Inday Sara - Kadayawan AFP-PNP cagefest on July 30 sked

INDAY SARA AFP-PNP - 24TH KADAYAWAN INVITATIONAL CUP


Games schedule


JULY 30, 2009 (THURSDAY) @ BANKEROHAN GYM


1:00 PM BJMP VS. PAF

2:30 PM NSU VS. SAF

4:00 PM RHQ VS. DCPO

5:30 PM 10TH ID VS. BFP


Team standing:

W L

CMO II
DCPO I
RMG I
RHQ I
PAF I
BFP

I BJMP I NSU I 10TH ID I SAF

CMO takes Game 1 in Ladislawa Cup

CMO takes Game 1 in Ladislawa Cup


The City Mayor's Office walloped Al-Iskandar, 98 - 76 in Game 1 of their 2009 Ladislawa Cup - 34 years old and below division - best of three title showdown, Tuesday night, at the Ladislawa Garden Village Gym.


Christopher "Bong" Go scored 22 of his total 27 points in the pivotal final half as he proved dominant enough to power CMO within a win of the league title.


The sweet-shooting executive assistant of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
drilled seven triples, including one that came from close to the half court line that settled the final count.


Skipper Ryan Alquizar and Roy Bangkas helped Go in the offensive end while Dindo Pastor, Marvin Mondigo and Boyet Brigoli did their share in defense that gave Al-Iskandar had a hard time to get its game going in the second half.


Alquizar and Bangkas chipped in 14 markers apiece for CMO which pulled away in the third canto for a commanding 74 - 57 lead entering the final quarter.


Veteran playmaker Arvin Bonleon had 15 points for Al-Iskandar which was trailing all throughout


A Go baseline triple midway of the final period marked the biggest decifit of the ballgame at 22, 88 - 66.


CMO will try to end the series on Friday's Game 2 at 7:30 p.m.


It was a see-saw battle in the opening canto as both teams managed to trade baskets.


Behind Alquizar's 9 points in the second quarter CMO took a 45 - 35 lead at the half.


In 35 years old and above division, Goldstar Hardware downed Sanman selection, 97 - 59 in Game 1 of their own best of three title series.


Goldstar dribblers coached by Jigger Saniel played inspired basketball by the presence of their big boss Winston Ho who watched the game at the back of the bench.

Jones Cup post mortem

ONES CUP POST MORTEM

JULY 27, 2009



TAIPEI – The Powerade-Team Pilipinas scouting mission in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament could return with a report that might look like this:

Iran: Tall…heavy…mismatches in every position. Seven-foot-three Hamed Ehadadi indefensible inside. Score vs. RP: 85-60. Conclusion: Unbeatable.

Jordan: Big…fast…Portuguese coach Mario Palma as acid-tongued as he is good. Point guard Rasheim Wright in a class of his own. Score vs. RP: 90-59. Conclusion: Too tough to beat.

South Korea: Deadly snipers lurk everywhere…dazzling ball movement…might be vulnerable inside and against aggressive perimeter defense. Score vs. RP: 83-80. Conclusion: Beatable.

Japan: Good outside shooters…Takehiko Orimo, who Dennis Espino took out in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, still the main man…big guy in the middle joining the team in Tianjin…Asi Taulava, Japeth Aguilar and Sonny Thoss need to work overtime to contain new center. Trailed by 19 points early in the first half but showed remarkable comeback power. Score vs. RP: 87-85. Conclusion: Beatable depending on their hidden ace.

Taiwan: High percentage distance shooting…quick ball movement honed by South Korean coach…volume scoring from the onset…relatively weak inside. Score vs. RP: 86-77. Conclusion: Going down against the Nationals next time around.

Lebanon: Superstar Fadi El-Khatib slowed down a bit by age but scored 32 and 33 points in their first two games…backup guys – Brian Feghali and Jackson Vroman – too good to defend against…add to the potent mix a smaller version of Dirk Nowitzki named Matt Freije who debuted with 39 points and 11 rebounds in a 97-79 annihilation of South Korea. Score vs. RP: 95-83. Conclusion: Huge problem.

The eight-day, nine-team tournament, held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and eventually ruled by Iran – dethroning back-to-back champion Jordan – stripped bare the RP team’s inadequacies: lack of foreign exposure, unfamiliarity with international rules, contrasting style of play.

Jordan finished with a tournament-best 7-1 record to Iran and Lebanon’s 6-2. But the Jordanians decision to walk out of their game with the Iranians over officiating proved costly.

Before the team left, national coach Yeng Guiao preached the need for speed, defense and accurate shooting to counter the opposition’s size advantage.

Faced, however, with opponents who are as fast, if not faster, massive, deadlier from the outside, and infinitely more experienced in the FIBA brand of basketball, the Nationals faltered, bogged down by sloppy ball handling and horrendous outside shooting.

Injuries also ravaged the squad at its most sensitive position – the point guard spot, with Jayjay Helterbrand playing hurt and Ryan Reyes not playing at all.

The imbalance forced the sacrifice of Willie Miller, who was brought in from the less burdensome position of shooting guard to help quarterback the RP team while delivering the points when needed, which was often.

There were a few bright spots, especially the emergence of 6-foot-10 Japeth Aguilar, who, despite being lanky, young and raw, demonstrated his awesome potentials – defensively and as an offensive threat above the rim.

There was also Sonny Thoss holding his own against Middle Eastern tanks, and Cyrus Baguio scorching the tracks and pushing up the pace in transition.

In the next six days before they fly for the “real thing” – the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship – where three berths are at stake for the 16th FIBA World Championship in Istanbul next year, the Nationals have their “work cut out for them,” as PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios reminded the team Saturday after a healing mass offered for ailing former President Corazon C. Aquino.

“We shall sink or swim with this team, but you have to work real hard to get in shape,” Barrios told the players. “Only an optimum performance from you, guys, can spell success in Tianjin.”

The Philippines is bracketed with South Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka in the FIBA Asia.

Unless the Sri Lankans, a cricket-loving nation, have learned to shoot hoops as well as they play their national pastime, then the three perennial Asian rivals are guaranteed to make it to the next phase of the elimination – against the top three teams from Group B, made up of Iran, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, and Taiwan.

With the tournament format calling for win-loss records to be carried over to the Group A vs. Group B round, it makes it imperative for the RP team to get there with a 3-0 or 2-1 card in anticipation for return engagements with Iran and Taiwan, not to mention the games with the Uzbeks and Kuwaitis, both un-scouted opponents.

Having lost to all four teams – Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Iran – in the Jones Cup tournament, the Nationals will be working from a position of disadvantage, mentally and physically, unless they make the transition from being individual talents to becoming a solid team with patience, good ball movement, judiciously-taken outside shots, and hellish defense for 40 minutes.

And that’s just to reach the quarterfinal round.

In the semis, defending champion China, Lebanon and Jordan and probably Qatar await which four from the other bracket will go up against them.

These coming days will determine if the country’s dream of a World Championship appearance after more than three decades is capable of reaching that far.

Go fires 39 lift CMO past Air Force

Go fires 39 lift CMO past Air Force


The City Mayor's Office drew first blood in the Inday Sara AFP-PNP - 24th Kadayawan Invitational Cup by besting Philippine Air Force, 109 - 79 behind the superb showing of Christopher "Bong" Go on Saturday.


The sweet-shooting executive assistant of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who wowed the crowd at the Barangay 5-A Bankerohan Gym with his three point shooting prowess, scattered 39 points to put CMO in the winning column.


Go had 15 points after the first twenty minutes of play and scored the last 24 from behind the arc, hitting from all angles, in the final half.


Roy Bangkas and Dioven Braga chipped in 11 points respectively for CMO which came out strong early taking 29 - 12 after the first canto and never looked back.


Rygian Delgra paced the Airmen with 25 markers.


In the second game, Regional Headquarters needed an extra five minutes to dispose Bureua of Jail Management and Penology, 114 - 112 in overtime.


Robinson Palomares topscored for RHQ with 36 points.


Acting Mayor Sara Duterte opened the tournament to the delight of the players and team officials from ten participating teams from the various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.


In her short speech, she urged the players to play with highest level of sportsmanship and "enjoy the games".


The tournament is sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

RP-Iran game story

CONCLUSION OF JONES CUP

RP-IRAN GAME STORY

Team Standings

*Jordan 6-1

Iran 6-2

Lebanon 6-2

**Korea 5-2

**Taiwan 5-2

RP 2-6

Taiwan-B 2-6

*Kazakhstan 1-6

Japan 1-7

* - playing at press time

** - playing at press time

TAIPEI – A dwarfed Powerade-Team Pilipinas got a full measure of the height and depth of an Asian cage superpower Sunday after getting trampled by Iran, 85-60, at the close of the 31^st William Jones Cup tournament at the Hsinchuang gym.

A broken-down shot clock briefly delayed the inevitable as venue technicians worked feverishly for an hour to repair the problem.

But when it was done, so was the game.

The first meeting between the two teams since the 2007 FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship – an Olympic qualifying tournament – in Tokushima, Japan ended earlier than it last did.

While their previous encounter came down the wire before the Iranians, who went on to capture the title and qualify to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, prevailed, 75-69, the Nationals fell behind early this time, 14-7, and eventually got buried at the half, 51-23.

The second half avalanche that followed sealed a doomed climax for the RP team.

“Game was very easy, no problem,” said Iran coach Vaselin Matic.

Shrugging off a hit sustained from Ranidel de Ocampo that produced an angry bruise above his right eye, Iran’s 7-foot-3 behemoth Hamed Ehadadi, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds, parked his skyscraping frame in the paint and was the key to Iran’s complete dominance in every aspect of the mismatch.

With Serbian Rajko Toroman, who coached them in Tokushima, watching at sideline, the Iranians delivered an awesome performance that installed as a force to reckon with in the 25^th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month.

“We had no solution to their height advantage, we just couldn’t match up with their size,” said national coach Yeng Guiao.

The Nationals wrapped up its campaign with a 2-6 slate, good for sixth spot, three rungs lower than the third place finish of their 2007 predecessors.

In an earlier game, Japan, reduced to five players, including the veteran Takehiko Orimo, after the rest of the team succumbed to intestinal flu, fell to Taiwan-B, 97-91.

Food poisoning also claimed players from other teams, including Ehadadi who was brought to the hospital and was absent when host Taiwan stunned Iran, 80-76, Saturday.

With Iran’s second loss, Jordan, which walked out of its Thursday game with the Iranians in disgust over officiating, revived its bid for a third straight championship.

Lebanon, on the other hand, scuttled the hopes of South Korea after Matt Freije unloaded 39 points and hauled down 11 rebounds in a 97-79 rout.

The Jordanians (6-1) were to aim for the title against Kazakhstan after the RP-Iran game.

Meanwhile, the clock starts ticking for the injured Ryan Reyes and, conversely, for somebody from among the 12 that made it to the official lineup.

Guiao made it clear Saturday that it will be Reyes’ call – not Guiao’s – whether or not to reinsert him into the national team that will fly to Tianjin on Aug. 4.

Rules allow teams to alter the lineups they submitted Friday until three days before the tournament comes off the wraps on Aug. 6.

“If Ryan tells me he’s O.K. to play, then I’ll find a way for him,” said Guiao, who earlier named Reyes and Talk ‘N Text forward Ranidel de Ocampo as alternates.

Reyes, 25, who played for California State-Fullerton and was drafted third overall by the Sta. Lucia Realtors, pulled a hamstring muscle in his left thigh during the 8^th SEABA Men’s Championship in Medan last June and has been listed as day-to-day since.

“If I don’t feel I’m 90 percent healthy, then I’d rather not play because I don’t want to bring the team down,” said Reyes, who has an appointment with noted sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Raul Canlas after the RP team returns home Monday.

***

NOTES: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon,” the ‘70s pop hit by Tony Orlando and The Dawn and the unofficial anthem for former Sen. Benigno Aquino on his ill-fated arrival from Taiwan in 1983, was played during the pre-game introductions for the RP-Taiwan match Saturday…Organizers apparently found out the reason for the strips of yellow adhesives taped on the Philippine team’s uniforms and dug out the song from their music archives…Jordan’s Portuguese coach Mario Palma, whose decision to walk out of their game with Iran might have cost his team a third straight championship here, remains furious over the incident, branding it “a shame” and calling the two Taiwanese referees in that game “cowards.”...Grief befell the RP team before the Iran game when news reached the players that Wynne Arboleda's father had passed away.

Scores:

IRAN 85 – Ehadadi 19 Bahrami 18, Afagh 14, Tadjik 11, Kamrany 9, Sahakian 6, Amini 3, Davoudi 2, Davarpanah 2, Akbari 1, Doraghi 0, Davari 0.

RP 60 – Thoss 13, Baguio 12, Santos 9, Aguilar 7, Dillinger 5, De Ocampo 4, Raymundo 3, Miller 3, Taulava 2, Norwood 2.

Quarters: 25-12; 41-23; 74-43; 85-60

53 APPLICANTS EYE PBA STINT

53 APPLICANTS EYE PBA STINT

A total of 53 hopefuls led by potential top pick Japeth Aguilar made themselves available for Sunday’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft at the Market! Market! Place in Taguig.

Other than Aguilar, the only amateur player to be included by national coach Yeng Guiao in the Powerade-Team Pilipinas bound for the FIBA-Asia Men’s Basketball Championship in Tianjin, China, the 2009 class also includes a pair of Most Valuable Player (MVP) awardees, a Finals MVP who played a key role in San Beda’s three straight NCAA men’s basketball championship, a gangling center instrumental in La Salle’s UAAP championship two years ago, a brother of Alaska big man Reynel Hugnatan and a slew of Fil-Am cagers including a nephew of Talk `N Text guard Jimmy Alapag.

The deadline of application ended last Friday, at least a week before the much-awaited event on August 2 that serves as the league’s first official activity for the 2009-2010 season.

Burger King owns this year’s no. 1 overall pick.

All 53 PBA aspirants had been split into four teams and will play in the two-day, eight-game schedule at the Caruncho gym in Pasig City that forms part of the traditional Rookie Camp slated on July 28, 30 and 31.

Teaming up with the 6-foot-9 Aguilar in Group A (yellow) are Pharex stalwarts Ronnie Mathias, Sean Co and Josh Urbiztondo, while PBL MVP Chris Ross, Roel Hugnatan and 2007 UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz spearhead Group B (white).

San Beda star Ogie Menor, La Salle stalwart Rico Maierhofer, Far Eastern University guard Benedict Fernandez and Oracle guard Chris Timberlake stood at the forefront of Group C (blue), while Group D (red) will be led by University of the East’s Marcy Arellano, Jose Rizal University’s James Sena and Kevin White, reportedly related to Alapag.

On the first day of play, Group 1 clashes with Group 3 in first game at 2 p.m., while Group 2 battles Group 4 at 4 p.m.

The final day of the camp is a crossover double header between Group 1 vs. Group 2 (2 p.m.) and Group 3 vs. Group 4 (4 p.m.).

The Rookie Camp starts on July 28 at the Club 650 gym in Libis, Quezon City from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be supervised by supervisor of officials Ramil Cruz where the prospective rookie hopefuls are subjected in terms of physical aspect, skills and strength evaluation as well as basketball drills.

Failure to attend the camp would automatically scratch the applicant from the final list of rookie picks to be announced by league commissioner Sonny Barrios on July 31.

There will be no camp on the 29th to give way to the coaching clinic to be conducted by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig starting at 2 p.m.

The complete rookie line ups are as follows:

Group 1 (yellow) – Aguilar, Urbiztondo, Co, Matias, Bryan Faundo, Marlon Adolfo, Charleston Bocias, Kim Macanig, Axel John Doruelo, Jim Viray, Luis Palaganas, Leemore Boliver and Glenn Bolocon.

Group 2 (white) – Cruz, Ross, Hugnatan, Filemon Fernandez III, Orlando Daroya, Richard Saladaga, Dino Daa, Robert Labagala, Jonathan Pinera, Jorel Canizares, Gerry Orera, Ramsey Williams and Jerome Cenita.

Group 3 (blue) – Menor, Maierhofer, Timberlake, Fernandez, John Walsham, Francis Allera, Jemal Vizcarra, Roser Mangahas, Jerby Del Rosario, Charles Water, Floyd Dedicatoria, Edwin Asoro and Jan Philip Villaver.

Group 4 (red) – Sena, Arellano, White, Michael Burtscher, Chris Viardo, Howard Saddi, Hafer Mondragon, Raymond Agular, Allan Evangelista, Andro Quinday, Emmanuel Malasig, Jobe Nkemakola, Mark Benitez and Jonathan Uyloan.

RP nips Taiwan-B; mass offered for ailing tita Cory

RP nips Taiwan-B; mass offered for ailing tita Cory


Team Standings
**Iran 6-1
Jordan 6-1
*Korea 5-1
*Lebanon 5-2
**Taiwan 4-2
RP 2-5
Japan 1-6
Taiwan-B 1-6
Kazakhstan 1-6

* - playing at press time
** - playing at press time

Games Sunday
11 a.m. – Taiwan B vs. Japan
1 p.m. – Iran vs. RP
3 p.m. – Taiwan vs. Korea
5 p.m. – Jordan vs. Kazakhstan
Closing Ceremony



TAIPEI – Powerade-Team Pilipinas found some reason to breath easier before it faces league-leading Iran at the close of the 31st William Jones Cup, getting past Taiwan-B, 94-90, Saturday at the Hsinchuang gym.

Willie Miller scored 22 points, Arwind Santos added 16 and Jared Dillinger 13 points as the Nationals, who had strips of yellow adhesives taped to their jerseys in honor of ailing former president Corazon C. Aquino, ended a three-game losing streak in improving to 2-5.

Taiwan’s second team absorbed its sixth loss in seven games but not after giving the RP team, which led 92-81 on Miller’s free throws with less than two minutes remaining, another endgame scare.

The Nationals were more up to the task this time despite national coach Yeng Guiao’s decision to turn the last few minutes of the game into a practicum for Dillinger, Santos and Japeth Aguilar.

“I wanted to see how they would react in the end without the benefit of a timeout or key players with them inside,” said Guiao.

Dillinger and Aguilar missed four free throws in succession, leaving Taiwan-B within 92-88, but Santos, a consistent member of the PBA’s all-defensive team, stole the ball from forward Chang Tsung and converted a breakaway layup for 94-88 with 35 seconds to go.

“Taiwan is a tough team to beat because of its quickness,” Guiao said. “They broke down our individual defense. And when we tried to play a zone, they shot well from the outside and so we had to revert to the man-to-man.”

In an earlier game, Jordan, which forfeited its Thursday’s game with Iran in protest over officiating, crushed Japan, 93-58, for its sixth win in seven outings.

Meanwhile, PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios exhorted the national players earlier in the morning to “shape up for the mission ahead,” reminding them that only an “optimum performance” can spell success in the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship in Tianjin, China two weeks from now.

Speaking to team members, including national coach Yeng Guiao and manager JB Baylon, after a mass offered at the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel for the recovery of Mrs. Aquino who is gravely ill, Barrios addressed the need for the players to get in top condition and to work on their outside shooting and free throws.

“Do it for yourselves, the PBA, and – take this seriously for they are not empty words – for flag and country,” Barrios said.

Quoting excepts from “Values of the Game,” a book written by NBA legend and former 3-term United States senator Bill Bradley, Barrios spoke of the essentials required to excel in the game.

“If you can’t run, you can’t win,” Barrios said, reading from the paperback. “And the only way to improve your shooting is to shoot.”

In the book, Bradley wrote about his personal off-season shooting regimen: taking 25 shots from five different spots.

“He shoots 25 from one area and he has to make them all,” Barrios told the players. “If he misses on the 23rd, then he returns to No. 1. That’s the kind of discipline and dedication Bill Bradley put to improve his game.”

The starting forward of the ‘70s New York Knicks also recalled the time Hubie Brown, then an assistant coach with the 1972 Milwaukee Bucks, went to practice an hour and a half ahead of schedule with the intention of impressing head coach Larry Costello.

“Lo and behold! Who was there when Hubie Brown arrived? Kareem Abdul Jabbar, practicing his skyhook,” Barrios said. “And what Kareem would did, according to the book, was put a smaller rim inside the regular ring and shoot through it.”

Barrios brought to the RP players’ attention percentages gathered from the 2007 RP-Tokushima team coached by Chot Reyes, the latest season of the NBA and the PBA, and the Powerade-RP’s performance in the 8th SEABA Men’s Championship in Medan last June.

“Sad to say, guys, we’re lagging behind, fourth and last, in combined field goal percentage, especially in three-point conversion, and in free throw shooting,” he said. “So now you know what kind of work you have to cram into the last 10 days.”

The coaching staff’s decision to name Ryan Reyes and Ranidel de Ocampo as alternates was also brought up.

“We would have submitted all 14 players to the FIBA Asia but the requirement was just for 12,” Barrios said. “However, this we told the two guys and this I share to all of you now: the coach has the discretion to change anybody in the lineup three days before the tournament begins if he feels a need for it.

“So I’m urging all of you to shape up and be in the best condition that you can be within the next few days.”

Barrios paid tribute, first to Wynne Arboleda, the veteran Burger King playmaker, for “being around to help the team,” and then to the rest of the RP, acknowledging “you work so hard within very limited parameters.”

Expressing his “faith” in them, Barrios concluded by saying, “We shall sink or swim with this team, but we have to play as one.”

The mass, originally scheduled Sunday, was officiated by Fr. Joy Tajonera. M.M., a native of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, and was arranged through the Sacred Heart of Joes & the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Chapel and UGNAYAN, a migrant and immigrant ministry based here.


Scores:

POWERADE-RP 94 – Miller 22, Santos 16, Dillinger 13, Baguio 12, Raymundo 6, Taulava 6, Norwood 6, Aguilar 6, De Ocampo 4, Thoss 2, Arboleda 2.

TAIWAN-B 90 – Chang T.H. 24, Kin 17, Chen 12, Lin 8, Chen Y.A. 8, Lu 6, Lo 5, Tsai 4, Hung 3, Wang 3, Lin C.J. 0.

Quarters: 28-22; 48-41; 69-67; 94-90

Guiao names final 12

Guiao names final 12

* Reyes, De Ocampo out
* Yap flies home for ailing in-law
* Sunday mass for tita Cory
* Barrios, Baylon arrive


Games Saturday
1 p.m. – Japan vs. Jordan
3 p.m. – Taiwan B vs. RP
5 p.m. – Lebanon vs. Korea
7 p.m. – Iran vs. Taiwan


Games Sunday
11 a.m. – Taiwan-B vs. Japan
1 p.m. – Iran vs. RP
3 p.m. – Taiwan vs. Korea
5 p.m. – Jordan vs. Kazakhstan
Closing Ceremony



TAIPEI – The shroud is off for Powerade-Team Pilipinas after coach Yeng Guiao bared Friday morning the official lineup to the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship set Aug. 6-16 in Tianjin, China.

Over breakfast before the team went to practice, Guiao named to the squad Jayjay Helterbrand, Willie Miller, Gabe Norwood, Arwind Santos, Jared Dillinger, Cyrus Baguio, Japeth Aguilar, Kerby Raymundo, Sonny Thoss, James Yap, Asi Taulava, and Mick Pennisi.

A shoo-in, point guard Ryan Reyes, who has yet to recover fully from an injury suffered in the 8th SEABA Championship in Medan two months ago, reportedly asked to be excluded from the roster Thursday due to continuing pain in his left hamstring muscle.

Forward Ranidel de Ocampo, clearly undersized against opponents playing his position, was also placed in reserve.

Injuries, though not welcomed, Guiao said, could shake up the lineup.

“We’re not discounting that possibility,” he said. “I understand we can still change any injured player three days before the tournament begins.”

Guiao has been consulting with his coaching staff, including former national mentor Jong Uichico, who has since left, for the past few days and the group reached a “consensus” Thursday night.

“It wasn’t really difficult,” Guiao said.

PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, who arrived with RP team manager JB Baylon Thursday in time for the game with South Korea in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament, said it was imperative a final 12 be submitted to the FIBA Asia organizers.

“We had to beat the deadline,” Barrios said.

With Helterbrand playing intermittently because of recurring tightness in his hamstring, the point guard spot remains a vulnerable area for the RP team, forcing Guiao to leave the door ajar for Reyes’ return.

“I would’ve preferred to have Ryan in the team but he admitted he won’t be a hundred percent in Tianjin,” said Guiao, adding, however, “pero pag naramdaman niyang okey na siya, then we’ll find a way for him.”

Guiao didn’t say whose place Reyes will step into in the eventuality.

Miller, and at times Norwood, have been covering for Helterbrand and Reyes – in Medan and here – but are both clearly less comfortable setting up than dishing off.

Baylon, who was with Guiao and Barrios during the announcement, said he is looking forward to the action in Tianjin, adding, “I think even the players are itching for the real thing.”

Meanwhile, Yap left for Manila early Friday to be with his wife Kris, whose mother, former president Corazon C. Aquino, is gravely ill.

The Purefoods hotshot, who suffered a whiplash after getting hit in the forehead during the Kazakhstan game last Monday, has been in constant communication with his wife ever since Mrs. Aquino’s condition took a turn for the worse as the national team left Manila Saturday..

Baylon drove him to the airport.

PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial said a healing mass for the former president will be offered by the RP team Sunday before the closing game with Iran.

Guiao is Mrs. Aquino’s wedding godson.

PBA lands ex-Blue Eagle

PBA lands ex-Blue Eagle


TAIPEI – The Blue Eagle has been landed.

A new age dawned in the Philippine Basketball Association Wednesday after one-time Ateneo sophomore Japeth Aguilar decided to follow his father’s footsteps by making himself available in the PBA Annual Draft on Aug. 2 at Market! Market! in Taguig.

After consulting family and friends, the son of former Northern Consolidated center Peter Aguilar gave the green light for his name to be added to the pot at the end of the rainbow.

Aguilar, 22, who signed his application before leaving last week with Powerade Team Pilipinas for the 31st William Jones Cup tournament – but asked to be given some time to come to a final decision – announced his intention during dinner following the game with Lebanon where he scored six points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots.

“Gusto ko na rin maka-akyat sa susunod na level habang bata pa ‘ko,” the soft-voiced Aguilar told sportswriters in the presence of PBA operations and technical chief Rickie Santos and league media bureau head Willy Marcial.

A hand’s down choice to become the No. 1 pick overall, Aguilar is ordained to wear the crown previously owned by legends like Manny Paner, Ramon Fernandez, Abet Guidaben, Manny Victorino, Jerry Codinera and Benjie Paras – and more recently by Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino, Danny Ildefonso, Eric Menk, Asi Taulava and Kerby Raymundo.

But unlike the big men who reigned supreme since the PBA’s inception in 1975, the 6-foot-10, 210-pound Aguilar appears to be a cut well above the rest with his slam-dunking and shot-blocking prowess dictated on by a pterodactyl wingspan that would be the envy of the prehistoric characters that rule the Jurassic Park skies.

So mind-boggling is Aguilar’s potential in the PBA starting next season that even national coach Yeng Guiao, a man not known to lavish praises on players, is suffused with awe and wonder at the rare specimen playing for him now.

“Japeth will be the most dominant big man in the PBA ever,” predicted Guiao, whose Burger King Whopper owns the first pick in the coming draft.

Although his mind is preoccupied now with the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month, Guiao has other matters percolating in the backburner.

“All I’ve asked is for a chance to work on Japeth for at least one conference, and (Whopper) team manager Lito Alvarez has assured me there is no way they’re not going to get him,” said Guiao, who has announced his candidacy for next year’s gubernatorial race in Pampanga, birthplace of the elder Aguilar.

Now in the States, Peter, following his stint with Ron Jacobs’ NCC squad in the ‘80s, played for five PBA ballclubs – Anejo Rum, Alaska, Seven-Up, Sta. Lucia Realty and Shell – from 1989 to 1993.

“Siya lang talaga ang idolo ko sa PBA,” Japeth had said earlier. “Pinapanood ko lagi yung mga tapes niya noon. Kaya gusto ko rin makasunod sa yapak niya.”

PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, booked to fly in from Manila yesterday afternoon, said Aguilar will be “an asset not only to his team but also to the PBA” while he showcases his basketball talent and skills.

“The PBA family welcomes Japeth to the premier basketball league of the country,” said Barrios. “I wish him all the best as I join all PBA fans in eagerly waiting for his debut in the games this coming October

RP vs. Lebanon

Jones cup/rp vs. Lebanon story


JORDAN 4 0
LEBANON 4 1
KOREA 3 1
TAIWAN 3 1
IRAN 3 1
JAPAN 1 3
RP 1 4
TAIWAN-B 1 5
KAZAKHSTAN 0 5


Games Thursday
1 p.m. – Kazakhstan (0-5) vs. Japan (1-3)
3 p.m. – Iran (3-1) vs. Jordan (4-0)
5 p.m. – RP (1-4) vs. Korea (3-1)
7 p.m. – Taiwan (3-1) vs. Lebanon (4-1)


TAIPEI – Flexing Middle Eastern muscles on the rare occasions it needed to, Lebanon overpowered Powerade-Team Pilipinas Wednesday, 95-83, to move up solo second in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament at the Hsinchuang gym here.



Brian Feghali, who played three years for Louisiana State in the US NCAA, led Lebanon with 29 points, including five 3-pointers, and 10 rebounds, while Jackson Vroman, the replacement for naturalized player Joseph Vogel, added 24 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals.

The Philippines outrebounded the Lebanese, 36-28, but turned the ball over on 27 occasions, 12 more than the opposition.

“We just beat ourselves, and too many fouls were called on us,” said national coach Yeng Guiao, noting the RP team was awarded 15 free throws and the Lebanese 32.

Halfway through the annual invitational held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Jordan remains the only unbeaten team in the 9-team field.

Three other teams – Iran, South Korea and host Taiwan – are tied at third to fifth with 3-1 slates.

After dropping their first two games and beating Kazakhstan, the Nationals lost their next two, falling to 1-4 just above Taiwan-B (1-5) and the winless Kazakhs (0-5).

The RP team trailed 50-35 late in the second quarter on the strength of Brian Feghali’s outside shooting before James Yap closed out the first half with seven straight points.

Behind Kerby Raymundo, the Nationals came back to narrow the gap at 59-57 midway in the third quarter before the veteran Fadi El-Khatib drained a 3-point shot to spark a 15-5 Lebanon run to end the RP uprising.

Four more games remain in the country’s schedule, with South Korea, a groupmate in the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month, up next this Thursday.

In an earlier game, Jordan (4-0) kept an unblemished slate intact by crushing previously unbeaten South Korea, 83-67, as Rasheim Wright scored 21 points and the defense forced the usually accurate Korean snipers (3-1) to miss 20 three-point shots.

Before that, Iran (3-1), powered by 7-foot-3 Hamed Ehadadi, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds, routed Japan (1-3), 82-70, and later, Taiwan-B upset Kazakhstan, 82-69, picking up its first win while handing the Kazakhs their fifth straight setback.


Scores:

LEBANON 95 – Feghali 29, Vroman 24, El-Khatib 14, Fahed 11, Nour 9, Mahmoud 4, Turk 3, Kanaan 1.

RP 83 – Helterbrand 12, Raymundo 11, Yap 11, Pennisi 9, Santos 7, Norwood 7, Aguilar 6, Baguio 4, Thoss 3, Taulava 3.

Quarters: 30-19; 50-42; 78-66; 95-73

Inday Sara - Kadayawan AFP-PNP cagefest on July 25

Inday Sara - Kadayawan AFP-PNP cagefest on July 25



The Inday Sara-24th Kadayawan AFP-PNP Basketball Tournament starts on July 25 at the Barangay 5-A (Bankerohan) Gym.



A total of nine teams from various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police will vie for the title.



Leading the cast are Davao City Police Office, Regional Mobile Group, PNP-Special Action Force, Philippine Air Force and City Mayors Office.



Other entered teams are Bureau of Fire, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, PNP-National Support Unit and 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.



The tournament wherein only uniformed and enlisted personnels are allowed to play is one of the 21 sporting events calendared to highligt the sporting activities of this years Kadayawan Festival.



The tournament will follow a single round robin elimination format and the top four teams will advance to the semifinal with the top two teams enjoying a twice to beat advantage.



Sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the tournament will be under the supervision of the the country's governing body's referees.

PBA Rookie Camp

PBA ROOKIE CAMP

JULY 22, 2009

PROSPECTIVE applicants for this year’s Rookie Draft get to show both their physical and mental skills when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) hold its traditional rookie camp in two different venues at the end of the month.

The camp is set on July 28, 30 and 31, with supervisor of officials Ramil Cruz acting as camp director.

The first day of the event will be a whole-day affair at the Club 650 gym in Libis, Quezon City from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Initial activities include measurement of the rookies’ physical aspects from height, wing span to current weight.

Then skills and strength evaluation follows, from the simple push ups, bench press, sit ups, sprints to pull ups.

Finally in the afternoon, drills will be conducted, with participants engaging in agility, shooting, dribbling and fastbreak activities.

The camp takes a break the following day, but resumes on July 30-31 with all rookies seeing action in the four-game schedule to be played at the Caruncho gym in Pasig City.

All participants will be split into four teams. Group 1 plays Group 3 in the first game at 2 p.m., while Group 2 clashes with Group 4 at 4 p.m.

The final day of the camp is a crossover double header between Group 1 vs. Group 2 (2 p.m.) and Group 3 vs. Group 4 (4 p.m.).

The official rookie team rosters will be sent out this Friday (July 24), although coaching assignments are going to be announced later.

This year’s PBA Rookie Draft is set August 2 at the Market Market Place in Taguig.

Burger King own’s the no. 1 overall pick.

Cramming in Taiwan

Cramming in Taiwan


TAIPEI – For Powerade Team Pilipinas, the 31st Williams Jones Cup tournament represents a crash course on team bonding and preparation, a burning the midnight oil hour.

While teams like Lebanon and Iran are using the 9-team competition – held here annually in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) – to break in newly-acquired big men or wrap up year-long training, the Philippines is cramming inside 10 days 10 months worth of lessons.

“Without prolonged preparation, we’re trying to compress all the situations na puwede nating daanan sa Tianjin in this one tournament,” said national coach Yeng Guiao moments after the RP team blew a 19-point second quarter lead in losing to Japan Tuesday.

“We learn more from seeing the situation here,” Guiao added.

Other than a low level Southeast Asian Basketball Men’s Championship in Medan, Indonesia two months ago, the Nationals, tasked with securing a berth to the 2010 World Championship in Istanbul by finishing in the top three in next month’s 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in China, have had absolutely no international experience.

They did play an overmatched team from Australia, two PBA selections and a group of American missionaries, but nothing beats getting slap around by Jordan, sneered at by host Chinese-Taipei, and having their hopes dashed by Japan.

Beating Kazakhstan, a team the country hasn’t had success with since Tim Cone’s RP-Centennial team back in 1998, lifted their spirits and Guiao believes the contrasting experience is nothing but enriching.

“In order to play a team better, one has to lose to them first in order to realize what needs to be done,” the fiery mentor rationalized.

“Situations like these give one the opportunity to see the character of the players. Kung sino ang puwede at di puwede.”

Guiao has said before that the Jones Cup is the “real test” and the FIBA Asia the “real thing” – and no test is preparing Team RP than wading in the waters of Taiwan with the best of Asia outside powerhouse China.

Lebanon, South Korea, Taiwan-B and Iran remain in the Nationals’ schedule and more tutorials abound in these games.

How to handle the veteran Fadi El-Khatib and naturalized player Jackson Vroman will be provided by the Lebanese national squad.

With the legendary Shin Dong Pa a fixture at sideline, the South Korean snipers will be looking to pick off the Nationals from every spot in the Hsinchuang gym.

And then there are the Iranians, formerly coached by Serbian Rajko Toroman, now with the Philippines’ developmental team.

Not only did they top the 24th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tokushima in 2007 and go on to the Beijing Olympics the following year, they brought with them 7-foot-2 behemoth Hamed Ehadadi, who arrived Tuesday, to terrorize their remaining opponents in the Jones Cup and send a chilly message to their rivals in Tianjin.

The Philippines is bracketed with Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka in Group A in the FIBA Asia, with the top three teams moving up to the next round against the top three squads from Group B, comprised of Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Iran and Taiwan.

Getting past the first round should be a breeze, unless Sri Lanka, a cricket-playing nation, knows hoops as much as bats and wedges.

It is in the next round when the Uzbeks, Iranians and Taiwanese (unless the Kuwaitis have a say about it) come along that the lessons of Jones Cup 101 need to be applied.

As of now, the Nationals have four more classes to go.

Up next: Lebanese history. Professor El-Khatib awaits.

Japan downs RP, 87-85

KERBY Raymundo of Powerade Team Pilipinas drives along the baseline against a Japanese defender. (Photo by Tony Lu)

CYRUS Baguio of Powerade Team Pilipinas looks to pass against a Japanese defender. (Photo by Tony Lu)



Team Standings
KOREA 3 0
TAIWAN-A 3 0
JORDAN 2 0
LEBANON 2 1
IRAN 1 1
RP 1 3
JAPAN 1 2
KAZAKHSTAN 0 3
TAIWAN-B 0 3

Games Wednesday
1 p.m. – Japan (1-2) vs. Iran (1-1)
3 p.m. – Korea (3-0) vs. Jordan (2-0)
5 p.m. – Taiwan-B (0-3) vs. Kazakhstan (0-3)
7 p.m. – Lebanon (2-1) vs. RP (1-3)



TAIPEI – Powerade-Team Pilipinas squandered the gains of an earlier revival, blowing a 19-point second quarter lead Tuesday against long-time Asian rival Japan to end up losing, 87-85, in the 31st William Jones Cup at the Hsinchuang gym.

The tactical nature of the meeting between the old protagonists bracketed in Group A – along with South Korea and Sri Lanka – of the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month gave the outcome a different look.

With both teams determined to keep a few aces hidden before the actual battle for berths to the 16th World Championship in Istanbul next year begins, national coach Yeng Guiao and his Japanese counterpart claimed a measure of triumph after the game.

“Ang emphasis talaga is to learn as much as we can against them,” Guiao said. “We know naman in our hearts na kaya natin silang talunin pag dating sa Tianjin.”

But after watching Japan scuttle the double-digit RP team deficit with its outside shooting, and seeing Jajyjay Helterbrand’s dying-second attempt swatted away, even Guiao had to admit victory, as much as the lessons learned from the loss, would have been preferred.

“Mas maganda kung panalo siempre,” he said.

Osama Kuraishi, the Japanese coach, said through an interpreter that he had urged his players to “go hard for the victory.”

Kuraishi added: “This is a big win for us.”

The Nationals trailed, 86-82, when Jared Dillinger drained a way-out 3-point shot to cut Japan’s lead to one with four seconds left.

Helterbrand gave up a foul on Shinsuke Kashiwagi who was 7 for 7 from the line up that point. The 5-10 playmaker split his charities and Guiao called time, designing a play with Helterbrand inbounding from mid-court.

The Japanese broke up the first throw-in and the RP team again called time. Helterbrand returned for the throw-in, bounced the ball off Kashiwagi’s back, picked it up, and took aim from just outside the 3-point arc, only to have the ball swatted away by Kashiwagi before it could be launched.

“We were going for a win, a three-point shot,” said Guiao. “Na-fumble lang.”

Kashiwagi had 12 points behind center Kosuk Takeuchi who had 24 points, and the Japanese used their outside shooting and aggressive defense to come back from a 36-14 deficit early in the second and wrest control.

Japeth Aguilar, in his finest performance so far, scored 17 points for Team RP while Willie Miller added 14.

The Nationals, who ended a two-game losing start by beating Kazakhstan Monday, were hurt by their turnovers (24 against Japan’s 15) and their inability to get as often to the free throw line (8 of 9) where Japan shot 24 of 33.

With a 1-3 record, Powerade-RP, who lost James Yap late in the game after the Purefoods hotshot was hit on the nape during a scramble, goes up against Lebanon and Fadih El-Khatib at 7 p.m. Wednesday even as unbeaten teams South Korea and Jordan clash at 3 p.m.

In an earlier game, Lebanon nipped Kazakstan, 77-73, in a game where both teams walked out in the first half in disgust over officiating before they were persuaded to return and finish the game.

***
NOTES: Portuguese Mario Palma, the Jordan coach, points to China, Iran and Lebanon as the teams to beat in the FIBA-Asia World Championship qualifier in Tianjin…Lebanon mentor Dragan Raca confirms Lebanon is proceeding straight to the Philippines after ng the Jones Cup for two tuneup games against a non-PBA team.

Scores:

JAPAN 87 – Takeuchi 24, Kashiwagi 12, Takeda 9, Ishizaki 9, Amino 7, Orimo 7, Sakurai 7, Igarashi 5, Ito 4, Okada 3.

RP 85 – Aguilar 17, Miller 14, Santos 10, Thoss 8, Dillinger 8, Raymundo 5, Yap 5, De Ocampo 5, Norwood 5, Baguio 4, Helterbrand 2, Taulava 2.

Quarters: 12-27; 36-40; 61-61; 87-85

RP wins

RP VS. KAZAKHSTAN GAME STORY


Team Standings
KOREA 2 0
JORDAN 2 0
TAIWAN-A 2 0
IRAN 1 0
LEBANON 2 1
RP 1 2
JAPAN 0 2
KAZAKHSTAN 0 3
TAIWAN-B 0 2

Games Tuesday
1 p.m. – Kazakhstan vs. Lebanon
3 p.m. – Japan vs. RP
5 p.m. – Taiwan-B vs. Iran
7 p.m. – Jordan vs. Taiwan-A


TAIPEI – Stripped bare by Jordan and pushed to the brink by Taiwan in its first two outings, Powerade-Team Pilipinas rebounded with vengeful resolve Monday, blasting Kazakhstan, 85-67, in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament at the Hsinchuang gym.

The victory restored a measure of respect for the Nationals who suffered one of their worst beatings at the hands of the defending champion Jordanians – a 31-point loss Saturday – and a heartbreaker to host Taiwan Sunday.

Willie Miller, stepping up at the point guard spot while Jayjay Helterbrand feels his way back from a hamstring pull, led the RP team with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Ranidel de Ocampo, 5 of 6 from the floor, added 11 points, along with 6-foot-10 Japeth Aguilar, who punctuated the breakout win with a number of rim-bending dunks.

“We’re just happy to win,” said national coach Yeng Guiao. “The important thing is we’re improving everyday, and we hope to get better in the next few games.”

The Philippines takes on long-time Asian rival Japan at 3 p.m. Tuesday in a battle of teams bracketed in Group A of the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month.

“Am I happy? Not totally because we lost our first two games in a bad way,” Guiao said. “But the prospects are good. Ang importante, me laban tayo sa Japan at Korea. We’ll focus on that first.”

After Lebanon on Wednesday, the Nationals face South Korea, which barely scraped past Kazakhstan, 75-73, in the opener.

Helterbrand returned after sitting out the first two games, putting aside tenseness in his left thigh in contributing seven points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal in 17 minutes.

“It feels good to be back trying to help my RP teammates,” said Helterbrand, his thigh wrapped in an icepack.

Oleg Kiselev, one of the Kazakhstan coaches, complimented the RP team’s aggressive running game and second half zone defense.

“They showed fantastic basketball. We couldn’t handle their fast break game,” Kiselev said through an interpreter. “We also struggled against their zone and we couldn’t fight till the end of the game.”

The Kazakhs are bringing with them to the Tianjin tournament three additional players – two big men and a point guard – and could face the Philippines again if both of them reach the quarterfinal round.

No Philippine team has beaten Kazakhstan dating back to the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games where it lost to Tim Cone’s RP-Centennial squad.

The Kazakhs beat out the Nationals for third place in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, a game the RP team went through will little emotion after losing to South Korea in the semifinal on a buzzer-beating 3-point shot by Lee Sang-Min.

A far cry from the nature of their first two starts, the Nationals came out blazing, opening a 22-12 lead in the first quarter on the way to several 20-point spreads, the last on a De Ocampo fast break layup, 78-58, with four minutes left.

In an earlier game, defending champion Jordan double-teamed the prolific Fadih El-Khatib throughout in a 73-63 victory over Lebanon for its second straight win.

After scoring an average 32.5 points in their first two wins, the veteran Lebanese forward was held down to 14 points on 5 of 14 shooting.


Scores:
POWERADE-RP 85 – Miller 13, Aguilar 11, De Ocampo 11, Yap 9, Thoss 8, Norwood 7, Helterbrand 7, Baguio 6, Raymundo 6, Santos 5, Dillinger 2, Taulava 0.

KAZAKHSTAN 67 – Dmitriy 23, Alexandr 16, Rustam 12, Vselovod 12, Ivan 2, Roman 2, Ilya 0, Voyeikov 0.

Quarters: 22-12, 45-36, 67-53, 85-67

Taiwan beats RP, 86-77

THE Filipino community in Taipei cheers on Powerade-Team Pilipinas in its game against Taiwan in the 31st Jones Cup tournament (Photo by Tony LU)



JONES CUP
RP VS. TAIWAN

TEAM STANDINGS

Korea 2 0
Lebanon 2 0
Taiwan-A 2 0
Jordan 1 0
Iran 1 0
RP

0 2
Taiwan-B 0 2
Japan 0 2
Kazakhstan 0 2

Games Today
1 p.m. – Lebanon (2-0) vs. Jordan (1-0)
3 p.m. – RP (0-2) vs. Kazakhstan (0-2)
5 p.m. – Iran (1-0) vs. Korea (2-0)
7 p.m. – Taiwan A (2-0) vs. Taiwan B (0-2)


TAIPEI – Powerade-Team Pilipinas suffered a second straight loss in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament Sunday, an 86-77 heartbreaker to host Taiwan at the Hsinchuang gymnasium.

After a humiliating 31-point setback to defending champion Jordan Saturday, the Nationals rediscovered the passion and tenacity that were absent in the opener.

Coming back from 16 points down in the second half, Team RP leveled thrice in the final six minutes – 68-all on a vicious slam by Japeth Aguilar, 70-all on Wynne Arboleda’s driving layup, and 72-all on free throws by Kerby Raymundo with 3:01 to go.

Two successive traveling violations called on the Nationals after Arboleda’s basket denied them go-ahead opportunities, however, and the host regained their touch following the last deadlock.

Taiwan, which scored the game’s first 12 points and was up 30-14 after 10 minutes, strung nine straight points from there, highlighted by a corner 3-point shot from Yang Chin-Min to seal their second win and the Philippines’ consecutive defeat in the 9-team competition held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

A 12-0 run keyed by 3-pointers from James Yap and Cyrus Baguio brought the Nationals within 62-60 with 2:04 left in the third quarter but they couldn’t muster the needed to energy to get past the gritty Taiwanese.

Two missed foul shots by Baguio down the stretch slammed the door on Team RP.

Seemingly unable to defend for the whole of 24 seconds in the first half, the RP team trailed early as the host riddled the Nationals’ shabby resistance with 11 triples.

But Powerade-RP came firing for the third quarter, and a renewed defensive effort helped chip away at the double-digit deficit.

Again, however, it was the RP team's abysmal shooting that did it in as the Nationals missed 18 three-point shots overall.

In earlier games, South Korea and Lebanon picked up their second straight victories, while Iran, the defending FIBA Asia champion, debuted with flourish.

The Koreans shook off tenacious Taiwan-B, 101-93, while Lebanon, with Fadih El-Khatib pouring 33 points, dumped Japan, 90-81.

Iran, getting 28 points from 6-foot-4 Nikkah Bahrami, trounced Kazakhstan, 79-56.

The Philippines takes on Kazakhstan at 4 p.m. Monday in a battle of winless teams.


SCORES:

TAIWAN 86 – Tien 21, Yang C.M. 14, Yang C.Y. 14, Chang 8, Lee 8, Chen 8, Chen S.N. 7, Lin 2, Hsu 2, Wu 2.

POWERADE RP 77 – Miller 15, Raymundo 12, Yap 12, Santos 10, Aguilar 10, Baguio 7, Arboleda 4, De Ocampo 2, Norwood 2, Dillinger 2, Taulava 1, Thoss 0.

Quarters: 30-14; 53-38; 65-62; 86-77

Uichico joins Guiao at bench in Jones Cup

Uichico joins Guiao at bench in Jones Cup


Games Today
1 p.m. – Lebanon vs. Jordan
3 p.m. – RP vs. Kazakhstan
5 p.m. – Iran vs. Korea
7 p.m. – Taiwan A vs. Taiwan B


TAIPEI – Jong Uichico, coach of the Philippine team that came within a heartbeat of challenging Yao Ming and China for the gold medal in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, arrived here Sunday afternoon, a few hours before Powerade-Team Pilipinas was to face host Taiwan in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament.

The head coach of Jayjay Helterbrand, Cyrus Baguio and the Barangay Ginebra Kings, who battled the San Miguel Beermen through seven games in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals, flew in with assistant Art dela Cruz and proceeded straight to the game at the Hsinchuang gymnasium.

Coming on the heels of a 90-59 humiliation suffered at the hands of defending champion Jordan Saturday, Uichico’s presence should be a stabilizing factor at the sideline, having experienced first-hand the grinding demands of international competition.

The Philippines was up by two points in the waning seconds of the semifinal game seven years ago against host South Korea when Lee Sang-Min let fly a 3-point shot that swished in at the buzzer, denying the country a place in the final against Mainland China.

As a footnote, South Korea went on to beat China for the championship.

Providing insights come game time will not be the sole purpose of Uichico’s arrival though.

Rickie Santos, the PBA’s operations and technical chief, bared that Powerade-Team Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao wants Uichico to have an “active participation” in the deliberation when the 14-man roster is pruned down to the final 12 Monday or Tuesday.

The official lineup will then be sent to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for submission to organizers of the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month.

The Tianjin tourney is the regional qualifier to the 16th World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey in 2010.

Santos, who is in communication with Uichico and PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, said the Kings mentor pointed to the lack of foreign exposure as the reason for the RP team’s devastating loss on opening day.

“Kailangan na kailangan daw talaga ‘yon, sabi ni coach Jong” Santos said.

Going up against an overmatched Australian selection, taking on the challenge of two PBA selections, playing a group of American missionaries, and a stint in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association in Medan, so far, have constituted Powerade-RP’s entire tuneup program since it was assembled last November.

“That’s why the Jones Cup is critical for our preparation,” Guiao said before the team’s departure last Thursday. “Through this tournament, we will know if we are on track for Tianjin.”

The Jordan game may have indicated the Nationals are way off.

They missed 17 three-point shots, were outrebounded, 47-33, had 11 less assists, and had nobody scoring more than 10 points after Asi Taulava.

By comparison, the Jordanians, who eliminated the Philippines in the 24th staging of the FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima, Japan two years ago, converted 12 triples and shot 57 percent from inside the arc, using their size and agility to overwhelm the Nationals.

“We need to put toughness in our game and to have the mentality na hindi na PBA style ang laro rito,” Guiao said. “We have seven more games to get into that mental framework. And I believe that once we make that adjustment, we’ll be able to compete.”

The 31-point loss, Guiao said, can be put in perspective.

“We will know in the next few games whether the players can turn that loss into a source of motivation or discouragement,” he said.

“In a way, it’s also good to allow them to lose in such a way so that they will understand how hard they have to work and how far they still have to go.”

RRD-Inday Sara cage clinic in Brgy. Centro July 18 - 19 reset

Please be informed that the Mayor Rody and Inday Sara Basketball Clinic on July 18 and July 19 in Barangay Centro has been rescheduled until further notice.


Please be guided! Thank you for the support!!


RRD-Inday Sara cage clinic in Brgy. Centro July 18 - 19

The 2009 Mayor Rody and Inday Sara Duterte Basketball Clinic visits Barangay Centro, Agdao District on July 18 and 19.

At least 100 kids are expected to join the two-day clinic which was held last in Barangay San Antonio last weekend.

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) player Cadel Mosqueda and veteran coach Alberto Malinao will lead the group of clinicians from the Sports Development Division of the City Mayors Office (SDD-CMO) to conduct the clinic.

“The kids who will bring home basketballs courtesy of Mayor Rody and Vice Mayor Sara at the end of the clinic will be taught the basic fundamentals of the sport that include proper shooting, dribbling and passing, " SDD-CMO said in a statement.

Mayor Rody and Vice Mayor Sara wants the children in the locality to actively engage into sports at an early age, believing the value of sports to make difference in young lives and an effective tool to combat negative influences and behaviours, the statement added.

The clinic, a component of the Duterte Basketball League (DBL) that organized tournaments for Christians, Muslims and Lumads in the city, is conducted to give the youth an avenue to engage in sports at an early age.


In Brgy. San Antonio, A total of 150 young basketball enthusiasts have joined the clinic.


The clinics have benefitted thousands of boys and girls from 184 barangays in Davao City since 2003.

Jordan routs RP

Jordan routs RP


Games Today
1 p.m. – Kazakhstan vs. Iran
3 p.m. – Japan vs. Lebanon
5 p.m. – Taiwan-B vs. Korea
7 p.m. – RP vs. Taiwan-A


TAIPEI – The awakening to the truth about international competition couldn’t have been more rude, and the welcome to the 31st staging of the William Jones Cup any more cold for Powerade-Team Pilipinas.

Hoping to showcase to the rest of Asia what they are all about as they set a goal lofty enough to deserve an appearance in the 16th World Championship in Istanbul next year, the Nationals ran smack instead to the harsh realities of global basketball.

Reduced to a bush leaguer in the second quarter where big and bold Jordan racked up 20 straight points to break a tight game open, the RP team fell with a big thud Saturday, 90-59, at the Hsinchuang gymnasium, putting pressure on everybody involved in sending a national team to the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China next month.

The game was shown live on ESPN, and the Nationals, who started James Yap, Asi Taulava, Gabe Norwood, Kerby Raymundo and Willie Miller, stayed in the game in the first 10 minutes, trailing 17-15, with the promise of a second quarter blast up in the air.

But then came off the bench Rasheim Wright, the 6-4 point guard who terrorized Chot Reyes’ RP team during the 24th FIBA Asia Olympic qualifier in Tokushima, Japan two years ago.

In a flash, the potential for a big first half went up in smoke as the Jordanians, orchestrated by Wright, cut the Nationals’ defense in shreds, setting bone-jarring screens against the man-to-man and hitting the open man from the outside.

With alarming regularity, the Nationals were caught two or three steps away from a Jordanian in firing position or pinned hapless under the basket by huge post-up presence.

It was 37-15 with three minutes remaining in the half before Jared Dillinger went to the free throw to end the long drought, and it was more of the same the rest of the way.

Fast on their feet in covering the middle defensively, the Jordanians, coached by Brazilian sparkplug Mario Palma, who made RP coach Yeng Guiao look like an altar boy, had the Nationals starving from the perimeter and under the offensive glass.

They also had easy access in front of their goal, drawing the double-team and then locating their spot-up shooters.

There were a few bright notes for Team RP, like Kerby Raymundo scoring the Nationals’ first six points and newcomer Japeth Aguilar swatting away shots.

But it was a Jordanian show all the way, with the debacle at its height halfway in the fourth quarter at 79-45.

Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand and Cyrus Baguio, and San Miguel Beer’s Mick Pennisi, with little rest following their Game 7 battle in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals, arrived Saturday afternoon with Powerade-RP team manager JB Baylon and PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial but didn’t suit up.

They are expected to be inserted in the 12-man lineup, which is allowed by tournament rules, for Sunday’s 7 p.m. match against host Taiwan.

In other opening day games, Lebanon, with the veteran Fadih El-Khatib pouring 32 points, crushed Taiwan-B, 93-61, while South Korea, which is bracketed with the Philippines, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A in the FIBA Asia tournament, edged Kazakhstan, 75-73, despite getting outrebounded, 42-32.

RP vs. Jordan

JULY 17, 2009



Games Today

1 p.m. – Lebanon vs. Taiwan-B

3 p.m. – Korea vs. Kazakhstan

5 p.m. – Jordan vs. PHILIPPINES

7 p.m. – Opening Ceremony

7:30 p.m. – Taiwan-A vs. Japan





Powerade-RP battles Jordan



Helterbrand: It doesn’t matter if it hurts, I’ll still play


TAIPEI – Powerade-Team Pilipinas opens its campaign in the 31st William Jones Cup tournament Saturday against Jordan, the squad that smashed two years ago the country’s dreams of returning to the Olympic stage.


Game time is set at 5 p.m. at the Hsinchuang gymnasium following the opening matches pitting Lebanon against Taiwan-B at 1 p.m. and South Korea against Kazakhstan at 3.


A 30-minute inaugural ceremony is set at 7 p.m.


Led by point guard Rasheim Wright, who had 24 points, the Jordanian ended the Philippines’ bid to qualify to the 2008 Beijing Olympics following an 84-76 victory in the preliminary round of the 24th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in Tokushima, Japan.


Though the Jones Cup, held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is nothing more than a top-caliber tune-up tournament for the “real thing” – the FIBA Asia World Championship qualifier in Tianjin, China next month – the games will afford competing teams a chance to size up each other.


Facing Jordan in the opener is especially significant for the Nationals.


“We lost to them convincingly in Tokushima,” said Powerade-RP coach Yeng Guiao on arrival here Thursday. “Meeting Jordan at once will allow us to immediately find out if our preparations (for Tianjin) are on the right track.”


PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, head of the RP delegation, labeled the Jordan game “the real test against a strong opponent.”


Added Barrios: “This will give coach Yeng and our guys an opportunity to gauge how they are doing in their preparations for Tianjin.”


Backing Wright then are 6-foot-8 Islam Abbaas, who grabbed nine rebounds against the Philippines, and 6-foot-6 Enver Soobzokov and 6-foot-5 Sam Daghlas, both of whom had five assists.


Jordan had two 7-footers – Jamal Ma’aytah and Ayman Udais – and a 6-foot-10 center, Zaid Al-Khas.


Asi Taulava paced Team RP, which led 18-13 in the first quarter, with 14 points, while point guard Jayjay Helterbrand had five assists.


Helterbrand, who has been laboring under the strain of a pulled hamstring, gave indications he would suit up.


“If I’m there, I don’t wanna just watch,” said Helterbrand, who sat from the bench as his RP teammates swept the 8th SEABA Men’s Championship in Medan, Indonesia last April.


“I wanna really try help those guys out. If I’m capable, I wanna play. If it hurts or not, it doesn’t matter, I’ll still play.”


The RP team arrived Thursday afternoon from Manila minus Mick Pennisi of San Miguel Beer and Ginebra's Cyrus Baguio and Helterbrand, who will follow the day after Game 7 of the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals Friday.

Powerade-RP off to W. Jones Cup

Powerade-RP off to W. Jones Cup

MANILA – Buoyed by news that Jayjay Helterbrand’s hamstring pull may not be as serious as initially thought, Powerade-Team Pilipinas leaves for the William Jones Cup tournament in Taipei Thursday, putting its worthiness for a forthcoming battle to the ultimate test.

The Philippines opens its campaign in the 9-team, single round-robin

competition – held in honor of the founding secretary-general of the

International Basketball Federation (FIBA) – against Jordan at 7 p.m.

Saturday at the Hsinchuang Gymnasium.

“I wish the Powerade Team Pilipinas a safe and successful trip and

engagement,” said PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios.

“Safe, in terms of staying healthy and away from injury. And

successful, in terms of fine-tuning preparations while seeing in

action and playing against some of the teams competing in Tianjin. I

ask our countrymen to pray for our team.”

The Nationals need all the prayers coming their way.

Powerade-RP coach Yeng Guiao has called the Jones Cup, which boasts off the men’s team of Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, South Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan, the “real test” vis-à-vis the 25th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship this August in Tianjin, China, which he labeled “the real thing.”

The top three teams in the FIBA Asia tourney will qualify to the 16th

World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey next year. Bracketed in Group A, along with Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Korea and

Japan hope to get past the two-round preliminaries and the critical

quarterfinals, and gain a shot at making it to the global stage with

the rest of the world.

But for now, focus will be on how the first-rate tuneup games in

Taipei will fan out, especially with the arrival of 6-foot-9 Japeth

Aguilar and Helterbrand’s apparent rebound from a painful injury.

Completing the RP team are skipper Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss, Kerby Raymundo, James Yap, Gabe Norwood, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jared Dillinger, Mick Pennisi, Willie Miller, Arwind Santos, and Cyrus Baguio.

Pennisi, Baguio and Helterbrand are staying behind until Saturday, by

which time the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals would have wrapped up.

Ryan Reyes, Helterbrand’s main sub at the point guard spot, will join

the trip but will most likely sit out the action to give his hamstring

injury more time to heal.

“I’m sad that I might not be able to play because all I want to do is

compete, especially against the best from other countries,” said

Reyes, who suffered his injury in the country’s opening game against

Malaysia in the SEABA Men’s Championship in Medan, Indonesia last April.

“It would have been a good test to see how I fare against them, and

the adjustments I have to make. But all I can do now is get healthy

and hope that I’ll be O.K. by FIBA Asia. I’ll be supporting my

teammates all the way though.”

Taking Reyes’ place in the roster is veteran playmaker Wynne Arboleda, starting point guard for Guiao at Burger King.

Bigger, better GS Cup unfolds on Aug. 15

Bigger, better GS Cup unfolds on Aug. 15

The much bigger and better season 7 of the Gaisano South Cup kicks off on August 15 with its astonishing charm striking the country’s tuna capital and likely the gold rich province.

This year’s season of the island’s grandest school-based league will also mark the biggest turn out of entries, thus far, with the addition of college women’s category in the fold.

“We are on the right track in making GS Cup as one of the best inter-school leagues in the country, “said Gaisano Grand Citimall Ad and promo big boss Karla Giorgia P. Corcino.

“The participation of teams from outside Davao City is a clear manifestation of the growing success of the GS Cup, “She added.

Multi-titled Holy Trinity College of Gen. Santos City and a power-house collegiate team from Compostela Valley Province will see-action in the centrepiece senior men’s competition.

A total of seven teams will compete in the newly senior women’s division that brought the total number of participating squads to 73 in this year’s season..

“This year’s GS Cup is expected to be more exciting apart from the toughest competition that it would offer as we embarked on various innovations to the delight of the players, officials and the fans, making the league as one of the much-anticipated events,” Corcino said.

As before, the league will also feature competition in boy’s mini, boy’s cadet, girl’s junior and boy’s junior.

Invited teams can get the forms and other documents from 1 to 5 p.m. daily at the 5^th floor Gaisano Grand Citimall Entertainment Center.

Deadline of submission of entries is on August 1.

Legislators extend series, win Game 4

Legislators extend series, win Game 4

The Legislative held its ground in the end game to beat the Executives, 104 - 103 in the epic Game 4 of the 19th season Executive-Legislative best of seven series Friday night at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The team of Councilors Dante Apostol and Diosdado Mahipus mapped out a winning play and put up a superb defensive stance to score a thrilling victory and keep its title bid alive.

Downed 102 - 103, the lefty Jillian De Guzman drilled in an open lay up with 5 seconds remaining and joined hands with Vincent Plarisan for a superb half-court press defense that held down Ariel Bonleon in the ensuing play to bounce back after losing the first three games of the series.

Plarisan had 23 points for the Legislative that foiled the Executives quest for a series sweep.

Christopher "Bong" Go who did not play in the final two minutes in the ballgame paced the Executives with 25 points.

The sweet-shooting executive assistant to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was accounted for seven three pointers, including four in the third period that helped the Executives mounted a 81 - 64 lead going to the pay off period.

Bonleon, Ryan Escuredo and Eugene Labor scored 18 markers each for the Executies who failed to contain Legislative's run and gun type of play in the final period that suddenly changes the outcome of the game.

150 kids take part in RRD-Inday Sara Clinic in Brgy. San Antonio

150 kids take part in RRD-Inday Sara Clinic in Brgy. San Antonio



A total of 150 boys and girls have joined the 2009 Mayor Rody and Inday Sara Duterte Basketball Clinic last weekend in Barangay San Antonio, Agdao District.




The kids, who received free basketballs at the end of the clinic, were taught the basic fundamentals of the sport from a group of clinician from the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) led by former PBA player Cadel Mosqueda and veteran clinician Alberto Malinao.



The barangay council led by Brgy. Captain Roger Galido and the parents thanked Mayor Rody and Vice Mayor Sara for staging the clinic in their barangay.



"The kids were very happy to receive their basketball's after the clinic. But the more important thing is they have learned the proper way of playing the sport," said Galido



The clinic, a component of the Duterte Basketball League (DBL) that organized tournaments for Christians, Muslims and Lumads in the city, will be held next in Barangay San Antonio, Agdao District on July 11 - 12.



In the past six years, the clinic has been brought to various barangays in the city and benefitted thousands of boys and girls from all walks of life.

Execs beat Liga in Friendship Game, 112-99

Execs beat Liga in Friendship Game, 112-99


The City Hall Executives beat Liga ng Barangay, 112-99 in a friendship game last Sunday at the Davao City Recreation Center.


Christopher "Bong" Go pumped in 31 points to led the charge for the Executives who were leading majority of the game.


The sweet-shooting executive assistant of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte hit short jumpers one after the other in the early going before waxing hot in the second half, drilling in three pointers from various angles.


Lawyer Joseph Felizarta and Dr. Allan Galvez chipped in 24 and 12 points respectively for the Executives who pulled away in the second quarter.


The barangay leaders bounced back in the third canto behind Brgy. Panacan chairman Arnulfo Apostol and Brgy. San Antonio chief Roger Galido.


But Executives made a final push in the pay off period to seal the victory.


Apostol poured in 18 points while Galido had 12.

RRD-Inday Sara cage clinic goes to Brgy. San Antonio on July 11-12

RRD-Inday Sara cage clinic goes to Brgy. San Antonio on July 11-12

IT’s Barangay San Antonio’s turn to host the 2009 Mayor Rody and Inday Sara Duterte Basketball Clinic on July 11-12.

After a huge turned out in Barangay Tacunan last weekend, the two-day cage clinic will be conducted in Barangay San Antonio, Agdao District upon the request of its chairman Roger Galido.

“There are over 100 young basketball enthusiasts have already signified to take part in the said clinic,” said Galido, known to many for his passion in the country’s most popular sport.

“And, interestingly, there are more who are willing and excited to participate, “added Galido, who is the playmaker of the Association of Barangay Captain (ABC) basketball team that regularly play against City Hall Executives led by Christopher “Bong” Go, Mayor Duterte’s executive assistant and Legislative Team of Councilors Diosdado Mahipus and Dante Apostol.

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) player Cadel Mosqueda and veteran coach Alberto Malinao will lead the group of clinicians from the Sports Development Division of the City Mayors Office (SDD-CMO) in the two day clinic.


“The kids who will bring home basketballs courtesy of Mayor Rody and Vice Mayor Sara at the end of the clinic will be taught the basic fundamentals of the sport that include proper shooting, dribbling and passing, " SDD-CMO said in a statement.

Mayor Rody and Vice Mayor Sara wants the children in the locality to actively engage into sports at an early age, believing the value of sports to make difference in young lives and an effective tool to combat negative influences and behaviours, the statement added.

Galido said the sport has made wonder in their effort to address peace and order concern in the community.

“The staging of the clinic in our barangay would definitely boost our sports program that has been our effective tool to maintain peace and order and combat bad acts of our youth, “he added.

The clinic, a component of the Duterte Basketball League (DBL) that organized tournaments for Christians, Muslims and Lumads in the city, is conducted to give the youth an avenue to engage in sports at an early age.


In Barangay Tacunan, A total of 100 young basketball enthusiasts have joined the clinic


The clinics have benefitted thousands of boys and girls from 184 barangays in Davao City since 2003.