Gilas Pilipinas 2.0 to fight for RESPECT

By - Aimee Grace B. Tapeceria

Source: http://aimee829.tumblr.com/post/31458920257/gilas-pilipinas-2-0-to-fight-for-respect

The biggest difference between Manny Pacquiao and Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0 is that, while both carry the weight of the Filipino Nation on their shoulders, both have the HEART of a Filipino, both seek to bring PRIDE & HONOR to the country …

  

one is held in awe.. in an almost god-like status, with the people treating him as a mini deity; while the other is cherished and beloved like family member, whose joys and sorrows are share (via twitter and instagram), whose camaraderie and heroism we can relate and respond to.

As Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0 starts their battle at the Stankovic Cup, they are facing an one of the strongest and biggest foes in the person of the Chinese. The picture taken by Larry Fornacier of LA Tenorio (point guard) behind one of the Chinese player re-iterates how big the disparity. We now begin to feel that familiar dread… 

But unlike the usual dread we feel when
Manny Pacquiao fights, this dread seems almost unnatural because we all feel like “stage moms” on some talent shows that we see on TV, watching from behind the curtain… praying NOT that our “child” wins, rather that instead of being ridiculed, mocked, or humiliated while showing their talent to the world, they would impress the audience, earn the respect of their opponents, and they gain the recognition from the judges that despite not being THE BEST, they deserved to be part of the discussion.

Dear Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0;

You not be the tallest, you may not the strongest, and you may end up NOT winning the Stankovic Cup (unlike the William Jones Cup), but WE BELIEVE that you will prove, that when it comes to deciding WHO IS THE BEST IN BASKETBALL here in our part of the world, THE PHILIPPINES deserves to be part of THAT conversation. And as YOU fight for that RESPECT and RECOGNITION, we hope that it gives the FIBA officials the extra push (aside from the presentation of SBP, PBA, & MVP) and award us the hosting rights to host the FIBA ASIA CHAMPIONSHIPS next year, which will greater help in our campaign to reach the FIBA World Basketball Championships.

Go Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0 … though we may not be physically with you, the GLOBAL FILIPINO COMMUNITY will be rooting and praying for you!

(evidence: your games trend on twitter WORLDWIDE)

Air 21′s Pumaren dreams of Green Archers reunion with Ginebra’s Cortez

Rey Joble, InterAKTV · Thursday, September 13, 2012 · 10:30 pm

AKTV/Paul Ryan Tan

As the Cool Cat of the De La Salle Green Archers, Mike Cortez spent some of his best years on the basketball court playing for coach Franz Pumaren.
These days, the Air 21 coach couldn’t help but dream about being reunited with his former star point guard, who now plies his wares at Ginebra.
“It will be good if we have a reunion of sorts,” Pumaren told InterAKTV in a telephone interview. “Besides, we badly need a dependable point guard.”
Air 21 has embarked on a massive buildup in the offseason that saw the team welcoming Noy Baclao, Rob Reyes, KG Canaleta, and John Wilson into its fold. It also signed rookies Yousef Taha and Simon Atkins, another former La Salle player.
Ginebra has also seen some radical changes in its lineup, highlighted by the acquisition of star point guard LA Tenorio, whose entry is expected to cut Cortez’s minutes. Apart from those two players, Jayjay Helterbrand and Rob Labagala are also expected to man the point for Ginebra.
Cortez had a witty reply when informed about his former coach’s interest in his services: “Might as well bring in Mac Cardona, Ren-Ren Ritualo and the other members of the La Salle champion squad in Air 21.”
Cardona plays for Meralco, while Ritualo is already with the Express.
Turning serious, Cortez said isn’t looking to leave Ginebra. “I’m happy with where I am now. I’m at the stage of my career where my focus is geared towards winning a championship,” he said.
“Management did a great job getting good players for our squad.”
He acknowledged, however, that staying with Ginebra is not just up to him
“I leave it all up to them what happens in my career. All I want to do is play for whichever team I am with. That’s something you don’t have control of.”

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/air-21s-pumaren-dreams-of-green-archers-reunion-with-ginebras-cortez

VIDEO | SMART-Gilas Gangnam Style

Jaemark Tordecilla · Thursday, September 13, 2012 · 8:40 pm

Photo courtesy of Chot Reyes

The title says it all.

[ H/T: SMART-Gilas Pilipinas assistant coach Josh Reyes ]
Also see: Unlikely Korean pop star conquers the US with ‘Gangnam Style’

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/video-smart-gilas-gangnam-style

VIDEO | Perpetual Help’s Gangnam Style featuring coach Aric Del Rosario

InterAKTV · Thursday, September 13, 2012 · 11:49 pm

The most impressive thing about the Perpetual Help Altas’ Gangnam Style video? After shooting this, they went out and absolutely destroyed Arellano University by 31 points.

source:http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/video-perpetual-helps-gangnam-style-featuring-coach-aric-del-rosario

JVee Casio acknowledges Tenorio tough act to follow at Alaska

Rey Joble, InterAKTV · Thursday, September 13, 2012 · 9:59 pm

AKTV/Paolo Papa

JVee Casio had his fair share of brilliant moments in his rookie year last season, but he said LA Tenorio is a tough act to follow.
“His shoes are too big to fill. There’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders now because he is such a good player,” said Casio.
Tenorio had been the face of the Aces franchise before the team traded him along with Wesley Gonzales and Hans Thiele in a deal that netted them Casio, Dondon Hontiveros, and a future second round pick.
It won’t be the first time Casio is taking over Tenorio. Both players were part of the vaunted San Beda high school basketball program, and Casio took over for Tenorio as the Red Cubs’ main man after the latter left for college.
Casio said he doesn’t want to put pressure on himself by thinking about replacing Tenorio. But he feels right at home with Alaska, which runs a structured offense — something he is at home with after playing for coach Rajko Toroman as part of SMART-Gilas Pilipinas.
“We’re running a system that gives everyone equal opportunities. The system won’t center around me, but all five players playing inside the court,” said Casio, who added that he’s no stranger to the triangle offense preferred by Alaska coach Luigi Trillo.
“We were running that when we were in grade school. It was Coach Ernie Magsanoc (brother of PBA great Ronnie Magsanoc) who introduced the system to us. Medyo nangangapa ulit ako kasi it’s been a long time since I’ve played within the triangle.”

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/jvee-casio-acknowledges-tenorio-tough-act-to-follow-at-alaska

Meralco open to trading PBA rights to Asi Taulava

Rey Joble, InterAKTV · Thursday, September 13, 2012 · 11:04 pm

AKTV/Paul Ryan Tan

Despite Asi Taulava’s departure to the ASEAN Basketball League’s San Miguel Beermen, the Meralco Bolts will retain PBA rights of first refusal to the veteran center.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud said rights to Taulava will remain with the Bolts indefinitely since the team extended the player a tender offer.
But Bolts executive Mon Segismundo said Meralco is open to trading Taulava’s rights should another team show interest in the center.
“We are always on a lookout for trade transactions that will give value to the Bolts,” wrote Segismundo in a text message to InterAKTV.
The San Miguel Beermen squad is owned by San Miguel Corporation, which also bankrolls PBA teams Ginebra, Petron, and San Mig Coffee.
Taulava’s agent Sheryl Reyes, however, said that the slotman isn’t thinking about a return to the PBA just yet.
“Asi is focused winning a championship and the ABL is a big chance for him. It’s been a long time since he had that feeling,” said Reyes, who also expressed gratitude for Taulava’s former team.
“We are very grateful to Meralco. If they do end up trading Asi’s rights, then we will respect that.”
The Bolts have started to move on from the Taulava era, acquiring veterans Carlo Sharma and Sunday Salvacion from Barako Bull for Jason Ballesteros.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/meralco-open-to-trading-pba-rights-to-asi-taulava

GlobalPort signs free agent guard Marvin Cruz

InterAKTV · Friday, September 14, 2012 · 12:22 am

Photo courtesy of the ASEAN Basketball League

Former University of the Philippines point guard Marvin Cruz is making a PBA return after being signed by the GlobalPort Batang Pier.
GlobalPort team manager BJ Manalo confirmed the deal to InterAKTV.
Cruz, who spent the past season with the Bangkok Cobras in the ASEAN Basketball League, is expected to shore up the Batang Pier’s point guard spot after they lost JVee Casio in a trade that brought back Willie Miller.
The 5-foot-8 lefty guard last played in the PBA in the 2010-11 season with Barako Bull.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/globalport-signs-free-agent-guard-marvin-cruz

'Great Wall' stands in Gilas' way in Tokyo bow By Gerry Ramos

Chot Reyes says his Smart Gilas team was dwarfed by the young Chinese during the opening rites. 

CLUELESS the night before, Smart Gilas-Pilipinas 2.0 finally got a glimpse of the team from China it will be facing right on opening day of the Fiba Asia Cup championship at the Ota gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.

Attending the formal opening ceremonies of the meet that kicks off Friday, coach Chot Reyes was stunned at the sight of his Gilas team being dwarfed by the taller Chinese players, at least three of whom stand seven feet tall.

“We look like participants in d mini-midget division beside China,” Reyes tweeted on his account@coachot. “Seriously, 3 7-footers.”

Reyes and his team arrived in the Japanese capital late Wednesday night, clueless on the kind of team from China they will be up against in their 4:30 p.m. duel on Friday.

The Chinese didn’t check in at their hotel until two hours past midnight of Thursday.

“We haven’t seen them. We are hoping to see them during breakfast, but so far, they have been out of sight,” said Reyes shortly before Gilas 2.0 conducted its first practice in Tokyo.

A photo from Larry Fonacier's Twitter account shows 5-7 LA Tenorio being dwarfed by a Chinese player as they line up at the buffet table. Photo from @findingheaven12

One of the Chinese seven-footers could be Wang Zhelin, who was part of the team’s youth team that bagged the gold medal in the recent Fiba-Asia U18 championship in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.

Zhelin averaged 22.3 points to lead the Chinese past Korea, 93-91, and win the same tournament where the Energen-Pilipinas team of coach Olsen Racela finished sixth overall.

Reports rom China had it that the Chinese are already setting their sights on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after disbanding their national team in the wake of a disappointing 12^th place finish in the recent London Games.

China, according to reports, is beginning to prepare its under-20 players for the Olympics four years from now, with the Fiba Asia Cup – formerly known as the Stankovic Cup – the first in a series of international tournaments it will be playing in.

But the Chinese are not the only worries for the Nationals in their first international foray since winning the championship of the 34^thWilliam Jones Cup in Taipei two weeks ago.

Aside from being bracketed with China in Group A, Smart Gilas 2.0 is also in the company of  defending champion Lebanon, which will be bringing back the ageing but still talented Fhadi El-Khatib to lead its charge.

The only team to beat Gilas in the Jones Cup, the Lebanese also have in their fold naturalized player Jarrid Famous, the former Meralco import, Elie Stephan, and Akl Rodriguez.

Gilas plays Lebanon on Saturday, followed by Uzbekistan (Sunday), and Macau (Monday).

Group B will have Iran, Chinese-Taipei, Qatar, Japan, and India.

The top four teams in the group advance in the crossover, knockout stage of the meet, where the top three finishers get outright berths to next year’s Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship.

Smart Gilas-Pilipinas under coach Rajko Toroman finished fourth during the 2010 edition of the event in Lebanon.

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/great-wall-stands-in-gilas-way-in-tokyo-bow

PBA LENDS HAND TO SBP IN BID FOR 2013 FIBA ASIA MEET HOSTING

• 
  

Published on September 10, 2012

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will lend its full support to the Samahang Basketbol ng
Pilipinas (SBP) when the cage body lobbies for the country’s hosting of the FIBA-Asia Men’s
Championship next week.

League commissioner Chito Salud confirmed he’ll form part of the delegation that travels to Tokyo,
Japan on Sept. 18 to make a case before executives of FIBA-Asia about the Philippines’ capability
to stage an event as big as the qualifier for the 2014 FIBA-World Championships.

Salud will be with a small but important group of Filipino basketball officials travelling to the
Japanese capital for the country’s presentation of its hosting bid. The SBP will be led by
president Manny V. Pangilinan, vice-chairman Ricky Vargas, executive director Sonny Barrios, and
former FIBA-Asia secretary general Moying Martelino.

The PBA Board of Governors will also pitch in its support as Salud is going to be accompanied by
Chairman Robert Non, Vice-chairman Ramon Segismundo, and Treasurer Ely Capacio.

Aside from the Philippines, also bidding to host the 2013 FIBA-Asia meet are Iran and late entry
Japan.

“I intend to impress upon our leaders in FIBA-Asia that the PBA is one with the SBP in its quest
to regain basketball supremacy here in Asia,” said Salud. “Unequivocal is our support of SBP’s
quest to host the FIBA-Asia qualifying tournament here in 2013 and we want to make sure (FIBA-Asia)
secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon gets that message.

Khajirian recently visited the country for an ocular inspection of the Mall of Asia Arena, and came
away impressed with the newly-built playing venue patterned after some of the arenas owned by NBA
teams.

The country hosted the inaugural staging of the biennial meet in 1960 when it was still known as the
Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship. A five-time winner – second in the history of
the event – the Philippine last hosted the cagefest in 1973.

Salud believes Filipino basketball fans are excited about the prospect of  bringing the FIBA-Asia
championship here after Smart Gilas-Pilipinas 2.0 won the 34th William Jones Cup basketball
tournament in Taipei recently.

He said the country’s chances of qualifying for the FIBA-World Championship in Spain two years
from now would be even better if the meet is held here given the expected hot reception of the local
fans and considering that the top three teams earn outright berths to the tournament many consider
as the ‘Olympics of basketball.’

“We in the PBA stand side-by-side with FIBA and the SBP in making sure that Asian basketball is
developed to its peak,” added Salud.

The effort of the commissioner to help the SBP in its hosting bid is the second major support
Asia’s pioneering cage league has extended to the country’s governing body in basketball under
Salud’s watch.

Working hand-in-hand with the entire PBA Board, Salud allowed the lending of 16 pro players –
later increased to 20 – to the national training pool which later formed the core of Smart Gilas
2.0 handled by coach Chot Reyes.

Following the Nationals’ success in the Jones Cup, they embark on yet another campaign as they see
action in the FIBA Asia Cup (formerly known as the Stankovic Cup) set Sept. 14 to 22 in Tokyo, Japan
that coincides with the FIBA-Asia executive meeting.

Salud and the members of the Board will also support the title drive of the Nationals by watching
some of their scheduled games.

source: 

http://www.pba.ph/news/entry/1796

LA and Ginebra test Global Port mettle in PBA opener By Gerry Ramos

LA Tenorio will be tested by the double-barreled backcourt combo of Gary David and Willie Miller in the lone game ushering the PBA season on September 30. Jerome Ascano

LA Tenorio will be up against the reigning scoring champion and a former two-time MVP when he officially makes his Ginebra San Miguel debut on September 30.
Tenorio and the Kings earn the distinction of getting the first crack at league newcomer Global Port Batang Pier when the two teams collide in the lone game of the Philippine Cup ushering the start of the 38^th season of the PBA.
The league officially released the schedule of games for the season-opening tournament on Thursday.
The Batang Pier, the same franchise that took over the Powerade team, are bannered by the explosive backcourt duo of Willie Miller and Gary David.
The two are expected to give Tenorio a tough time as he suits up in a Ginebra uniform for the first time since the Kings landed him in the biggesr deal on the offseason.

SOURCE: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/la-and-ginebra-test-global-port-mettle-in-pba-opener

PBA SCHEDULES SEPT 30- OCT 10, 2012

2013 PHILIPPINE CUP

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  6:00 PM

• GAME

  1

  	Brgy Ginebra San Miguel
  	Global Port Batang Pier

OCTOBER 3, 2012

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  5:15 PM

• GAME

  2

  	Barako Bull Energy Cola
  	Air21 Express

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  7:30

• GAME

  3

  	Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
  	Petron Blaze Boosters

OCTOBER 5, 2012

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  5:15 PM

• GAME

  4

  	Meralco Bolts
  	Talk N Text Tropang Texters

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  7:30

• GAME

  5

  	Alaska Aces
  	San Mig Coffee Mixers

OCTOBER 7, 2012

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  4:15 PM

• GAME

  6

  	Air21 Express
  	Global Port Batang Pier

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  6:30

• GAME

  7

  	Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
  	Brgy Ginebra San Miguel

OCTOBER 10, 2012

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  5:15 PM

• GAME

  8

  	Alaska Aces
  	Meralco Bolts

• SMART ARANETA COLISEUM
  7:30

• GAME

  9

  	Barako Bull Energy Cola
  	Petron Blaze Boosters

Alaska, San Mig meet again in Cebu tourney By Gerry Ramos

Alaska coach Luigi Trillo and the Aces have won two of three preseason games so far. Jerome Ascano

A FOUR-team mini-tournament featuring San Mig Coffee, Alaska, Talk ’N Text and a local squad will be held in Cebu City as part of the three teams’ preparation for the coming 38th season of the PBA.
Alaska coach Luigi Trillo said the meet will be held from September 21-23 and features Cebu-based M. Lhuillier team, which is going to be beefed up by two imports.
“I like going there (Cebu) because of the physicality of the game, which I think would help toughen us for the coming season,” stressed the young mentor.
The pocket tournament may likely pave the way for a return match between Tim Cone's Mixers and his former team Alaska, whose preseason match last Tuesday was halted by Cone after disagreeing with a referee's call.
Trillo  said highly-touted San Sebastian forward Calvin Abueva, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s rookie draft, will not be able to join the team in the three-day meet as the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is still ongoing.
“But we need this buildup as we still have a lot to work on,” said Trillo, whose Aces so far are 2-1 in their series of tune-up games, beating Petron and San Mig Coffee, while losing to Barako Bull.
 Tim Cone said he’s also looking forward to the Cebu trip.
“Always love it there and the Cebuano fans. Nothing like them,” said Cone on his Twitter account @manilacone.

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/alaska-san-mig-meet-again-in-pocket-cebu-tilt