PBA Scores, News and Updates

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San Miguel sends back Barako despite Dollard's 46 points (03/22/14)

MANILA, Philippines – The Barako Bull Energy Cola was doing enough for the first 3 periods to stay within striking distance of the San Miguel Beermen on Saturday, March 22, in the PBA PLDT TVolution Commissioner's Cup.

But so much energy was sapped out of Barako that they couldn't deliver the finishing kick in the fourth. They crumbled during the final 5 minutes as San Miguel came away with their fourth victory, 106-100.

"Obviously a really exciting way to win," active consultant Todd Purves remarked.

"Somebody (in practice) mentioned Barako being a dangerous team and I just don't think that describes them anymore. They're a good basketball team. And dangerous implies you have to really be careful they'll sneak up on you and to me, they're a good basketball team.

"If you allow them to sneak up on you, you're just not prepared. And so we knew it was going to be a very hard game tonight and I think they're a much better team than their record states."

The Beermen were in control for most of the match but they hit a minor speed bump midway in the fourth as they couldn't put a leash on Barako import Josh Dollard, who just had so much fire in his eyes and was simply uncontrollable offensively.

At the 11-minute mark of the final frame, Dollard was already lying on the Smart Araneta Coliseum hardcourt wildly punching his chest in ecstasy after he hit one of his deep triples that cut San Miguel's 81-74 deficit to just two, 81-79.

A couple minutes after that Dollard drilled in another one of his 4 three-pointers to knot the count at 84. Right after that Mick Pennisi scored from long range as well to take the lead, 87-84, with 8:49 left.

San Miguel looked a little shaken up at that juncture as they missed even the gimmes.

Dollard, on the other hand, kept pounding and delivering, even scoring against 4 Beermen defenders at one point to make it a 91-90 Energy Cola advantage.

But San Miguel recovered their bearings with 4:58 remaining on a Marcio Lassiter go-ahead triple, which prompted a 7-0 blitz to put the Beermen permanently on top, 99-93. Arwind Santos and June Mar Fajardo each chipped in two points for that run as well as Barako sputtered their way to the finish line.

With 2:43 on the clock, Dollard was already huffing and puffing. His lay-up attempt had no more juice in it as it only grazed the rim before it was taken away by San Miguel.

Barako couldn't execute after that, save for a Pennisi trey with 52.9 ticks left that gave them a window of hope, 103-98. But it was quickly closed shut by San Miguel import Kevin Jones who sank a long bomb for the dagger, 106-98.

"I was not surprised they were able to make a run but I'm very pleased that we were able to continue to grind it out and come away with the win," Purves said.

As head coach Biboy Ravanes pointed out, domination on the boards won this game for San Miguel. They simply clobbered the Energy Cola, 54-36, on rebounding. But it was their advantage on the offensive glass that did the real damage, 22-10. Those 22 offensive boards translated to a whopping 27 second chance points.

San Miguel also remained hot from rainbow country as they matched their 15 triples from last game.

Dollard's 46 points, 15 rebounds, two dimes, one steal and one block were for naught as there wasn't much support from his teammates. Pennisi finished with 16 points while rookie Jeric Fortuna and Ronjay Buenafe each had 11 points.

Meanwhile, it was a much balanced scoring affair for San Miguel with Jones coughing up 28 points, 18 boards, 5 assists and two steals.

Lassiter hit 5-of-9 treys for his 19 points, while Santos was a near perfect two-of-3 from the arc with 16 points and 11 rebounds to his name. Fajardo added a double-double 15 points and 11 rebounds as well.

So far, the Beermen are looking sharp near the top of the standings with a 4-1 card as Barako fell to 1-4. But Purves made it clear there's more to come from them.

"I feel we have a long way to go. We have a large margin to get better as well."

Scores:

San Miguel 106: Jones 28, Lasasiter 19, Santos 16, Fajardo 15, Hubalde 13, Mercado 7, Ross 3, Kramer 2, Maierhofer 0, Tubid 0.

Barako Bull 100: Dollard 46, Pennisi 16, Fortuna 11, Buenafe 11, Wilson 6, Lastimosa 4, Isip 2, Peña 2, Miranda 2, Jensen 0, Miller 0, Marcelo 0, Intal 0.

Quarters: 29-19; 51-43; 81-74; 106-100.

From Rappler.com

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San Mig keeps mastery of Rain or Shine after 16-point blowout win (03/22/14)

SAN Mig Coffee went on a relentless third quarter assault on its way to clobbering a listless Rain or Shine squad, 91-74, for its third straight win in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Mixers relied on their efficient shooting, fluid ball movement, and unrelenting rebounding in keeping their mastery of the Elasto Painters.

It was the first meeting between the two protagonists of the last Philippine Cup Finals which San Mig won, 4-2.

The Mixers improved to 3-0 and remained as one of only two unbeaten teams in the mid-season conference along with idle Talk `N Text (5-0).

Rain or Shine remained at the bottom half of the standing with its 1-3 record, absorbing its first back-to-back loss of the conference as it continued to miss the services of injured players JR Quinahan and Ryan Arana.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao was so upset with the his team played in the second half that he opted to bench import Alex McLean in the fourth period.

San Mig held a 70-51 lead entering the final quarter.

Guiao said recently that he's keeping his options open as far as replacing McLean is concerned.

"We had a little bit of everything going for us today," said a beaming San Mig coach Tim Cone after the game.

"We played really good defense, we controlled the boards, just kind of overpowered them inside with big James (Mays)."

Cone also credited the locals for stepping up big when Mays picked up his third foul during the second period.

Cone said the Mixers’ defense set the tone for the rout, being conscious the Elasto Painters will try to bounce back strong after losing to San Miguel Beer on Wednesday, 112-107.

"I think they (Elasto Painters) want to get off really quickly. So they got frustrated, we knew we have to be real sharp to start the game, and we were," said Cone.

"If we weren't, we would have given them the momentum they wanted."

Mays led the Mixers with 18 points and 15 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action.

PJ Simon added 16 while Marc Pingris chipped in 10.

Rain or Shine drew 18 points from McLean while Paul Lee added 12.

The scores:

San Mig Coffee (91) -- Mays 18, Simon 16, Pingris 10, Sanggalang 9, Yap 9, Devance 7, Mallari 7, Barroca 5, Reavis 3, Melton 3, Gaco 2, Holstein 2, Acuna 0, Cawaling 0.
 
Rain or Shine (74) -- McLean 18, Lee 12, Norwood 9, Chan 7, Teng 7, Uyloan 6, Almazan 5, Rodriguez 4, Belga 2, Cruz 2, Tiu 2, Tang 0, Nuyles 0, Ibanes 0.
 
Quarterscores: 28-19; 45-37; 70-51; 91-74.

From SPIN.ph

[tonistork]

pikon talaga ang lintek na kalbong coach ng RoS. . bwahahaha. . talo si kalbo.

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Josh Dollard heartbroken but still positive for Barako Bull

MANILA, Philippines - 45, 44, 46.

Those aren't lottery numbers. Those are the number of points American import Josh Dollard has put up for the Barako Bull Energy Cola in 3 of their 5 games in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.

Those numbers should mean Dollard is rejoicing. But in reality, he's heartbroken.

"It's heartbreaking when you give a lot of effort to a game and you come out on the losing end regardless of how many points you score or how many rebounds you get and assists you get," he said following their 106-100 loss to the San Miguel Beermen on Saturday, March 22.

The 27-year old has been one of the most explosive imports in the 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup, taking over on offense in every manner in an effort to take Barako Bull to the promised land.

But his league-leading 36 points per game have only resulted in a 1-4 standing so far.

"It's frustrating regardless if you score a lot or score a little. I'd rather score 4 points and get a win than score 40 and get an L because the objective at the end of the night is to get the win," lamented the 6-foot-8 South Carolina native. "My points don't really matter to me at the end of the day."

It has been a tough conference for Barako Bull, who have lost close games to Barangay Ginebra and Talk 'N Text. Their recurring problems from last conference have lingered. Though they’ve come up strong in the third and fourth quarters of games, a pattern has emerged where they eventually fall through in the endgame.

Whether it's a lack of experience as a team or just plain bad decision-making, Dollard attributes their meltdowns to the little things all of them fail to notice.

"We gotta stop giving up offensive rebounds and cut back on the turnovers, executing our offense to a T. And executing our defensive rotations because that's what's costing us close games," he explained. "We get ahead and I don't know whether we're relaxing or it's just a lack of attention to detail. And when we come down to the defensive end, we give up big plays."

That was, indeed, the story for Barako Bull against the Beermen on Saturday. They hung tough throughout the game and intended to deliver the final blow in the fourth. They had the right idea, but they just couldn't maintain a solid grip on it.

Anchored by Dollard's 46-point explosion and the 4 triples he connected on in parity with Mick Pennisi, Barako took the lead from San Miguel, 87-84, with 8:49 left to play. The lead kept swinging back and forth after as the Energy couldn't quite pull away.

But several bad consecutive plays resulting from bad defensive execution paved the way for San Miguel to craft a 7-0 blitz and put themselves permanently on top, 99-93.

It's mental lapses like those that Dollard believes they must remedy in order to string together wins and make a decent finish of the eliminations.

"It's points like that in the game with a good team like that, you gotta be on your game on both ends of the floor. We just gotta tighten up on a few things and I'll think we'll be okay."

True enough, rebounding was a major department where the Beermen clobbered Barako, 54-36. On the offensive glass San Miguel was simply dominating with a 22-10 edge, which resulted in 27 second chance points that hurt Barako's cause.

And while Dollard doesn’t blame his teammates, he believes they have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to make a run for the playoffs in a short single round-robin conference.

"We definitely got a lot of catching up to do but I think it's possible. We got a tough stretch ahead of us," said Dollard. "There's never a night off in the PBA. We emphasize that you gotta forget the game real quickly and move on to the next because it's a short tournament and you have no time to dwell on the last game."

Asked if dropping 40 points is something required of him by the coaching staff, Dollard explained that he just reacts to what instructions the coaches give him.

"It's just pretty much what the coaches draw up for me. I go along with it whether it's for me or for one of our other guys. It's all about executing, whether it ends up in my hands or it's me making a play for my other teammates."

With only one win so far, and only 4 games left, the race is on for Barako to get their act together fast. Last conference they made the playoffs. This time they are in danger of missing it and taking a step back from their progress.

For Dollard, he hopes the team's collective effort in the next few games will yield a better ending.

"For my teammates, we really want to win," he said. "My team and I we're, gonna continue fighting until it's said and done."

From Rappler.com

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Meralco comes from behind to nip Air21 (03/23/14)

MANILA, Philippines - "I've got to do a better job, we've got to do a better job as a team. And that's just the bottom line of it."

Those were the words Meralco Bolts import Brian Butch spoke after they were defeated by Talk 'N Text on Friday, March 21. And that's exactly what they did two days later on Sunday afternoon when they completed a 20-point comeback to escape the Air21 Express, 109-98, in the 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup.

"For tonight's game it was really a test of will for us," said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio. "We were down by a big margin, did not put our heads down, found ways to extricate from a deep hole and we were rewarded with a victory."

The Bolts clawed back from what everyone thought was a 20-point 86-66 grave dug by the Express with 1:08 left in the third canto on a Jonas Villanueva coast to coast basket.

But Meralco exploded with a burst of power and aggression come the fourth period, where they came in down 68-86, and went on a searing 29-12 run to complete their fightback and take the lead for the first time in a long while, 99-98, on a Jared Dillinger spin move to the basket with 2:27 on the clock.

It was a matter of composure and execution from there for Meralco, with Dillinger inflicting more damage with his fadeaway jumpers and drives, and Butch staying steady from the stripe to ink the final tally.

Dillinger tallied 20 points when the smoke cleared to go with 8 assists.

"It's been a while since Jared Dillinger played that way," remarked Gregorio.

Butch, on the other hand, put up monster numbers with 40 points and 31 rebounds along with 3 assists, a steal and a block.

"I said to them (Meralco), we weren't gonna lose," said Butch after the game. "We all believed in each other, we all wanted it for each other and we played together as a team."

All throughout the payoff period Air21 was simply shaken and tearing up at the seams in the face of Butch's 21 fourth quarter points on 4 three-pointers and Dillinger's 13 markers in that quarter. But the Bolts also had plenty of help from an energetic and aggressive John Wilson, who just flew high above everybody for the all-important boards that translated to valuable possessions.

It was a pair of consecutive treys from Butch and Dillinger midway in the fourth that truly swung the momentum to the side of Meralco for good as they came to within 5, 91-96. Those 6 points were a direct product of precise ball movement for Meralco.

Wilson then came alive and did not give up on a play as he drove to the hoop, missed, then grabbed his own offensive rebound for the stick-back to make it a 3-point affair, 93-96.

Wilson finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. It's that kind of effort shown by Wilson on rebounding that allowed Meralco 25 second-chance points as opposed to a far 6 by Air21.

"It was simply an amazing comeback and this game I'll pretty much cherish. As a basketball coach I have never seen anything like it," Gregorio said.

The only way Meralco was able to succeed with their comeback was due to their defense, which they executed to a T in that storied final frame as they limited the Express to only 12 points.

More importantly, they tightened the cap on Air21's new import Wesley Witherspoon, who only scored 5 points in the last period. It was a stark contrast to Butch's fourth quarter output.

Before that, however, the game was all Air21 as Witherspoon dropped 39 points for the first 3 quarters. The 24-year old Atlanta, Georgia native went beast mode on his debut for the Express with a total of 44 markers on 8-of-13 triples to go with 9 rebounds and a steal.

Meralco, now sitting at the middle of the standings at 3-2, got off to a good start but dipped in the second frame with only a 17-point output compared to a daunting 35 markers by Air21 built on the 18 points of Witherspoon in that frame.

Mark Cardona also came out firing with 22 points while Asi Taulava added 11 markers and 9 boards for Air21, who now sport a 2-3 win-loss card.

Scores:

Meralco 109: Butch 40, Dillinger 20, Wilson 12, David 11, Hodge 9, Caram 6, Mandani 4, Hugnatan 3, Guevarra 2, Artadi 2, Ildefonso 0, Al-Hussaini 0.

Air21 98: Witherspoon 44, Cardona 22, Taulava 11, Yeo 7, Borboran 4, Villanueva 4, Camson 4, Atkins 2, Poligrates 0, Ramos 0, Burtscher 0.

Quarter scores: 25-18, 42-53, 68-86, 109-98.

From Rapppler.com

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Talk 'N Text extends win streak to 6, downs Ginebra (03/23/14)

MANILA, Philippines - There's room for only one comeback in one game day.

Larry Fonacier delivered the dagger three-pointer on Sunday, March 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and made sure there will be no Barangay Ginebra San Miguel comeback as the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters came away with a 94-87 victory to extend their win streak to 6 in the 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Ginebra was down by as much as 16, 85-69, with 8:19 left in the game after Fonacier made good on a baseline jumper.

But the Gin Kings, who couldn't catch a break throughout the contest and were simply exchanging baskets with the Texters, managed to hold Talk 'N Text scoreless for more than 5 minutes from the 6:59 mark of the fourth until there was 1:32 left.

TNT import Richard Howell last scored for his team at that point via a crossover dribble and drive to the hoop over rookie Greg Slaughter, 87-74.

Ginebra, led by LA Tenorio, eventually made the necessary defensive stops and scored on crucial possessions to make it a 6-point game, 87-81.


Ginebra's ball

A controversial call came with 2:19 left in the game where Talk 'N Text was awarded the possession after the leather went out of bounds as a result of Ryan Reyes and Leon Rodgers fighting for the loose ball.

Upon looking at the video replay, it became clear that Reyes held the ball last, which should've made it Ginebra's possession. However, video reviews of plays can only be made under the 2-minute mark of the game, which meant the referee's call stood.

"I think it should've been their ball," Talk 'N Text head coach Norman Black admitted. "But it was one call the entire game. It happens like that. We've been on the other end of that a lot this year. It's just one call the entire game."

After the tough break, Ranidel de Ocampo, who was a machine for TNT from the get-go, regained some momentum for the Texters as he scored two of his team-high 28 points to stop the bleeding somewhat with 1:32 left.

But Ginebra was still able to come to within 4, 89-85, with 51.6 ticks left after Tenorio went coast to coast.

However, that's the last time the chants of "Gi-neb-ra" would be heard on Sunday night as Fonacier got hold of the rock on the break and found himself wide open for the dagger trey to make it 92-85with 29.4 seconds remaining.

That basket ultimately sucked the air out of Ginebra's fightback as they succumbed to their third loss.


Great defense

Once again the Texters were operating as one great defensive unit all game long, shutting the door on Ginebra, which now has a 2-3 win-loss card.

"I think the team played good defense today. We executed again exactly what we wanted to do," Black said.

That defensive game plan, according to Black, entailed keeping the ball out of the hands of Ginebra playmaker Tenorio and veteran Mark Caguioa.

True enough, the Texters made it extremely difficult for Ginebra to even make extra passes, limiting them to just 16 assists while they dished out 26. Talk 'N Text also outran Ginebra with 13 fastbreak attempts, which resulted to 21 points for them. While Ginebra was held to just 5 attempts and 8 fastbreak points.

Caguioa had 14 points and 10 boards while Tenorio only had 9 points along with 7 assists.

"Hats off to my players for executing the game plan," added Black.

As a compliment to their defense, Talk 'N Text was once again a very well-balanced offensive team. They had 5 players in double digits and had significant contributions from their second unit.

Howell scored 19 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, while Jayson Castro had 11 points on 5-of-10 field goals.

"We don't really have to rely on our import to score a lot of points but we just need him to deliver when it's crucial for us," Black explained. "At the same time we just rely on the locals to contribute every game. But for me story of the game is really the execution of our defense."

Sitting atop the standings at 6-0, Talk 'N Text will be having a 7-day break before they return to action on March 31 against the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.

Scores:

Talk 'N Text (94): De Ocampo 28, Howell 19, Castro 11, Reyes Ry. 11, Fonacier 10, Williams 8, Canaleta 4, Alapag 3, Reyes Ro. 0, Baclao 0, Carey 0.

Ginebra (87): Rodgers 32, Caguioa 14, Baracael 13, Tenorio 9, Slaughter 8, Aguilar 5, Ellis 2, Reyes 2, Helterbrand 2.

Quarterscores: 28-26, 52-40, 76-65, 94-87.

From Rappler.com

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Former NU star Bobby Ray Parks signs up with NLEX Road Warriors in PBA D-League

BOBBY Ray Parks has joined the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA D-League, giving the powerhouse team another top amateur star in its arsenal and perhaps a major asset if it makes the jump to the pro league.

Parks’ representative Charlie Dy confirmed the two-time UAAP MVP has signed up for the Road Warriors after being included in the team's official roster for the D-League's Foundation Cup opening on Monday.

NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez also said Parks is already with the team but hinted that he won't play with the Road Warriors until he has wrapped up his commitments with mother school National University.

"He is playing with us but he have to finish muna his school commitments before he plays," Fernandez said.

The acquisition of the NU star has further strengthened an NLEX lineup that already counts on amateur standouts and Gilas cadet members Garvo Lanete, Kevin Alas, Jake Pascual, Ronald Pascual, and Matt Ganuelas.

Interestingly, Parks’ arrival at NLEX also came at a time when the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned company is awaiting approval on its application for membership in the PBA, where the son of legendary PBA import Bobby Parks could become a direct-hire recruit.

The move, however, may signal a complete break for NU and Parks, who failed to lead the Bulldogs to a UAAP championship in three seasons in the premier collegiate league.

Parks recently saw action for Banco De Oro, which had a school tie-up with NU in the Aspirants Cup. BDO declined to participate this conference and released Parks, paving the way for him to suit up for NLEX without going through the draft.

The star-studded Road Warriors squad recently won their fifth title in the Aspirants Cup after sweeping Big Chill in the best-of-three finals.

NLEX will open its Foundation Cup campaign against Blackwater Sports on Tuesday at the JCSGO gym in Quezon City.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

PBA suspends referee for TNT-Ginebra bad call

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Commissioner has suspended PBA referee Rommel Gruta for two weeks for an incorrect out-of-bounds call last night at the Ginebra-Talk 'N Text tiff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With the Tropang Texters up 87-81 and 2:20 left in the match, Gruta decided to hand possession to TNT after a loose ball play involving TNT's Ryan Reyes and Ginebra's Leon Rodgers that sailed out of the baseline. The call swung the momentum as Ginebra was starting to rally after being down by double-digits earlier in the game.

Replays showed however that Reyes was the only player near the ball when it went out of bounds. Talk 'N Text was able to burn time off the clock before scoring a basket that put the game permanently out of reach.

This made the Ginebra coaching staff fume, with team manager Alfrancis Chua and chairman Robert Non both getting on their feet to question the referee's call. Talk 'N Text went on to win 94-87.

Under PBA rules, out-of-bounds plays are only reviewed under the last two minutes of regulation.

Gruta will be out for six game days.

From Rappler.com

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Jayjay Helterbrand says Ginebra's sputtering start all boils down to lack of effort

BARANGAY Ginebra has been dealing with a lot of issues as it continues to slump in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, from the fate of import Leon Rodgers to its unique coaching set-up to a bum call in a loss to Talk 'N Text.

But for Jayjay Helterbrand, Ginebra's struggles boil down to one thing: lack of effort.

A self-examination may be in order for the league's most popular team as Helterbrand rattled off a litany of problems Ginebra is dealing with - rebounding, defense, turnovers - only because the Kings are not playing hard enough.

“Defense is part of it, rebounding, us turning the ball over, not knowing our plays, effort. What else? All the little things that we need to win the ball game, we don’t do,” rued Helterbrand after a 87-94 loss to Talk 'N Text on Sunday - Ginebra's third in five games in the conference.

The 37-year-old former Kentucky State University standout, who had two points, two rebounds and three assists in a brief seven-minute exposure on Sunday, said Ginebra coaches have been constantly reminding them that winning games simply goes beyond the “X’s and O’s."

“Coach was telling us, it’s not about X’s and O’s, or plays. If you don’t put the effort, we’re not gonna win games, especially when we play good teams,” Helterbrand said.

"If you don’t (play hard), that’s gonna be the result."

Helterbrand said even if the Gin Kings tap a new import to replace Rodgers, who has come under fire for the team’s slow start, things won’t change if the rest of the team do not put in the effort on the floor.

“Leon does his thing. He’s a good teammate, a good import for us. But like I said, if we don’t do the little things, it doesn’t matter who we got, we’re not gonna win,” said Helterbrand.

Helterbrand and Ginebra have only two days to regroup before going back to action on Wednesday when it plays Air21.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Jared Dillinger credits resurgence to Meralco import Brian Butch's 'infectious attitude'

ARED Dillinger played his best game in a long while, but the Meralco forward was quick to deflect the credit to embattled import Brian Butch after the Bolts’ amazing 109-88 come-from-behind win over Air21 on Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The 6-foot-4 Dillinger pumped in 13 of his 20 points in the team’s 41-point fourth quarter explosion as he joined hands with the sweet-shooting Butch, who had 20 of his 40 points in the same stretch in leading Meralco to its third win in five games in the short, single-round eliminations.

Although Dillinger is happy to have slowly gotten back into game shape after battling a bacterial infection more than a week ago, the Fil-Am guard credited Butch’s “infectious attitude” on the floor and inside the locker room for the Bolts' unlikely victory.

“It kind of just starts with the import, the way he (Butch) carries himself. He’s a winner, he’s a good locker room guy. He talks to everyone and he wants to win,” said Dillinger, in describing the intangible qualities Butch bring to the Bolts.

The blue-collar import also added 31 rebounds.

Dillinger, the left-handed former University of Hawaii standout, said Butch’s passion for the game speaks volume of the import’s desire to keep his job with the Bolts.

“He wants to be here (playing with Meralco), and it just rubs off on everyone,” said the 30-year-old Dillinger.

“No one tipped their head down. We always kept the positivity and the energy he brings, he always brings everyone up. My hats off to Brian. He always plays well.”

Butch’s fate, though, hinges on the Meralco coaching staff’s meeting early this week as it decides whether to send the former NBA D-League Impact Player of the Year home in favor of standby import Darnell Jackson or not.

Meralco swings back to action on Wednesday against Rain or Shine.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Santos flashes MVP form in San Miguel's rout of Globalport (03/24/14)

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer were tested for most of the match but broke away late to blow Globalport, 109-92 in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup on Monday, March 24 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Scoring 18 points on 50% shooting and hauling 10 rebounds, Arwind Santos flashed his MVP form, hitting key baskets all throughout the match to keep Globalport away from their first win in the conference.

Chris Ross filled the stat sheets as well with a solid game, finishing with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals.

Six players finished in double digits for the 5-1 Beermen, who are just behind undisputed teams Talk 'N Text (6-0) and San Mig Coffee (3-0).

The Batang Pier, in contrast, fell to 0-6, their worst start in franchise history.

"I'm proud of the guys, they're playing through (injury). (Sol Mercardo’s) got it, (June Mar Fajardo’s) got it," said SMB coaching consultant Todd Purves.

Beermen import Kevin Jones went roaring in the first half, scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds as San Miguel built double-digit spreads before holding a 47-42 halftime edge.

But the hard-fighting Globalport crew relied on their rookies RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo as they started the third period with an 8-2 run to grab the 50-49 advantage.

The backcourt duo exchanged blows with SMB's June Mar Fajardo, who carried his squad with baskets underneath.

But coach Biboy Ravanes' wards were able to close the third quarter strong, turning a small 64-62 margin into a 74-64 bubble with baskets from Sol Mercado, Arwind Santos, Kevin Jones, and Marcio Lassiter.

Things turned even worse for the Batang Pier as they started the final period flat, allowing San Miguel to rally, 82-66.

Garcia though, was determined enough to hand coach Pido Jarencio his first win, sinking two long range bombs to cut the deficit to just 82-89 under the last six minutes.

But those plans went astray as Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter's triples over the next minutes once again broke the game wide-open at 106-90.

Scores:

San Miguel - Jones 30, Santos 18, Lassiter 16, Ross 12, Fajardo 11, Mercado 10, Lutz 5, Duncil 1, Marata 0, Tubid 0, Taha 0, Hubalde 0.

Globalport - Washington 22, Brock 20, Garcia 17, Romeo 13, Matias 8, Cabagnot 7, Nabong 3, Custodio 2, Hayes 0, Salva 0, Salvador 0, Macapagal 0.

Quarter scores: 26-20, 47-42, 74-64, 109-92

From Rappler.com

[tonistork]

sa Meralco: sana wag na kayo magpalit ng import, aba'y saan ka pa nakakita ng import na may 40-30 (a montrous 40 points, 31 rebounds) game na gaya ng import nila.

sa San Miguel Beer: umpisa lang yan, pagdating ng quarters o semis, laylay na naman laro nila especially yang si Santos na pere pera lang laro kaya di kinuha ng Gilas.

[Zurca]

As calls for Leon Rodgers replacement mount, source reveals Ginebra attempt to bring in former Laker Josh Powell

AS calls for Leon Rodgers' replacement mounts, Barangay Ginebra officials remained tightlipped about the fate of the import as the team continues its downward spiral in the PBA Philippine Cup.

Just last week, Ginebra’s active coach Juno Sauler quashed reports that the team tried to sign former Best Import awardee Gabe Freeman, insisting the Gin Kings have decided to stick it out with Rodgers after an assessment done by the coaching staff.

Ginebra's fortunes haven't changed since then, with the team absorbing its third loss in five games in the import-laced tournament on Sunday night at the hands of Talk 'N Text, 87-94, again with Rodgers as import.

It is unclear if Ginebra coaches have changed their mind about Rodgers after the latest loss, but it is almost certain Rodgers will still suit up for the Gin Kings when they take on Air21 on Wednesday.

However, a source revealed that Ginebra officials tried to negotiate with representatives of former Los Angeles Lakers back-up center Josh Powell, who is currently connected with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

But the same source revealed a deal has been elusive owing to several 'demands' of the Powell camp.

“Madami daw demand eh," said the source. "Syempre yung management, susunod lang sa allowable terms ng liga.”

There was no doubt Powell could've been a promising catch for Ginebra. The 6-9, 240-pound center was a member of two Lakers champion teams in 2009 and 2010 in an NBA career that also included stints with the LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, and the Golden State Warriors.

The former North Carolina State standout hooked up with the New York Knicks but was waived just before the start of the season on October 25.

Powell is also having quite a career in the Chinese league, where he averaged 15 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 42 games with the Guangdong Tigers.

According to Asia.basket.net, his best game came last February 21 when he had 29 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in a win against the Shanghai Sharks. His last recorded game came on March 13 in Guangdong's win over the Beijing Ducks where he had 17 points and 15 rebounds.

As the waiting game for Ginebra's import situation continues, fans are starting to grow impatient.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Barako comes back to upset San Mig Coffee (03/25/14)

MANILA, Philippines – The final blow wasn't a fancy three-pointer or a basket off a brilliant play. It was two points earned from the free throw line.

Ronjay Buenafe made two calm freebies with 7.2 ticks left on the clock to shove his team ahead and ink the final tally, 92-90, as they upset the two-time champions San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday, March 25 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"I know it's an upset," said head coach Bong Ramos."Tsamba lang (We just got lucky). As I said we will try to stay close every game and try to upset a team."

It was a come from behind victory for the now 2-4 Energy as they escaped San Mig Coffee and tarnished their previously unbeaten slate, making it 3-1, by outscoring them in the fourth, 30-12.

Barako Bull, who was down by 16, 78-62, coming into the final frame, showed resiliency against San Mig Coffee who seemed to have relaxed in the fourth period.

The Mixers' defenses loosened up, allowing Barako a 16-0 run for the first 6 minutes of the payoff period, with 8 points coming from Willie Miller. It was only when import Josh Dollard hit a baseline jumper to cap off the sterling run and knot things up at 78 did the Mixers tense up once again.

PJ Simon and James Yap broke San Mig's silence with 6:10 remaining and countered with quick 4 points off a timeout to create some cushion, 84-80.

Despite the Mixers finally waking up late in the fourth, Barako's confidence was already off the charts. They didn't back down from the challenge and kept within striking distance of San Mig before delivering the finishing kick.

Dollard, who has plainly been a beast for the Energy throughout the conference, put his team on top, 90-88, with a three-pointer with 1:28 left to play. Simon then tied it once again with basket with over a minute remaining.

Breaks of the game went Barako's way down the stretch, especially following Buenafe's game-winning free throws when Mark Barroca escaped the defense of Mick Pennisi during the final possession and let go of a one-hander that could've sent the game to overtime. But fate smiled down on the Energy as Barroca's attempt went in and out.

"We prepared lots of game plans for this team because they're very fluid in the triangle offense and their interior offense," Ramos explained.

"We cannot match them man-to-man that's why we tried to make some adjustments by putting them away from their comfort zone."

It was already shaping up to be a good night for Barako, whose energy was just palpable from every member of the team. They smelled blood when they led at the break, 49-47, and was practically willing their team to victory with every player on the Barako bench locking arms during the fourth as if it were a championship game.

Miller and Dollard were the heroes for the Energy, conspiring for 26 points in the final period.

Dollard went across the stat sheet with 32 points, 17 rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block. While Miller had 19 points and 10 assists. JC Intal also added 10 points for Barako, who cashed in on the Mixers' 16 turnovers with 25 points.

Meanwhile, Mays had 20 points and 21 rebounds for his team as Joe Devance and Simon added 17 and 16, respectively. James Yap scored on crucial baskets as well in the third for his 12 points.

Scores:

Barako Bull (92): Dollard 32, Miller 19, Intal 10, Marcelo 7, Deutchman 6, Pennisi 6, Fortuna 5, Buenafe 5, Wilson 2, Lastimosa 0, Pena 0, Miranda 0.

San Mig Coffee (90): Mays 20, Devance 17, Simon 16, Yap 12, Barroca 10, Pingris 8, Melton 3, Sangalang 2, Reavis 2, Mallari 0.

Quarterscores: 18-26, 49-47, 62-78, 92-90.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Rain or Shine squashes Meralco's comeback hopes for second win (03/26/14)

MANILA, Philippines - The Meralco Bolts ran out of comebacks on Wednesday, March 26 as the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters turned them back, 96-79, in the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rain or Shine halted Meralco's attempt to repeat their telling come-from-behind victory against Air21 with a stifling 13-0 endgame run to notch only their second win of the conference in 5 games.

"It is one of those rare days that we played our defense," said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao. "We also had problems with our turnovers the past few games but I think we've managed to bring our turnovers down this game."

The Painters limited coach Ryan Gregorio's wards to an unacceptable 38.5% field goal shooting clip all game long, and going 41.7% themselves.

They only had 11 miscues for this game but also forced 15 on Meralco to cash in 22 points off it.

More than that, Rain or Shine managed to keep Meralco import Brian Butch in check and freeze him to just a measly 11 points and 13 rebounds.

With Butch cooling down following his 40-point, 31-rebound performance 3 days earlier, Meralco's chances were very slim against the balanced offense Guiao has been getting from Rain or Shine.

Eleven Painters were on the board for Rain or Shine with import Alexander McLean leading the way with his 23 points and 16 rebounds.

Jeff Chan came in a near second with 21 markers on 5-of-10 field goals and a perfect 8-of-8 from the stripe. Paul Lee and Gabe Norwood added 16 and 13 points, respectively.

"We're just really starting to get our rhythm going," Guiao admitted. "I hope it's not too late."

Rain or Shine kept Meralco to only 33 points for the first two quarters and built their biggest lead in the third at 68-51.

The Bolts, however, tried to mount a rally in the payoff period once again with Cliff Hodge, Jared Dillinger and Gary David carrying the weight. Butch never scored in the fourth.

Several times they inched to within 4 points throughout the final 12 minutes of play. The last time they did was on a Dillinger basket with 5:18 left, 83-79. But that's the closest they would ever get as the Painters never allowed them to score again and ran away with the game.

"We still consider ourselves in a hole and in a struggle that's why we need to win a couple more games to get us out of that hole. We have temporary relief right now but we need to win more to stay in this conference," Guiao said.

David paced Meralco with 20 points. While Dillinger and Hodge had 14 and 12 markers, respectively. The Bolts evened their win-loss record to 3-3.

Scores:

Rain or Shine 96: McLean 23, Chan 21, Lee 16, Norwood 13, Belga 7, Cruz 6, Araña 2, Almazan 2, Tiu 2, Ibañes 2, Rodriguez 2, Tang 0, Nuyles 0, Teng 0.

Meralco 79: David 20, Dillinger 14, Hodge 12, Butch 11, Hugnatan 7, Artadi 4, Ildefonso 2, Sena 2, Guevarra 2, Wilson 2, Mandani 2, Al-hussaini 1, Caram 0, Salvacion 0.

Quarters: 23-17; 44-33, 72-60, 96-79.

From Rappler.com