Sweet 15

Congrats Lakers and Lakers fans! Kobe is Black Mamba indeed. Good guy, big Fish has been rewarded. Pau shows that it's not just all about who's the biggest and the strongest. Ariza has been Pippen-neque. Odom delivers the daggers. And Phil Jackson? You're changing the world man. Ten NBA championships? Are you kidding me?

Liga ng Bayan opens for new season; San Miguel becomes Magnolia with "super line-up"

Speaking of abangan, isa sa pinakainaabangan ng mga Pinoy ay nagbalik na. And I am talking about the Philippine Basketball Association. I have been a big fan of the PBA, Asia's oldest professional basketball league, since the 80's when my San Miguel Beer captured its Grand Slam and my ultimate Pinoy hardcore idols namely Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Ato Agustin, and Hector Calma were still active. Sure a lot of long-time basketball aficionados have been talking about how better/mor exhilarating the brand of basketball was in the past particularly in the PBA than that of today's PBA and how 'boring' the current style is, no thanks to the more 'scientific' and 'controlled' systems being applied by teams of today in contrast to the more exciting, more free-flowing systems of the old teams, but today's PBA has, no doubt, made its own unique mark in the consciousness of the country's basketball fans, both old and new. Now whether this new crop of basketball heroes capture the imagination, the heart, and the loyalty of the fans in the same way as legends like Caloy Loyzaga, Bogs Abornado, Atoy Co, Sonny Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, and Samboy Lim to name a few had done in the 70's, 80's, and 90's; and whether they usher in a new Golden Era for Philippine Basketball is definitely something to look forward to.



One thing I really like about the 33rd season of PBA is the adoption of a number of FIBA rules and the ditching of some old PBA rules in former's favor. This move will surely help our top players familiriaze themselves with international rules and brand of play. This will in turn bring them in a position to compete better in FIBA-sanctioned international games once our sports and basketball officials decide to tap our PBA players again to represent the country in these international tournaments including the FIBA Asia Championships and even - who knows - the FIBA World Championships and the Olympics.

So, what's my early favorite? Of course, I am still rooting for my San Miguel Beer team that now carries a new name, the Magnolia Beverage Masters. The team also boasts of a fully loaded line-up in terms of talent with the likes of RP Team veterans Olcen "Ra-Ra" Racela, sharpshooter Dondon Hontiveros, two-time PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso, and 2007 FIBA Asia Club Mythical Five Selection Danny "the Dynamite" Seigle; ex-UAAP superstars Enrico "the Raging Bull" Villanueva, LA Tenorio, Wesly Gonzalez, and Larry "the Baby-faced Assassin" Fonacier (former Ateneo Blue Eagles all); former NCAA MVPs Gabby Espinas and Chris Calaguio; burly and reliable Fil-ams Willie Wilson and Dorian Pena; and former PBA Finals MVP Lordy Tugade under one roof. On paper, this is indeed the team to beat. But of course in a team sports like basketball, as they always say, nobody wins on paper alone. The team still has to be able to work as one cohesive unit; play great at both ends of the court; and compete with the same champion's heart as the San Miguel teams of the past.

Needless to say, I am excited to see this awesome collection of established and up-and-coming superstars in action on the court this new season. I am just not so excited about the change of name though, but this is another story.

So meantime --- BAKBAKAN NA!


(Update: Magnolia -112; AIR 21 - 97 with 4:20 to go in the first game of the season)
(Update No. 2: Magnolia wins 121 - 112. Here's a related story from the PDI)

Update: FIBA Asia Championship 2nd Day

8:50PM

Philippines - 79; China - 74 =)

Our first win over them since God knows when..two decades/1 and a half decades already i guess?

Jimmy Alapag was awesome and all-heart (25 pts)! Kenny Williams was equally fantastic providing much of the hassle and intensity! Caguioa scored crucial baskets at crunch time!

Ayos!

(--- > delayed telecast 'tong sa Basketball TV; don't know with that of ABC)
(--- > Tomorrow is an all-important game against Jordan; nood kayo; suporta tayo!)


photo courtesy of FIBA

Team Pilipinas starts Olympic quest as personalities and Nike Philippines (and the Quackroom) urge the nation to BELIEVE

So here is Team Pilipinas' final line-up:

1. Asi Taulava
2. Mark Caguioa
3. Danny Seigle
4. Jimmy Alapag
5. Dondon Hontiveros
6. Kelly Williams
7. Gabe Norwood
8. Kerby Raymundo
9. Jayjay Helterbrand
10. Mick Pennisi
11. Erik Menk
12. Renren Ritualo.

Yap, De Ocampo, Dela Cruz miss cut.

Just a few remarks ---> I knew they would not sacrifice Eric Menk because he could serve as an assurance just in case something happens (knock on wood) to Asi Taulava and Mick Pennisi, i.e. foul trouble or God forbids, injuries. After his outstanding performance in the Jones Cup, I also felt that Kenny Williams is indispensable. Shoo-ins for me have always been Asi Taulava, our only burly big guy in the team and probably the one who has to work the hardest as he will face the "giants" of China, Korea, Lebanon, and other top contenders; Mark Caguioa, our spark plug and foremost go-to guy; Danny Seigle, another formidable option at the offensive end; Jimmy Alapag, one of Asia's best pure point guards who can be very deadly beyond the arc; Dondon Hontiveros, probably our own version of Bruce Bowen, NBA's Spurs' defense specialist who can shoot from the outside (minus the dirty tactics I'd like to believe); Renren Ritualo, our real, best pure shooter who might ultimately carry us in the tournament (although I believe he'll not start for the team; we'll always need something off the bench); and Gabe Norwood, this kid for some reason reminds me of Scottie Pippen and/or Tayshaun Prince; and make no mistake about it, given the right attitude and guidance, this Fil-Am can still blossom into a really great player in the future. I thought James Yap has a huge chance of making it, and Kerby Raymundo has been so-so at best, but I guess the coaching staff opted for more height than fire power --- and I am confident that Kerby can still deliver big-time for the team in whatever role Coach Chot Reyes assigns to him.

In the end, I believe hassle, speed, defense, outside shooting and consistency (both at the defensive and offensive ends) will be the keys -- with some lucky breaks and of course, a whole lot of prayers ---> Not to mention, that big, never-say-die, "laban-kung-laban" "Pinoy" heart and attitude!

Meanwhile, in opener, we face dangerous Iran bannered by 7-foot-5 giant Jaber Rouzbahani Darrehsari who "can grab the rim flat-footed and can dunk tipping only his toes". We play defending champion China Monday and Jordan Tuesday.

In related development, PBA Commissioner Noli Eala, BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Patrick Gregorio, former National Team members Alvin Patrimonio, Jeffrey Cariaso and Olsen Racela, RP Youth and De La Salle Head Coach Franz Pumaren, Team Pilipinas Assistant Coach and Ateneo Head Coach Norman Black, former Olympian Akiko Thomson, TV personalities Reema Chanco and Jinno Rufino, entertainers Francis Magalona and Michael V., sportscaster & triathlete Tricia Chiongbian, supermodel Tweetie de Leon, and trendsetter Tim Yap became the first high-profile personalities to show support to the Philippine Team by wearing the Limited Edition "Believer" shirt by Nike Philippines who "joins the numerous Filipinos who believe in Team Pilipinas". Through its limited edition “Believer” t-shirt, Nike hopes to encourage more people to show their support.



My prayers to our Team Pilipinas. All the best! Ipandila natin ang lahing ASTIG!

Photo above courtesy of Tom Epperson via FrancisM's a Free Mind and Mukamo Philippines.

Will Team Pilipinas make it to Beijing?

I have been thinking of setting up a blog for my favorite sports, basketball, but for the meantime that I haven't done it yet, let me blog something about it here.

If you can't take a discussion regarding basketball, my apologies and my goodbyes. On the first place, this is, by all indications, for all basketball fans out there.

So, let's begin.

Okay, okay, now that we won the 4-nation Manila Invitational championship at the expense of Lebanon, every Filipino basketball fan in the country, myself included, is now basking in high hopes and is, with all possible fingers that can be crossed, crossed, looking forward to a similar finish when we compete for an Olympic berth in the FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship in Tokushima, Japan less than two weeks from now. Or at least, a second place finish behind China and China only. I'll expound on this later.

But for the meantime, let's remember that the last time a Philippine basketball team made it to the Olympic games was in, gasp, 1972! The best finishes we had were a bronze medal in 1954 during the FIBA World Championship for men and a fifth-place finish in the 1936, yes, 1936 Summer Olympics.

Of course, we all know that the dynamics of the game has changed hugely for the past, what, 10, 20 years. And our Asian neighbors have already caught up with us in terms of skills and China, with its players seemingly becoming taller and taller each year, has become a powerhouse team. And for a game that relies heavily on height and size to succeed, or at least, to be competitive, this has been one great challenge for us Pinoys who are naturally short and small (specifically by international basketball standards).

So, that's why we have had a really, really tough time qualifying for the Olympics. To add insult to injury, FIBA allots one slot only for Asia, and China, being a perennial powerhouse, has been reigning over the region and thus, has been representing Asia in the Olympics.

That is why a lot of people are already saying that basketball is, matter-of-fact, not for us, like Tribune's Rudy Romero who has all the reasons to doubt about our chances in the game in the international arena, and instead pushes for football as a sports where we can be a world great; and PDI's Manolo Inigo who thinks, contrary to the beliefs of our current national coaches and sports officials, that the dark days of Philippine Basketball are not yet over, and we are just "only good in the lower-category tournaments such as the Seaba Club Champions Cup and the Southeast Asian Games", prompting him to ask "quo vadis Philippine basketball"? Ouch!

But halt there, because there are still people who believe that we have what it takes to make it big (no pun intended) in the international arena, like, hmm.. Benhur here.; some people here; and here ; and a lot more people out there; and finally and quite recently, Dragan Raca, the Yugoslav coach of the Lebanese basketball team who is also considered to be one of the best coaches in Europe. He believes the Filipinos are capable of topping the "Group of Death" in the FIBA-Asia Men's.

According to him as quoted by Team Pilipinas blogsite:

"The Philippines can beat everyone in that group with its speed. But it will also depend on the players' rhythm and their coaches' scouting," said Raca, who played for the Yugoslavian national squad in the '80s and was a teammate of the late NBA star Drazen Petrovic of the New Jersey Nets and journeyman center Vlade Divac, who suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.

Given the talent stacked in Group A of the FIBA-Asia preliminaries – China, Iran, Jordan and the Philippines – Raca said "it's very hard to pick which team will come out on top because all four are very good and play different brands of basketball."

Considered one of the top coaches in Europe, Raca said the young Chinese are the future of basketball in China, Iran is the most physical, the Philippines has the speed, and Jordan has been practicing for at least a year.

"They are of the same level, but the Philippines is capable of beating them if they do the right things."

Now let's take note of this:

"The Tokushima FIBA-Asia Championship, set July 28-Aug. 5, will pick Asia’s representative to the Olympics. As Olympics host, China is seeded to the Games.

If the Chinese make it to the FIBA-Asia final, then the other finalist will go to Beijing as well. If China fails to reach the final, then only the FIBA-Asia champion gets a ticket to the Games." - Philippine Daily Inquirer

For the first time in the Olympics, two slots are allotted for Asia. So, as national coach Chot Reyes pointed out earlier, we have a bigger chance to clinch that elusive Olympics berth. But the stakes are still high. Hereunder are three possible scenarios that can happen in Japan:

Artwork "Team Pilipinas" courtesy of Nike Basketball.

Scenario 1

Champion- China
Runner up - Philippines
Third - Lebanon (or any other team)

Scenerio 2

Champion- Philippines
Runner up - Lebanon (or any other team)
Third - China

Scenario 3

Champion- Lebanon (or any other team)
Runner up - Philippines
Third - Korea



Scenario nos. 1 and 2 are what we want, however take note that in scenario no. 2, Lebanon, despite winning second place will not make it to the Olympics since China is automatically seeded. When scenario 3 happens, only Lebanon goes in as well.

So the members of our current national team, our Team Pilipinas, will play the biggest games of their careers in Japan for flag and country. And I will join the rest of the nation to support them. Needless to say, I still want to believe in our program, our system, our brand of basketball, our strengths, our never-say-die attitude, and in our team - and in fact, I really do!

So will Team Pilipinas make it to Beijing?

You bet, I believe,we have a fighting chance!

GO TEAM PILIPINAS!

How about you there, kabayan? Any take on this?