ASIA, WILLIAMS TO PLAY IN ASIAD

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board finally


granted the request of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to

tap two of its star players for the RP-Smart Gilas team, paving the

way for Asi Taulava and Kelly Williams’ stint to the Asian Games in

Guangzhou, China this November.

The league’s Board of Governors under chairman Rene Pardo

unanimously approved the appeal of the country’s governing body for

basketball during the first day of its planning session in this lively

capital city of Thailand.

“The PBA Board has acceded to the request of the Samahang

Basketbol ng Pilipinas to help in the quest of our national team to

the Asian Games,” announced commissioner Chito Salud at the end of the

Board’s initial meeting that lasted close to six hours.

A third player in James Yap however, begged off from suiting up

for the national team, citing personal reasons and the recent surgery

performed on him to remove a polyp on his nose.

“James has personally begged off to play dahil dun sa mga

dinadanas niya ngayon,” said Pardo of B-Meg’s main man.

With Yap out of the national squad, the league said it’s up to

the SBP to fill up the slot left by the 6-foot-2 gunner out of

University of the East.

Patrick Gregorio, Board representative of Talk `N Text, which

also sponsors the national team, said coach Rajko Toroman will be the

one to decide which player is going to take the place of Yap.

Toroman and the rest of the nationals are currently in China

competing in the 4th Asian Basketball Association Club Championship.

Both Salud and Pardo also stressed they plan to sit down with

SBP officials, led by president Manny V. Pangilinan, to identify the

specific role the PBA will have to play in the overall program of the

basketball body.

The league used to be in the forefront of forming and training

the national team to elite competitions such as the Asian Games and

FIBA-Asia men’s basketball tournament, but then slowly faded away from

it the moment the RP-Smart Gilas team was put into place.

At the same time, Salud made it clear that Chot Reyes’ stint as

special assistant to Toroman is only until the duration of the

Guangzhou Asiad.

Also approved by the Board was the improvised rules on

officiating Salud and his technical group made for application in the

coming 36th season.

The new commissioner said he is ready for any criticisms that

may arise out of the set up, stressing that it `comes with the

territory.’

But he said he’s confident that it `will work out not

immediately, but sooner.”

Other agenda tackled and subsequently given the imprimatur by

the Board were the employment of a 14-man lineup for each team and the

right to field in all 14 players during the game, and a 6-4 height

limit to imports seeing action in the second conference and the

application of a handicap import system in the season-ending

tournament.

Aside from Pardo, elected as other officers of the Board were

Mamerto Mondragon (Rain or Shine) as vice chairman and JB Baylon

(Powerade) as treasurer.

Other Board members present during the two-day planning

session were former chairmen Joaqui Trillo (Alaska) and Ely Capacio

(San Miguel), Robert Non (Ginebra), Gregorio, Ramon Segismundo

(Meralco), Johan Ramos (Air21), Manny Mendoza (Barako Bull) and

one-time chairman Buddy Encarnado.(pr)

TALK N’ TEXT ACQUIRES WILLIAMS, REYES IN 3-TEAM TRADE

Talk N’ Text added two dazzling talents to its already deep bench by acquiring slam dunking forward Kelly Williams and guard Ryan Reyes from Sta. Lucia Realty in a three-team trade yesterday.

TNT team manager Virgil Villavicencio dropped by at the PBA Office before noon and submitted the necessary papers indicating the trade has been consummated.

In return, the Realtors got veteran center Ali Peek, shooting forward Nic Belasco, sophomore playmaker Paul Escobal and rookie offensive guard Ogie Menor, who was dealt by Barako Energy Coffee to TNT in exchange for the Tropang Texters’ second round pick in the 2010 Rookie Draft.

The Realtors also got 3-point shooting guard Yousif Aljamal from the Coffee Masters in exchange for Fil-Am Charles Waters. Barako Coffee eventually dealt Waters to TNT for forward Mark Isip. 

The tandem of Williams and Reyes has brought Sta. Lucia to great heights during the 2007-08 season when they led the Realtors to their first All-Filipino championship. Their sterling performance earned Williams MVP honors and Reyes the Rookie of the Year plum.

Before being dealt to TNT, Williams and Reyes powered Sta. Lucia to a 91-87 victory over the Alaska Aces Wednesday as the Realtors wound up the first elimination round of the 2010PBA Fiesta Conference with a 4-5 (win-loss) record and crack for a playoff spot.

Their inclusion in the Tropang Texters roster has made the franchise a certified championship contender.

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.

Williams leads MVP derby

Sta. Lucia Realty do-it-all forward Kelly Williams may already be out for the rest of the season but he has piled up much statistical points making him among the top contenders for the season's Most Valuable Player award.

Though down with a blood disorder, Williams is in the running for the coveted individual award, giving him a chance at becoming only the fourth PBA player ever to win the MVP honors in two successive seasons.

Should he get it, Williams would join Bogs Adornado (1975-76), Alvin Patrimonio (1993-94) and Danny Ildefonso (2000-01) in an elite cast.

The energetic 6-foot-4 Fil-Am still leads all players in the statistical points race although he's been out since the resumption of the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference after the All-Star Week where he suffered his health problem.

Through the Fiesta Conference wildcard round, Williams has a league-leading average of 32.2 SPs with Asi Taulava (32.1) closely behind, followed by Arwind Santos (30.6), Jayjay Helterbrand (29.5) and Mark Cardona (29.4).

Making up the next five are Kerby Raymundo (28.67), Philippine Cup Best Player Willie Miller (28.66), Jay Washington (28.6), Dondon Hontiveros (28.4) and Jimmy Alapag (28.2).

Taulava, Cardona, Miller and Alapag have no more chance to improve their stats as their teams have taken the exit in the season.

Rain or Shine teammates Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado are running one-and-two in the race for the Rookie of the Year award.

Norwood is on top with 26 SPs a game, followed by Mercado (23.6) then Jared Dillinger (21.9), Bonbon Custodio (20.2), Larry Rodriguez (16.8), Jeff Chan (15.8), Beau Belga (14.0), Tyrone Tang (13.5), Rob Reyes (11.0) and Kelvin Gregorio (10.4).

Among the rookies, Norwood, Solomon and Dillinger are those in the top 30 overall, making them contenders for the Mythical First and Second Teams.

Jason Castro is not eligible for the Rookie of the Year award since he has played pro ball with the Singapore Slingers. The former PCU Dolphin is at No. 23 in the stats race, ahead of Talk n Text teammate Dillinger at No. 28.

The league honors the season's top achievers during the Leo Awards set before Game Four of the coming Fiesta Conference finals.

PBA All-Star weekend set

Kelly Williams of Sta.Lucia Realty.

KELLY Williams' crowd-pleasing, last second power slam in Game 2 of the semifinals series between Sta. Lucia and Alaska created quite a stir in the last PBA Philippine Cup.

Come the All-Star weekend, the 6-foot-3 high-leaping Realtor gets all the chance he can to strut his dunking ability before a nationally televised event.

The Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference is among the handful expected to add color and flavor to a slam dunk contest predicted to be as exciting as the
All-Star game main fare between the North and South teams.

Bacolod is this year's host of the mid-season spectacle set April 24-27.

Other possible highly flyer entries into the contest serving as one of the side events of the PBA's annual classic are Air21's Arwind Santos, former champion
Cyrus Baguio of Red Bull, Welcoat rookie Joe Devance and three-time defending titlist KG Canaleta, also of Air21.

Canaleta won an unprecedented third straight title last year in Baguio City, routing Talk `N Text's Jay Washington in the final, 79-54, behind a windmill
side-winder and a thunderous one-hander above a man, with the free throw line as his take-off point.

No player in the history of the contest has won the slam dunk title four consecutive times.

Williams was entered in the same contest a year ago, but never got past the eliminations when he failed to convert twice his between-the-legs jam.

Canaleta admitted Williams' early ouster somewhat eased off the pressure on him, making this year's slam competition easily one of the most highly anticipated in years.

"Malaking pressure ang nawala sa akin noong nawala si Kelly," said Canaleta then.

Apart from the slam dunk, other side events to be played in the All-Star festivities are the three-point shootout, trick shot and the obstacle challenge.

San Miguel's sweet shooting guard Dondon Hontiveros is the reigning three-point shootout king, Willie Miller of Alaska holds the title in the obstacle challenge while Denok Miranda is the defending champion in the trick shot.

Also part of the All-Star week is the Blitz Game between the Rookies and Sophomore. Last year behind the 31 points of Santos, the freshmen scored a
breakthrough 122-107 rout of the Sophies.