Player of the Week: Mark Caguioa

MARK Caguioa's indomitable spirit is coming to the fore anew - and just when Barangay Ginebra needs it the most.
With the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period July 18 to 24 coming up with some very impressive figures the Kings notched back-to-back wins to remain on track for a coveted slot in the Governors Cup.
"Mark is proving he is still our main man," noted coach Jong Uichico after Caguioa came off the bench to average 23.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in Ginebra's victories over Rain or Shine at the end of the elimination phase and B-MEG at the start of their semifinal round campaign.
It was the second such citation in two weeks for Caguioa, who was also so honored by the scribes for the period July 4-10 and Uichico said he could not agree more. 
"You would
always want a player like Caguioa, who will always battle, compete. It doesn’t
matter what the odds are, kahit me dinaramdam sa katawan niya. Kung kaya niya
ilalaban niya," stated Uichico.
"Mark is indeed a true warrior and a competitor."
Caguioa highlighted his splendid week with a personal career-high 33 points, laced by nine rebounds, in 32 minutes as Ginebra carved a 99-79 victory over B-MEG last Sunday. He single-handedly outscored the entire Llamados, 16-14, in the second quarter to turn a five-point deficit into a 12-point spread at halftime and scattered nine more points in the fourth to ensure the lopsided triumph and cap the output which is his highest in the last three years.
Against Rain or Shine Caguioa only had 13 points, but eight of those came in the homestretch as he helped power the Kings out of a tight game and into a 98-90 victory.
Those triumphs gave the perennial crowd favorites a 6-3  win-loss record that put them at second-running spot, just a game behind leader Talk N Text's 7-2 slate.
And at the rate Caguioa is going, it is not too far-fetched to assume Ginebra is on its way to a Finals stint.[pr]

Alaska vs Ginebra Photos (Quarterfinals Game 1, Alaska wins, 76-72)

PBA IMAGE1 - LA Tenorio reaches for the ball against Jayjay Helterbrand.
PBA IMAGE2 - Sonny Thoss creating his shot a the paint against Erik Menk
PBA IMAGE3 - Jayjay Helterbrand looking to convert a lay-up against import Diamon Simpson
PBA IMAGE4 - Willie Miller pushes thru the defense of Cyrus Baguio
PBA IMAGE5 - Gin import Chris Daniels spins over Joe Devance and looking to take a shit against Sonny Thoss

STA LUCIA vs GINEBRA Images

PBA IMAGE 1 - Ryan Reyes looking for Kelly Williams as he cuts thru the defense of Marc Caguioa
PBA IMAGE 2 - Erik Menk in trouble after he was caught from the double defense if Kelly WIlliams and Marlou Aquino.
PBA IMAGE 3 - Ryan Reyes tries to get a hand on the ball from Ronald Tubid.
PBA IMAGE 4 - Avey Storey with the hustle for the ball against Bon-bon Custodio.
PBA IMAGE 5 - Enrico Villanueva was intercepted by Ryan Reyes as he makes his move against Anthony Johnson.

TNT vs GINEBRA

PBA IMAGE 1 - Harvey Carey shoots in traffic against Jay-jay Helterbrand and Cyrus Baguio.
PBA IMAGE 2 - Cyrus Baguio tries to beat the shot clock while Aaron Aban contest him.
PBA IMAGE 3 - Awvee Storey drives hard over the defense of Harvey Carey.
PBA IMAGE 4 - Shawn Daniels was pushed by Eric Menk while making his move.
PBA IMAGE 5 - Ranidel De Ocampo gets control of the ball against Awvee Storey.
PBA IMAGE 6 - JAred Dillinger reverses his shot over JC Intal.
PBA IMAGE 7 - JC Intal loses the ball on his take off to the hoop while being guarded by Jason Castro and Jared Dillinger.

LIFE GOES ON FOR KINGS WITHOUT CAGUIOA

THERE won’t be a Mark Caguioa suiting up for Barangay Ginebra in the Final Four of the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup.

Make that up to the best-of-seven Finals should the defending champion Kings reached that far in the season-ending tournament.

Coach Jong Uichico bared the high-scoring guard will be out for the remainder of the season as he continues to rehabilitate from his knee injury.

Uichico said the team already left Caguioa out of its official lineup going into the semifinals.

May 30 was the cut-off date for all teams to submit their final rosters to the PBA office.

“We finally decided not to put him in the lineup,” said the soft-spoken mentor. “He can play, but hindi talaga 100 percent.”

Caguioa has not played a single game for the league’s crowd darling this season owing to a knee injury, a condition that also cost him a slot in the Powerade Team Pilipinas of coach Yeng Guiao.

The prolific Ginebra stalwart has since undergone knee operation and rehabilitation in the U.S. since early this year, with a hope of him joining the team midway into the Fiesta Cup.

But Uichico said at this point, Caguioa is still 80-90 percent healed from the injury.

“Maganda `yung improvement niya from February until April, that’s why we’re hoping he could make a comeback by May. But somehow, nitong mga nakaraang araw medyo bumagal `yung recovery niya.

“So we deemed it more proper not to let him play na lang. Huwag na lang muna madaliin dahil sayang lang kung ma-injured siya uli.”

The Ginebra coach said he’s in constant talk with Caguioa and even with his therapist.

“Right now, we’re trying to get him over here para ditto na siya mag-continue ng rehabilitation,” Uichico added.

Without their top leading scorer last season, Uichico said the Kings have lost one major offensive option, a big factor the team will be missing in their title retention bid.

“Mark is always good for 15 points or more on any given night. He’s always a scoring threat for our opponents,” Uichico admitted.

But even without Caguioa, life goes on for the Kings, who clinched an outright semifinals berth two weeks ago by beating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in a playoff, 114-71.

The Kings won seven of their last eight games in the eliminations to turn things around following a slow start that saw them struggle with a 1-5 record.

“We’ve survived at this point without him (Caguioa). So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to go farther now that we’re fully aware Mark is not going to play for us,” said Uichico.

Ginebra will be meeting the winner of the quarterfinals series between Rain or Shine and Purefoods in the semis.