OFFICIAL PBA THREAD

FIRED-UP DRAGONS SCORCH REALTORS
Ibanes, Clark shine as Welcoat barges into win column
and never trailed. On offense, they kept the ball moving, enabling them to find the open man and getting good shots.

Welcoats total output as well as its 56.4 shooting percentage were both records for the franchise in its young six months of existence in the pro league.

Welcoats playing assistant coach and second import Alex Compton managed just eight points but had a conference-high 11 assists.

He may not score a lot but the leadership of coach Alex will help us a lot this conference. His presence gives the team some added intelligence especially in the closing minutes, Austria observed.

Austria said his troops played relaxed basketball because the Realtors hardly provided them challenge.

Sta. Lucia was very lax defensively and that help us to score a lot, Austria said.

Sta. Lucia import Rock Winston had another double-double performance with 32 points and 12 rebounds but hardly made an impact, failing to provide the team with the spark to get it going.

Nelbert Omolon scored 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter but virtually got no support from his teammates as Sta. Lucia, which is among the conferences favorites, went down to its second straight defeat.

The scores:

Welcoat 114 Clark 37, Ibanes 25, Lopez 14, Reyes 9, Compton 8, Cabatu 8, Gelig 5, Baguion 4, Wainwright 4, Lao 0.

Sta. Lucia 104 Winston 32, Omolon 21, Williams 12, Espino 12, Cabagnot 9, Duremdes 6, Catli 5, Calimag 5, Bughao 2, Isip 0, Aquino 0, Gonzales 0, Mendoza 0.

Quarterscores: 25-23, 62-53, 90-67, 114-104
 
MILLER STARS AS ALASKA NIPS GINEBRA
Aces earn piece of lead in week-old tourney
ed to celebrate when Miller scored off Tubid as Alaska seized the lead to stay.

Rosell Ellis had another solid performance for Alaska, piling up 27 points and 16 rebounds against his former Ginebra teammates.

Nealy had a decent debut with the Kings, logging a game-high 31 points that went with 16 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Houston, Texas native, who played for Baylor University and Houston Baptist U in college ball, scattered nine in the second quarter as Ginebra erased a 22-26 deficit to erect a 49-40 lead at halftime.

The scores:

Alaska 100 Ellis 27, Miller 26, Thoss 14, Cariaso 11, Hugnatan 6, Singson 6, Laure 4, Aban 2, Ferriols 2, Belasco 2.

Ginebra 98 Nealy 31, Salvacion 18, Tubid 13, Hatfield 11, Macapagal 8, Echavez 6, Abarrientos 6, Mamaril 3, Menk 2, Santos 0.

Quarterscores: 26-22, 40-49, 70-75, 100-98.
 
SULLINGER PROPELS TALK N TEXT PAST COCA-COLA
Pals deny Tigers solo lead

Wednesday, 14 March 2007


JJ Sullinger got his game going in the third quarter and rallied the Talk N Text Phone Pals past the Coca-Cola Tigers,102-87, Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 25-year-old import poured 23 of his 35 points in the second half, helping the Phone Pals take control and deny the Tigers an opportunity to assume the solo lead in the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference.

JJ creates things for us and makes his teammates look good, said TNT coach Derrick Pumaren of his highly energized import, who also had 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block in a sterling performance.

Hes still adjusting to the kind of game we play. But I tell you hell still improve as the tournament progresses, Pumaren said.

The Phone Pals, who bounced back from a 94-98 loss to the Alaska Aces a week ago, seized the momentum late in the third quarter as Sullinger kept knocking in his shots.

Sullinger, who played for 42 minutes, scored 19 points in the third, including 15 straight as he single-handedly rallied the Phone Pals, who ended the quarter ahead, 74-73.

It was a tough loss for the Tigers, who appeared to have the game well under control until import Anthony Johnson hurt his left ankle late in the third and had to be pulled out of the game.

With Anthony (39 points, 14 rebounds) taking a breather, the Tigers seemed lost, with nobody filling up the slack.

Johnson, who shot 15-of-22 attempts, tried to get things going for the Tigers when he buried a 3-pointer that tied the count at 76-76 with 10:39 remaining.

But the Jay Washington hit a short jumper in the ensuing play and after Ali Peek was whistled for an offensive foul, Egay Billones drained a huge three to give the Phone Pals an 81-76 lead that was never threatened the rest of the way.

The last time out we settled for threes. But tonight we had better shot selection. We also moved the ball well enabling us to get a lot of open shots, said Pumaren.

Our defense also played a key role. We made a lot of stops and forced them to turn the ball on crucial plays.

Washington scored 21 points and Billones and Don Allado, in his first game since being sideline by an injury, combined for 22 points off the bench for the Phone Pals, who evened their record at 1-1.

John Arigo scored 17 points but couldnt provide the spark when the Tigers needed it. Ali Peek added 14 points and had 12 rebounds but failed to assert his size in the middle.

To make matters worse, the Tigers committed 23 turnovers that earned the Phone Pals 28 points.


The scores:

Talk N Text 102 Sullinger 35, Washington 21, Billones 12, Allado 10, Cardona 8, Carey 7, de Ocampo Y. 4, Belano 3, Fran 2, Pablo 0.

Coca-Cola 87 Johnson 39, Arigo 17, Peek 14, Antonio 11, Yeo 2, Sotto 2, Misolas 2, Caceres 0, Miranda 0, Avenido 0, Tolomia 0.
Quarterscores: 28-23, 48-48, 74-73, 102-87.
 
BEST START IN FRANCHISE HISTORY GIVES AIR21 SHARE OF LEAD
SMBs Massiah held scoreless, replacement McMillan planes in
in a tournament since we joined the league two years ago. Its just 2-0 but wed never accomplished that before, thats why its big for us," Perasol added.

The Express seized control on a decisive romp in the second period and went on to sustain their charge in the final half.

Curiously, San Miguel was one of three teams which Air21 failed to beat in the All-Filipino. The other teams were Barangay Ginebra and Purefoods.

Though short-handed, the Beermen showed the way in the early goings but were dominated in the last three quarters.

Gary David led all scorers with 22 points even as Arwind Santos, Shawn Daniels and Mark Telan all came through with a double-double job.

Santos had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Daniels 12 points and 16 rebounds and Telan 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Massiah produced only three rebounds, two assists and one steal against four errors in 19 minutes of action.

Failing to get the needed boost from Massiah, interim San Miguel coach Biboy Ravanes opted to sit out his mediocre import in the final half.

With David, Santos and Daniels at the forefront of their attack, the Express raced to a 75-50 lead at the end of the third period.

The scores:

Air21 88 David 22, Santos 18, Daniels 12, Telan 12, Se 5, Arboleda 5, Canaleta 4, Dimaunahan 4, Torion 4, Andaya 2, Bernardo 0.

San Miguel 78 Cablay 17, Gonzales 12, Wilson 11, Adducul 11, Racela 11, Pena 6, Tenorio 5, Calaguio 5, Massiah 0, Adriano 0, Rodriguez 0.

Quarterscores: 18-23, 46-37, 75-50, 88-78.
 
PBA Hall of Fame nominees named of the nomination process to qualify as a nominee. A coach must be either retired or must not have been part of the PBA or a PBA team at least five years before the start of the nomination process to be eligible for enshrinement. Media awards are on a posthumous basis.

Two years ago, the PBA inducted its first batch of Hall of Famers. The 12 honorees were Bogs Adornado, Ramon Fernandez, Robert Jaworski, Philip Cezar, Atoy Co, Francis Arnaiz, Baby Dalupan, Leo Prieto, Emerson Coseteng, Rudy Salud, Danny Floro and Joe Cantada.

Cojuangco was nominated for his role as team manager of the Northern Cement amateur guest team that won the 1985 reinforced conference title and for introducing the concept of playing the national squad in the PBA as a pivotal step towards unifying the countrys basketball program.

McDonald, an NBA veteran who played for the Boston Celtics, was cited for his role as import and coach in the PBA. He set an outstanding example as a role model during his five-year PBA tour of duty and continues to maintain close ties with Filipino friends. McDonald was recently in Manila for a visit.

Jacobs won his only PBA title with Northern Cement and also coached San Miguel Beer and the national team. He lives in Manila. Paner was named to the PBAs first-ever mythical five in 1975 and played 12 seasons for four teams, averaging 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in 473 games.

Pumaren said the list of 14 nominees was carefully reviewed and screened from a pool of 27 candidates. The qualifications were scrutinized to suit the strict eligibility requirements for induction into the Hall of Fame, added Pumaren. The selection committee members were Fritz Gaston, PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial, PBA operations manager Rickie Santos, PBA technical group manager Perry Martinez, Ronnie Nathanielsz of Standard/Today, Tito Talao of Bulletin/Tempo and this writer.
 
oh @#%$ carlo, i dint know jj sullinger played for tnt....was he a new addition? i remember he played for ohio state last year with terrance dials, but they were all seniors, so this is where he ended up...dammnn he was one of my favorite players on that team, glad hes still playin ball...dude could light it up in a hurry...hmm looks like ill have to add tnt as a favorite haha
TEAM NJ NETS
Kidd. Carter. Jefferson. Need we say more?​
 
^ Yes he's the import of Talk N Text for this conference. :)
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MILLER TIME FOR THE NTH TIME
Player of the Week (March 4 to 11)

Tuesday, 13 March 2007


RISING above ones personal problems to dish out one superlative game after another is the true mark of a professional athlete.

Willie Miller is no different.

The Alaska guard has been doing it all for the Aces, making him the unanimous choice as the PBA Press Corps ACCEL-Talk N Text Player of the Week for the period March 4-11.

Despite being recently charged for alleged assault and robbery in his native Olongapo City, the 6-foot Miller has been coming up with impressive numbers that help Alaska
notch two wins in the Fiesta Cups opening week.

"Hell really be our scoring import in this conference. And when it comes down to the stretch when it gets tight, Willie will come out and make the big shot for us," said Aces coach Tim Cone.

Concrete proof of that was Millers 10-foot jumper in the final 3.3 seconds in a game against Barangay Ginebra last Sunday, following that up by swatting away the ball that left the crowd just 0.8 seconds hoping for an equalizer from the Kings.

It never came and the Aces suddenly found themselves sharing the early lead with Coca-Cola, also sporting a 2-0 win-loss slate.

Millers heroics capped a 26-point, four-rebound, five-assist night for him, eerily approximating a game-high 27-point, two-rebound, three-assist output four days earlier, when Alaska held off the Talk N Text Phone Pals 98-94.

Hes a very special player, the way hes been carrying this team, noted Cone.

The 2002 season MVP winner, who vehemently denies the charges against him, said hes just trying to do everything he can to help his team that still misses the recuperating Mike Cortez (knee injury) and Tony dela Cruz (on loan to the RP Team).

Parte lang ng trabaho. Kailangang mag-focus sa pagtulong sa team dahil nga kulang nga kami, he said with a typical shrug.

As for the case against him, Miller said he welcomes the formal charge for him to clear his name. Magkakaalaman din ng totoo, he said simply.

It was the third time Miller won Player of the Week honors this season, tying him with Talk N Texts Mark Cardona for most POWs among all players.
 
RED BULL EDGES ALASKA, GRABS SOLO LEAD
Fonacier, Penny lead the way for Barakos in OT win
ed the extension play with a triple and Red Bull held sway till the final buzzer for its third successive wins after victories over Purefoods and San Miguel Beer.

James Penny worked hard early and led all scorers with a PBA career and season-high 44 points.

The former Texas Christian U standout outplayed Rosell Ellis and had his contribution in overtime play, firing back-to-back baskets as Red Bull took a 115-109 headway heading into the final two minutes.

After Willie Miller scored Alaskas first field-goal basket in overtime to make it 111-105, Fonacier got away with a three-point play then hit a triple as the Barakos eventually broke the back of the Aces, 121-111.

Junthy Valenzuela bungled Red Bulls chance to win it right away in regulation on missed jumper with time down to five seconds. The Cebuano player, however,
also had his helping hand in Red Bulls overtime surge, capping scoring with back-to-back twinners.

Penny buckled down to work early, scattering 20 points in the first quarter as the Barakos carried a 37-29 over into the next period.

Penny slowed down in the second quarter but Magnum Membrere and Leo Najorda took over and Red Bull stayed in control, 69-59, at halftime.

Back-to-back triples by Membrere had the Barakos taking a 12-point lead at 53-41 midway through the second period.

The scores:

Red Bull 124 Penny 44, Fonacier 23, Najorda 18, Sharma 11, Valenzuela 11, Membrere 6, Villanueva 4, Baguio 3, Yvanez 2, Cruz 2, Bugia 0, Alvarez 0, Hrabak
0.

Alaska 113 Ellis 27, Miller 24, Belasco 18, Thoss 12, Hugnatan 12, Singson 8, Cariaso 7, Juinio 3, Ferriols 2, Laure 0, Bajar 0.

Quarterscores: 37-29, 69-59, 72-74, 108-108, 124-113
 
REALTORS NOTCH FIRST WIN; GIANTS REMAIN WINLESS
Rookie of the Year leader has last laugh vs. league MVP
of an import-flavored conference since the 1995 Commissioners Cup.

As if the loss of Kerby Raymundo to the RP Team, and the injuries to Jun Limpot and Marc Pingris werent enough, the Giants marched for Friday nights game without two more key players who were hurting -- guard Roger Yap (injured calf) and streak shooter Jun Peter Simon (back spasms).

Veteran Rey Evangelista scored 12 points and Noy Castillo added 11 for the Giants who hardly got any contribution from the import Jesse King. King sat out the entire second half after tallying just four points and six rebounds in the opening half.

With the count tied at 14-14, Winston scored from eight feet and Williams completed a three-point play as the Realtors closed the second quarter with a 10-2 run to close the opening half with a 24-16 lead that held on until the end.

The scores:

Sta. Lucia 102 Williams 21, Winston 12, Omolon 12, Espino 10, Duremdes 9, Catli 8, Cabagnot 7, Gonzales 6, Mendoza 6, Calimag 4, Aquino 3, Bughao 2, Isip 2.

Purefoods 85 Yap J. 34, Evangelista 12, Castillo 11, Salvador 8, Yee 7, Artadi 5, King 4, Bautista 2, Gamboa 2, Camaso 0.

Quarterscores: 24-16, 50-40, 73-57, 102-85.
 
Quote:
Ex-PBA 'Destroyer' convicted of manslaughter

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) point guard Rudy Distrito was convicted of manslaughter on Saturday for the killing of a Mexican in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A Nevada court sentenced Distrito to a minimum of four to a maximum of 12 years in prison.

Distrito was initially charged with murder for the slaying of 24-year-old Mexican national Juan Amaya in 2004. Prosecutors said Distrito stabbed Amaya to death as an act of revenge after Amaya married Distrito's mistress.

The former PBA star had earlier pleaded "not guilty" to the murder charge. He later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Distrito's lawyers, Robert Langford and Susan Burke, noted the contradictory evidence presented in the trial and said Distrito acted in self-defense.

Distrito wept as he apologized to the family of his victim, his own family, his PBA colleagues and fans.

The 5-feet-10-inch and 170-pound Distrito was known for his aggressive brand of play and earned the nickname "The Destroyer."

He is best remembered for his buzzer-beating shot that enabled Ginebra San Miguel, then led by playing-coach Robert Jaworski, to win a classic championship series in the 1991 First Conference against team Shell.

Distrito was suspended for a flagrant foul against fellow PBA player Jeffrey Cariaso in 1995. The Games and Amusement Board later revoked his license. He migrated to the US with his family in 1996.
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GINEBRA SCORES 1ST WIN AFTER PHILIPPINE CUP CONQUEST
Johnny ACompton faceoff spices up Kings close win over
Welcoat
Friday, 16 March 2007


Prolific guards Alex Compton and Johnny Abarrientos both made a good account of themselves in figuring in their much-awaited showdown on the hardcourt.

Both looked forward to it and both churned out solid numbers only to find their exciting match-up reduced as mere footnote to a ballgame decided by fumbles and misses in the closing seconds.

Imports Rod Nealy and Charles Clark missed an attempt each in the last 25 seconds and Barangay Ginebra withstood Welcoats brave front, breaking into the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference win column with a 99-97 decision Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

More of a relief we pulled through because were still searching and finding ways to win, said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico after pulling off their first win after their All-Filipino conquest.

Our All-Filipino championship is over and done with. We need to exert effort again to win another championship. I guess we still have the materials to win a championship but we have to find the best possible way to do it. Mas mahirap ngayon itong hanapin, Uichico also said.

Abarrientos played a big part as the Kings nailed their first win in the season-ending tourney. The 1996 MVP winner tallied nine assists, seven points, five rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes of action.

Abarrientos was obviously challenged by Compton, the former MBA ace guard who marked his 33rd birthday with a game he laced with 21 points, five assists and the same number of rebounds.

Both players have high respect for one another.

Abarrientos actually showed up Compton in the first three quarters but the Welcoat special import took charge in the fourth quarter, helping the Dragons get back into the game heading into the final stretch.

The Ginebra guard, however, had the final say in their showdown, firing a triple to make it 99-92 with time down to 1:15.

Then their teammates took matters into their own hands.

Charles Clark hit a charity then Denver Lopez bombed away from the arc as the Dragons came within two, 97-99, with 29 seconds to go.

That count stood in the end with Nealy and Clark missing a shot each in the closing seconds.

With the Dragons getting possession with 2.2 ticks left, coach Leo Austria actually set up a play for Compton.

Ginebra, however, covered Compton well and Jireh Ibanes was forced to go to Clark at low post. Clark fumbled the ball first before retrieving it, then taking a prayer of a shot that went short at the buzzer.

The scores:

Ginebra 99 Nealy 26, Tubid 18, Salvacion 14, Hatfield 10, Macapagal 9, Mamaril 8, Abarrientos 7, Seigle 3, Echavez 2, Menk 2, Hubalde 0.

Welcoat 97 Clark 26, Compton 21, Reyes 20, Ibanes 12, Gelig 6, Lopez 5, Baguion 3, Cabatu 2, Wainwright 2, Sta. Maria 0, Lao 0.

Quarterscores: 23-17, 44-42, 77-63, 99-97.
 
COCA-COLA STRIKES IN LANAO, BACK ON WINNING TRACK
SMBS McMillan fails to impress in PBA debut
s in the season-ending tourney.

Chris Calaguio also tossed in 11 and no other San Miguel player finished in double figures.

Johnson showed up McMillan and the Tigers slowly pulled away en route to their third win in four games.

The prolific Coke import had another solid all-round game with 26 points, 13 rebounds and six assists and anchored the teams breakaway from 61-56 count at the start of the final quarter.

Denok Miranda and Leo Avenido backed up Johnson with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

McMillan came out flat and the Beermen struggled with him, falling behind by 11 at 16-27 four minutes into the second period.

It took clutch baskets from Olsen Racela and Brandon Cablay for San Miguel to draw within four, 33-37, going into the final half.

McMillan went 1-of-8 from the field for three points against six errors in 18 minutes of action in the first half.

The Tigers were just 38 percent from the field while the Beermen were worse at 30 percent in the first 24 minutes of play.

Both teams took some time to connect with the Tigers taking a 16-15 edge at the end of the first period. San Miguel rookie Gabby Espinas, who sat out their
last game, re-injured his ankle towards the end of the opening canto.


The scores:

Coca-Cola 82 Johnson 26, Miranda 14, Avenido 10, Arigo 9, Misolas 6, Peek 5, Francisco 5, Yeo 4, Antonio 3, Sotto 0.

San Miguel 64 McMillan 11, Calaguio 11, Pena 9, Cablay 7, Racela 6, Tenorio 6, Wilson 4, Adducul 4, Adriano 4, Espinas 2, Gonzales 0.

Quarterscores: 16-15, 37-33, 61-56, 82-64.
 
Pardon me for posting this recap Carlo, but I just love the way Daniels plays.
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Next to Compton, he is my 2nd favorite right now in the PBA.
Quote:
AIR21 IN COME-FROM-BEHIND OT WIN OVER TNT
Daniels posts conferences first triple-double
Sunday, 18 March 2007


Shawn Daniels had a monster game and the Air21 Express kept their winning streak in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference

Daniels posted the conferences first triple-double with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Express to a 124-118 victory over the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in overtime Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Every time we play a team like Talk N Text we should always bring our A-1 game. Im glad the players responded well, said Air21 coach Bo Perasol, who challenged his troops before the game.

The Air21 tactician said he challenged his troops to prove that their 2-0 start was no fluke.

I felt it was tough challenge considering were playing Talk N Text. Im pleased with the way the players responded. They never gave up even though were behind, added Perasol whose team gained a provisional share of the lead with Red Bull and stretched its franchise best-ever conference start to 3-0.

The Express could even grab the early solo lead in the team standings if Red Bull loses to Barangay Ginebra in the game that was still being played as of presstime.

While almost everybody stood up and delivered for their cause, it was Daniels who made the big plays in the crucial moments.

His 10th assist paved the way for the Gary Davids three-point shot near the left corner with 10.3 second remaining in regulation that forced overtime.

Gary is great shooter. I have great confidence in him. So the moment I saw him pop out I readily gave him the ball because I know he can hit that shot, said Daniels of the Express shooting guard who finished with 20 points before fouling out with 18.9 ticks left in the game and his team 123-118.

Daniels, who first recorded his triple-double of 24 points, 20 rebounds and 13 assists in a 114-103 win over Sta. Lucia in last seasons Fiesta Conference, also scored the Express first two baskets in overtime to keep Air21 in the game before David took over and sparked the run that ended TNTs hope of winning the game.

Mark Telan had 21 points and 14 rebounds and rookie Arwind Santos had 12 and two blocks for the Express, who outrebounded the Phone Pals, 63-54. Homer Se added 12 points and Nino Canaleta contributed 10 markers.

After Anthony Washington gave the Phone Pals a 113-111 lead with 3:26 left in overtime, David hit a tough jumper then converted two free throws that sparked a 12-0 run and with it went the Phone Pals chance of winning the game.

It was frustrating loss for the Phone Pals who controlled the opening half that saw them leading as much as 16 points only to fade out in the second half.

I really wasnt worried even though were behind. We were doing the right thing and I felt if our shot will only fall well always have a chance, Perasol said.

J.J Sullinger led the Talk N Text with 31 points, 22 of them in the first half to help the Phone Pals erect a 60-44 advantage at halftime.

But he went cold in the second half apparently due to fatigue. With TNT up by two with three minutes left, Sullinger had to be taken out for a breather after suffering from leg cramps.

Washington scored 25 points and Don Allado had 20 for the Phone Pals who were outscored in the fourth quarter, 24-33, and fell to their second loss in three games.

Talk N Text had a chance to steal the game after David tied the game in regulation with his three-pointer. After a time out, the Phone Pals went to Allado, who threw a long attempt over Daniels. The ball bounced off the rim but Sullinger grabbed the offensive rebound. Unfortunately for the Phone Pals his fadeaway attempt from point blank range went short as time expired, sending the game into OT. (DBC)

The scores:

Air21 124 Daniels 26, Telan 21, David 20, Santos 15, Se 12, Canaleta 10, Arboleda 9, Dimaunahan 8, Torion 2, Andaya 1, Bernardo 0.

Talk N Text 118 Sullinger 31, Washington 25, Allado 20, Belano 12, Cardona 9, de Ocampo Y. 8, Billones 6, Carey 5, Fran 2, Noble 0, Pablo 0.

Quarterscores: 18-28, 44-60, 74-83, 107-107, 124-118

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sapatos yan, hindi trophy
[size=+1](Team [/size][size=+1]Back[/size] [size=+1]Spasms)[/size]

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damn sullinger is goin nutssss haha too bad he got tired
TEAM NJ NETS
Kidd. Carter. Jefferson. Need we say more?​
 
NEALY STARS AS GINEBRA BRINGS DOWN RED BULL
Kings import outclasses Fiesta Conference import yardstick Penny
, leading by as many as 19 points for a second straight win following a losing debut against the Alaska Aces a week ago.

"Our win over Welcoat provided us the momentum against Red Bull. Nakabwelo kami at medyo off ang Red Bull," said Uichico as his Kings handed the Barakos their first defeat in four starts.

Nealy and fellow starters Ronald Tubid, Sunday Salvacion, Rudy Hatfield and Johnny Abarrientos delivered much of Ginebras output as they whipped Red Bull in a duel of champs.

Red Bull had to ride on the efforts of second stringers Larry Fonacier, Topex Robinson and Carlo Sharma as the reigning titlist tried to tilt the balance in its favor in the second half.

But Ginebra, the All-Filipino champion, refused to crack up, withstanding the Barakos' repeated rallies.

Nealy personally preserved his gallant effort as he intercepted a pass by Celino Cruz, then hurled a fastbreak pass to Sunday Salvacion for a 109-101 Ginebra lead entering the final minute of play.

The Barakos earlier threatened for the last time at 101-107 on a trey by Cruz followed by a breakaway jam by Penny.

As Red Bull came within six at 82-88, Tubid and Hatfield delivered instant offense coming off the bench and the Kings reestablished a commanding lead,
99-84.

Curiously, Penny had two misses from pointblank range in that crucial stretch.

The Kings took command in the opening quarter with Nealy firing 16 points and Salvacion adding 12.

Abarrientos joined the fray in the second period, rifling in a triple just before the buzzer sounded as the Kings took a 67-50 lead at the half.

Tubid and Salvacion finished with 20 points each with Hatfield adding 17 and Abarrientos 12. Salvacion was four-of-six from beyond the arc.

Fonacier was better with 4-of-5 three-point field-goal shooting and the former Ateneo Eagle paced the Barakos with 23 points.

The scores:

Ginebra 111 Nealy 31, Tubid 20, Salvacion 20, Hatfield 17, Abarrientos 12, Mamaril 5, Holper 4, Echavez 2, Macapagal 0, Menk 0, Santos 0.

Red Bull 105Fonacier 23, Penny 18, Najorda 13, Robinson 10, Villanueva 10, Baguio 9, Hrabak 7, Cruz 6, Alvarez 5, Sharma 4, Ybanez 0.

Quarterscores: 42-29, 67-50, 88-80, 111-105.
 
GUESTS FOR THE FIESTA
First impressions on the imports
to the conference. Athletic and quick, he can beat his man off the dribble but his finishing around the basket can sometimes get shaky because of his lean frame. His shooting over 35% from threes makes him a double threat (but youd like to see that tip 40%). Not really a post-up player and with the obvious need for a dominant inside presence to help Ali Peek, Coke might feel the pinch of his lack of strength underneath the boards come the big games.

JESSE KING (Purefoods) -- The top import if we only play 24 minutes! King has been royalty in the 1st half but strangely looks like a peasant come the second half. His leaping ability, size and pure athleticism have made him look solid but his biggest problem looks to be his conditioning. He just cant seem to finish games strongly (plus he injured his knee). With a depleted lineup, coach Ryan Gregorio must be counting the days when former Best Import, Marquin Chandler, will be ready to suit up. And we heard its going to be this Wednesday.

JAMES PENNY (Red Bull) -- Probably the barometer of the current crop of visitors. Penny plays within the Red Bull system, not dominating the ball (the locals love that) and shows stellar defense. The best shotblocker in this class, Penny has the ability to attack the basket in every way (3s, post-up & drive). As we have seen last year, Penny has a little of everything. He improves an already top-ranked Red Bull defense and should make a run for Best Import honors.

VIDAL MASSIAH (San Miguel Beer) -- Lets put it this way, Massiah was no savior! Sadly for him, his PBA stint may be remembered for being an import to be held scoreless in the last five years. His performance was far from Ma-sa-ya but more Ma-lung-kot!

PAUL McMILLAN (San Miguel Beer) -- A shaky debut against Coca-Cola but lets try to give him some slack because he played out-of-town and it is really tough for an import to open his Philippine campaign on the road. That said, Massiah had a better debut than McMillan (OH NO)! Were going to give him some slack because Im sure he will be able to outclass Massiahs second-game performance.

ROCK WINSTON (Sta. Lucia) Has had decent performances but has only one W to show for it. Seems a bit undersized but you cant say it has hampered his performance. More of an inside operator rather than a shooter, it is still strange to me that the results are not there for him and his team. SLR started the conference 0-2 before notching its first victory over a depleted Purefoods team; maybe Winston will have to dominate the ball more if he wants to secure his job. Cause it is all about winning!

J.J. SULLINGER (Talk N Text) -- A well-rounded ball player that is actually very good at all facets of the game. You look at him, and you know right away this guy was built to play ball. Another one of those imports that is well under the 66 limit, plays more like a wing than a big man. Seems to be primed for huge success in the PBA if he can only control his shot selection.

CHARLES CLARK III (Welcoat) -- Clark is a bulky and less mobile reinforcement that takes up a lot of space on the floor. He is on his first tour of duty outside the US and is slowly learning what being an import is all about. Played poorly in his first game but suddenly donned the Superman cape against Sta. Lucia to earn his first victory off American soil. Fits well into Welcoats needs (although a bit short), his post presence allows their shooters (Alex Compton, Rob Wainwright, Denver Lopez) to get better looks from the outside. Should be able to stay longer, as long as he continues to improve.
 
^^^ props to jj.....he did play the swingman at osu, hes not much of a big guy anyways
TEAM NJ NETS
Kidd. Carter. Jefferson. Need we say more?​
 
ACES BOUNCE BACK, CONTINUE MASTERY OF DRAGONS
Ellis leads 5 players in double figures for Alaska

Wednesday, 21 March 2007



Alaska coach Tim Cone relishes the thought of having Rosell Ellis as his team leader.


Against a team that was practically overmatched, Ellis was hardly dominating but his ability to get all the Aces involved on every play keyed Alaska's 99-78 route over the Welcoat Dragons Wednesday night in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

"When you have Rosell Ellis on your team you don't suffer any letdown for taking anything for granted. All week since our loss to Red Bull he was pushin' and going at our guys. Our leadership has been greatly enhanced with Rosell here, said Cone of his hardworking import.



"I'm a big believer that things rise and fall with leadership. We have good leadership right now and that's making us play a lot better," Cone observed.



Ellis managed just 18 points on a 7-of-14 shooting but his tireless effort up and down the court visibly rubbed on his teammates.



The Aces, who were coming off a 124-113 overtime loss to Red Bull last Thursday in a game where Ellis succumbed to cramps in the endgame which he attributed to the heat at the Olivarez Gym, seized control early by shooting 66 percent from the field that propelled them to a 30-19 lead at the end of the opening quarter.



Everything was a picnic from thereon for the Aces as the Dragons desperately struggled in their offense all night.



Ellis, who had the luxury of playing for just 39 minutes, capped his performance with six assists and three shotblocks while Joachim Thoss scored 16 points for the Aces, who shot 51 percent for the game.



Alaska also got big games from their reserves with Reynel Hugnatan and John Ferriols contributing 10 points apiece for the Aces, who improved to a 3-1 (win-loss) record and a share of second place.



Cone attributed their fine shooting to his players' unselfishness which earned them a 21-12 advantage in assists.



"We really established our defense early as a team and as an individual. We really keyed our offense with our defense today and that's basically what we should do because we're a team of stoppers,' cone said.



The Dragons, who lost for the third time in as many games to Alaska in this rookie season of theirs, tried everything they could to keep the game close but their shots wouldn't fall. Welcoat shot no better than 39 percent in each of the four quarters. They finished the game shooting just 38 percent making just 24-of-69 attempts.



Charles Clark tallied 29 points and had 11 rebounds but couldn't prevent the Dragons from picking up their second straight loss and third in four games.

The scores:

Alaska 99 Ellis 18, Thoss 16, Hugnatan 10, Ferriols 10, Cariaso 10, Laure 9, Miller 9, Belasco 8, Singson 7, Bajar 2, Luanzon 0, Aban 0.

Welcoat 78 Clark 29, Reyes 18, Compton 8, Ibanez 5, Cabatu 5, Gelig 4, Lopez 4, Sta. Maria 3, Wainwright 2, Baguion 0, Lao 0.
Quarterscores: 30-19, 54-33, 75-55, 99-78.
 
CHANDLER BAILS PUREFOODS OUT OF CELLAR
He will be a leader, a hero & scorer for us Coach Ryan on his prized import
s.

McMillan bettered his 11-point output the last time just by the half this time, pacing the Beermen with 13 points in the first 24 minutes of play.

Backcourt players Tenorio, Racela and Cablay provided the needed backup jobs as San Miguel took the opening quarter at 25-18 and the first half at 44-40.

Tenorio, Racela and Cablay combined for five triples and a total of 26 points against the 14 of counterparts James Yap, Paul Artadi and Peter Simon.

The scores:

Purefoods 79 Chandler 33, Yap J. 15, Yee 9, Artadi 6, Salvador 5, Simon 4, Evangelista 3, Castillo 2, Camaso 2, Gamboa 0.

San Miguel 77 McMillan 27, Tenorio 12, Calaguio 9, Cablay 8, Racela 8, Adducul 5, Pena 5, Adriano 3, Espinas 0, Gonzales 0, Wilson 0.

Quarterscores: 18-25, 40-44, 51-60, 79-77.
 
SILVERIO, JACOBS HEAD 2ND BATCH TO HALL OF FAME
10 inductees to be enshrined on April 8
Thursday, 22 March 2007

Two revered coaches with contrasting styles along with eight other personalities make up the second batch of luminaries to be inducted into the Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame.

Dante Silverio and Ron Jacobs, both legends in their own right, were the hands down choice among the seven-member Honors Committee which selected the second batch of the inductees into the Hall.
Silverio, the well-dressed coach-artist of the now defunct Toyota Corollas, won five PBA championships while Jacobs was acknowledged to have revolutionized coaching in the Philippines. He also engineered the first-ever sweep in a best-of-seven title series in the PBA while coaching an amateur squad Northern Consolidated past Manila Beer in the Reinforced Conference Finals in 1985.

Also getting the nod of the committee were players Danny Florencio, Abet Guidaben, Norman Black and Manny Paner, league official Domingo Itchon, league patron Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and departed mediamen Tony Siddayao and Pinggoy Pengson.

The Honors Committee is composed of PBA commissioner Noli Eala, former league chairman Ely capacio, Alaska Board representative Joaqui Trillo, former league commissioner Jun Bernardino, former TV coveror Vintage chief Bobong Velez, sportscaster Emy Arcilla and former Philippine Sports Association president and Malaya sports editor Jimmy Cantor.

Paner , who practically made a living in the lane, played in the league for 12 seasons with four different teams and averaged 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in 473 games. He was named to the PBA's first-ever Mythical 5 and earned the distinction as "Chairman of the Board" despite his height of 6-foot-2. He was also acknowledged as the highest-paid player in the early years of the PBA.

Florencio, was the first local player to score 64 points in 7-up's 121-136 loss to Toyota in 1977. He averaged 32.3 points in 39 games in 1977 and still is the only local to have normed 30 points or more in one season. During his eight seasons, Florencio scored 50 points four times, 40 points in six games and at 30 points over eight games. He played for Utex, 7-Up, Toyota and Galerie Dominique.

Guidaben was one of only six players to win the MVP award at least twice doing the trick in 1983 and 1987. He ranks second in the league's all-time list for most total rebounds and most defensive rebounds next only to Ramon Fernandez the league's first four-time MVP.

Black was a two-time Best Import awardee and as coach led the San Miguel Beermen to a Grand Slam in 1989.

Itchon was the PBA's founding President while Cojuangco is being recognized for introducing the concept of getting PBA exposure as an integral part of the national team program in the 80s.

Siddayao, the former sports editor of the Manila Standard, is the acknowledged dean of Philippine sportswriters while Pengson , a former television sportscaster who became a consultant of Vintage TV, is recognized for coming up with several monickers for star players.

The second batch of honorees will be inducted on on April 9 when the league celebrates in 32nd anniversary.
 
VINTAGE JOHNNY A SPARKS BIG GINEBRA WIN
Kings 3rd straight win puts them in joint 2nd

Thursday, 22 March 2007


Minus the prolific backcourt tandem of Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa, coach Jong Uichico is convinced his Barangay Ginebra Kings are still in good hands with Johnny Abarrientos around.

Uichicos conviction comes with good basis.

Abarrientos had another sterling performance Thursday night as Barangay Ginebra smothered Coca-Cola, 101-97, for a third straight win and a share of second place in the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

"Im playing about 30 minutes a game. Wala si Jayjay, ginagawa ko lang ang trabaho na dapat kong gawin," said Abarrientos as he continued to recall his vintage form, leading the Ginebra charge in the absence of Helterbrand and Caguioa.

Rod Nealy had a near triple-double job with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists but Abarrientos came to the fore in fuelling Ginebras decisive fourth-quarter breakaway.

The 1996 MVP awardee came up with another solid all-round game which he punctuated with clutch plays in the payoff period as Ginebra tripped Coca-Cola to gain a piece of second place with Red Bull and Alaska on their identical 3-1 win-loss slates.

The former FEU King Tamaraw scored 16 points, including seven straight midway through the payoff period that gave the Kings their biggest lead in the game at 97-84.

Abarrientos also logged five steals, four rebounds and the same number of assists as the Kings posted a third consecutive victory after dropping their first game in the tourney against the Alaska Aces.

Sunday Salvacion, Mark Macapagal, Eric Menk and Rudy Hatfield had their contributions as the Kings handed the Tigers a second loss in five outings.

Anthony Johnson actually led all scorers with 32 points but sat down the last 40.6 seconds of play due to leg cramps.

But Johnson was still on the floor when Abarrientos came through with his biggest plays, helping the Kings sprint away from a 90-84 lead.

"You slow down as you get older. But Ive been given the minutes and I want to stand up to the challenge Im facing," said Abarrientos.

Salvacion and Macapagal delivered the points in the third quarter as Ginebra gained headway from a 55-all halftime count, posting two eight-point spreads at 69-61 and 71-63.

But Johnson and Avenido keyed a Coca-Cola fightback and the Tigers surged ahead at 78-76 towards the end of the third period.

Egay Echavez scored on a drive to force a 78-all deadlock going into the final period.

The first half ended at 55-all on a buzzer-beating jumper by Johnson from right quartercourt.

The scores:

Ginebra 101 Nealy 26, Abarrientos 16, Salvacion 14, Macapagal 13, Menk 10, Hatfield 9, Echavez 7, Tubid 6, Mamaril 0.

Coca-Cola 97 Johnson 32, Arigo 13, Peek 12, Miranda 7, Antonio 6, Yeo 5, Misolas 4, Caceres 2.

Quarterscores: 29-33, 55-55, 78-78, 101-97.
 
AIR21 NIPS PUREFOODS IN OT, STAYS UNBEATEN
Express get awesome games from David, Telan
in a conference ever since joining the league five years ago.

After Richard Yee tied the count at 100-100, David completed a three-point play and rookie forward Arwind Santos split his free throws to give Air 21 a four-point lead that held up to the end en route to their second straight OT win.

"You guys (media) have just named me Best Player of the Week so I'm just trying to justify the honor. Besides I know coach (Perasol) and my teammates are expecting me to deliver," said the low-key shooting guard who finished two points shy of matching his career-high which he registered in the previous conference.

Overall though, it was a team effort. Mark (Telan), Wynne (Arboleda), Arwind, KG (Canaleta) and Shawn (Daniels) also contributed significantly. We're tough when we play as a team," Perasol added.

Telan, a 6-foot-6 center-forward whos playing in his eighth season in the league, was in his best element, tallying career-highs in scoring and rebounding to the tune of 27 points and 21 rebounds for his first career 20-20 game.

"I felt like I was in a zone. I really felt good every time I touched the ball so I kept on shooting," said the former De La Salle Green Archer, who went 11-for-16 from the perimeter.

After Marquin Chandler knocked in a three-pointer to pull Purefoods within 103-104 with 34 seconds left in overtime, Arwind Santos attempted from 14-feet, a shot which bounced off the rim. But Telan was there for the tip-in.

Arboleda, a pesky guard with a mean defense, also shared the limelight by nearly recording what could have been his first career triple-double with 14 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Express, who led by as much as 45-26 late in the second half.

After registering the conference's first triple-double last Sunday against Talk N Text in a game that also went into overtime, Shawn Daniels managed just eight points but grabbed a season-high 22 rebounds that revved up Air 21's running game which produced 26 fastbreak points.

It was a frustrating loss for the Giants, who shot poorly in the first half but rallied with grim determination and standout defense in the second half only to fade in the closing minute of the extra session.

Purefoods picked up its third loss in four games.

Last years Best Import Chandler , who showed the way for the Giants, grabbed 21 rebounds that went with his 42 points, including a 3-pointer late in the third quarter that tied the count at 64-64 before Richard Yee hit a short jumper to give Purefoods its first taste of the lead.

The conferences leading scorer, James Yap scored 27 points, 13 in the third quarter but went scoreless in the fourth and managed just two points in overtime.

The Express completely dominated the opening half as KG Canaleta and Santos took away Chandler's game with their pressure defense. Chandler went 2-of-6 from the field against Santos and 3-of-9 against Canaleta.

The Purefoods import got his game going in the third quarter as Santos and Canaleta went into foul trouble. Canaleta played for just three minutes and Santos five minutes in the period.

The scores:

Air21 107 David 32, Telan 27, Arboleda 14, Santos 9, Daniels 8, Canaleta 8, Se 5, Dimaunahan 4, Bernardo 0, Torion 0.

Purefoods 103 Chandler 42, Yap 27, Salvador 8, Yee 7, Castillo 7, Simon 5, Evangelista 3, Artadi 2, Camaso 2, Gamboa 0.

Quarterscores: 23-18, 52-38, 70-72, 90-90, 107-103.
 
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