PBA Scores, News and Updates

[Zurca]

Ginebra official: Josh Powell keen to make Rockets lineup to be eligible for NBA pension

GINEBRA team governor Robert Non said import Josh Powell wanted to be eligible for a pension from the NBA, the reason he bid the team goodbye in favor of a chance to join the Houston Rockets' roster.

Breaking the news that Powell was cutting short his tour of duty with Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, Non said Powell told the team that he was desperate to crack the Rockets' roster because he wanted to chalk up another NBA season under his belt.

The six-year NBA veteran, according to Non, told the team that a stint with the Rockets will count for one season under the US league's rules - enough to qualify him for a pension.

“May dahilan naman siya (Powell) eh. Sabi niya, pag na-sign up pala siya, considered na one year siyang naglaro (sa NBA), and he will be entitled to an (NBA) pension already,” explained Non.

“Eh wala naman daw siyang kapera-pera, wala na kaming magagawa dun, so hanap na lang kami ng iba.”

With the two-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers out, Ginebra is now in a race against time to bring in a new import to salvage its campaign in the midseason conference.

The top Ginebra official said they are training their sight on either Andre Emmett, who once played for the Memphis Grizzlies, or Charles Thomas, a former standout of Arkansas.

Non said the team is leaning toward signing Emmett, listed at 6-5, so he could play for the Gin Kings all the way in the season-ending Governors Cup. The third conference allows each team to tap a reinforcement no taller than 6-5.

Ginebra, now in eighth spot at 3-5, will play Rain or Shine (3-4) on Sunday in a game that will determine its plyoff seeding.

“Kung ako, I’ll go for the small guy (Emmett) para pag nakita ko, diretso na, kasi it’s either you end up No. 5 or 6 if we win, or no. 7 or 8 kapag natalo ka (against Rain or Shine) so ang hirap nun. Ang kalaban mo either Talk ‘N Text or San Miguel Beer,” said Non. 

“Ang bigat nun. Eh at least makikita namin itong Emmett."

The difficult part, according to Non, is that they will have to start burning the phone lines Sunday night to try to bring in either Emmett or Thomas before the Holy Week break.

“Si Thomas puwede siyang dumating ng Tuesday since sa Lebanon lang naman yata manggagaling, mga eight hours lang na flight, para maayos namin ang papeles,” explained Non.

“Pero kung si Emmett, kailangan confirmed ngayon so he can fly tomorrow and arrive either Tuesday or early Wednesday morning para lakarin ang papeles,” he added.

Emmett played a total of 14 games in the NBA, with the Grizzlies in the 2004-05 season and the New Jersey Nets in the 2011-12 season, averaging 1.4 points on 5.2 minutes.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Rain or Shine survives Air21 despite Chism's bad night (04/14/14)

MANILA, Philippines – Despite a generally bad game for import Wayne Chism, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters managed to hang on and survive a late game barrage by the Air21 Express, 87-82, on Monday, April 14 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Chism, 26, figured in only 6 points on a bad offensive night. His field goal shooting was a horrible two-of-11 (18.2%) as he grabbed 9 boards to go with two steals and two blocks.

Despite his offensive shortcomings, Chism redeemed himself with his defensive efforts, particularly down the stretch when he made a crucial defensive stop that left Air21 with a 3-5 record in the standings.

"Our import really struggled offensively but his defensive presence was enough to lift us to winning this game," remarked Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao. "The locals also kept us in the game at least offensively for the most part. When our import was not making his shots, the locals provided the offense."

It was another balanced offensive night for Guiao's wards with guys like Jervy Cruz, Paul Lee and Alex Nuyles providing some spark off the bench for the now 4-4 Painters.

Cruz dropped 9 of his 13 points in the second canto to keep Air21 at bay by halftime, 43-33. The former UST Growling Tiger went 6-of-6 from the field and grabbed 3 boards.

Lee, on the other hand, added 12 points as he bested rookie Eliud Poligrates, who hounded him in the fourth.

Air21's Poligrates, for his part, outplayed Lee at several points down the stretch, even scoring 6 points in the final 4 minutes to keep the Express in the game.

Two of those 6 points were from a highlight reel-worthy play with 3:02 left where he shot a basket on the break against Lee's solo coverage. Another two of those last 6 points came with 24.9 seconds left as the former Southwestern University cager intercepted a pass from Chism to Gabe Norwood for the lay-up, which made it only an 82-80 ballgame in favor of the Painters.

But Lee calmly sank his freebies in the ensuing play for an 84-80 spread in the waning seconds before Chism made up for his previous turnover with a defensive stop, punctuating his frustrating offensive night with a jam to ink the final tally.

"It's (Chism's performance) enough to get us where we are. In practice he's not this way. He's a lot better in practice that's why that gives us enough hope that he will can still win enough games for us," Guiao explained when pressed for his thoughts about his misfiring import.

Against Talk 'N Text, Chism blew Rain or Shine's chances of winning with two crucial rebounding mishaps that allowed the Texters to escape with the victory.

"I don't think that's the way he plays. This is a bad night for him definitely," Guiao said.

He added: "This is a big win for us. We're trying to get ourselves out of 7th and 8th place."

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine rookie Nuyles chipped in 8 markers - 4 of which he made early in the fourth. Those back to back baskets, one of which he made on a breakaway jam, gave Rain or Shine their biggest lead of the game at 73-60.

The Express were monsters on the break, zooming past Rain or Shine, 21-12. They even beat the Painters in turnover points, 19-15.

However, it was also an ice cold three-point shooting night for both teams. Rain or Shine, who is now tied with Meralco at 5th place, uncharacteristically made only 3 of their 14 attempts from downtown while Air21 went an even worse two-of-25.

Both teams each have one more game remaining with Air21 going up against the San Miguel Beermen and Rain or Shine capping the eliminations off against a reeling Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Scores:

Rain or Shine (87) - Cruz 13, Lee 12, Nuyles 8, Rodriguez 8, Arana 7, Almazan 7, Tiu 7, Norwood 7, Chism 6, Chan 6, Belga 4, Tang 2, Teng 0.

Air21 (82) - Witherspoon 23, Taulava 15, Poligrates 13, Anthony 9, Villanueva 9, Yeo 8, Cardona 4, Borboran 1, Ramos 0, Burtscher 0.

Quarterscores: 18-13, 43-33, 62-55, 87-82.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Meralco makes mince meat of sloppy San Mig Coffee (04/14/14)

MANILA, Philippines - There were a lot of smiles and a bucket load of positive energy emanating from the Meralco Bolts bench on Monday, April 14 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

They had good reason to celebrate for one night, at least, as they pounded on a lousy San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, 88-78, to end up at 5-4 and on solo 4th place in the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup.

"We wanted to put our spirit to the test against a champion team," said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio after another spirited game for his wards, who have been winning in come-from-behind fashion several times this conference. "And we were rewarded with a victory primarily because of the effort that we rendered."

Meralco looked like they are the team peaking at the right time, exploding in the third and embarrassing the Mixers with an 18-2 blast straight out of the locker room.

The Bolts turned a 41-39 halftime deficit into a 57-43 advantage at the 7:09 mark of the third frame after Gary David scored his second of back-to-back baskets.

But after Cone rallied his sloppy troops, the Mixers managed to string some points together for a 58-66 tally still favoring the Bolts heading into the final frame.

Unfortunately for the back-to-back champions, Meralco never cooled down in the payoff period as they continued to capitalize on a Mixers squad that was anything but cohesive.

San Mig caved in the fourth and couldn't execute their plays. They continued to pile on turnovers until it reached 21, allowing Meralco 22 points off of it.

And despite getting 35 cracks at the basket from the free throw line, they made only 23. Meralco, meanwhile, went to the line sparingly going 7-of-9.

Despite the 33 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals of import James Mays, his effort did not translate to a victory as the Mixers absorbed their second straight loss, which sent them to 4-4 tied with Rain or Shine at 5th place.

PJ Simon and Alex Mallari were the only two other Mixers in double figures with 13 and 12 markers, respectively as James Yap and Mark Barroca endured a shooting off night. They came up with only 8 and 4 points, respectively.

To add to their woes, San Mig was playing minus their hustle guy Marc Pingris, who is nursing a rib injury he sustained last Saturday against the San Miguel Beermen.

Meralco, on the other hand, was doing everything right. Whatever hustle on defense they made almost immediately turned into points on the other end. And whatever they fed to the basket resulted into more positive numbers on the stat sheet as well into cheers from an orange crowd.

The Bolts built their biggest lead with 1:28 left on the clock after Jared Dillinger scored his 21st point. The closest the Mixers came was early in the last quarter, 66-60, on a Mallari bucket.

"When you go up against a team like San Mig Coffee you just can't show up and expect to win the game," Gregorio said. "You have to play with maximum effort and above average intelligence, and that's what we did, especially in the third quarter."

Meralco import Darnell Jackson amassed 31 points, 18 boards, 4 dimes and two steals for an excellent showing highlighted by a one-handed throwdown midway in the fourth off a lob pass from David.

Dillinger, who has been explosive for Meralco for the past two games, recorded 21 points on 3 triples. David added 18 markers as well.

Scores:

Meralco (88) - Jackson 31, Dillinger 21, David 18, Hugnatan 6, Sena 4, Timberlake 2, Guevarra 2, Wilson 2, Hodge 2.

San Mig Coffee (78) - Mays 33, Simon 13, Mallari 12, Yap 8, Devance 4, Barroca 4, Cawaling 2, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 0, Sangalang 0.

Quarterscores: 26-18, 39-41, 66-58, 88-78.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Ginebra bringing in Gabe Freeman in bid to salvage campaign after Josh Powell exit

BARANGAY Ginebra is set to bring in former PBA Best Import awardee Gabe Freeman as a replacement for Josh Powell in a bid to salvage its campaign in the PBA Commissioner's Cup.

The 6-foot-6 Freeman, according to sources, will arrive from the US on Wednesday morning to take the place of the highly touted Powell, who bid the team goodbye on Sunday after getting an offer to join the Houston Rockets' roster in time for the NBA playoffs.

That should give Freeman enough time to process his papers and acclimatize ahead of his debut on Sunday against Rain or Shine in a game which will determine the Gin Kings' pairing in the quarterfinal playoffs.

On Sunday, Ginebra governor Robert Non said management is looking to bring in either Andre Emmett or Charles Thomas, but both apparently are not available to come in on short notice.

Insiders said Ginebra also considered bringing back Dior Lowhorn, the team's import in last year's Governors Cup, but the wide-bodied import couldn't break loose from his contract in Japan with ballclub Hamamatsu Phoenix.

A ticket has already been forwarded to Freeman in the US, sources said.

Non had cited the urgency to bring in an import to replace Powell as soon as possible since government offices will be closed during the Holy Week break, making it hard to secure the needed permits and licenses.

Freeman, 28, won two Best Import awards while playing for San Miguel Beer in 2009 and 2010. He also had a stint with the Philippine Patriots in the Asean Basketball League and had a short stint last year in the same league, this time with the San Miguel Beermen.

Freeman's name was first floated around when Ginebra was searching for a replacement for Leon Rodgers. However, word got around then that the import was out of shape.

Even if Freeman arrives on schedule on Wednesday morning, Ginebra will have to race against time to secure his license since Games and Amusement Board officials have already sent out a memo informing the public that will only be open for half a day on Wednesday.

“Yun ang worry namin. Paano kung biglang mag half day ang mga opisina sa Miyerkules? Hindi makakalaro ang import sa Linggo. Multa yun. Saka kailangan naming manalo para sa seeding,” said a source.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Beermen clinch 2nd seed with come-from-behind win over Air21 (04/16/14)

MANILA, Philippines - The San Miguel Beermen passed another test of character on Wednesday, April 16 as they pulled the rug from underneath the Air21 Express by way of a 93-85 victory to finish the eliminations at second place and clinch the all-important twice-to-beat edge in the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution Commissioner's Cup.

However, that 8-point win was definitely no indication of how the game was played for the first 36 minutes, as the Beermen played off target.

In fact, the Express sat comfortably in the driver's seat starting at halftime when they led 39-35. They then went on a 33-point explosion in the third courtesy of hustle plays and defensive gems in nearly every possession.

Air21 forced San Miguel to 6 turnovers in that period alone and owned them in rebounding, 12-6, on their way to ending the third with a double-digit lead, 72-55.

Little did they know, the indefatigable Beermen would climb out of the trenches with a massive 25-6 run in the final frame, capped off by a go-ahead triple by import Kevin Jones a couple of steps from the arc.

That run was sparked by last conference's Best Player, June Mar Fajardo, scoring 6 points under the first 3 minutes of the last quarter to cut the deficit to 66-74.

His teammates followed his lead as Air21's once imposing lead whittled down to a hair, 77-78, on two free throws by Arwind Santos with over 4 minutes remaining.

"We really struggled shooting," admitted San Miguel active consultant Todd Purves as his team shot only 33.9% after the first 3 quarters.

"I thought we had great looks early in the game and we missed shots we would normally make. That being said, you can't let a poor shooting night affect the other things you do in a game. You can still get wins despite shooting poorly."

The Beermen, who was on a tear in the last 12 minutes of the ball game, bested their 35-point first half output with 38 points, and forced Air21 to 8 fourth quarter miscues, as the Express felt the pang of yet another sorry loss after leading by a huge margin.

According to PBA Head Statistician Fidel Mangonon III, that 38-point fourth quarter output by San Miguel was the second most by any team this conference and second only to Air21's previous slayers, the Meralco Bolts (41 points in the fourth), who climbed from 20-points down en route to a similar come-from-behind win.

Jones led the Beermen with 19 points and 14 rebounds as Santos trailed him closely with 18 points along with 7 boards, 3 assists and two steals.

Marcio Lassiter added 17 markers and Fajardo had 15 points with 11 rebounds.

For Air21, import Wesley Witherspoon dropped 27 points, while Sean Anthony, who has carried over his steady play to this new team, finished with 14 points.

The Express are now sitting at 8th place with a 3-6 slate.

Meanwhile, at 7-2, sitting at second place and armed with a twice-to-beat edge, San Miguel surely remembers the last time it was there - during the 2013 Governors' Cup, where they ended the eliminations at 8-1 atop the standings. They eventually lost to San Mig Coffee in the Finals of that conference.

But months removed from that, huddled together, standing at center court of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Beermen know they are in familiar territory once again as one of the top two teams ending the elimination round.

This time, with an old yet new name, this new batch of Beermen hopes to write a different, definitely happier ending.

Scores:

San Miguel Beer (93) - Jones 19, Santos 18, Lassiter 17, Fajardo 15, Ross 9, Maierhofer 5, Tubid 4, Hubalde 4, Kramer 2, Lanete 0, Lutz 0.

Air21 (85): Witherspoon 27, Anthony 14, Camson 12, Taulava 9, Yeo 7, Cardona 7, Poligrates 4, Villanueva 2, Ramos 2, Burtscher 1, Borboran 0.

Quarter scores: 19-16, 35-39, 55-72, 93-85.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Manny Pacquiao headed to the PBA?

MANILA, Philippines - After taking the world of boxing by storm over the past two decades, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao might be out to prove he has enough left in him to conquer another sport: basketball.

In fact, Mark Barroca, the primary point guard for Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team San Mig Super Coffee, confirmed that Pacquiao already expressed interest in playing for the country's professional basketball league when Barroca played basketball against Pacquiao last March.

Barroca told Rappler they spoke about it during their friendly competition at Pacquiao's home in General Santos.

In a report by Spin.ph, the People's Champ confirmed he is considering playing for the newly approved franchise of Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC) in the PBA.

Pacquiao's confirmation comes just days after he turned back time and displayed a glimpse of his old dominant self on his way to defeating Timothy Bradley Jr. via unanimous decision and winning the WBO welterweight title.

Though Pacquiao, according to the same report, clarified that nothing is set in stone just yet.

Barroca, the Finals Most Valuable Player for the previous Philippine Cup, was impressed with how Pacquiao plays basketball and is looking forward to going against him in a competitive setting.

"Masaya pag maglalaro si Pacman (sa PBA) kasi hilig niya din talaga maglaro ng basketball," said the 27-year old Barroca, who added that he thinks Pacquiao can play the point as well.

"Mabilis din siya tumakbo at matagal mapagod sa laro. Nakakatuwa nga kalaro siya kasi seryoso siya lagi."

(I'll be happy if Pacman plays [in the PBA] because he really likes to play basketball. He runs fast and does not get tired very easily. In fact, it's fun playing with him because he's always serious.)

The 5-foot-6 Pacquiao is no stranger to the game. He has long been known to play basketball as part of his trainings. He also hosts private games at home.

CAC, which is the exclusive distributor of KIA Motors in the Philippines, was one of 3 new teams approved by the PBA last week Thursday, April 10.

KIA, along with newly approved teams NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Sports, will be going through an "expansion draft" wherein they can put together a team out of a pool of rookie and veteran free agents, as well as from the reserves the current PBA teams will release from their rosters.

There will be no direct hire for the 3 new teams, which means Pacquiao, 35, may have to join the expansion draft in order to get into KIA's roster. Though his path to the PBA is still unclear at this point.

The eight-division champ has a professional boxing record of 56-5-2 (38 knockouts) and is a congressman in the Sarangani province.

Boxers dabbling in basketball is nothing new. Four-division champion Roy Jones Jr. played in a semi-pro game hours before his IBF super middleweight title defense against Eric Lucas in 1996.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Bong Ramos out, Siot Tanquingcen in as Barako Bull coach in PBA?

BONG Ramos has been relieved as Barako Bull coach in the Philippine Basketball Association at the end of a Commissioner's Cup campaign that saw the Energy fall short of a place in the playoffs, sources said.

The George Chua-owned ballclub has yet to make a formal announcement but persons with knowledge of the situation said Ramos has already been informed of management's decision.

The same sources said Siot Tanquingcen, the former Ginebra and San Miguel coach, is set to be elevated to the coaching position after serving as team manager the past campaign.

Under Ramos, Barako Bull played above expectations and made the quarterfinals of the last Philippine Cup, where it finished with a 5-9 record but was ousted in two games by Petron in a best-of-three series.

Barako Bull also impressed with import Joshua Dollard in the Commissioner's Cup, but two late losses to GlobalPort and Meralco - where the Energy blew a 22-point lead - knocked them out of contention for the playoffs.

The Energy finished the midseason conference in ninth place with a 2-7 mark.

From SPIN.ph
Post Merge: April 19, 2014, 11:22:26 PMGinebra parades new import Gabe Freeman in all-important game vs. Rain or Shine

GINEBRA parades its third import in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as comebacking Gabe Freeman suits up for the Kings when they faces Rain or Shine in a all-important encounter on Easter Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

High-flying wingman Chris Ellis said with an aggressive Freeman in tow, he expects the Kings to run even more while riding on the returning import’s passion for the game.

“His (Freeman) sporadic energy I think can be contagious for the team. And it (Freeman’s energy) rubbed off on me, since he’s a veteran in this game,” said “Air Force Ellis”.

Freeman is coming over as a late replacement for Josh Powell as he’ll be playing in the Kings’ final game in the single round elimination.

The Kings (3-5) are trying to avoid losing against the Elasto Painters (4-4) in their 5:15 p.m. game as a setback meant going down as the no. 8 seeded team and a quarterfinal pairing against top seeded and unbeaten Talk `N Text, which enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.

But despite changing import late in the tournament, Ellis said the Kings have learned to understand that the “up-and-down” experience of pro basketball is but part of PBA life.

“As a team, we understand that all teams have ups and downs. So for us, we just want to stay mentally together and that no matter what, we always want to come together and talk,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is confident the five-day preparation gives the Elasto Painters enough time to work on its defense as it shoots for the all-important win against Ginebra.

Guiao rued the Elasto Painters’ conference-long struggles had a lot to do with the team’s on-and-off defense.

But the fiery mentor said all is not lost for his team, which could enter the playoffs as the no. 4 seeded ballclub should it beat the Kings.

“Yung emphasis talaga namin is more on our consistency in defense. Nag-struggle kasi kami this conference, primarily on playing defense,” Guiao said, after the team’s practice on Black Saturday.

Guiao said he also had a lengthy talk with import Wayne Chism, whose three-game output since replacing Alex McLean includes just 13.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks.

His scoring is the lowest among the 10 imports this conference, including a PBA career-low six points in the team’s 87-82 win over Air21 last Monday.

“His second and third game, nag-slide na siya and that’s a main concern,” said Guiao. “So I talked to him and told him what our expectations are from him and what his role is.”

“Naiintindihan naman niya,” added the veteran Rain or Shine mentor.

“Defensively, he’s been there for us, but again, we also wanted him to be aggressive on offense because we feel he can improve more compared to his last two games.”

From SPIN.ph

[kingjames24szupladoh]

sayang talo pa BGSM tsk mukhang mag bobora ng maaga na naman amp !

eto playoff bracketing . . .

[2013rev2013]

busy yata si bossing..

ROS WINS IN OT, GRABS NO. 4



Rain or Shine played tough every inch of the way, outlasting Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 105-101, in an overtime battle to clinch the last best-of-three quarterfinals spot in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.

The Elasto Painters overcame Gabe Freeman’s 23-point first-half explosion and the rampages of the Ginebra locals later on as Rain or Shine thwarted Ginebra to finish at fourth place in the elimination round with a 5-4 win-loss record.

“This is where we wanted to be. That’s what we worked for tonight. We got to a bad start in the conference, and all we wanted was to be in the quarters on even match without any disadvantage,” said RoS coach Yeng Guiao on their coming best-of-three quarterfinals matchup with fifth seed Meralco beginning Monday.

“We’re all focused on the Ginebra match, so the coaching staff still has work to do tonight. We still need to go through walkthroughs tomorrow (Monday morning),” Guiao also said.

The Kings failed to salvage a place in the Top Six, ending up at eighth (3-6) and thus face a difficult task of winning two in a row versus top seed Talk n Text to make the Final Four.

They had a chance to snatch sixth spot and a best-of-three matchup with the Alaska Aces but squandered a 13-point spread against the gritty E-Painters.

Ginebra was still in the lead, 94-92, before going scoreless in the last 1:35 of regulation play.

Wayne Chism and Paul Lee scored the first two baskets in the extension period, and the E-Painters hung tough all the way to finish fourth in the elims behind Talk n Text (9-0), San Miguel Beer (7-2) and Alaska (6-3).

Rain or Shine and Meralco ended up with identical 5-4 slates but the former took playoffs fourth seeding on a superior quotient.

Chism, merely a defensive force for RoS in his first three games, came out defending and firing as he proved to be a big key in this pivotal game.

“We got the stops that we needed in the endgame. Gabe Freeman proved to be a real matchup problem as I expected. But as I also expected, Chism showed up with what he can do on offense,” Guiao.

The fiery RoS mentor also lauded the efforts put in by his locals.

Chism came through with 30 points and 15 rebounds with Paul Lee adding 25 points and Beau Belga and Jervy Cruz chipping in 10 apiece.

Defensively, the E-Painters worked hard together as they held Freeman to six points after exploding for 23 on 9-of-17 shooting in the first half.

Rain or Shine also had a chance to win the game right in regulation play but Norwood blew their transition attack on an errant pass to Jireh Ibanes.

Getting the loose ball with time running out, Norwood opted not to call a timeout only to bungle the crucial possession.

Freeman came out firing, converting all eight initial field attempts as the Kings took the opening quarter at 30-20 and the half at 50-42.

The E-Painters, however, came back strong in the third quarter, starting with a 21-12 attack to surge ahead at 63-62.

Rain or Shine trailed by two, 70-72, at the end of the third where it gave away two charities on technical fouls called on Belga and Guiao.

The E-Painters then went ahead again as Lee opened the fourth quarter with a booming three-pointer.

Rain or Shine played tough to the finish and ended up fourth in the elims by winning four of its last five games. (SB)

The scores:

Rain or Shine 105 — Chism 30, Lee 25, Belga 10, Cruz 10, Arana 8, Norwood 7, Chan 6, Nuyles 3, Teng 3, Ibanes 3, Almazan 0, Tiu 0, Tang 0, Rodriuguez 0.

Ginebra 101 — Freeman 29, Slaughter 22, Caguioa 17, Helterbrand 16, Ababou 8, Tenorio 6, Mamaril 3, Baracael 0, ellis 0, Aguilar 0, Urbiztondo 0.

Quarters:20-30; 42-50; 94-94; 105-101

from http://pba.inquirer.net/

[Zurca]

Import Wayne Chism proud to deliver on coach Yeng Guiao's three-point checklist after heart-to-heart talk

RAIN or Shine import Wayne Chism said he went a perfect  three-for-three in his pre-game checklist with coach Yeng Guiao following their serious heart to heart talk on Maundy Thursday.

The wide-bodied, 6-foot-8 import said Guiao gave him a three-point “sermon” prior to the team’s all-important game against Ginebra on Sunday, which involved playing strong defense, staying out of foul trouble, and being offensive-minded.

“Coach sat me down and talked about it and told me three keys, which is play defense, stay out of fouls, and be aggressive on the offensive end, which I did good tonight,” Chism said after leading the team to a 105-101 overtime victory over the Kings to end up as the No. 4 seed in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

The 25-year-old Jackson, Tennessee native bounced back strong by firing a PBA career-high 30 points, on top of 15 rebounds and five block shots against the Kings.

Chism came under fire before the Holy Week break after finishing with an anemic six-point performance in Rain or Shine’s narrow 87-82 win over Air21 last week.

The former Tennessee standout explained his low output against the Express had a lot to do with him being in foul trouble, which limited him to just 28 minutes.

Rain or Shine returns to action immediately on Monday when it faces No. 5 seed Meralco in the first game of the playoffs at 5:15 p.m.

Chism said he has no problem playing games on consecutive days, saying it simply brings back memories of his experience playing in the US NCAA.

“It (playing on Monday) sounded like NCAA tournament to me. I’m very used to it,” said Chism.

The Elasto Painters will have a walk through on Monday at 10 a.m., to prepare for Game One of their best-of-three quarterfinal match up against the Bolts.

From SPIN.ph
Post Merge: April 20, 2014, 09:57:44 PMGabe Freeman not ready to go home, vows Ginebra win over twice-to-beat Talk 'N Text

NEW Ginebra import Gabe Freeman admitted going on a three-week crash buildup to get into top shape after being away from top-level competition for six whole months.

But now that he's here, Freeman is not ready to go home as quickly as he arrived.

The two-time Best Import awardee came up short in his Ginebra debut on Sunday night in a 101-105 overtime loss to Rain or Shine, leaving the Gin Kings in a do-or-die playoff with twice-to-beat Talk 'N Text in the quarterfinal round of the PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Freeman, however, guaranteed that Ginebra - winner of just three of nine games in a campaign that has seen it change import three times - will not fade away quick in the playoffs.

“Yeah, I am not finishing this tour with just two games. We’ll play two more games and we’ll gonna win two games,” said Freeman, who had previous stints with San Miguel Beer and Barako in the pro league.

“Just two games, and we will gonna win two games. And then we’ll gonna go to the semis and we’ll gonna win the semis. Then we will go to the championship and win the championship. That’s the whole plan.”

Freeman had an explosive start to his first game with Ginebra, scoring 17 points right in the first quarter and 23 by the half. But he scored just six points the rest of the way as he finished with 29 to go with 17 boards.

The 6-6 import refused to blame lack of match fitness for the dip in his scoring late in the game, saying he tried to involve his teammates more in the second half.

“First quarter, I came out and I was on fire. If you’re on fire like that, you gotta shoot the ball," he said. “Second half, I had a little drought, but I was trying to get my teammates involved.

"I’m not a selfish player. By any means I could have shot the ball at the second half but I am not like that.”

Freeman was honest enough to admit that he did not play competitive ball for six months owing to a hand injury that required a long therapy and recuperation period.

The Ginebra import said he whipped himself into shape for three weeks after initially getting the call to take over from Leon Rodgers, who was eventually replaced by former Los Angeles Laker Josh Powell.

The Ginebra door opened for Freeman when Powell opted out of his Ginebra contract to play for the Houston Rockets in the NBA.

“I am just letting it go. This is my first game back. I haven’t played in six months, I wanted to make sure I still have the wind and I have my legs under me and it’s good,” added the 28-year-old.

“I am already back (in top shape). I played 40 (to) 44 minutes tonight. And I feel pretty good. And my teammates played pretty well, we lost the game by three points. What more can you ask for?

“My conditioning is good. I had a great game tonight. I was gonna go out there and play this game like I did tonight. I am satisfied, of course I always want to win. But we gotta go back to drawing board and start all over again.”

Now he intends to stay around.

“I am not just content with playing two games," Freeman said. "I am trying to go to the championship and be the import that I am."

From SPIN.ph
Post Merge: April 20, 2014, 09:58:46 PMDefiant Greg Slaughter still likes Ginebra's chances against unbeaten top seed Talk 'N Text

DESPITE Ginebra ending up as the No. 8 seed entering the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs, rookie center Greg Slaughter remained optimistic the team could do well against unbeaten top seed Talk 'N Text.

“We’re still in the playoffs. We’ll just have to do it the hard way. We just have to keep our heads up, keep the energy up, keep playing the way we’re playing, play better, and bring it on Tuesday,” said Slaughter.

The big man out of Ateneo was a force to be reckoned with in the Kings’ game against Rain or Shine, pouring in 22 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. But his effort went for naught as Ginebra lost in overtime, 105-101.

The 6-foot-11 Slaughter also missed two crucial free throws in the final 8.3 seconds of regulation that could have won the game for the Kings, but last season’s top rookie pick had no regrets at all.

“I think we played good today. I just missed free throws in the end that could have given us a better shot in the end,” said Slaughter, whose team finished the single-round eliminations with a 3-6 win-loss record.

The loss to Rain or Shine left the Kings with no choice but to beat the Tropang Texters twice this week to advance to the best-of-five semifinals.

Talk ‘N Text captured the no. 1 seed after sweeping its nine-game elimination round assignment and is coming off a two-week break.

From SPIN.ph

[tonistork]

Looks like another disappointing season for Ginebra.

Ewan ko kung anong diskarte ng coaching staff at 3 guards with Freeman at Slaughter ang ginamit halos buong 4th quarter at OT. Napagod tuloy at halos walang palitan di tulad ng RoS na ikot ang players from playing court to bench.

[Troll Montero]

kawawa naman ang ginebra hehe kulelat na naman, umaasa na naman sa never say die ahaha

[Zurca]

Well-armored Aces take quarterfinals opener vs San Mig (04/21/14)

MANILA, Philippines - San Mig Coffee's hustle and defensive intensity resurfaced the moment James Mays and Marc Pingris returned to action, but you need all 48 minutes to win games.

The defending Commissioner's Cup champions Alaska Aces just showed that after firing a crippling run in the fourth period to take down San Mig Coffee anew, 86-77 in Game 1 of their quarterfinals series in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup on Monday, April 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Teams fought back and forth, toe to toe as both infused physicality on both ends of the floor. Neither team led by double-digits until the fourth quarter, before the Aces romped with a searing 14-0 blitz that opened a giant 84-69 bubble in the final two minutes of play.

Sonny Thoss scored 6 while JVee Casio added 5 in that critical stretch that broke the game wide open, favoring the defending champions.

Alaska left the Mixers without a bucket for over 6 minutes before the latter tried desperately to pull a miracle out of it.

Mark Barroca, PJ Simon, and James Mays conspired in an 8-0 rally that brought the Mixers within 77-84, but Alaska managed to push themselves to safety.

It takes two (wins) to knock them out. Mays is a monster in the first half but slowed down in the second half a bit," said head coach Luigi Trillo, whose wards zoomed to their 6th straight win.

Rob Dozier poured 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks while Cyrus Baguio added 14, including 8 in the payoff period.

The Aces shot better from the field at 45.3% compared to just 36.1% for the Mixers. The Mixers dominated the hustle stats as expected, grabbing more offensive boards (25-14) and scoring more second chance points (16-6). However, their 29 fouls led to 36 free throw attempts from Alaska, where the Aces converted on 23 - 13 more than the Mixers.

Sonny Thoss also did a terrific job of limiting San Mig import James Mays to just 7 points in the second half after switching at him on defense.

Mays managed to finish with 18 points and 11 boards while Mark Barroca added 17.

Alaska can go for the kill while San Mig fights for life on Wednesday, April 23 at the same venue.

Scores

Alaska (86) - Dozier 24, Baguio 14, Abueva 12, Thoss 12, Espinas 9, Casio 8, Jazul 6, Hontiveros 1, Reyes 0, Dela Cruz 0, Manuel 0.

San Mig Coffee (77) - Mays 18, Barroca 17, Yap 12, Simon 10, Devance 9, Melton 7, Pingris 4, Mallari 0, Sangalang 0, Reavis 0.

Quarter scores: 19-18, 37-39, 62-61, 86-77.

From Rappler.com
Post Merge: April 22, 2014, 10:14:28 AMDavid, Jackson explode for 57 as Meralco zaps Rain or Shine (04/21/14)

MANILA, Philippines - Coach Ryan Gregorio firmly believed they hold their destiny, no matter how bad the calls went.

And that is what Darnell Jackson did in the clutch, draining two baskets that lifted Meralco past Rain or Shine, 94-91 in Game 1 of their quarterfinals series in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner's Cup on Monday, April 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"Jackson bailed us out with those two big shots to salvage a victory against a very tough ROS team. You don't leave it in the hands of the referee. You play on. You are in control of your destiny," Gregorio reminded his troops after being able survive in a game where they gave away 7 more fouls.

Jackson fired 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists including two baskets in the final 1:09 that transformed a 90-91 deficit into a 94-91 victory for the Bolts. Gary David added 27 points, scoring all but 5 in the second half and draining 4 of 8 triples.

"Gary knows how to win in playoff situations. He realizes he has to improve his accuracy. We cannot win games if we fire blanks," added Gregorio on his main shooter.

The Bolts took the series opener and are looking to close out the series on Wednesday, April 23.

The Elasto Painters had control of the first half, playing with more aggressiveness despite the fatigue brought by playing less than 24 hours ago.

Paul Lee paced Rain or Shine with 9 points entering halftime, as they took a 44-49 margin.

However, David rifled 11 third quarter points after, including three from long distance; Jackson then punched 7 straight, giving Meralco a 68-60 advantage.

But resiliency showed for Rain or Shine, who battled back behind Lee and Wayne Chism. An 11-1 run towards the end of the 3rd gave ROS the lead back, 71-69.

Chris Tiu drained three more long range bombs in the fourth, giving coach Yeng Guiao's troops some breathing room at 86-82 with under 6 minutes left.

Meralco played catch-up from that point until the final two minutes, where Jackson would take charge.

He first scored a closely-contested shot from deep to make it 92-91, with 1:09 remaining.

The Elasto Painters were not able to convert on the other end, as Jackson wasted away time in the next possession before drilling a jumper with just 10.2 ticks to go, 94-91.

ROS went to Paul Lee in the last possession but he was badly hounded by Cliff Hodge's unforgiving defense, throwing away a forced shot that failed to hit the mark.

Gregorio however is wary that they've failed to cross the semifinals despite having a 1-0 edge twice already, so they have to go all out on Wednesday and be ready for Rain or Shine's comeback.

"We've been in this situation before but were not able to close it. Now, with more intelligence, hopefully we can advance," he added.

Scores

Meralco (94) - Jackson 30, David 27, Dillinger 15, Hodge 9, Wilson 5, Timberlake 4, Hugapnatan 4, Ildefonso 0, Sena 0.

Rain or Shine (91) - Chism 27, Lee 15, Arana 10, Tiu 10, Almazan 9, Chan 8, Norwood 8, Nuyles 2, Rodriguez 2, Belga 0, Cruz 0, Tang, Teng 0.

From Rappler.com

[kingjames24szupladoh]

Former Ginebra Coach Siot Tanquingcen to replace Bong Ramos as Head Coach of Barako Bull

From Spin.ph

[Zurca]

Air21 fights back vs San Miguel's twice-to-beat edge (04/22/14)

MANILA, Philippines – The Air21 Express massacred the twice-to-beat San Miguel Beermen, 92-79, on Tuesday, April 22 to stay in the hunt for a semifinals slot in the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sean Anthony exploded for 25 points and 7 boards, stemming from two-of-two perfect makes from three-point land together with a 6-of-10 field goal shooting clip to lead the Express in their defensive gem over the Beermen.

Air21 took no time in setting the tempo for the rest of the game with a 29-20 lead by the end of the first 12 minutes of play and maintained their dominance until the halftime break, 45-34.

The Express succeeded in their goal of staying consistent throughout the contest, scoring 18 and 29 points in the third and fourth periods to thwart any comeback attempt by the Beermen.

"At least we were able to sustain our run," remarked a clearly elated and relieved Air21 head coach Franz Pumaren.

"It's a good thing that we were able to play smart, kept our composure. The big difference there was we didn't run away from what we're supposed to do. It was really an effort in trying to hold down the number one scoring team."

San Miguel was led by import Kevin Jones with 34 huge points – 14 of which he dropped in the third – together with 15 rebounds to try and help San Miguel get rid of a feisty Air21 in the first game.

But the Express just wouldn't give up as Anthony and Air21 import Wesley Witherspoon combined for 23 of the Express' last 29 points in the payoff period to ensure their victory.

Pumaren's wards managed to force 19 turnovers on the Beermen and claimed 23 points off of that, while keeping San Miguel to just a 39.5% field goal shooting. Second chance points also favored Air21, 15-13, as they out-rebounded San Miguel, 50-47.

"Actually that was our main point here, to pull down the opponent," Pumaren said. "As we all know they're very capable of piling up points."

Chris Lutz added 11 points for San Miguel, while Arwind Santos eked out 10 points despite a two-of-8 field goal shooting night.

Asi Taulava still dominated against the youngsters with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Rookie Eliud Poligrates wasn't too shabby himself with 11 markers.

The Express will try to upset the second seed San Miguel on Friday, April 25 for Game 2.

Scores:

Air21 (92): Anthony 25, Witherspoon 18, Taulava 17, Poligrates 11, Yeo 10, Ramos 5, Borboran 2, Villanueva 2, Cardona 2, Burtscher 0, Camson 0.

San Miguel Beer (79): Jones 34, Lutz 11, Santos 10, Ross 9, Fajardo 5, Mercado 5, Maierhofer 2, Lassiter 2, Hubalde 1, Duncil 0, Tubid 0, Kramer 0.

Quarter scores: 29-20, 45-34, 63-54, 92-79.

From Rappler.com
Post Merge: April 23, 2014, 10:26:14 AMHowell, Talk 'N Text end Ginebra's miserable conference (04/22/14)

MANILA, Philippines – Never Say Die turned into simply Die for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Tuesday, April 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum when they were demolished by the still undefeated Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, 97-84, as the Texters booked their ticket to the semifinals in the 2014 Home TVolution Commissioner's Cup.

Texters import Richard Howell refused to give Ginebra so much as an inch as he came up with 41 points, 22 rebounds, an assist, and two steals en route to putting a hapless Ginebra out of its misery.

"All the credit goes to the players for really coming out and wanting to win the game today," remarked Talk 'N Text head coach Norman Black after the game. "They played their hearts out and they deserved to be in the semifinals."

It has been a conference to be forgotten for the Gin Kings, who finished the eliminations at 3-6, owing to struggles with their imports and getting their offense to gel like it did during the Philippine Cup.

Ginebra went through 3 imports – Leon Rodgers, Josh Powell, and Gabe Freeman – in a bid to revive their campaign.

But the game was in stark contrast with the well-organized and systematic Talk 'N Text who had been undefeated at 9-0 before topping the standings and heading into their quarterfinals match against Ginebra holding a twice-to-beat advantage.

Ginebra's problems and Talk 'N Text's successes stood out for all to see on Tuesday night. The Texters just owned Ginebra in nearly every department.

From field goal shooting (43.9% for the Texters and 36.3% for Ginebra), to turnover points (16-6). Although Ginebra clobbered the Texters on the boards, 61-48, they couldn't manage to capitalize like they should as Talk 'N Text went on a blazing 37-19 third quarter performance to blast Ginebra out of the water for good.

The Texters led by as much 29 points early in the fourth, 86-57, as Talk 'N Text dismantled every Ginebra game plan on offense and defense.

"The offense was clicking tonight and so was the defense," Black noted.

Import Gabe Freeman's stint with the crowd darlings turned out to be a short one as he only finished with 15 points and 22 rebounds, a far cry against Howell's output.

Mark Caguioa tried his hardest to save his team from elimination with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field but it wasn't enough without the help of other offensive threats such as Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar. Ginebra's Twin Towers combined for only 13 points the entire game thanks to Talk 'N Text neutralizing them in the paint.

Guys like Jayjay Helterbrand, Mac Baracael and Chris Ellis were all silent for Ginebra as well.

Meanwhile, it was Jayson Castro who led the charge for the Texters in the third with 10 of his total 13 points in that canto, slashing through the paint and outsmarting Ginebra's interior defense.

Ranidel de Ocampo added 15 points while Larry Fonacier hit two triples for his 12 points.

"The players, right now, they have the will to win, they have the desire to win and they're really giving their all and their best when they get out on the basketball court," Black spoke proudly of his squad.

Talk 'N Text will await the winner of the quarterfinal match-up between Meralco Bolts versus Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, for them to face in the semifinals.

Scores:

Talk 'N Text (97): Howell 41, De Ocampo 15, Castro 13, Fonacier 12, Alapag 5, Williams 4, Carey 4, Canaleta 3, Salamat 0, Seigle 0, Aban 0, Reyes Jai 0, Reyes Ryan 0, Baclao 0.

Ginebra (84): Caguioa 19, Freeman 15, Tenorio 12, Urbiztondo 9, Ababou 7, Aguilar 7, Slaughter 6, Baracael 4, Helterbrand 2, Mamaril 2, Reyes 1, Ellis 0.

Quarterscores: 27-21, 42-34, 79-53, 97-84.

From Rappler.com