AZ Reid proves himself as Rain or Shine equalizes series (Game 2)MANILA, Philippines - The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters never said they were going out without a fight. They said they wanted to make their own history. And the first step towards that was equalizing the finals series after a 0-1 start.
They successfully made it to 1-1 thanks to newly minted Best Import of the Conference AZ Reid's game-winning triple late in overtime, which gave the Painters an 89-87 victory in Game 2 of the best-of-5 Finals series against the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors' Cup on Thursday, July 3 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down by a point, 86-87, Reid pulled up for the second time on Tuesday night from the top of the key with 6.7 seconds left in overtime and knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer, 89-87, to help his team avoid a 2-0 hole and, more importantly, prove exactly why he was given his second Bobby Parks PBA Best Import award just two hours earlier.
"That's why he's Best Import. He wants the ball when it's crunch time and he will most likely deliver," said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao of Reid.
He also explained that Reid did exactly what was asked of him, which was to make an attempt right away.
"That's the play. We were telling him to attack under 7 seconds and that's I think 6.5."
Reid, who won the Best Import plum by a landslide 1306 points, posted 29 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 assists after scoring just two points in the first half of Game 2.
Starting out flat and down 19-7, the Painters came back in no time - literally in just over a minute - as they cut the lead to 20-18 with 3:11 left in the first period. They eventually knotted things up at 37-all at the break and the game had since been a seesaw affair.
Thanks to the timely emergence of guard Mark Barroca early in the fourth, San Mig Coffee quickly overcame a 7-point 62-55 third quarter deficit and turned it into a 71-66 advantage, punctuated by a Justin Melton alley-oop jam off a lob from Alex Mallari.
Barroca, who had no points at halfime, scored 6 of the Mixers' points in a 12-0 run to start the fourth.
He also involved himself a great deal in setting up his teammates and defending, even causing Chris Tiu to turn the ball over with over 9 minutes left in the fourth.
However, the Painters, a team dead set on making their own history, kept it a close one as Reid tied the count at 80 with 1:08 remaining on a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Little did he know, he would be making the exact same shot again 6 minutes later to win the game for his team.
Guiao's wards hurt themselves dearly towards the end of regulation by missing crucial free throws that could've finished the Mixers off.
After Paul Lee missed 4 charities in the fourth, Beau Belga followed suit with two empty attempts from the line, robbing themselves of the chance to be up by two with under 50 seconds to play.
Those missed freebies held greater weight as both teams failed to score again in regulation and the game went into overtime.
"I just thought the game could've ended earlier if we just made free throws from Beau (Belga) and from Paul (Lee)," Guiao noted. "Uncharacteristically, Paul missed 4 free throws. He doesn't usually miss that many free throws in the endgame."
The extra session found both teams letting loose all their ammunition - from triples courtesy of James Yap and Jeff Chan, to beautiful defensive stops that tipped the scale slightly to either team's favor in every possession.
"We just grinded it out, we just stayed there and stayed composed and we did not give up," Guiao said.
Chan wound up with 14 points for the Painters as Lee and Gabe Norwood added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
On the side of San Mig Coffee, Yap led his teammates with 22 points while Marc Pingris added 17 markers and 13 rebounds.
Best Import runner-up Marqus Blakely chipped in 14 points and 14 rebounds in another quiet game for him.
"Bottomline is we didn't execute," San Mig Coffee head coach Tim Cone said. "Sayang (What a waste) because we had that game a couple times and we couldn't pull through."
It truly was a waste for San Mig Coffee as they held a one-point lead, 87-86, with 13 seconds remaining in overtime thanks to a big shot by Yap. Prior to that, Yap delivered as well on a go-ahead one-hander that made it 83-85.
But unlike Game 1, Big Game James could not bail his team out of this one.
The Grand Slam-seeking Mixers couldn't hold on despite their best efforts as Reid stood tall in the end, taking proud strides toward the camera with the signature game face he's come to be known for.
Scores:
RAIN OR SHINE (89) - Reid 29, Chan 14, Lee 12, Norwood 10, Cruz 8, Teng 7, Belga 4, Arana 3, Almazan 2, Tiu 0, Ibanes 0, Rodriguez 0.
SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE (87) - Yap 22, Pingris 17, Blakely 14, Simon 11, Mallari 7, Barroca 6, Sangalang 6, Melton 4, Maliksi 0, Devance 0, Reavis 0.
Quarter scores: 18-24, 37-37, 66-59, 80-80, 89-87.
From
Rappler.com
Post Merge: July 05, 2014, 05:52:08 PM
Ranidel de Ocampo, AZ Reid bag Best Player, Best Import plumsMANILA, Philippines - It's the first time for one, and the second time for the other.
Ranidel de Ocampo of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters won his first ever Best Player of the Conference award in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors' Cup, while Rain or Shine Elasto Painters import Arizona "AZ" Reid wound up with his second Bobby Parks PBA Best Import plum.
De Ocampo, 32, came up with 1084 statistical points as he averaged 16.89 points, 7.78 rebounds and 1.67 assists throughout the conference as his team ended their season after a grueling 5-game semifinal series against the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.
"Sobrang saya talaga kasi first award ko 'to. Dati nagiging candidate naman ako pero hindi ako nananalo," De Ocampo said after he and Reid were recognized prior to Game 2 of the best-of-5 Finals series between Rain or Shine and San Mig Coffee on Thursday, July 3 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
(I'm very happy because this is my first Best Player award. I was a candidate several times before but I never won.)
"Hindi ko naman masasabi na deserving ako kahit dati pa, kasi lahat naman ng player sa PBA deserving." (I can't say I deserved it before because all the players in the PBA are deserving.)
The Gilas Pilipinas forward added: "Siguro okay rin yung nangyari dati na dalawang beses ako na-cut sa national team and hindi nanalo sa Best Player. Kasi mas sumisipag ka, mas nag-hardwork." (Perhaps it was okay that I got cut twice from the national team and didn't win the Best Player award before. You work harder.)
De Ocampo is now also a candidate for this season's Most Valuable Player. Though he says he is happy simply to be in the running for the league's highest individual award.
With a 9-year career in the PBA, and still counting, De Ocampo says he doesn't desire any more individual recognitions.
"Gusto ko siyempre more championships. Mas maganda yung marami kang championship rings." (Of course I want more championships. It's much better to have more championship rings.)
San Miguel Beermen's June Mar Fajardo came in second with 989 points followed by Air21 Express' veteran bigman Asi Taulava with 638.
Meanwhile, the 28-year old Reid from South Carolina won the Best Import award for a second time this conference with a landslide total points of 1306.
Reid normed 30.3 points and 13 rebounds as he helped carry his team to the Finals.
Reid won the award previously during the 2011 Governors' Cup, though the Painters failed to make the Finals then.
San Mig Coffee import Marqus Blakely came in second place with 1043 points, while Paul Harris (Talk 'N Text) and Henry Walker (Alaska Aces) had 602 and 572 points, respectively.
From
Rappler.com
Post Merge: July 05, 2014, 05:54:24 PM
Guiao asks for investigation on 'suspicious' PBA Draft lotteryMANILA, Philippines - "This is just to inform the public that we're pursuing our intenion to have the lottery draw investigated and if possible to have a re-draw."
After winning Game 2 of the best-of-5 Finals series over the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers Thursday night, July 3, Yeng Guiao, head coach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, made the announcement during the post-game press conference that the Painters intend to ask for an explanation if not an investigation over the PBA Rookie Draft lottery.
"We thought it was just crude, it was lacking in credibility. And I don't think the issue is just the process. The process needs to be improved. But I guess it's really the credibility and the integrity of the process itself and the Commissioner who was conducting the lottery draw," Guiao explained before the media inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum press room.
According to Guiao, the team plans to submit a formal letter of intent on Friday, July 4. They wish to elevate the matter to the PBA Board.
The lottery, which occured right before Game 1 of the Finals on Tuesday, July 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena, aimed to determine which between the Globalport Batang Pier and the Meralco Bolts will get the first overall pick for the 2014 PBA Rookie Draft to be held on August 24.
The fiery coach said the lottery, which saw Commissioner Chito Salud drawing among 3 balls in a box at centercourt of the Arena, looked "suspicious" and cited specific instances that caused them to question the process.
"We were just wondering why we did not have any representative close range during the lottery draw. We were wondering why the box was not transparent. We were wondering why it was the Commissioner who put the balls inside and then he was also the one who picked it out," Guiao enumerated.
"And the most fatal flaw is that the Commissioner did not show his hands after he put the ball in the box."
There were 3 balls used for the lottery with two of them representing Globalport, the last team in the standings, giving them a higher probability of gaining the first pick. The third ball had the Bolts' name on it.
Salud drew Globalport for the first overall pick in this year's rookie draft.
"We are the aggrieved party here because the Meralco draft pick is our draft pick," Guiao pointed out. "And the PBA knew that."
Rain or Shine acquired Meralco's first round pick in a trade.
Asked if he believes the lottery was rigged, Guiao simply said,"To say the least, probably, it's suspicious."
He added, "To us it's a question of credibility, it's a question of integrity."
Guiao criticized the way the lottery was conducted and emphasized transparency.
"I think it's for the good of the league that number one, all those things I mentioned be clarified. Why is there not a proper way of doing the lottery? Why do we have to subject ourselves to a crude method? If we cannot conduct a credible, simple lottery draw, how can we conduct a credible professional basketball league?"
He also rounded back to the non-call of a foul on Rain or Shine guard Paul Lee in the controversial final play of Game 1, which the PBA ruled in a statement as a "straight-up borderline call that could have gone either way."
The statement added, "It was a down the line, 50-50 judgment call. It can be debated and second guessed, but the referees' judgment cannot be faulted under the circumstances."
Guiao believes there should have been a foul, which would have given Lee three free throws and the chance to tie the game and send it to overtime.
"We are again the aggrieved party. Nakakahalata na ako, parati kaming aggrieved party." (I'm beginning to notice that we're always the aggrieved party.)
From
Rappler.com
Post Merge: July 05, 2014, 05:56:11 PM
Commissioner Salud says draft lottery was an 'honest draw'MANILA, Philippines – Despite questions raised by Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao on the credibility and integrity of the PBA Rookie Draft lottery, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Atty. Chito Salud maintained the lottery was an "honest draw."
"It may have appeared unrefined, but it was an honest draw," he said in a statement on Friday, July 4.
The statement comes in response to Guiao announcing Thursday night, July 3 the team's intention to pursue an investigation on the draft lottery held before Game 1 of the Finals in the season-ending Governors' Cup on Tuesday, July 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Guiao said the process of the draft lottery was "crude" and was "lacking in credibility."
"The process needs to be improved. But I guess it's really the credibility and the integrity of the process itself and the Commissioner who was conducting the lottery draw," he explained.
For his part, Salud admitted the process can be improved upon for the future and apologized to fans, teams, and coaches "for the distraction it has caused."
"This is an entirely avoidable issue," he said. "Improvements could have easily been instituted had I given this more attention. It simply never occurred to me that the whole process looked crude as coach Guiao called it."
He also assured that "improvements will be implemented anchored on fullest transparency."
Guiao, who called the draft lottery "suspicious," said the team plans on submitting a letter of intent to the PBA Board to pursue an investigation on the lottery and request for a re-draw.
"We were just wondering why we did not have any representative close range during the lottery draw. We were wondering why the box was not transparent. We were wondering why it was the Commissioner who put the balls inside and then he was also the one who picked it out," Guiao cited the team's specific concerns about the draw.
"And the most fatal flaw is that the Commissioner did not show his hands after he put the ball in the box."
No letter has been submitted yet, per PBA Media Bureau Chief Willie Marcial, as of posting time.
The draft lottery was conducted to determined which between the Globalport Batang Pier and the Meralco Bolts will get the first overall pick for the 2014 PBA Rookie Draft to be held on August 24.
Salud drew Globalport for the first overall pick, leaving Meralco with the second pick. However, Rain or Shine owns Meralco's pick from a previous trade.
Beermen backs SaludIn a separate statement on Friday, July 4, San Miguel Beermen Governor Robert Non said they are "101% in support of the Commissioner in his stewardship of the league."
Aside from criticizing the process, Guiao also questioned the league's and Salud's credibility and integrity.
"Why is there not a proper way of doing the lottery? Why do we have to subject ourselves to a crude method?" Guiao said.
"If we cannot conduct a credible, simple lottery draw, how can we conduct a credible professional basketball league?"
But Non vouched for the Commissioner and the PBA.
"He has proven his impeccable professionalism, integrity and fairness, which led to the league's success. We don't believe in such accusation of impropriety," he said in the statement.
"This accusation is also tantamount to undermining the league and Commissioner Salud's ability to lead it."
Read the full statements of Commissioner Salud and Governor Non below.
Salud: "I have seen the video of the draft lottery I recently conducted. I can now also see and understand why people have expressed concerns, some even doubts. This is an entirely avoidable issue and I apologize to our fans, our teams and coaches for the distraction it has caused. Improvements could have easily been instituted had I given this more attention. It simply never occurred to me that the whole process looked crude as coach guiao called it. It may haveappeared unrefined, but it was an honest draw. Improvements will be implemented anchored on fullest transparency."
Non: "We are 101% in support of the Commissioner in his stewardship of the league. He has proven his impeccable professionalism, integrity and fairness, which led to the league's success. We don't believe in such accusation of impropriety during the lottery to determine the first pick in the coming rookie draft. What will he gain in return, nothing. This accusation is also tantamount to undermining the league and Comm. Salud's ability to lead it. Such allegation have no place in the pba where sportsmanship and integrity are of utmost importance."
From
Rappler.com
Post Merge: July 05, 2014, 06:04:50 PM
June Mar Fajardo thanks former Cebu coach, teammates after winning PBA MVP award; Greg Slaughter is top rookieThe 6-10 slotman easily beat out 41-year-old center Asi Taulava as well as Talk ‘N Text stars Ranidel de Ocampo and Jason Castro for the honor during the PBA Annual Leo Awards on Saturday to become the first Cebuano to lift the league's highest individual honor.
The 24-year-old top pick of the 2012 rookie draft totalled 2614 points in statistical points and votes from the players, media, and PBA officials to take home the MVP trophy in runaway fashion, just two days after losing the Governors Cup 'Best Player' award Ranidel de Ocampo.
Fajardo became the first player since Ginebra star Mark Caguioa in 2011 to win the league's highest individual award without reaching the finals during the season.
“Nagpapasalamat ako kay God unang-una, then sa pamilya, ko, dahil maraming dreams ang nabuo dito,” the soft-spoken Fajardo said in his brief thank you speech.
The power-playing Fajardo also thanked his former coach from University of Cebu, Roehl Gomez, who he credited largely for his development from a raw big man from Pinamungahan, Cebu, as well as his former teammates from UC for helping him reach his basketball dreams.
“Hindi ko mai-spell ang success kung wala sila saka kung ang gamot may tatak BFAD, ako may tatak UC na ako,” added Fajardo, who also carted away the Most Improved Player award.
Joining Fajardo in the Mythical First Team are Talk ‘N Text cat-quick guard Jason Castro, San Mig’s third-year guard Mark Barroca, Texters forward Ranidel de Ocampo and Taulava.
On the other hand, the Mythical second team includes Rain or Shine guard Paul Lee, San Mig’s Peter June Simon, Ginebra’s rookie center Greg Slaughter, Mixers forward Marc Pingris and Alaska’s Sonny Thoss.
Meanwhile, Slaughter ran away with this season’s Rookie of the Year trophy, beating out Ian Sangalang of San Mig and Raymond Almazan of Rain or Shine.
The members of the All-Defensive team were San Mig Super Coffee’s Marc Pingris and guard Mark Barroca, Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood and Jireh Ibanes as well as Fajardo.
Barako Bull’s Willie Miller won this season’s Sportsmanship Award, besting Alaska’s Dondon Hontiveros, JVee Casio and Sonny Thoss as well as Fajardo.
From
SPIN.ph
Post Merge: July 06, 2014, 10:31:01 AM
Grand Slam beckons as San Mig Coffee goes up 2-1 (Game 3)MANILA, Philippines – The San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, with their extraordinary ability to deliver a mean finishing kick, came through once again in the fourth – when it counted most – to dispatch the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 78-69, in Game 3 of the Finals in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors' Cup on Saturday, July 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After guys like James Yap and Allein Maliksi, this time, it was rookie Ian Sangalang who stole the show and played like a veteran in the early goings of the fourth as he carried the Mixers during a 12-2 fourth quarter run, which permanently turned the tables on Rain or Shine.
"Ian stepped up," said San Mig head coach Tim Cone. "He was the one who gave us that run along with Mark (Barroca) and Justin (Melton)."
The 22-year old slotman out of San Sebastian College-Recoletos scored 6 points during that 12-2 spurt that turned a 58-59 deficit into a 70-61 advantage for the Mixers.
Sangalang finished with 13 points with 8 of those coming in the final frame.
Operating quietly was guard Mark Barroca, who made all those plays possible during that crucial stretch. He tag-teamed with Justin Melton in breaking down the defense, creating space and providing the assists for easy baskets underneath.
Barroca had a quiet 6 points and two assists while Melton chipped in two markers and 4 dimes.
"Ian played big, Mark played big, Justin played big in that little run in the fourth quarter that got us that lead," Cone said.
The Mixers never relinquished the lead from that point on, clearly playing with much more energy than their counterparts.
That momentum-shifting stretch also exposed the uncertainty in the Painters' game on Saturday night.
They tallied 4 turnovers from the 10:34 mark of the payoff period up until 7:10 alone, during which time San Mig Coffee was scoring at will. It showed the defensive intensity that was propelling the Mixers all game long, even against a 25-point third quarter burst by Rain or Shine.
"It wasn't really a game of big shots this time," Cone pointed out. "But it was more a game of big stops."
Cone's wards milked 13 turnover points on Rain or Shine and out-rebounded them 52-39.
"They played with a lot more energy, with a lot more aggressiveness. I'm not happy with the way we came out today," said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao.
"We had a chance in the fourth quarter but we turned the ball over I think 5 straight times. Just terrible mental lapse."
Import Marqus Blakely led all Mixers with 17 points and 17 rebounds as Joe Devance and PJ Simon each had 10 points.
With the win, San Mig Coffee shoved the Painters into a precarious position as they went up 2-1 in the series, moving one game away from their 4th crown and the third one to claim the much talked about Grand Slam.
Though Cone would much rather not speak about it, at least inside his team's locker room.
"You can't talk about it until it's done," he said. "We just can't afford to do that."
Cone is in no way expecting the series to end on Monday. Though he hopes it will.
"We just have too much respect for this team. I can tell in our guys that this is the mentally strongest team we will play. They are so mentally strong, they don't break. You just gotta go out and compete with them every moment, every possession and hope you win more possessions than they do."
Best Import of the Conference AZ Reid was the only Rain or Shine player in double digits with 31 points to go with 8 rebounds.
Guiao failed to get contributions from his locals as Beau Belga had only 8 points while usual suspects Jeff Chan and Paul Lee had only 4 and two points, respectively.
"We just got outworked today. We relied too heavily on AZ (Reid) for scoring," Guiao said.
"Just thought that if we're not gonna get scoring from the locals, we're not gonna beat San Mig. AZ's trying hard to carry us on his shoulders but it's just not gonna happen."
Unlike a triumphant Reid at the end of Game 2, the import was a picture of everything that went wrong for Rain or Shine in Game 3.
As the final buzzer sounded, Reid had both hands on his knees with his head down, staring at the floor, perhaps hoping that a Game 5 is in their futures.
Scores:
San Mig Coffee (78) - Blakely 17, Sangalang 13, Devance 10, Simon 10, Pingris 7, Yap 7, Barroca 6, Reavis 6, Melton 2, Maliksi 0.
Rain or Shine (69) - Reid 31, Belga 8, Cruz 6, Arana 6, Almazan 4, Chan 4, Tiu 3, Ibanes 2, Lee 2, Norwood 2, Rodriguez 1, Tang 0, Nuyles 0.
Quarter scores: 17-14, 39-30, 58-55, 78-69.
From
Rappler.com
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