Coffee vs. Talk n' Text; GlobalPort against Meralco

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.”

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San Mig Coffee in negotiation with Bowles

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.

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San Mig Coffee now with Rogers clash with Petron; Alaska and Meralco seek lead

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.

Last Saturday, Alaska came from behind and beat Rain or Shine in its first assignment, 83-81, on Cyrus Baguio’s buzzer-beating lay-up, while Meralco beat Talk ‘N Text, 99-92, on Eric Dawson’s monster performance.

“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.

Matt Rogers did not play in San Mig Coffee’s 79-75 loss to Barako Bull due to food poisoning. Petron lost to GlobalPort, 94-92, in its opening encounter.

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San Mig Coffee back to start with Matt Rogers

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.

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Barako Bull wins vs import-less San Mig Coffee

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.

The scores:

BARAKO BULL 79 – Brock 18, Urbiztondo 17, Villanueva 16, Macapagal 8, Seigle 8, Maliksi 7, Pennisi 5, Duncil 0, Kramer 0, Allado 0.

SAN MIG COFFEE 75 – Yap 19, Reavis 13, Simon 11, Najorda 8, Devance 6, Pingris 6, Mallari 5, Barroca 4, Alvarez 3, Gonzales 0.

Quarters: 16-19, 38-36, 55-52, 79-75

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2013 Commissioner’s Cup Imports: Rain or Shine, San Mig Coffee, Talk ‘N Text

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.

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San Mig Coffee battle against Barako; Global Port on petron to open Commisioner's Cup 2013

GlobalPort tests its retooled roster when it takes on Petron Blaze in the opener at the start of the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Batang Pier, who suddenly became a contender with the acquisition of Sol Mercado and Japeth Aguilar in separate deals, and the Boosters meet at 5:15 p.m. to be followed by the San Mig Coffee-Barako Bull tussle in the main game at 7:30 p.m.

Globalport also has a new coach in Junel Baculi, who replaced Glen Capacio, now the first assistant coach in the squad.

“With the players that we got from trades, Globalport looks competitive on paper,” said Baculi. “But we still have to build chemistry. Good thing is, they are all veterans.”

Mercado, the top scorer of the previous Philippine Cup, will join forces with reigning scoring champ Gary David and two-time MVP Willie Miller.

The Batang Pier are pararding Justin Williams, who will be pitted against NBA veteran and Petron Blaze’s reinforcement Renaldo Balkman, regarded as the yardstick among the imports this conference.

“It’s going to be tough versus Petron but we will compete. Justin Williams is very coachable and has good attitude towards his teammate and the game,” said Baculi.

In the main tiff, the Mixers start their title defense bid against the Energy Cola, who also made a lot of acquisitions during the break.

Barako Bull retained Bong Ramos as interim coach and signed ex-SMART-Gilas coach Rajko Toroman as team consultant. The team has Evan Brock as reinforcement.

“Barako Bull, with Coach Toroman, their new additions and Brock, has the opportunity to be very good this conference. They are truly a dark horse in this race,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone, who also has new players in Leo Najorda, Alex Mallari and Lester Alvarez.

But the Mixers lost JC Intal and Jonas Villanueva, who are now with the Energy Cola, and Aldrech Ramos, now with Alaska, in the multi-player trade deal.

San Mig Coffee is parading Matt Rogers as its import.

“It will be a tough game for us. We need time for our new players and for everyone to get used to the system we want,” said Toroman.

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