PBA Scores, News and Updates

[Zurca]

Guiao shares secret of RoS success: 'This low-budget club is not just a team but a family'

RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao considers the team’s PBA Philippine Cup Finals appearance as double vindication.

For one, Guiao said he’s so happy with how the Elasto Painters beat the odds by finishing off a fancied Petron team in five games of their best-of-seven semifinals series.

“Syempre tuwang tuwa ako, pinaglaban ng mga bata eh. They used the events to give them more motivation and strengthen their determination,” said Guiao, who wasn't around for the Finals-clinching 97-88 win as he served out the suspension for flashing a dirty finger at league officials.

But more importantly, the six-time champion coach asserted that Rain or Shine's victory proved that winning is something that money can’t buy.

“Kung tutuusin, mukha ngang kami ang team na pinakamura (ang budget sa PBA). Hindi kami katulad nung ibang teams na maraming superstars, malalaki ang sweldo,” stressed the fiery mentor.

“Kami kasi dinaan namin sa pasensya ang team na ito. Nagtiyaga kami. Hinintay naming mahinog, may pagkukulang at mistakes kami nung una, pero alam namin this time, lalo pang lalakas ang chemistry,” he added.

Guiao said there is nothing special about the team, revealing that it’s only recipe for success is by keeping its lineup intact as much as possible - reason why the players and staff have developed and strengthened their brotherhood and camaraderie.

As a result, he said, Rain or Shine is now made up of players who genuinely like each other and are treated equally by coaches and officials.

“Maganda kasi sa team namin, parang pamilya na. Parang magkakapatid na. Maganda chemistry, maganda samahan. Everybody likes each other,” Guiao said.

“Saka ang na-develop naming team eh pantay-pantay, very close ang isa’t isa sa team. Walang paborito, walang outcast. Lahat sama-sama. Walang mayaman, walang mahirap, walang lubog (laos), walang sikat,” he said.

And now that the Elasto Painters are already in the Finals of the All-Filipino Cup for the second straight season, Guiao expressed the team’s readiness to go to battle.

“Handa na kami. Mahirap ang pinag-daanan namin. Ang daming nangyari. Pero nalagpasan namin,” added Pampanga’s first district representative.

Guiao said his players showed that they earn every cent of their pay every game.

“Depende kasi sa ibang coach yan eh. Yung ibang teams kasi may mga superstars na sila. So kung nasa kanila `yung player ko, magtiya-tiyaga muna siguro sila sa role playing,” he said.

“Pero yun nga ang sinasabi ko sa mga players ko, ‘They want to prove na value for money sila,’ sinasabi ko na `yung sinusweldo nila eh angkop sa nilalaro nila,” Guiao added.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Yap repays Cone faith by hitting game-winning trey in thriller against Ginebra (02/08/14)

HAMPERED by a painful shooting arm and struggling with his shot all season, James Yap rose to the occasion when coach Tim Cone called out his number, hitting the game-winning three-pointer in San Mig's thrilling 79-76 win over Barangay Ginebra in Game Five on Saturday.

Yap finished off a play designed for him by Cone by hitting his trademark fallaway three-pointer off Mac Baracael with 13.4 seconds to go, giving San Mig a 78-76 lead and taking the momentum away from a Ginebra side that had come charging back from nine points down in the endgame.

Two missed drives by Ginebra star LA Tenorio and a pressure-packed free throw delivered by rookie Justin Melton completed the win that gave the Mixers a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven series that had turned into a war of attrition before a packed crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The thrilling win also gave a San Mig team that had lost its first five games of the season a shot at a second successive trip to the Finals when Game Six is played on Monday, also at the Big Dome.

“I guess it all comes down to the last possession. It came down to a James Yap three-point shot,” said Cone, admiring the big shot made by his misfiring superstar.

But the American mentor was also quick to credit playmaker Mark Barroca for making the right decision in the waning seconds of the game, setting up Yap’s game-changing three-pointer.

“That was a nice pass there by Mark. He knew it was an option (passing the ball to Yap) and James got the shot," said Cone of his vastly improved guard. "Then Mark just played wonderful defense on LA on that last shot, it worked out for us.”

Yap's big shot ruined an exceptional game by Ginebra sophomore Chris Ellis, who picked up the cudgels for Tenorio and the Kings' Twin Towers by scoring 20 points, including a pull-up jumper that gave Ginebra the lead, 76-75, time down to 22 seconds.

Tenorio struggled all game along against the defense of Barroca, scoring just nine points on a frigid 3-of-13 shooting from the field. He did have seven assists, but also came down with a conference-high tying six turnovers in Game Five.

Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter were held to a combined 18 points and 18 rebounds.

Cone said he was also surprised to see Tenorio go for a quick two when Ginebra needed three points to send the game into overtime after Melton's split of his free throws.

“It’s hard to stay calm in the basketball game with the crowd going nuts. But that’s what you live for in this game and I’m just happy to be a part of it (series),” said Cone.

Barroca led the Mixers with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block to earn Best Player of the Game honors.

The scores:

San Mig 79 - Barroca 14, Pingris 12, Simon 10, Reavis 10, Yap 10, Mallari 8, Devance 7, Sangalang 6, Melton 2.
 
Ginebra 76 - Ellis 20, Reyes 11, Aguilar 9, Slaughter 9, Tenorio 9, Caguioa 6, Baracael 5, Helterbrand 5, Mamaril 2, Monfort 0, Urbiztondo 0.
 
Quarterscores: 21-21, 46-44, 62-57, 79-76

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Agustin rues Tenorio's 'hurried shot' but won't take it hard on misfiring playmaker

BARANGAY Ginebra coach Ato Agustin admitted LA Tenorio went against the designed play in a crucial endgame possession in a Game Five loss to San Mig on Saturday afternoon, but refused to take it too hard on his misfing playmaker.

With Ginebra trailing 76-78 and time down to 13.2 seconds, Agustin designed a play where he called for a pick and roll for Tenorio and 6-11 center Greg Slaughter while putting Chris Ellis, Japeth Aguilar and Mac Baracael in specific spots on the floor as second options.

Tenorio, however, didn't wait for the Slaughter pick and instead went straight to the basket, resulting in a wild shot against San Mig guard Mark Barroca and Joe Devance that hit the side of the board.

“It was supposed to be a pick and roll pero not a hurried shot,” Agustin said. “Eh sabi ko dapat nasa proper spots sila. Pero parang nagmadali. Imagine, nakakuha pa sila (Mixers) ng foul shot.

“Pero kailangan may shooters ako na maki-kickout kasi 13 seconds pa 'yun eh. Matagal pa 'yun. We’re down by two points and they were in penalty. I told them to make sure we go hard dahil marami naman tayong options.

"So sabi ko, nag-draw ako ng play on their spots, eh wala eh, nagmadali, tapos nag-miss,” Agustin added.
The same thing happened in the next Ginebra play after rookie Justin Melton's split from the free-throw line left the door slightly ajar for the Gin Kings, 76-79, with seven seconds left.

Instead of going for a three-pointer or finding open shooters to hit a game-tying basket, Tenorio went coast to coast and missed on a layup.

Game over.

The final sequence capped what had been a sloppy night for the usually steady Ginebra guard, who went 3-of-11 from the floor for nine points while committing six turnovers.

Overall, the Gin Kings had a conference-high 24 turnovers, which the Mixers translated to 27 points.

Asked what he told his starting guard inside the dugout, Agustin said he merely sought an answer but refused to probe deeper, aware that he needs to keep the team's morale high with Ginebra facing a must-win situation in Game Six of the best-of-seven series on Monday.

“Nag-tanong lang, why 'yung last shot na layup eh down by three (points). Pero wala lang, kasi kapag tinanong pa eh mada-down,” Agustin, a former league MVP, said. “Kailangan i-lift namin ang morale ng mga players. Kailangan bumawi kami at mag-bounce back sa Monday.”

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Bad timing as Slaughter illness comes at the worst time for Ginebra

ROOKIE center Greg Slaughter rued a health problem, and consequently his game-long struggle, came at the worst time for Barangay Ginebra.

The 6-foot-11 top rookie pick this season took just nine shots and finished with only nine points and nine rebounds as the Kings fell to the San MigMixers, 76-79 in Game Five on Saturday night, putting the league’s crowd darling on the brink of elimination in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.

“I had trouble sleeping and I had chills since last night (Friday). And this one’s (Game Five loss) pretty difficult, taking that loss, we have no choice but to win on Monday,” said the young Ginebra big man after the game that left the Kings trailing the best-of-seven series, 2-3.

With Slaughter not 100 percent, backup center Jay-Ar Reyes chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds - his best performance in the semifinal series - while Chris Ellis provided the scoring punch with a conference-high 20 points.

But the soft-spoken Slaughter said it was tough to play his usual game while being under the weather.

“It was tiring and also trying to push. We’re focusing on trying to get the ball, but it’s just breaks of the game,” lamented Slaughter.

The 25-year-old Slaughter said he’ll be reporting for practice on Sunday, but may just try to preserve his energy for Game Six on Monday, where the Kings facing the specter of bowing out of Finals contention with another win by the Mixers.

“I’ll definitely be there in practice but I don’t know how much I’ll practice that day,” he said. “I don’t think the problem’s really adjustments for us, but it’s just trying to play as a team."

From SPIN.ph

[Lord Nok Von Hauten]

Bawi na lang tayo, go for the win... Ok naman ang performance nyo yun nga lang medyo nagkulang...

[Troll Montero]

sana RoS ang mag champion nakaka buwisit na ang may mga sister team, parang nagbibigayan nang laro...

Si LA nag drive eh hehe low iq ba yun or sinadya dahil benta ang laro, tapos game 7 sa ginebra pa din???

[Zurca]

Helterbrand guarantees Game Six victory for Ginebra

BARANGAY Ginebra point guard Jayjay Helterbrand guaranteed a victory for the Kings against San Mig Coffee in Game Six of their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series on Monday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll win. No one’s ready for vacation,” the veteran playmaker told Spin.ph on the eve of the 8 p.m. match when the top seeded Kings fight for survival, hoping to knot the best-of-seven series at three games apiece.

If there’s one Ginebra player who has the authority to make such vow, it’s the 37-year-old Helterbrand.

After all, he has been with the franchise for the longest time — more than 13 years - so he knows exactly what the storied club has been through all these years.

One of the faces of the league’s most popular team, Helterbrand is also well aware of his team’s capability to thrive in this position where it is currently down, 2-3, and on the brink of elimination.

“We’ve been in this situation a million times. Personally, we play better when our backs are against the wall,” the former league MVP beamed. “I think that’s when our never-say-die spirit kicks in.”

So confident is Helterbrand, who registered five points, five boards, two steals, and one assist in 14 minutes of playing behind starter LA Tenorio in Game Five, that he can look ahead to a Game Seven.

“If we win tomorrow, then it’s a whole different story. The pressure’s gonna be on them.”

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Taulava in record 13th All-Star Game?

Fifteen-year PBA veteran Asi Taulava has achieved numerous personal milestones, and is on line for another one in the 2014 PBA All-Star Week set April 3-6 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City

If ever, the Fil-Tongan behemoth, the oldest active player in the local pro league at 40, would break the record he currently shares with four-time MVP winner Alvin Patrimonio – the two players with the most number of All-Star participation with 12 each.

The league is holding part II of Gilas Pilipinas versus PBA All Stars in the annual All-Star Game which will be played in Manila for the first time in five years.

And for the first time in 11 years, the entire All-Star Week festivities will be held in the Big City, hosted by the Mall of Asia Arena.

Taulava is a contender for the All-Star team taking on the FIBA World Cup-bound national team of coach Chot Reyes.

Last year in Digos City, Gilas’ Jeff Chan and the All-Stars’ Arwind Santos shared MVP honors after the game ended in a 124-all standoff on Chan’s buzzer-beating three-pointer.

If Reyes sticks with his original Gilas team, Taulava, Greg Slaughter, Santos, Mark Barroca, James Yap and Mark Caguioa are tipped to banner the PBA All Stars.

Other active PBA players with a big number of participations in the annual mid-season spectacle are Dondon Hontiveros (11), Yap (10), Jimmy Alapag (9), Eric Menk (9), Willie Miller (9), Sonny Thoss (9), Jayjay Helterbrand (7), Danny Ildefonso (7), Marc Pingris (7) and Rico Villanueva (7).

The league has started the fan balloting for the All-Star festivities that again feature the Legends Game and All-Star side events including the three-point shootout, the slam-dunk contest and the obstacle challenge.

There will also be outreach programs including hospital visits and free basketball/coaching clinics.

Another highlight is a street party where PBA players mingle with the fans around the MOA Arena.

Though already turning 41 on March 2, Taulava is still a major force, leading all players in minutes played in the current Philippine Cup with 37.86 minutes an outing.

In the elimination round, Taulava was one of a few who averaged double-double numbers, putting in a league second best 14.36 rebounds and third team best 13.21 points per game.

From Inquirer.net

[Zurca]

Never-say-die spirit alive as Jawo-inspired Ginebra beats San Mig to force Game Seven (02/10/14)

GINEBRA legend Robert Jaworski showed up at the Gin Kings' dugout at halftime, exhorting every single player to show the team's never-say-die spirit of old.

No one took the words to heart more than rookie Greg Slaughter.

Showing toughness and maturity well beyond his years, the 6-11 freshman center carried Ginebra on his back in the final stretch of a Game Six thriller as the Kings beat San Mig, 94-91, on Monday night to force a do-or-die game in their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal playoff.

THe 6-11 big man from Cebu had 20 points and 11 rebounds and towered above everybody else in the final stretch, scoring seven of his team's final 10 points when the Kings made the decisive charge before a sellout crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Slaughter, the top pick overall in this season's rookie draft, capped a dominant performance with the rebound off a PJ Simon miss and the two free throws that put Ginebra on top, 94-91, with two seconds left.

When James Yap's desperation heave from near mid-court fell way short at the buzzer, pro-Ginebra fans who had been on the edge of their seats for the most part of the game erupted in celebration as the crowd darlings levelled the best-of-seven series, 3-3.

Slaughter's late heroics capped an amazing comeback from 13 points down for the Gin Kings, who got a pep talk from former Ginebra playing-coach Jaworski at halftime.

The two sister teams now clash for the last time on Wednesday for the right to face Rain or Shine in the finals of the league's all-Filipino conference.

Ginebra skipper Mark Caguioa also had a splendid game with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting while LA Tenorio added 16. Slaughter's frontline partner Japeth Aguilar had 13 points but was a non-factor in the endgame after riding the bench due to five fouls for much of the final quarter.

Ginebra's late push put to naught a gutsy performance from Marc Pingris, who scored 20 points and kept San Mig's head above water with back-to-back baskets that gave it an 86-83 lead entering the final five-minute mark.

The scores:

Ginebra 94 - Caguioa 21, Slaughter 20, Tenorio 16, Aguilar 13, Baracael 9, Helterbrand 5, Ellis 4, Reyes 4, Mamaril 2, Monfort 0, Urbiztondo 0.

San Mig 91 - Pingris 20, Simon 17, Barroca 14, Sangalang 12, Reavis 9, Yap 9, Melton 5, Devance 3, Mallari 2, De Ocampo 0.

Quarterscores: 22-24, 41-50, 73-74, 94-91

From SPIN.ph

[Lord Nok Von Hauten]

Sa wed,sure na maganda ang laban. Go ginebra!

Sent from my Lenovo A3000-H using Tapatalk

[Troll Montero]

kung hindi scripted maganda ang laban...... si japeth ang nagpanalo, dahil dun kukunin siyang model ni ben chan sa bench

[Zurca]

Ginebra, San Mig duel to the death in one of most anticipated PBA games in years

BARANGAY Ginebra coach Ato Agustin has played countless do-or-die playoff matches in his career and he knows exactly what his team needs to do in this one.

Stay aggressive, lessen turnovers, and put the ball in steady hands come crunch time.

If the Gin Kings can do that, Agustin, a second-round pick who rose to become league MVP, feels the crowd darlings will have a good chance of coming out alive in Game Seven of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal playoff against San Mig on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra has been the most impressive team on paper in the league this season and entered the playoffs as the top seed, but it has played catch-up against San Mig in what has been a riveting best-of-seven series for the right to face Rain or Shine in the finals.

In fact, the Gin Kings would not be in this position now had they not climbed back from a 14-point deficit to win Game Six, 94-91, on Monday night in a game witnessed by a sellout crowd at the Big Dome led by Ginebra's legendary former player-coach, Robert Jaworski.

But if surviving Game Six is tough, Agustin knows winning the deciding seventh will be tougher considering San Mig has a group of players led by James Yap, Marc Pingris and even young guard Mark Barroca who has loads of championship experience under its belt.

Except for LA Tenorio, Mark Caguioa, and Jayjay Helterbrand, no other Gin King has had an experience in this type of environment.

That's why Agustin wants Ginebra to be aggressive from the get-go to set the tone for the entire game.

"We need to be aggressive, that's the key," said the longtime San Miguel Beer star. "So hustle saka kailangan mas mataas ang intensity namin kaysa sa kanila (Mixers)."

Another major concern for Agustin is turnovers, which has cost Ginebra a couple of games in the series.

"Again, if we want to beat San Mig, we need to cut our turnovers."

But when push comes to shove, the Ginebra coach wants the ball in the hands of Caguioa, the former league MVP and the Kings' acknowledged heart and soul.

Caguioa has had a spotty series, but there's no doubt in Agustin's mind that he will be Ginebra's surest hand in this game.

"Sabi ko sa kanya, kailangan ma-involve siya parati sa offense. If he feels it, get the ball," said Agustin.

On the other hand, San Mig coach Tim Cone said they have moved on from that Game Six loss, which saw them collapse in the face of a tenacious Gin Kings rally in the fourth quarter as well as a crucial foul slapped on James Yap with 16 seconds left.

The 6-foot-2 Yap was whistled for a foul by referee Edward Aquino as Caguioa was clutching the ball off a rebound, even if there was very minimal - if negligible - contact.

Cone, though, said San Mig is not about to dwell on the past.

"We just try to make sure our guys are focused forward and not think back," said Cone. "We're a confident bunch. These guys (Mixers) have been there (Game Seven) before. They know how to play in this game and we're comfortable playing Game Seven."

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

PBA hits new high as Game Seven of Ginebra-San Mig duel lures all-time record crowd of 24,883 fans

HE PBA scaled new heights in its 39-year history on Wednesday night when an all-time record of 24,883 fans trooped to the Smart Araneta Coliseum to watch Game Seven of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series between Barangay Ginebra and San Mig Coffee.

The attendance in Game Seven broke the previous high of 23,436 fans which witnessed Game Three of Ginebra's Commissioner's Cup championship series against Alaska last season which the Aces won.

As early as the morning before the match, there were already clear signs that the game was bound to set new box-office records as hundreds of fans gathered outside the Big Dome hoping to snap up the few general admission and standing-room-only (SRO) upper box tickets still up for sale.

Patron and other pricier tickets for the match were sold out as early as Tuesday afternoon.

“Seven pa lang ng umaga kahapon (Tuesday) marami nang tao ang nakapila. Nag simulang magbenta ng (upper box with seats) tickets mga 11 a.m. hanggang 3 p.m.,” the security officer guarding the Ticketnet office at the Big Dome disclosed to Spin.ph.

As expected, scalpers made a killing.

One fan told Spin.ph he was able to secure two patron tickets regularly priced at P900 each for P5,000 each in the black market. On the other hand, P500 Upper A tickets are being sold for at least P2,000 while P130 general admission tickets are going for P500.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

FINAL: SMC moves to the Finals with 110-87 win over Ginebra.

[Zurca]

'Big Game' James Yap leads way as San Mig outplays Ginebra in Game Seven to reach PBA Finals (02/12/14)

A RED-HOT James Yap led the way and the rest of San Mig followed suit, dealing Barangay Ginebra a 110-87 beating in Game Seven on Wednesday night to book its place in the PLDT myDSL PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

'Big Game' James lived up to his name in one of the most anticipated games in the league in years, scoring a game-high 30 points built around seven three-pointers in a shooting display with longtime partner PJ Simon which an awed Tim Cone described as "phenomenal."

Five of those three-pointers came in the first half, where San Mig set the tone for the do-or-die match by opening a double-digit lead against a jittery and terribly disorganized Ginebra unit before the biggest crowd ever to watch a PBA game.

Unfortunately for Ginebra, those all-time high 24,883 fans who watched the game inside the historic Big Dome - and millions more on television - witnessed a carnage as San Mig totally dominated on the way to forging a best-of-seven finals opposite Rain or Shine.

“Too much James and PJ tonight," said San Mig coach Tim Cone after leading the former Purefoods franchise to a second successive finals appearance, fourth over the last six conferences, and 25th overall. "That’s what it was so whatever they ate, we’re gonna have to find out.”

Simon backed up Yap with 28 points, most of them coming in the final quarter when the Mixers put the game away.

“I’ve never seen such a shooting performance by two guys ever before in my life, especially in a Game Seven, just phenomenal. I mean, shooting like that, for sure, nobody can beat us,” Cone added.

Outside Yap and Simon, the Mixers actually collected big numbers from Rafi Reavis, rookie forward Ian Sangalang, who banged in 15 points apiece while Marc Pingris chipped in a near triple-double performance of eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Third-year guard Mark Barroca added six points and 10 assists, while hounding Ginebra playmaker LA Tenorio who scored 16 points but shot just 2-of-12 from beyond the arc and had only two assists in 36 minutes.

Mark Caguioa carried the scoring brunt for the Gin Kings with 23, though the Mixers’ excellent defense held him down to just six in the entire second half.

Japeth Aguilar added 17 and nine boards, while his front court partner Greg Slaughter had a quiet 12 points and a series-low three rebounds.

Overall, San Mig’s 60 percent shooting from the field was just too much for Ginebra to overcome.

The Mixers also dominated the boards, 48-35.

The scores:
 
San Mig 110 - Yap 30, Simon 28, Sangalang 15, Reavis 15, Pingris 8, Barroca 6, Mallari 6, Devance 2, Melton 0.
 
Ginebra 87 - Caguioa 23, Aguilar 17, Tenorio 16, Slaughter 12, Mamaril 6, Helterbrand 5, Ellis 4, Baracael 3, Reyes 1, Monfort 0, Urbiztondo 0.
 
Quarterscores: 28-20, 57-44, 79-67, 110-87

From SPIN.ph