Day to remember in PBA

By Fidel R. Mangonon III

August 31, 2012 -- This day will be remembered for a lot of things.

One should be about the trade that sent LA Tenorio to Barangay Ginebra, JVee Casio and Dondon Hontiveros to Alaska, Willie Miller to Global Port, Rico Villanueva to Barako Bull and Wesley Gonzales and Hans Thiele to Petron Blaze.

The day also saw Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0 submitting a virtually intact lineup for the coming 4^th FIBA Asia Cup from September 14 to 22 in Tokyo, Japan, from its title-winning roster in the recent 34^th Jones Cup in Taiwan.

Or it can be remembered for the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the western seaboard of the country.

But for almost half of the players in the Philippine Basketball Association this past season, or 60 to be exact, it is the day their playing contracts expired with their mother teams and a day which most of them will start facing an uncertain future.

Ten other players had their contracts expiring before that day.

For sure some of these players have already renewed their contracts like Barangay Ginebra’s Rob Labagala and Nic Belasco, who has signed with Alaska. But I still have no word on the others although for sure the marquee players aren’t going to have any problems.

The list of players whose contracts expired on Friday includes six MVP winners – Barangay Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and Eric Menk, Global Port’s Willie Miller, Meralco’s Asi Taulava and Talk ‘N Text’s Kelly Williams.

Here’s the complete list of players whose contracts expired August 31, 2012:

Alaska:  Gabby Espinas, Paolo Bugia, Brandon Cablay, Julius Pasculado, Ariel Mepana, Ervin Sotto, Nino Gelig

Air21:  Mark Isip, Bitoy Omolon, Pong Escobal, Khazim Mirza, Brian Faundo

Barako Bull: Danny Seigle, Mick Pennisi, Don Allado, Sunday Salvacion, Ronald Tubid, Carlo Sharma, Jimbo Aquino, Shawn Weinstein, Lou Gatumbato

Barangay Ginebra: Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Eric Menk, Rudy Hatfield, Mike Cortez, Billy Mamaril, Willie Wilson, John Wilson, Rob Labagala

Global Port: Lordy Tugade, Willie Miller

Meralco: Asi Taulava, Mark Macapagal, JayR Reyes, Gilbert Bulawan, Yousif Aljamal, Dennis Daa, Eric Canlas, Chris Timberlake, Jason Ballesteros

Petron Blaze: Chris Lutz, Chico Lanete, Rob Reyes, RJ Rizada

Rain or Shine: Ronnie Matias

San Mig Coffee (formerly B-Meg): Rafi Reavis, Jonas Villanueva, Jerwin Gaco, Joe Devance, Josh Urbiztondo, JC Intal, Yancy de Ocampo, Mike Burtscher

Talk ‘N Text: Kelly Willliams, Ali Peek, Rich Alvarez, Aaron Aban, Bambam Gamalinda, Gilbert Lao

And here’s the list of players whose contracts expired last July 31, 2012:

Air21: Hyram Bagatsing

Talk ‘N Text: Japeth Aguilar

Meralco: Chris Ross

Barako Bull: Doug Kramer, Leo Najorda, Al Vergara

Petron Blaze: Dorian Pena

Others:

Meralco: Mark Yee (July 15, 2012)

Global Port: Nic Belasco (July 17, 2012) *

Rain or Shine: Jireh Ibanes (Aug. 15, 2012)

* Belasco has since signed a new deal with Alaska

Source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/by-the-numbers/day-to-remember-in-pba