Monday, October 8, 2012
Santos' unanswered prayer By Fidel Mangonon III
Arwind Santos: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Jerome Ascano
LAST season, Petron Blaze forward Arwind Santos made it to his fifth straight Mythical First Team, making him the player with the most number of Mythical First Team selections in league history not to have won the MVP award.
Aside from Santos, the other players who have had at least five Mythical First Team selections were Ramon Fernandez (13), Alvin Patrimonio (10), Atoy Co (nine), Bogs Adornado (seven), Philip Cezar (seven), Sonny Jaworski (six), Allan Caidic (six), Johnny Abarrientos (six), Benjie Paras (five), Abet Guidaben (five) and Ricardo Brown (five).
But all of them had won the MVP at least once in their careers.
No other non-MVP winner in league history has had more than three Mythical First Team selections.
Santos has finished second in the MVP race thrice in the last five seasons – to Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams in 2008, Barangay Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand in 2009 and Talk ‘N Text’s Jimmy Alapag in last year.
That was after he also finished second to Williams in 2007 for the Rookie of the Year award while still with Air21, which ironically also drafted him second behind Williams in the 2006 rookie draft.
The two-time UAAP MVP and Defensive Player of the Year also finished second to Helterbrand in the Best Player of the Conference race in the 2009 Fiesta Conference while still with Burger King.
He finally won the BPC plum in last year’s Governors Cup with Petron Blaze but lost to Alapag in the race for season MVP honors. In the 2011-12 Philippine Cup that followed, he was back to playing bridesmaid in the BPC race, finishing second to Powerade’s Gary David.
A native of Pampanga, Santos was named to the Mythical Second Team in his rookie year which means he has actually been named to the Mythical Team every season since he turned pro.
In PBA history, only one other player made it to the Mythical Team in his first six seasons in the league – Great Taste’s Brown who did the trick from 1983 to 1988. But Brown was named MVP in 1985.
Will the 2012-13 season be any different for Santos?
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/by-the-numbers/santos-unanswered-prayer
Aside from Santos, the other players who have had at least five Mythical First Team selections were Ramon Fernandez (13), Alvin Patrimonio (10), Atoy Co (nine), Bogs Adornado (seven), Philip Cezar (seven), Sonny Jaworski (six), Allan Caidic (six), Johnny Abarrientos (six), Benjie Paras (five), Abet Guidaben (five) and Ricardo Brown (five).
But all of them had won the MVP at least once in their careers.
No other non-MVP winner in league history has had more than three Mythical First Team selections.
Santos has finished second in the MVP race thrice in the last five seasons – to Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams in 2008, Barangay Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand in 2009 and Talk ‘N Text’s Jimmy Alapag in last year.
That was after he also finished second to Williams in 2007 for the Rookie of the Year award while still with Air21, which ironically also drafted him second behind Williams in the 2006 rookie draft.
The two-time UAAP MVP and Defensive Player of the Year also finished second to Helterbrand in the Best Player of the Conference race in the 2009 Fiesta Conference while still with Burger King.
He finally won the BPC plum in last year’s Governors Cup with Petron Blaze but lost to Alapag in the race for season MVP honors. In the 2011-12 Philippine Cup that followed, he was back to playing bridesmaid in the BPC race, finishing second to Powerade’s Gary David.
A native of Pampanga, Santos was named to the Mythical Second Team in his rookie year which means he has actually been named to the Mythical Team every season since he turned pro.
In PBA history, only one other player made it to the Mythical Team in his first six seasons in the league – Great Taste’s Brown who did the trick from 1983 to 1988. But Brown was named MVP in 1985.
Will the 2012-13 season be any different for Santos?
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/by-the-numbers/santos-unanswered-prayer
Abueva makes history as Stags claim twice-to-beat edge By Karlo Sacamos
SSC Stags star Calvin Abueva, pictured going for a drive against the San Beda Lions, became the first player in the country's major leagues to lead a season in scoring, rebounds, and assists. Jerome Ascano
CALVIN Abueva stepped up in the absence of Ronald Pascual and made history in the process as San Sebastian scored a huge 69-55 victory over San Beda on Monday night at the end of the elimination round of the 88th NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Proving why he is the best player in college basketball, Abueva delivered in the payoff period by either hitting threes or dishing to his teammates to lift the Stags to their 13th win in 18 games and a season sweep of the Lions.
Finishing with 23 points, 16, rebounds, and three assists, the league’s reigning MVP also became the first player in the country’s major cage leagues to lead a league in points, rebounds, and assists.
With his point total, Abueva finished the season with a 20.1-point average (just a fraction of a point ahead of Letran’s Kevin Alas), 16.4 boards, and 6.5 assists (also just one-tenth of a point ahead of San Beda’s Baser Amer).
The win secured for the Stags the second seed in the Final Four and the twice-to-beat advantage that comes with it.
The Lions nevertheless are assured of the top seed entering the semifinals with a 15-3 elimination-round record.
Although Amer finished with seven assists to threaten Abueva’s record, the sophomore playmaker was held to just four points in 20 minutes off the bench.
“Strategy namin is pilitin wag magkaroon ng kumpiyansa yung Amer, wag siya maka-distribute, at nagawa naman namin,” Stags interim coach Allan Trinidad said.
The Stags chances’ of completing a sweep of the two-time defending champions appeared bleak early on after Pascual was ejected after being slapped with a questionable disqualifying foul on San Beda’s Rome dela Rosa following a rebound play.
For a while, the Stags appeared to cope with his ejection as they managed to hold on to an eight-point halftime lead.
But soon after the Lions, led by Ola Adeogun, staged a third quarter comeback and cut the deficit to just two heading into the final frame.
The Stags, however, made the necessary stops and turned to Abueva in the payoff period as they were never threatened again by the reigning champions.
“Siya (Abueva) lang ang may lakas ng puso tumira sa amin kanina, so sumugal na kami. Kung hindi maka-shoot, recover sa depensa. Although malaking kawalan si Pascual, nakagawa kami ng adjustment. Our defense made it for us,” Trinidad said.
Meanwhile, Trinidad said the Stags, through athletic director Frank Gusi, have appealed to the management committee for the call on Pascual to be downgraded to an ordinary foul to avoid a possible suspension.
The scores
SSC (69) -- Abueva 23, Sangalang 19, Maiquez 13, Juico 6, Gusi 5, Dela Cruz 3, Rebollos 0, Vitug 0, Miranda 0, Antipuesto 0, Pascual 0
SBC (55) -- Dela Rosa 12, Lim 11, Caram 7, K. Pascual 6, J. Pascual 6, Adeogun 5, Dela Cruz 4, Amer 4, Mendoza 0, Ludovice 0, Koga 0
Quarterscores: 9-7, 30-22, 43-41, 69-55.
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/abueva-makes-history-as-stags-claim-twice-to-beat-edge
Proving why he is the best player in college basketball, Abueva delivered in the payoff period by either hitting threes or dishing to his teammates to lift the Stags to their 13th win in 18 games and a season sweep of the Lions.
Finishing with 23 points, 16, rebounds, and three assists, the league’s reigning MVP also became the first player in the country’s major cage leagues to lead a league in points, rebounds, and assists.
With his point total, Abueva finished the season with a 20.1-point average (just a fraction of a point ahead of Letran’s Kevin Alas), 16.4 boards, and 6.5 assists (also just one-tenth of a point ahead of San Beda’s Baser Amer).
The win secured for the Stags the second seed in the Final Four and the twice-to-beat advantage that comes with it.
The Lions nevertheless are assured of the top seed entering the semifinals with a 15-3 elimination-round record.
Although Amer finished with seven assists to threaten Abueva’s record, the sophomore playmaker was held to just four points in 20 minutes off the bench.
“Strategy namin is pilitin wag magkaroon ng kumpiyansa yung Amer, wag siya maka-distribute, at nagawa naman namin,” Stags interim coach Allan Trinidad said.
The Stags chances’ of completing a sweep of the two-time defending champions appeared bleak early on after Pascual was ejected after being slapped with a questionable disqualifying foul on San Beda’s Rome dela Rosa following a rebound play.
For a while, the Stags appeared to cope with his ejection as they managed to hold on to an eight-point halftime lead.
But soon after the Lions, led by Ola Adeogun, staged a third quarter comeback and cut the deficit to just two heading into the final frame.
The Stags, however, made the necessary stops and turned to Abueva in the payoff period as they were never threatened again by the reigning champions.
“Siya (Abueva) lang ang may lakas ng puso tumira sa amin kanina, so sumugal na kami. Kung hindi maka-shoot, recover sa depensa. Although malaking kawalan si Pascual, nakagawa kami ng adjustment. Our defense made it for us,” Trinidad said.
Meanwhile, Trinidad said the Stags, through athletic director Frank Gusi, have appealed to the management committee for the call on Pascual to be downgraded to an ordinary foul to avoid a possible suspension.
The scores
SSC (69) -- Abueva 23, Sangalang 19, Maiquez 13, Juico 6, Gusi 5, Dela Cruz 3, Rebollos 0, Vitug 0, Miranda 0, Antipuesto 0, Pascual 0
SBC (55) -- Dela Rosa 12, Lim 11, Caram 7, K. Pascual 6, J. Pascual 6, Adeogun 5, Dela Cruz 4, Amer 4, Mendoza 0, Ludovice 0, Koga 0
Quarterscores: 9-7, 30-22, 43-41, 69-55.
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/abueva-makes-history-as-stags-claim-twice-to-beat-edge
Tams reunite at San Mig By Mei-Lin Lozada
“Syempre masaya ako kasi may kakilala na ako sa team, may nakakakulitan na ako kasi andyan si Mark at si Kuya Jonas,” says former Tamaraws center Aldrech Ramos. Jerome Ascano
IT’S not surprising if rookie big man Aldrech Ramos readily feels at home with the San Mig Coffee team.
Suiting up for the Mixers meant a reunion of sorts for the 6-foot-5 Ramos with former Far Eastern University teammate Mark Barroca and ex-Tamaraw Jonas Villanueva.
Barroca also happened to be a fellow Smart-Gilas Pilipinas batchmate during their stint with the national team.
No wonder, the fifth overall pick in the last rookie draft said he immediately felt comfortable with the Mixers and their coach Tim Cone.
“Syempre masaya ako kasi may kakilala na ako sa team, may nakakakulitan na ako kasi andyan si Mark at si Kuya Jonas,” said the former Tamaraws center.
Ramos was originally picked by Barako Bull in the first round, but was shipped right away to the Mixers in exchange for Fil-Am Sean Anthony and San Mig Coffee’s pick in the second round (no. 12), which Barako used to select San Beda’s Dave Marcelo.
Although a little bit surprised following the draft-day trade, Ramos was nonetheless thrilled to reunite with Barocca.
Ramos also noted how the two former FEU stars in the San Mig team had been very supportive to a rookie like him.
“Blessed ako na kasama ko sila dito sa team. Nagpa-payo sila sa akin ano ang gagawin ko, pag may mali or kailangan i-improve andyan sila para mag-advice,” he said.
Ramos gave a good account of himself in his PBA debut. In 10 minutes of action, he finished with six points – on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field – and two rebounds as the Mixers routed Alaska Aces, 103-83.
Villanueva, the Mixers’ team captain, is happy to see San Mig Coffee land another ex-FEU player like him and Barroca.
“Masaya ako na may ibang FEU na nagsa-succeed da PBA. Excited ako para sa kanila na ipakita nila yung kaya nila,” said Villanueva.
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/special-reports/tams-reunite-at-san-mig
Suiting up for the Mixers meant a reunion of sorts for the 6-foot-5 Ramos with former Far Eastern University teammate Mark Barroca and ex-Tamaraw Jonas Villanueva.
Barroca also happened to be a fellow Smart-Gilas Pilipinas batchmate during their stint with the national team.
No wonder, the fifth overall pick in the last rookie draft said he immediately felt comfortable with the Mixers and their coach Tim Cone.
“Syempre masaya ako kasi may kakilala na ako sa team, may nakakakulitan na ako kasi andyan si Mark at si Kuya Jonas,” said the former Tamaraws center.
Ramos was originally picked by Barako Bull in the first round, but was shipped right away to the Mixers in exchange for Fil-Am Sean Anthony and San Mig Coffee’s pick in the second round (no. 12), which Barako used to select San Beda’s Dave Marcelo.
Although a little bit surprised following the draft-day trade, Ramos was nonetheless thrilled to reunite with Barocca.
Ramos also noted how the two former FEU stars in the San Mig team had been very supportive to a rookie like him.
“Blessed ako na kasama ko sila dito sa team. Nagpa-payo sila sa akin ano ang gagawin ko, pag may mali or kailangan i-improve andyan sila para mag-advice,” he said.
Ramos gave a good account of himself in his PBA debut. In 10 minutes of action, he finished with six points – on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field – and two rebounds as the Mixers routed Alaska Aces, 103-83.
Villanueva, the Mixers’ team captain, is happy to see San Mig Coffee land another ex-FEU player like him and Barroca.
“Masaya ako na may ibang FEU na nagsa-succeed da PBA. Excited ako para sa kanila na ipakita nila yung kaya nila,” said Villanueva.
source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/special-reports/tams-reunite-at-san-mig
VIDEO | Cliff Hodge and Alex Mallari face off in a rap battle
Meralco’s Cliff Hodge and Petron’s Alex Mallari battled in a different arena in Sunday’s edition of the AKTV Center. The rookies came with their best rhymes, but who came away with the win?
For more videos from the AKTV Center, visit the official Facebook page.
source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/video-cliff-hodge-and-alex-mallari-face-off-in-a-rap-battle
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