Fiba Asia Cup: Philippines settles for fourth after defeat to Qatar

September 22, 2012 2:48pm

The Philippines was forced to settle for fourth place in the Fiba Asia Cup after falling 79-63 to Qatar, Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Trailing by nine at the break, Gilas got within three, 41-38, on a two-pointer by Gary David off his own miss, a little over four minutes into the third. However, the Philippines went silent in the final two minutes of the period as Qatar built their lead back to seven, 55-48.

Two charities by Omer Salem made it an 11-point affair, 59-48, with 8:19 left in the game, and though charities by David off a technical foul called on the Qatar coach had it down to seven anew, four straight triples by Qatar burnt the Philippines. That put the Gilas quintet in an insurmountable hole, 73-56 with three minutes left.

Marcus Douthit shook off an ankle sprain in the second period to lead the Filipinos with 17 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes of play. Gary David added 15 on 5-of-13 shooting, while Jared Dillinger chimed in 12 markers.

Jones Cup MVP LA Tenorio played just six minutes, and chipped in two points, an assist and a steal off the bench.

Qatar hit just one more field goal than the Philippines, 26-5, but they were 9-of-27 from downtown, compared to a measly 2-of-18. The Smart Gilas five were also out-rebounded 47-31, but they at least controlled their turnovers, committing only 11. - AMD, GMA News

SOURCE GMANETWORK.COM

Meralco to wear throwback MICAA jerseys in upcoming PBA campaign

Rey Joble, InterAKTV · Saturday, September 22, 2012 · 12:37 pm

Robert Jaworski's Meralco jersey from 1971 in the defunct MICAA. Photo courtesy of Carlo Ricohermoso

As the Meralco Bolts look to a brighter future, they pay tribute to a glorious basketball past.
The team will be wearing the colors of the 1971 Meralco Reddy Kilowatts, a legendary team from the old MICAA, the precursor of the PBA. Team executive Mon Segismundo revealed the plans to InterAKTV in a text message.
The Reddies, bannered by Robert Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz, Orly Bauzon, Jimmy Mariano and the late Big Boy Reynoso among others, were a powerhouse team in the MICAA, forging a feverish rivalry with another fabled squad, the Crispa Redmanizers.
The Meralco-Crispa rivalry was the precursor of the Toyota-Crispa rivalry that spilled over in the PBA.

SOURCE AKTV

Johnny Abarrientos -SMC Mixers Assistant Coach

One of Our Assistant Coaches

Johnny Abarrientos

Position Point Guard
Current Team Retired - No. 14

Personal Info
Country Philippines
Born July 17, 1970 (age 42)
Naga City
Height 5 ft. 7 in.
Weight 160 lbs.
College Far Eastern University

Career Highlights
Draft 3rd overall 1993
by Alaska Milkmen
Pro Career 1993 – 2010
Also played for Alaska Aces (1993-2001)
Pop Cola Panthers (2001-2002)
Coca-Cola Tigers (2002-2006)
Barangay Ginebra Kings (2006-2009), (2010)

Awards Received
PBA All-Star (1994-2001)
1994 PBA Mythical First Team
1994 PBA All-Defensive Team
1995 PBA Mythical First Team
1996 PBA Most Valuable Player
1996 PBA Mythical First Team
1996 PBA All-Defensive Team
1996 PBA Governor's Cup Finals Most Valuable Player
1997 PBA Governor's Cup Finals Most Valuable Player
1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup Best Player of the Conference
1997 PBA Mythical First Team
1997 PBA All-Defensive Team
1998 PBA Mythical First Team
1999 PBA Mythical First Team
1999 PBA All-Defensive Team
1999 PBA Two-Ball Competition Co-Champion (w/ Kenneth Duremdes)
2003 PBA Mythical Second Team
2004-05 PBA All-Defensive Team 

JAMES Yap and company were too much for the Cebuano

JAMES Yap and company were too much for the Cebuano basketball heavyweights as San Mig Coffee Mixers romped off with an 82-69 win over the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños in the opening game of the 2012 Mayor Mike L. Rama PBA Pre-Season Invitational Basketball Tournament held at the Cebu Coliseum last night.

Today, the Niños will try to rebound when they face the Norman Black-mentored Talk 

‘N Text Tropang Texters at 5 p.m., while San Mig Coffee will mix it up with Alaska Aces in the main game at 7 p.m.

Check our new look and tell us what you think.

As of press time, the Dondon Hontiveros-led Alaska Aces were locking horns with the Tropang Texters.

Yap, who played sparingly, scored 14 points for the Mixers, including a fire-dousing trey at the final 4:43 of the game that snapped the growing momentum of the Niños.

Starting the final period with a basket by rookie Aldrech Ramos that re-established the Mixers’ 20-point lead, 64-44, MLKP suddenly found life behind Mark Ababon, who was inserted into the game in the last seconds of the third quarter.

The biggest lead of the game was at 22 points, 56-34, on Mark Barroca’s basket at the
8:17 mark of the third quarter.

Ababon and Nat Cruz had a triple and a basket each and Richard Ian Saladaga added four fastbreak points for the Niños’ 16-9 blast that pulled the Cebuano squad to within 60-73 at the 5:05 mark before Yap sank the dagger.

Two more points from the free throws by Yap at the 3:34 mark, virtually wrapped up the game for San Mig Coffee as both teams reshuffled their players to have its third stringers finish the game.

MLKP were trading shots with the Mixers for the first 12 minutes, holding San Mig Coffee to four deadlocks and five lead changes before coach Tim Cone’s boys dominated the second quarter.

San Mig Coffee started the second with a 6-0 run and closed it with a 9-0 blast to lead 46-30 at the bend.

Helping Yap were Peter June Simon, who scored 13 and Ramos added 10 for San Mig Coffee while Abbey Santos and Saladaga topscored for M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala with 11 points each.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 22, 2012.

COURTESY OF MHARCK GOMEZ

Shocked Eagles officials brace for 'huge blow' after MVP pullout By the staff

Top Ateneo backer Manny Pangilinan has cut his ties with his alma mater citing "irreconcilable differences' over their stands on mining and the Reproductive Health Bill. Jerome Ascano

MANNY Pangilinan’s pullout of his support for Ateneo came as a complete shock to the Eagles’ top officials, who were left to brace for a “huge blow” for the school’s sports programs.
At least two top team officials begged off from making any comments about the issue, admitting only that they didn’t see the parting of ways coming.
“We don’t know how to react at this point,” said one team official who request that he not be named. “I think no one saw any signs of this happening.”
On Friday, the business tycoon announced he is parting ways with Ateneo due to “irreconcilable differences” over his alma mater’s stand on mining and the Reproductive Health Bill.
The school’s sports programs are expected to take a direct hit from the fallout, having enjoyed Pangilinan’s financial and moral support through the years.
In fact, Pangilinan’s entry has sparked a renaissance for the school’s basketball team, which has won the past four UAAP championships thanks to MVP’s financial backing.
Asked on how big the support MVP has extended to the team, another team official let out a sigh, gathered his thoughts, and said: “HUGE.”
“It’s really huge,” he added. “Not only financially but also in terms of moral support. He’s basically a member of the team.”
The school has attracted the best talent available for its basketball programs in recent years, among them LA Tenorio, Kiefer Ravena and seven-footer Greg Slaughter.
With the financial backing, Ateneo was also among the first schools to start the practice of sending teams overseas for training.
Pangilinan’s pullout also comes at a time when another tycoon, Danding Cojuangco, has taken over as the chief benefactor of the Eagles arch-rivals, the La Salle Archers.

SOURCE SPIN.PH

PBA Opening Day Muses (FINAL)

Global Port -- SAM PINTO

San Mig Coffee -- ANNE CURTIS

Petron Blaze -- ISABELLE DAZA

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel -- GEORGINA WILSON

Alaska -- VICKY MORALES

Talk 'n Text -- ALICE DIXSON

Rain or Shine -- Mutya ng Pilipinas 2012 CAMILLE GUEVARRA

Air21 -- Miss Earth 2012 STEPHANIE STEFANOWITZ

Barako Bull -- CIANE SIMONES XAVIER (model)

Meralco -- STEPHANIE ROWE (Artista Academy)

Chot Reyes takes full responsibility for SMART-Gilas loss to Iran

InterAKTV · Friday, September 21, 2012 · 7:12 pm

InterAKTV file photo/Justin Gener

It’s all on him.
SMART-Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes said he’s to blame for the national team’s 77-60 defeat to Iran in the semifinals of the FIBA Asia cup Friday in Tokyo, Japan.
“23 turnovers. Weren’t ready to play. I take full responsibility,” wrote Reyes on his Twitter account after the game.
A day after committing 21 turnovers against Chinese Taipei, the Philippines was once again plagued by errors, which allowed Iran to turn a tight 50-47 contest in the third quarter into a blowout in the fourth.
The loss relegated SMART-Gilas to the battle for third. Several players chimed in on Twitter to apologize to Filipino basketball fans and promise a better effort for the bronze medal match.
“Apologies for letting the country down tonight,” wrote Gabe Norwood on his feed. “Only option now is to bounce back tomorrow and finish on somewhat of a high note.”
“We will bounce back from today. We will place third. There’s nothing else to say,” added Jared Dillinger.
But while he accepted the responsibility for for the team’s loss, Reyes clarified that there was something he wasn’t taking the blame for.
“I didn’t deserve the (technical foul) for talking to (Gabe Norwood) two minutes into the game from the LEBANESE ref,” said Reyes. The coach was among those who had criticized FIBA Asia for awarding the hosting rights to next year’s championship to Lebanon despite what he called a better presentation from the Philippines. FIBA Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian is, incidentally, Lebanese.
SMART-Gilas will take on the loser of the other semifinal pairing between Japan and Qatar.

SOURCE AKTV

June Mar Fajardo can make it to the NBA, says Dorian Peña

Friday, September 21, 2012 · 3:10 pm

Veteran Petron center Dorian Peña has a word of warning for other PBA big men who will try to guard top overall pick June Mar Fajardo: Look out!
“He’s strong, he’s got the height, he can shoot and he can run. To all the players who will try to stop him, look out,” Peña told InterAKTV in an exclusive interview at his restaurant in Marcos Highway.
Peña has had the opportunity to size up the 6-foot-10 rookie out of Cebu, and he likes what he’s seen so far.
“How many Filipino players who are 6-foot-10, can shoot, can run and has strong body? If several people believe Japeth Aguilar has a chance of making it to the NBA, I think June Mar has a better chance of making it to the big league,” said Peña.
The 6-foot-9 Aguilar is one of the most physically-gifted Filipino players, but has struggled in the rough and tumble PBA game. He is currently in the United States and has reportedly attended open workouts of several NBA and D-League teams.
Unlike Fajardo, however, Aguilar plays the forward position because of his lack of bulk. That’s not a problem for Fajardo, who weighed in at 268.4 pounds during the PBA’s pre-draft measurements.
But before he can dream bigger dreams, Fajardo has to prove himself first against top centers in Philippine shores. He makes his much-anticipated debut when the Petron Blaze Boosters take on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on October 3.

SOURCE AKTV

Other Ginebra point guards agree: Tenorio is the main point man

Rey Joble, InterAKTV · Friday, September 21, 2012 · 2:55 pm

AKTV/Paul Ryan Tan

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel point guards have spoken, and it’s unanimous: newly-acquired LA Tenorio is the lead point guard for the Gin Kings this season.
Jayjay Helterbrand, Mike Cortez, and Rob Labagala have no problem if the newest member of the squad gets majority of the minutes and the spotlight.
“Egos have to be set aside in quest of a championship,” Helterbrand told InterAKTV. “I welcome LA with open arms. Management has done a tremendous job tinkering with our lineup.”
According to the 2009 PBA Most Valuable Player, Tenorio’s inclusion is vital to the team’s championship aspirations.
“We’ve got a right mix of veterans and young players, so I see LA, coming off his spectacular performance in the Jones Cup, will be an important ingredient for us,” said Helterbrand.
Cortez, who was the starting point guard for the Gin Kings for most of last season, knows Tenorio’s entry will take away huge minutes for the other guards, but he said he has already accepted his new role with the squad.
“I’m at the point of my career where I’m not concerned about not getting more minutes,” said Cortez. “I’m at the stage of my career where the only thing I think about is to win a championship.”
Ginebra gave up Enrico Villanueva and two draft picks in a complicated five team deal to bring in Tenorio, and his entry has had the most impact on Rob Labagala. The former University of the East guard has been relegated to Ginebra’s reserve list, and is scheduled to join the San Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Basketball League after the Philippine Cup.
“Malaki talaga ang epekto sa akin sa pagpasok ni LA, pero accepted ko naman ito. Ang importante sa akin, part pa rin ako ng team at yugn pagpasok ni LA, gumanda yung tsansa naming manalo ng championship. Yun ang objective naming lahat, makuha yung championship,” said Labagala, who added that he’s looking forward to a bigger role in the ABL.
“I hope makatulong ako sa San Miguel, kung dati runner-up sila, we’re determined na makatulong na bigyan ang San Miguel ng championship.”

SOURCE AKTV