The toughest part in losing is...

when you realize you've done everything you are supposed to do and you still come up short. Or did i indeed?

Officially a Magic (Transcription from the Jwill Presscon)

Being a little bit of a fan, i've transcribed most from the nba.com first interview by Jwill as a Magic:

The workout went well. It was a little longer than what I anticipated, but it was good. The results were great.

Obviously I can stay in gameshape without playing games…. I am not one who like running on treadmills or anything like that…

Ready to go in 2-3 weeks… From Day One last year from the first game on TV i missed the game… Just love of the game..

I know they are a pretty good team… They went to the Finals, they came up a little up short but… I just want to come in and help anyway I can whether 20 minutes a night on game or 2 minutes tomorrow…

The team is first and foremost, a good team.. and I lived here for 9 years so… I won’t have to move my family… stay home and play ball is what you want to do…

I initiated this deal back in ’98… (laughter)… but like I said, I am just thankful they gave me a chance… The teams is different from last year but the core of the group is the same.. If you look at their careers, they’re hungry so… they want a taste of the championship…

We talked a little about that (championship experience) but those guys were just worried whether could still move… obviously, I would have been too.. I took a year off, I am 33.. I would want to see before something happened…

I think the championship experience will rub off… but I don’t want to be vocal… they don’t need my leadership.. they’ve already got it. I am just here to help…

This is nothing like Brett Favre if that’s you are getting to. (laughter)… I retired under personal situations… like I said from day one I miss the game… my wife was happy that I was home but I was in the backroom watching games all night..

The main thing I’ve learned is that 3 kids is difficult to manage than 2 (laughter)… but it’s fun, nothing on the basketball level that I’ve learned…

I’m not one to look at a team on paper, man… paper doesn’t mean anything.. you got to get out there and do it..

Are you scared… (big squint) Scared? No. I’ve listened to everything but what stays that’s a different story… like selective hearing…

But one thing that sticks out was Hubie Brown… which might get me in trouble at times, might not but he said: Never to keep anything inside.. you don’t want to alter yourself… I will always remember that…

reporter asking the same question) … If you weren’t late, you would have known the answer… just kidding just kidding (more laughter)

I hope I make to retirement again, how about that..(laughter) just take this course and not look too far ahead.. Championship.. I think if any player that is not their ultimate dream something’s wrong… why play?

I miss the camaraderie in the locker room… Joking with…Just teasing your teammates… you can only tease your wife so much before you get into trouble…

Magical Farewell Tour Begins

Unlike the last time he joined the Clippers, this season and next FEELS LIKE Jason Williams' final FINAL tour of duty. It's meant to be the last. He's joining a team from his hometown and a real shot at the championship. Back-up or third-string, he doesn't care. And i don't care. Because finally he has a legit team to play for and me, a team to cheer for.

The man-who-shall-be-mentioned-in-this-blog-but-shall-never-be-named is going to cheer for the Boston Celtics. Christian for the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Enteng roots for Sammy Dalembert and the Philadelphia 76ers. Nyaknyak.) So this means this is going to be a very, very interesting year. Somebody's winning in June (If we our team manages to lose to the Lakers or Spurs is rather insignificant)...

Now, here's an article (and bolded are quotable quotes) from Jason's first interview as a member of the Orlando Magic from the Orlando Sentinel... and the video link to the presscon here:

Jason Williams: "I love to pass. Dwight Howard loves to score." posted by Tania Ganguli on Aug 20, 2009 4:55:19 PM We haven't heard much from Jason Williams since he returned from retirement this summer, and this morning he met with the media at RDV Sportsplex. You can read a little bit about his retirement and journey back in my story here. One thing we discussed with him was that flashy, hot-dog reputation he used to have. One of his assets now is that he's a veteran presence. And teams count on veteran guys for their experience and maturity.

Jason Williams mature? Could be.

"I don’t really pay attention to what you guys write in the papers, what people really think. You guys are going to write what you want and people are going to say what they want. I just want to go out and have fun and if throwing behind the back passes is what it takes to win that’s what I’m going to do it takes a regular bounce pass that’s what I’ll do too. I’m all about winning, now."

Williams was asked if he's matured. "I wouldn’t say matured because I’m still a kid at heart," Williams said. "I still do stupid things sometimes. When I’m out on the court I’m not worried about what people are thinking about my maturity level. I just want to win And as long as my teammates and coach knows that that's all that matters."

Williams was asked if the year off helped his body and if he'd be able to handle the load as a starter if Jameer Nelson got hurt again. "First of all, Jameer’s not going to get hurt," Williams said. "Secondly I signed a contract to do what they want me to do. If they want me to play 30 minutes I’ll do that. If they want me to play 10, I’ll do that. My body was feeling good before I took the year off. It just feels great now. Williams wasn't worried about having gotten a year older.

"I can be as good or better [than before retirement] because my teammates, look at those guys, how good they are. "I love to pass. Dwight Howard loves to score. He’s open he’s getting the ball and the rest will be easy. That’s kind of how it was when I went to Miami with Dwyane and Shaq. Those guys just make your job so much easier because there’s so much attention to them. You’re not going to worry about Jason Williams, you’re going to worry about Dwayne Wade. Cmon.

It's Magic!

A pair of text messages from a pair of friends woke me up today. Still seething from poker badbeats and bad decisions last night (cost me a thousand) this news though is good as it gets... Finally, after a year or so of being a free agent-fan, i land with the Magic. Yes people, Jason Williams signed with the Orlando Magic.

Here's the text from Christian Castillo: Tinext ka man ni ***? Ayos man idol mo ay, nag unretire man daa! Arug-arog naman! (Translation: Jason Williams > Brett Favre in all this unretirement talks and news)

Here's the text from the man-who-shall-be-mentioned-in-this-blog-but-shall-never-be-named (patent pending, Enteng agrees in his blog): Starting today, I am no longer a fan of the Orlando Magic(s) because they signed Jason "SOPOT" Williams. Tsk tsk.

Why post that here? So that come June 2010 when the Magic earns their championship ring, or even before that--- Eastern Conference Finals probably when Williams and the Magic defeat Boston Celtics and the man-who-shall-be-mentioned-in-this-blog-but-shall-never-be-named... i get to gloat that he IS NOT a Magic fan.

Memphis: Where Incompetence Happens. Grizzlies Acquire Zach. Yes Zach FREAKING Randolph.

Nyak nyak.

Zach with New York (Good luck Grizzlies):



And some more Where Amazing Happens parodies found on youtube:

Kwame Brown:





Jeff Foster:

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY

Posting this one for the sake of Philippine basketball. Down with BAP!

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY

The Board of Trustees of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. (SBP) wishes to express their gratitude to all of you who have given their support and contributed to the success of the numerous programs which the SBP has put in place to develop Philippine basketball. In the two (2) years since its inception, the SBP's influence, reach and leadership in Philippine basketball have been significant — particularly when viewed from the context of the four (4) decades of existence of its predecessor association, the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP).

Referees Programs
1. Implemented the comprehensive National Referees Development Program (NRDP) which has already benefited more than four hundred (400) arbiters in its first year.
2. Regularly sends Filipino referees to International Referees' Clinics so that there are now eleven (11) Filipino FIBA-licensed International Referees compared with only four (4) when the SBP took over from the BAP, one of whom will officiate in the forthcoming world championships Jr. Men's in New Zealand.
3. Organized and fully-subsidized the series of elite referees' clinics conducted by Mr. Alan Richardson, FIBA International Instructor and Euroleague Supervisor for Referees.
4. Created an Elite Referees Pool whose members are now being used by SBP member leagues.

Coaches Programs
The SBP has implemented the National Coaches Accreditation and Licensing Program (NCALP) which already completed its first task of gathering and identifying over eight hundred (800) coaches
nationwide. Numerous coaching clinics are now being held to standardize our coaching techniques in line with our National Team Program.

Youth and Grassroots Programs
1. Stages various National Championships for different age groups and gender categories including the Philippine Champion's League where over two hundred (200) universities and colleges participated and the forthcoming National Junior Championships for boys and girls.
2. Founded the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC), the elite basketball school for 18 and under boys and girls.
3. Created the SBP 33, inspired by FIBA's 3-on-3 basketball program, to form competitive teams for the Asian Indoor Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Youth Games and the Youth Olympics.

National Teams
The SBP maintains a robust and aggressive national team program for all age and gender categories. All National Teams are well-funded through the support of SBP sponsors and donors.
1. The SBP has a long-term program for our young Men's National Team with the objective of qualifying for the London Olympics in 2012, and improving our currently low standing in the FIBA world rankings resulting from long years of neglect. To help realize these goals, a Serbian coach, Mr. Rajko Toroman, has been engaged and a comprehensive training program and calendar has been put together which includes so far, tournaments and training camps in Serbia, the United States, Indonesia and Japan.
2. The Philippine National Teams have achieved significant results in the last year by virtue of the SBP programs now in place:
a) 7th place, FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Men in 2008 d) Champion, 1 st China Asean-CBO International Tournament in 2008
b) 2nd place, 1 st Asian Beach Games in Bali 2008 e) 5th place, FIBA Asia Champion's Cup 2009
c) 2nd place, Division II, FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Women in 2008 f) Champion, SEABA 2009 - Qualifier for FIBA Asia Men's Championships in Tianjin, China
3. The SBP National Team Competition's calendar for 2009 has never been more vibrant with our teams qualifying for the FIBA Asia Championship for Women (16 and under), the FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Men and Women, the FIBA Asia Championships for Men, the Asian Youth Games and the Asian Indoor Games (Vietnam).

Membership Program
To date, five (5) new active members have been added to the roster of SBP membership bringing the total number to twenty four (24). Other applications are now being reviewed by the Nomination and Membership Committee for active status. In addition, ten (10) new associate members have been added with provision for future consideration as regular active members. Total membership (active and associate) now stands at forty (40).

WHY DO THE ATTACKS ON THE SBP CONTINUE?
Despite these achievements, it saddens us to note that there are still those who continue to question the legitimacy of the SBP and its current leadership. These individuals, who are still aligned with the BAP, have chosen to disregard the “Tokyo Communiqué” dated 28th August 2006, which led to the formation of the SBP as the country's sole and unified governing body for basketball. They also allege that the SBP has failed to comply with the subsequent “Bangkok Agreement” dated 4th February 2007, which elaborated further the terms of the Tokyo Communiqué. It is apparent that the BAP continues to raise issues and complaints against SBP and its present leadership to the detriment of achieving unity in Philippine Basketball. It is also clearer now that BAP's interpretation of unity means unity on its own terms.

Last May 28, 2009, the SBP received a letter from Mr. Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General, advising the SBP of the creation of a “Special Commission for the Philippines”. The formation of this Special Commission was precipitated by “various correspondences and continuous complaints addressed to the FIBA Secretariat over the past months on the matter related to the institutional legitimacy of the Philippine Basketball Federation and its current leadership.”

WHAT IS THE SBP’S POSITION?
The SBP has decided that it will not submit to the jurisdiction of this Special Commission for the following reasons:
1. Mr. Baumann in his letter dated last year (May 13, 2008) and sent to the SBP clearly and categorically stated that:
(i) FIBA is fully supporting the SBP and its President Manuel V Pangilinan and its Board of Trustees;
(ii) FIBA will disregard any communication coming from the former BAP “as it has no rights with FIBA”; and
(iii) FIBA is dismissing Mr. Graham Lim with immediate effect from his membership in the FIBA Youth Commission, citing his “continuous actions to disrupt the proper functioning of the SBP as “unacceptable”.
2. The Philippine Court of Appeals has already affirmed SBP's compliance with the Bangkok Agreement and the Tokyo Communiqué. The Court's decision confirmed the membership validation process undertaken by the SBP and also sustained the validity of the June 12, 2008 SBP National Congress and the regular election of SBP's trustees and officers held at that meeting.
3. The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) have both recognized the SBP and have effectively and correctly accorded its leadership with full rights as the lawful governing body of basketball in the Philippines.
4. The basis on which the Special Commission was formed rests on complaints and allegations, as mentioned in the Baumann letter of May 28, 2009, made by the BAP that are unverified and biased. That is why the Baumann letter is simply incomprehensible - giving apparent credence to “various correspondences and continuous complaints” without verifying their veracity.

Instead of removing the squeaky and noisy wheels - as Baumann indicated he would in his letter last year to SBP - he has now lubricated them with oil.

WHAT’S NEXT?
We should emphasize that it was the BAP which initiated the judicial action challenging the legitimacy of the June 12, 2008 SBP National Congress and elections. We regard this legal step by the BAP to be significant because it clearly demonstrates its intention and preference to have the matter decided by our Philippine judicial system - and not by any other party, tribunal or commission — foreign or local. Having lost in a forum that they themselves chose, BAP is now shopping for another forum that may be sympathetic to it.

Accordingly, the SBP has to put on record and placed FIBA on notice that it shall not participate in any proceedings which this Special Commission may undertake, unless and until it has become unequivocally clear to SBP what its mandate, jurisdiction and scope of authority really are. More importantly, the BAP legal challenge, after having been rejected by our Court of Appeals, has been elevated by it to our Supreme Court, where it is now under consideration. In that light, the SBP has firmly taken the position that whilst this domestic issue is under judicial review, it should not submit itself to any other legal jurisdiction until the matter has been finally resolved by our legal system. Let Philippine law take its course; let us respect our Courts and not incur their contempt otherwise.

We the members of the SBP call upon all legitimate stakeholders of Philippine Basketball to raise their individual and collective voices and take a unified stand condemning the disruptive actions of the BAP, and protest FIBA's unwarranted intrusion into what must be a purely domestic matter requiring domestic resolution.

Make yourself be heard by sending your comments through sbp.com.ph.

Mabuhay ang Philippine Basketball!


Signed:



Gov. Oscar V. Moreno
Chairman of the Board

Manuel V. Pangilinan
President

Jose Emmanuel M. Eala
Executive Director


Joaquin Trillo
Philippine Basketball Association


Michael Romero
Philippine Basketball League


Anton Montinola
University Athletic Association of the Philippines


Fr. Mateo de Jesus OSB
National College Athletic Association


Reynaldo D. Gamboa
Philippine Collegiate Champions League


Jose Soberano
Pinoy Basketbol Inc.


Daniel Danilo V. Soria
Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League


Fr. Paul M. De Vera
National College Athletic Association – South


Robert L. Uy
Iloilo Basketball League


Bernardo Gabriel I. Atienza
Cagayan de Oro Basketball Association


Pedro C. Alfaro
El Federacion Basketbolista de Zamboanga


Gerardo P. Sabal III
Cagayan de Oro School Athletic Association


Ernesto Jay G. Adalem
National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and University


Raul D. Alcoseba
Visayas Amateur Athletic Association

RP's Hope in the Group of Hope

It's that time again when we leave our biases on the door and be united. The RP National Team for basketball will compete in the FIBA Asia Championships later this year. Thanks to (sir) Nardy from the interbasket forums for the pic below which features Rain or Shine star Gabe Norwood when he wore the RP colors during the SEABA championships earlier this year.

We belong to the Group of Hope (Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka)--- a good news compared to last time around when we were with the powerhosue squads in the Group of Death.

Go Philippines!

i miss the bastard.

Come the 2009-10 NBA Season, Jason Williams is set to be reinstated in the NBA (after his "retirement")... i was trying out www.bing.com (MSN's new search engine) for a random search to see how that new site works. And found this:

He thinks he is alone. Alone until a reporter catches a glimpse of him. The media dash ensues. They want to ask him about his best game yet in a Heat uniform. Eight assists, four steals, seven rebounds - enough statistical fodder to spawn a cheery interview out of most players. And Miami even won.

Williams, his panther and dragon tattoos concealed by his shirt, hurries to his locker, his back turned to a pack of trailing reporters.

"I don't have any individual expectations," Williams says.

"We can be as good as we want to be."

"My job's real easy. Those guys rebound and give me the ball and then I just have to pick and choose who to go to."

After four questions, the entourage has run out of ammunition. Or are they icebreakers?

One reporter switches gears.

"Jason, what do you cherish about your days at Florida? Obviously it didn't go quite as you planned, but what did you enjoy about going to college there?"

"I cherished getting kicked out of school," Williams snaps after several seconds of silence. "It was a great thing. I became a millionaire."

And that is why i miss the bastard.

And oh, some youtube links by J-Dub:

Eight Minutes, 0 Points, 0 Assists and 1 Turnover (Arguable)

And you are quite happy with that. Welcome to the land of point guards. So no, you won’t find your name screaming stats from the boxscore. Heck, it’s only inter-department office basketball after all, so all the recorded stats are the points scored and fouls (kaldagan, according to the Black Mamba team) made and you can’t expect they record the other numbers that really matter (field goals, percentage, rebounds, assists, etc etc)… I always imagine that we can play in a league where such (a la Yahoo/NBA.com) is updated play-by-play. You know, I am a real sucker for numbers.

And numbers I don’t have in our last game for the elimination round. Around 8 minutes (5 or so in the 2nd quarter, and 2+ in the final quarter), zero attempts meaning I scored zilch and no assists at all. There was one arguable turnover, a pass I made to Arnold, White’s rebounding demon, which he did not handle (or that my pass was too high)… That is not actually the bad news because we did win the game and clinched the number two spot and advanced to the semis (yey, pahinga. Assuming I can still play in the next round/s)… So, to sum it up, it was a goddamn good night for our team.

As I was saying earlier, welcome to the land of point guards--- hobbits of the hardwood and most of the time, damn underrated and overlooked (Am I saying, I am one?)… No, not the Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Jay Jay Helterbrand or Jimmy Alapag type of point guards, those kinds virtually dominate the stat categories because they are superstars. Think more like, Chris Quinn, Anthony Carter, Don Dulay or Froilan Baguion. Scrappy play, spotty minutes and simply effective at what they do. Normally, I post my actual (personal) numbers but earlier tonight’s game was different in a lot of ways: I thought I contributed things that more than met the eye (and the score sheet), I acted as pseudo-coach as always and I just do hope they respect me and some of the decisions I made during the course of the ball game.

Not much numbers here, but you can keep a tab on these stats…

1st quarter: Right off tip-off, I fire the first shot at trash talk telling the team to run, run and run because the Black team was a slow and plodding squad (Not sure though if anybody heard it.) We were off to a good start and led after the first canto.

2nd quarter: We were still leading, but Black was starting to come back. Paul Navarro, the other team’s point guard had 3 offensive rebounds and the same number of putbacks. I had the same number of Putang Ina’s as well, telling the team to watch out for the little guy because he was practically putting the Black team within striking distance. We led by 10 points at the turn. Not bad.

3rd quarter: Three straight baskets by Black to put them within four points to start the quarter. We called a timeout and I reminded them that we were not making an effort to stop their fastbreak attempts. We responded and put back some sort of order and pad the lead back up to 8 points. Somewhere here, I was clapping right in front of Ron del Mundo’s face as he passed by the bench (again, not sure if he did see me do that) Also of note, Kristian at the freethrow line and Paolo Mariano was distracting him with the timed “cough” as he shoots the free throw, Kristian misses the first. And Paolo does it again in the second, and Kristian again misses. However, the referee awarded Kristian a third free throw for the errr, distraction. (Efff you ref, that’s part of our defensive gameplan)

4th quarter: Paul was at it again, easily pushing people around like it he was editing in his Avid/Premiere machine. I reminded the referee that the same little guy was probably older than him! (He got the point, and called a foul on Paul on two consecutive plays now seeing the Mr. Navarro’s inadvertent elbows and subliminal shoves. That gave him his 4th personal foul, and clearly his aggression on both ends was a bit affected.) The Black team was making their famous run at end games and cut down the lead to 2 points… We held on, and that’s the most important stat of the evening. Ball game. We win.
So yeah, hobbits of the hardwood will be difficult to appreciate but you know in our own little ways, we’d be making a mark one way AND the other.

RP Under-16 Down Under

As i've said, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Working for BTV means an endless flow of basketball projects over the next couple of months. More often than not, you are asked to double up and you don't have time to whine. Yeah, yeah just like what James Posey should do if they want to beat the Denver Nuggets in the their first round match-up. Or asking Ime Udoka to forget that he doesn't have a playoff experience and lead the Spurs to an improbable comeback because they are already in a 1-3 hole against the surging Dallas Mavericks. Anyway, the pictures above are some images from the U16 training at the AIS camp in Australia (sent to me by RP Youth Team's PR Manager Val Victa, thank you sir!), the same pictures which i sent to my editor today to add to the already "latagged" segment 1 on BTV's feature on the RP Youth Team.

White Choco--- Coming (Back) Soon

Just about the breaking news i need. Now Jason Williams needs unanimous votes from the NBA Teams for his reinstatement and return to the league. Here's hoping that indeed happens this year. Wooooot!

Today's top story:

Williams wants to return to NBA
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 3 hours, 25 minutes ago

Jason Williams, the once-flashy veteran point guard, has filed a letter with the NBA to seek immediate reinstatement into the league, an internal NBA memo revealed on Thursday. If the NBA’s Board of Governors approves his petition, which was sent to the league’s 30 teams on Wednesday, Williams could become a productive free agent for contenders needing point guard depth. League executives immediately speculated that Williams could return to the Miami Heat, who he helped win the 2006 NBA championship, or the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Even so, the Los Angeles Clippers would have exclusive rights to Williams, but it’s doubtful in their losing and cost-cutting state they would want to do anything but negotiate a buyout with him. Williams signed with the Clippers last summer, but retired before the start of training camp.

After filing retirement papers in the preseason, he sent a letter to the league office on Feb. 6 and asked to be removed from the voluntary retirement list. Williams needs a unanimous vote of the Board of Governors to waive a one-year mandatory waiting period to return from the voluntary retired list. Teams have until Feb. 27 to cast a vote, the memo said. Williams played 10 years in the NBA, including stops in Sacramento, Memphis and Miami. He’s averaged 11. 4 points and 6.3 assists for his career.

SMB Postmortem

After dissecting the guards play it’s now time to tackle San Miguel’s rotation on the wings and the paint.

Don Don Hontiveros – Just when we thought the loaded line-up of San Miguel has shattered much of Don Don’s swagger and confidence, the Cebuano guard made sure he finished the year with a bang--- that he did, first against Ginebra continued his mad streak against Talk N Text. Relatively inconsistent in the eliminations and sub-par (by Hontiveros standard) but quietly effective in that stretch, he stepped it up in the latter part of the season showing Siot and the rest of the Beermen fans why he is so oh-important to this team.

In game two versus the Kings, he scored 35 points then followed it up with 34 points in the clinching game. To rehash, in both these games the Beermen were trailing and none of these stats are the garbage-type of production. Then against TNT, he continued his scoring spree with a 39-point output in game three and being a constant number option all throughout the series not to mention defending the likes of Cardona, Alapag and Dillinger. Clearly, Don Don has become the most important and valuable player in the SMB camp right now. He is effective on both ends of the floor and a grizzled veteran that could replace Olsen as the on-court leader.

Lordy Tugade – Much has been said about “unfair” trades in the league where certain player X (serviceable) is shipped for player Y (a scrub)--- for economical reasons. With Tugade, not only they unloaded Tugade’s contract but they also traded a player who San Miguel thought could be a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor. Despite the numbers, Tugade has become sort of a black hole on offense and defense for the Beermen. Sure, the numbers are there (20 points or more thrice, double digit scoring 13 times in the eliminations) but he gets those numbers at such an ineffective rate. He attempted 139 three-pointers (44 made for 39 per cent) out of 272 total shots for the season meaning almost half of his shots are from beyond the arc despite the fact that he is a good penetrator (62 of 132 2FGM, or 47 per cent) and hits his freebies as well.

This lack of effort brings me to my point: why acquire a player that is redundant with one of your stars (Don Don)? Tugade can be effective in SMB’s system but he has to know his role on offense and should take more responsibility defensively. Provided that he had spotty minutes versus Talk N Text, but SMB was still competitive in those games despite his injury.

Danny Seigle – How things turn quickly. Three months ago this dynamite had zero capability to explode. Then the playoffs came, and boom! he’s was near to his old dominant self. After playing just 5 games (First three and last two) in the eliminations, Seigle reintroduced himself to the PBA fans with his knack for scoring the basketball. The much-maligned forward scored 16 points in 20 minutes in their first knockout game against Air 21 then followed it up nicely with over 10 markers and 4 caroms per outing in the best-of-three series against Ginebra. However, it was just the beginning of a nice ending to the conference for Danny S. He scored 29 points in game four and followed it up with 32 points in the overtime loss in the final game. He was even rebounding the ball grabbing 8 rebounds or more in half the games.

So the big question is… Is Danny Seigle really back? Maybe, maybe not. Such an unsure conclusion only mean that San Miguel SHOULD aggressively trade him now. Try to ship him (and his contract) when his value is at an all-time high (at least during the injury days) and the campaign for a Trade-DS idea should start now. Getting a young prospect is the ideal situation, but a couple of (high) picks will do as well. The real question remains, how loyal is SMB to a (once) franchise player like Seigle…

Marc Pingris – If not the injury to Dorian Peña, Pingris would never have gotten off the bench consistently in the playoff round specifically in the TNT series. As SMB went small (Pingris played the PF spot most of the time), he produced not surprisingly some eye-popping numbers. He scored in double digits four times (11,11 in the first two, and 28 16 in the last). However, it was in the rebounding end that he can be most appreciated. In the last 5 games he grabbed at least 7 boards including a 12-rebound effort for a double-double in Game Five.

Much has been said already of Siot’s benching of Pingris in the final minutes of the final game. All under the bridge now, but Siot should wake up and smell the coffee: Ping brings energy to the table. To do that, he has cut minutes with the other bigs (clue: DS) to give Pingris his rightful consistent time on the court.

Jay Washington – Similar to Pingris but much more addicted to the outside shot is J-Wash. The Fil-Am had solid minutes for the entire year (14.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 1.1 BPG) but it was against Talk N Text that he really played his best. Vengeance errr.. versus his former team he upped those averages to 19.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG and 1.4 BPG. Ok, there was that missed easy lay-up in game six that could have changed the complexion of the ending or the ill-advised threes here or there (just a 30 per cent shooter from beyond) or a needed improvement from the line (49/79 FT’s, or 62 per cent).. But clearly the package of a versatile forward is there for the run and gun system of Siot.

Dorian Peña – The monster rebounder was badly missed by the Beermen against the Texters. He did play two games in that series but was very ineffective in very limited minutes. While a very bad free throw shooter (Just above 56 per cent), his real value comes from eating the glass either offensive or defensive. He is also quite effective against smaller defenders as well (Please, don’t foul him) and is quite potent inside the paint. To a run and gun team, a rebound starts everything. To a run and gun team, wild misses are expected. Peña is quite effective in starting the break (defensive rebounds) and re-starting an offense (offensive rebounds).

Mick Pennisi – Another new acquisition this year is the Pennisi. The formerly very hated, now just a little hated center from Red Bull has been serviceable to say the least for SMB. Unlike Peña, he is more comfortable playing outside and is one of the few centers in the league that can hit the 3 point shot. But at what cost? This year, Mick took 144 three-pointers and made 44 of them--- respectable at a 33 per cent clip. On the rebounding end, he’s done as nicely as well at 7.2 per game. Again, the question at what cost? Height is might but he shouldn’t be taking too many three pointers. In a team that features already high-volume shooters from the perimeter, do you really need another player (who is supposedly a big man) to take those shots away? Does he fit the system? Probably, to an extent. But will a Dorian Peña type of player be a more fit and be more valuable to SMB? Probably so.

Other players in the team are Wesley Gonzales and Kenneth Bono who played sparingly in the playoff rounds and the eliminations. Both players showed they can be effective when given the minutes. Then, there are the likes of Chris Calaguio, Eman Samigue and even Danny Ildefonso waiting on the bench.

Conclusion: What’s the final deal, then? Who stays? Who goes? First, lest we forget Siot Tanguincen did a horrible job in the TNT series (and a number of games in the eliminations) but we should also remember that this is the same coach who stuck to his troops when the going got tough (Later part of the elims when SMB was struggling, then the pair of wild card games and the comeback victories against the Kings). The point here is, he is still a young coach who is just learning the ropes (albeit the hard and painful way)… Much like this SMB team. Give him another shot (another conference), after all, a third or fourth place finish is still respectable (albeit painful to accept)

For the Fiesta Cup an important-laden tournament here’s a proposal for Siot and how he should handle the rotation (For the management, omitted players should mean they should have been traded before the conference even begins)

PG – Villanueva/Custodio (Cortez/Baguion)
SG – Hontiveros (Calaguio)
SF – Pingris/Gonzales (Tugade/Seigle)
PF – Washington/Bono (Ildefonso)
C - Peña/Eman (Pennisi)

Whilst the PG lineups looks thin (Again, Baguion is replaceable but the team do need a respectable third string guard if anyone gets injured) and Custodio can be paired in the back court with Jonas, there might be a need to find a second (real) point guard. A deal for Seigle (or Tugade, only one should go if no quality players are taken in return) can net a good guard that can play the point. Handling the paint job are Washington and Pena (and when he slides to the four, Pingris) but there is now the need to develop the likes of Bono and Eman even further with the aging players in Pennisi, Ildefonso and Seigle. Even if no trades are made, it is vital for San Miguel to start inserting them in the rotation or the selection of Eman and trade for Bono will just look like wasted efforts. Ideally, this should what the team depth chart and rotation look like (*Again ideally, the import must be able to slide to the 2-spot, meaning he has to have ball handling skills; Another option is get a natural SF import but that can be redundant with the likes of Washington/Pingris already)

PG – Villanueva/P G*/ Custodio/3rd-string PG
SG – Hontiveros/Custodio/Calaguio/Gonzales/IMPORT
SF – IMPORT/Pingris/SF**/Gonzales/ Hontiveros
PF – Washington/ /Pingris/Bono/
C - Peña/Pennisi/Bono/Eman/
* netted from a Seigle/Tugade trade
** Who ever is not traded between Seigle/Tugade

And the system? More run and gun!

SMB Postmortem: POINT GUARDS

After a wild and wooly, up and down year, the season has ended for the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA All-Filipino Conferece after losing to the loaded Talk N' Text Tropang Texters in six games. Who takes the blame and who should get the axe. Who impressed and who should stay. Who deserves to be in the team and be retained. Here's a quick look on how the key players performed this year and if they should stay or be cut, traded, or benched for the next conference:

Olsen Racela - Much has been said about Olsen's capability to lead and even be moved to a more prominent role in the coaching staff of the Beermen. That time is now and it's best for him and the team for Olsen to retire. However, there is too much of pride for players to do so and i don't think he can easily walk away from the game especially after a rather bad performance against TNT. If he decides to make another run at it, one conference should be enough and should be in limited minutes (around 10). Retiring (Or suggesting, forcing him to) will just mean that the management has gained enough confidence to fully trust the young guys.

Why retire now? While Olsen showed flashes of brilliance this year (Elims vs. AIR 21: 15 poiints, 9 assists in 34 minutes|Elims vs. GINS: 18 points, 6 assists in 24 minutes) there are a few signs that the point guard's play is now going down especially in the Talk N Text series. He failed to crack double digits scoring and shot 9 of 30 from the field. Moreover, he struggled mightily against Jimmy Alapag.

In the long run, offensively, he can still be effective. However, it is on defense that he will be a weakness. Pass the torch, it's time.

Bon Bon Custodio - There is no player in the SMB line-up that was both much-maligned and much-praised this conference. That is what you basically get with a rookie and a player like Bon Bon. In the eliminations, he scored 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting against Alaska; Then in a game vs Rain or Shine, he dished out 10 assists. He can hit the three albeit inconsistenlty (12 of 47 for the season, or just above 25 per cent); and gets in the passing lanes at times although he still needs to work harder defensively (6 steals once, and 4 takeways thrice for the season)

The surprise of the draft has lots of things left to be desired but the potential of being an above average contributor is there, and pushing it a bit, even to superstar level. With rookies, you take the good with the bad. With Bon Bon, you just hope he matures faster and improves the basics further so as to become an effective player in this league. With the way he was given minutes and responsibilities, that could come sooner than later. There could be deals available out there, but in the end, his rookie contract will be cheaper than most and

Jonas Villanueva - With all the changes in the line-up and all the marquee players arriving at the SMB camp, he was the odd man out in the rotation. But when the going gets tough (injuries) he had to be called upon and he, in some ways, delivered. Not bad for a third-string point guard (even fourth, if you are counting Bon Bon as a PG). His minutes during the eliminations had been sporadic; he scored in double digits four times, but scored 5 points or lower 11 times. As court general, he doled out 6 or more helpers five times and did not fail to register at least 1 assist but one time all throughout the season.

However, during the Talk N Text series (and last game vs. Ginebra) Jonas, in a sense, was a revelation when given consistent minutes (and responsibility). Against Ginebra, when Olsen was thrown out, he logged in just 14 minutes but scored 7 points on 3 of 4 shooting from the field. Against TNT in game one (still without Olsen), he scored 5 points but had 8 assists in 25 minutes. In game two and five, both wins, he averaged 9 points and 4.5 assists in 23.5 minutes. And even in the last three losses, he scored at least 7 points and at least 2 assists per outing.

Which leaves us to...

Mike Cortez - Up until this point i still can not understand the trade to Alaska (LA Tenorio mainly). While at first glance, Cortez could be the better defensive player (the idea was that LA was a lot smaller and Cortez bigger and bulkier) the latter is just not that efficient offensively. While it is difficult to evaluate an oft-injured player, his style of game does not fit SMB's run and gun attack at all. In four games before he got hurt, he never cracked double digit scoring (conference high is 8 points against his former team) and was scoreless in his last two outings (0/6 vs. ROS, 0/5 vs TNT). Again, there is not much use in analyzing small-sized samples especially because of injuries. But why risk with players that are often injured? And why risk waiting on them when at first they don't even fit the system? There will be no takes for Cortez in trades obviously, but the first step is not including him in the long term plan for the sake of the team and the development of other players in his position.

Froilan Baguion - No need for numbers here. But as a third-string point, he can be servicable on spotty minutes.

In an ideal world, Olsen retires and Cortez is traded which brings San Miguel's point depth down to 3 players. Is Villanueva ready to take over as a starting point guard? Is Custodio ready for heavy minutes at the point? i do like to believe so. SMB won't get a quality starting point guard via trade or free agency and the best way is to continue to develop this pair of point guards.

PBA Semis: SMB Folds in Six

i failed to update the stats and some of this series. Mainly because of two reasons; a) after falling down 3-1, i felt SMB had zero chances at a comeback win after coming from behind since the wildcard phase and b)i am just biased, sort of a sore loser when i am down thus uninspired.

But heck, for pahabol effect and last night's frustrating and painful loss to TNT there's this poster at pinoyexchange.com who made a battle for third thread... which led me to this reply

Pepman, oh pepman. A battle for 3rd thread? Is this really necessary? Your "bright" idea has inspired me though;

Pepman, oh pepman
by DT

Let us lick the fresh wounds,
and sulk in a depressed corner
Let us forget the one point loss,
and that Cardona dagger

Leave us time to hate Bon Bon,
ill-advised fouls, ill-timed shots
Leave us time to analyse this one,
his basketball IQ that rots

Let us forget Don Don and Danny
their efforts gone to waste
Let us forget Peek and Carey
eating glass, in our mouths leaving a bad taste

Pepman, oh pepman
do you post threads at random
Pepmen oh pepman
how we wish you post seldom

(Ok, must be the boredom and losing. Imagine if we'd won the series.)

And oh, congrats to Talk N Text, they were the better team and deserves to be in the Finals against Alaska.

PBA Semis: TNT Breaks SMB's Back. Again.

For while there, it looked like a replay of Game Three. There was the Mighty Mouse showing his, errr, might from the three land in crunchtime, again. (J. Alapag: 18 points and 10 assists. 16 markers were done in the fourth including a pair of three's from the parking lot. (M. Cardona: 18 points and shaking off the blues called the boos. Including his patented teardrop-hook from afar, near the three point area) There was the slew of Texters who made the right (clutch) plays to bring TNT closer to the All-Flip Finals. And oh, let's not forget the TNT rookie who was off to a hot start for the Texters. (J. Dillinger: 27 points, career-high, 4 of 7 from beyond. Including 16 or 18 in the first quarter)

Then there was Bon Bon Custodio for a boo boo or two that could have changed the complexion of the game for his team.

Oh fuck and oh well. San Miguel is just plain tired now (not an excuse but a fact) and credit the Texters for pushing the right buttons at the right time. i am not sure if they still have enough for more "comeback" victories--- lots of them in this series, and the quarterfinals against Ginebra. Down 1-to-3? Ugh. i am struggling to find the heart to bounce back on this one. i wonder how the SMB players feel.

PBA Semis: TNT Steals Game Three for 2-1 Edge

Game 3: TNT 110, SMB 106

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. After a ho-hum opening games--- one was a blowout, the other a rather expected victory--- the TNT-SMB series upped the semifinals fever with a classic game three which might as well be the best game of the series.

The series was described as a match made in heaven and it showed in the third installment. Good games are dictated by good match-ups. And when you have endless supply of offensive players, surely you'll have nonstop, end-to-end action at some point... And that was exactly what happened at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

Don Don Hontiveros was especially hot, shooting 8 of 12 from the three-land which included some quick-trigger attempts which speak volumes of his range, and confidence. The Cebuano finished with a career-high 39 points in 39 minutes. To boot, he added 9 rebounds and a couple of blocked shots. Not a bad game until...

Jimmy Alapag showed up. The spitfire guard scattered 22 points but none bigger by a string of baskets at the end game. Clearly now, TNT has realized that he is their leader--- either by scoring or helping his teammates--- and that they should run the plays through him to win this series. Alapag though knows he can't do it alone...

Ranidel de Ocampo hit a big three to steal the lead some time in the last two minutes... Harvey Carey and Ali Peek crashed the glass all night long stealing offensive rebounds and willingly and ably converting them. Somewhere, Dorian Pena's foot is still hurting--- and hurting San Miguel inside.

Despite the heroics of the abovementioned players there were some who faltered--- either by pressure, lack of composure or simply, lack of experience... Experiencing some or all of that were...

Mac Mac Cardona. Booed and bothered in Game Two, then booed and bothered in the next as well was not his usual self. Give credit to San Miguel fans (around 9,000 of 'em) for this strategy. Clearly, Captain Hook was out of his zone because SMB fans decided out of the blue to hate him. Welcome to the pro league, Mac Mac. If you are not with us, you are against us--- that's the clear message from the fans. Sure, the La Sallite earned some hate during his UAAP wars--- but he was at a loss because at least in college they have their reasons to abhor him, but in the pros? Overnight, you become the enemy because that is what it is.

Then, there was the Bon Bon Custodio shot at the end game. Playing practically like an experienced veteran in previous games and series, the former UE stalwart found himself hitting the rookie wall (Also called Mountain Peek) with a rather questionable, rather ill-advised and rather bad shot that could have tied the ball game and sent it to overtime. Key word: could have.

What could have been the better decision was to find a way to find Don Don and ride his hot streak, after all the latter had 39 points at the point. i love Siot's confidence and trust with the rookie--- in the long run that pays dividends. But this was a situation when that decision haunted him. With rookies, you get some and you lose some. Too bad really that this one was a big loss. Key phrase: i'd take a Don Don missed three to end that game--- it's destiny. But no, Bon Bon decided to align his stars...

BY THE THE NUMBERS

EFFECTIVE SHOOTING/EATING GLASS

While San Miguel looked the hotter team for the evening, it was Talk N’ Text which shot the ball better at 48.8 per cent clip. Blame this one with the likes of Carey and Peek getting easy putbacks. San Miguel had a chance to up the lead multiple times in the last 5 minutes (and even the entire game) but the big men of TNT was just up to the task of abusing SMB downlow without Pena and Washington.

Both teams actually had trouble taking care of the ball as they turned the ball over 39 times. San Miguel being the more aggressive on the passing lanes with 9 steals compared to TNT’s 2 takeaways. Both teams took advantage of that as well with San Miguel converting 19 points off TO’s and TNT, 20.

Why did San Miguel lead for most part? Because they were more aggressive to the hoop earning 43 foul line shots and converting 86 per cent of those shots. Meanwhile, TNT just went to the line 24 times though they made good out of it converting 19 of those shots.

How did Talk N Text win the game? While San Miguel (particularly, especially maybe even exclusively Hontiveros) was shooting the lights out early on, they faltered in the last few minutes of the outing. On the other side of the coin, TNT was starting to hit (clutch) shots featuring Alapag and a little bit of Ranidel. Not to mention (and repeating for emphasis) that Carey and Peek were constantly inside the paint turning garbage into gold. Defensively, it showed that TNT can adjust when in dire straits. They forced Hontiveros into some forced shots in the latter part and sent the help necessary during post-up plays and penetrations--- the defense on Bon Bon in the last play was just the icing on the defensive cake.

(Series stats - Click image for larger version)

What to expect in Game Four? This is getting redundant now: more and more of the same. Both teams did not leave their three point shooting behind--- a primary weapon they believe. But at the same time, it’s the teams that does the little things called offensive rebounding and forced turnovers (steals) that will decide the outcome of the series eventually. Game One, TNT jumped on the Beermen. Game Two, SMB decided to match that energy. Game Three, TNT was more aggressive inside. Game Four… More and more of the same.

PBA SEMIS: Beermen Bounce Back

Game Two: San Miguel 112, Talk N Text 103

After the TNT thrashing of SMB in Game One it was important for the latter to bounce back and avoid the 0-2 hole and that they did by dominating some of they key stats vital for this series. If you will notice the usual suspect stats standout namely free throw shooting, turnovers, points off turnovers and fastbreak points. All of which were won convincingly by the victorious team. Curiously, the three point shooting (made and percentage) and rebounding (with offensive) went to TNT but still they found themselves at the losing end.

GAME 2 GLARING STATS:

GOING TO THE LINE
San Miguel attacked the basket the entire evening earning 32 trips to the 4.5 meter line and converting 75 per cent of their shots. TNT, meanwhile just converted 13 shots in 19 attempts. To note, rookie Bon Bon Custodio went to the line 10 times while making 90 per cent of the freebies.

ADJUSTMENT NUMBER ONE: PROTECTING THE BALL
If there is any indication on how SMB made their adjustments from game it was how they valued the ball on this one. From a 23-turnover output in the first game they cut down their errors to 13 for this game. Moreover they showed more hustle on the defensive end by forcing 21 turnovers (Texters had only 12 in game one) and converting 29 points off those errors.

PLAYING THEIR GAME: RUN, GUN
Despite not winning on the boards, San Miguel was still able to run because of TNT’s turnovers. SMB had a +24 advantage on fastbreak points which speaks volumes on how to beat a good offensive team like TNT. Probably, the best defense against this squad is offense, putting them in the heels and running at them. SMB’s 28 FB points is an improvement over their 13-point output in game one while TNT’s 4 points on the break could not buy them the easy baskets.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN GAME THREE
More and more of the same. Meaning both teams will continue to run their offense at a fast pace. TNT, by virtue of their dominant game one performance now average 116 points per game in this series. San Miguel in the meantime isn’t far behind at 106 per game. Both teams are having a conscious effort to emphasize their offensive might with San Miguel attempting 85 shots per game and TNT at 75.5 per. Sure, who cares about the field goal percentage, eh? In the Philippines, there is the saying, the more shots you take, the more chances of winning…. Or something like that.

As both teams start to clamp down on the defensive end (Yes, despite the fact that they are offensive machines they still play respectable D) the pace will be relatively slower and games will be won whoever shows more effort on defense.

San Miguel made their adjustment in game two by stopping the perimeter and doubling on the penetration. TNT meanwhile has just realized that SMB is a capable defensive squad and they need to realize that ball movement is the key in upending that. With that in mind they also realize the need to attack SMB inside and on the break even more-- going to the free throw line and converting them and attempting more fastbreaks can get them easy baskets.

First up, numbers generally don’t lie but they don’t tell the entire story so take it for what it’s worth. The numbers above are the statistics for both squads when they met twice earlier this conference. San Miguel took game one, 84-77 and Talk N Text bounced back in the redo with an 85-80 win. Here are the three (and some) key categories which will define this best-of-seven series:

PROTECTING THE GLASS AND THE BALL (OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS AND TURNOVERS)

In their first meeting, San Miguel had the big edge in rebounding (83-53) and had a +10 advantage on the offensive glass as well converting 21 second chance points, eight more than the Texters. Despite have more than 10 turnovers, San Miguel was able to get extra points on the boards that help bring them the W. IN the return match at Singapore, it was the Texters who had the edge in the offensive rebounding department (21-16) converting 14 second chance points compared to San Miguel’s 6, a measly effort compared to their output in the first meeting. It did not help that San Miguel again had problem taking care of the ball (24 TO’s) even as TNT did their share in containing their errors (12)

THREE-BALL GALORE (3FGM/A AND 3FG%)

Curiously, despite shooting just 13.8 per cent from beyond the arc and generally having a bad shooting night San Miguel still won in the first game. Why? Because TNT shot even worst from three-land (Made just 10 in 48!) and the field as well (29.5%) But will they leave the three point land? I don’t think so. To an extent both teams live (and die) by the three-ball. Whoever shoots better and find their rhythm early will have the advantage.

ATTACKING THE LANE (FT)

The irony is this: for a couple of teams that falls in love with the outside shot they are actually more effective when they attack the basket and fish for fouls. In San Miguel’s victory they went to the line 18 times and succeeded in making 66.7 per cent of their foul shots. TNT did attack the hoop and finished with 22 FTA however they could not capitalize and just made half of those shots. Meanwhile, in the second game it was TNT’s turn to take advantage from the line. They shot just 63 per cent but went from the 4.5 meter line 30 times while San Miguel was better (73%) they could only muster 15 FTA. Clearly, whoever attacks the hoop and is the more aggressive team will get their time at the line--- and they should take advantage.

CONCLUSION: Both teams practically use the same fast-pace style but at the same time attacks the offensive glass--- meaning the easy fastbreak and 2nd chance points will be vital to this series. The hot (or cold) hand from beyond will likely define which team would have the advantage and the shooting from the free throw line will most likely provide the difference.

Just In: The PBA is Scripted

(Brought about my a number of forum posters who just don't enjoy the game like they should)

To all the so-called "fans" of the PBA who thinks the game is rigged i pity all of you. The moro-moro Ginebra-San Miguel series did feature moro-moro incidents according to the plainly stupid posters. That said, here are your moro-moro interviews n my goddamn fictional mind because some of you think it's g0damnscripted:

+++

+ Moro Moro Superstar Hontiveros - From Don Don: "i had back to back career games to end this fictional series. Damn right, i played the (scripted) role to the hilt that i decided to bring his A+++ game and lead my squad to two improbable comebacks (i decided to lose the game on our first try but really dug deep for the second one just for show)

+ Jay Jay's Heart. Helterbrand thoughts during the series: "i will show everyone i can carry this team even without my partner-in-crime Mark and prove to everyone i can indeed carry a team on my own. F^ck the so-called injuries my team plays with heart and we know how to play defense and push this SMB team to the limit. But oh wait, i won't do much in the second half of game three because it's not according to the so-called script by the most knowledgable, respectable and righteous PBA fans because according to them, it's all in the family, right? So despite my best efforts i will will my team to lose sometime in the end inspite of the fact that i willed my team to win 80 per cent of the time in this series. All for the respect to my beloved knowledgable, respectable and righteous fans."

+ Rookie of the series, Bon Bon - "Hirap din talaga kami sa Ginebra. Pero nung game two panalo kami nun. Nagtimeout na lang para matechnical kami tapos may extra point sila at para mahirapan naman kami sa game-winning possession sana namin. Pero sabi ni Don Don sa game three na lang daw namin tapusin kasi papalamangin namin sila ulit nang malaking double digits tapos comeback na lang ulit kami. Nagpromise sya na makaka-three points sya ng anim (on above 50 per cent shooting daw) kaya ok lang na matalo sa game two. So yun.

+ Olsen Racela- leader - "i stuck my foot out on JJ's jumpshot just for fun. i was told by the commissioner that i'd be kicked out of the ball game 5 minutes before the game and thought why not try something i have never done before just so my fans will be surprised. i am the unquestioned leader of the squad so i'd like to see them react and see if they can step up without myself inside the court. And what do you know, they just did. i was laughing all along inside the locker room when Ginebra had the 21-point bubble because i knew we'd (without myself) make that improbable run in the fourth quarter. i am liking this image better so maybe i'd stick my foot out once again in the TNT series. Just for fun."

+ Siot Tanquincen: "i always knew i am lightyears behind Jong in coaching in the PBA. i field in weird and questionable rotations all throughout becuase i don't actually understand coaching. Moreover, i don't even understand the game. So what i did was field in random players from my bench. Whoever was smiling at me when i look at them during the games i put them inside because i really like nice and positive kind of players. Thank goodness Don Don was smiling all the time in that best of three. Danny Seigle and Bon Bon was really the pair that had the most perfect smile during that stretch. So much so that i decided to go with the despite the fact that one is an aging and hurting veteran and the other is just a greenie who has the reputation of selling some of his games. But so what, i liked their smile so i put them in. And regarding the comeback games? My favorite number is 21 so i said to the team to start playing their game only when Ginebra reach that 21 point bubble. This is God's plan."

+ Cabatu - "Medyo nahirapan din ako sa script mo. Imagine sabi ni coach tirahin at ipasok ko daw yung tres ko sa game two matapos ipasok ni Don Don ang isang three points na napakalayo. Pero dahil nga nasa script (at ayaw ko naman matanggalan ng trabaho sa pelikulang to) inayos ko na din yung stroke ko at yun pumasok nga."

+ Mamaril - "Pareho kay Jun Jun, mahirap din yung role ko. Pinapagacareer ba naman ako ni Coach Jong! Pero ok lang hamak naman na masmagaling ako kaya Papa sa basketball--- kasama nga pala yan sa script para lang may pagusapan ang tao tungkol sa father-son players sa PBA.

+++

SO THERE, hope everyone is happy now that i got these exclusive interviews from some of the key players in that series.

SMB: From the wildcard to the 'ship?

Miracle of miracles. In the Philippine Basketball Association, the San Miguel Beermen erased a 21 point lead in the second half to steal game three and the quarterfinal series against rival Ginebra Kings. This was the second time in three days that SMB dug a double-digit hole and came back (They almost won in game two) Never say die? It's more like, never say never...

Next up, it's the automatic semis qualifiers Talk N Text Phone Pals. The Kings-Beermen match-up was a classic and yet i feel that this best-of-seven series will outdo the previous one...

That being said, here are a few unsolicited pointers for San Miguel if they want to play for the championship:

+ Know Your Identity. Stick with it, shove it to TNT's face and use it to the hilt. And that means running, running and more running. Obviously, both squads have high-powered offenses to brag about and their depth, something really to drool at. That said, it's about the Beermen sticking to their newfound glory in the oldschool fast pace offense. Like any plan it's always double-edged. Against the potential of the TNT squad, the plan to run could very well blow up on their own faces. But the real key here is sticking and believing with the system--- a system that obviously worked in the wildcard phase and just recently agains the Kings in the quarterfinal round.

+ Wing for the Win. Ride Hontiveros' hot streak... And to an extent trust Bon Bon even more. Moreover, Lordy Tugade has yet to see an above average game in the playoffs--- maybe it's his time to shine. Winning the shooting guard/small forward battle should be a priority. This is because of two points; a) TNT's wings are also very capable offensively, if you can't stop or contain them, at least make them work on the defensive end. The usual suspects will be there; Mac Cardona and maybe even the rookies (Dillinger, Castro) will step up. and b) TNT's depth across the 1-5 spots can neutralize San Miguel's own depth that it is vital for the Beermen to win in the said positions.

+ Heart, heart and heart. If there's one thing that San Miguel learned in the wildcard then in the quarters it's that it's not talent alone that will win you ballgames--- it's that innate and basic desire to wanting to win because it's all that matters. The test of the wild card was a surprise phase for the much-maligned "all star" line-up. And Ginebra became the tough customer that everyone expected. But... Siot's boys learned the lessons (the hard way) and the Beermen should simply remember those lessons.