Talk ‘N Text shoots for Philippine Cup lead vs Air 21; Meralco, GlobalPort tussle

InterAKTV · Wednesday, October 17, 2012 · 12:53 am

AKTV/Paolo Papa

Talk ‘N Text guns for the solo lead against Air 21 as Meralco hopes to follow up its huge win against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel versus winless GlobalPort in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Tropang Texters and the Express square off in the main game at 7:30 p.m. while the Bolts and Batang Pier collide at 5:15 p.m.
Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black officially returns to the PBA after missing the team’s first two games due to his commitment with Ateneo in the UAAP and he will be pitted against his old rival Franz Pumaren, a five-time champion coach of La Salle.
Black was on the bench when Talk ‘N Text defeated GlobalPort, 108-104, one day after leading the Blue Eagles to their fifth straight UAAP crown.
Assistant Nash Racela handled the squad in the first two matches and Black admitted there’s still a lot to be done for the Tropang Texters to reach their full potential.
“The players are still learning the system,” said Black, whose been with the team for only a month now. “A lot of things we need to improve on especially on the defensive end. Give me three to four weeks and we’ll be running smoothly.”
The Express are coming off a tough 99-98 overtime loss to Rain or Shine and Pumaren knows they need to bring their A-game to stand a chance against the powerful Talk ‘N Text quintet.
“We have to limit their transition points and try to slow them down,” said Pumaren.
Meanwhile, Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio cautions his Bolts not to take GlobalPort lightly as the team of coach Glenn Capacio is due for a win after a 0-3 start.
“It is going to be a huge battle against GlobalPort. They are fighting to get their first win and that makes them very dangerous,” said Gregorio.
“We are not leaving anything to chance. We must make sure that we sustain our intensity on defense. The same defensive mindset exhibited against Alaska and Ginebra is required to continue our winning streak,” he added.
The Bolts shocked the favored Kings in Davao City, 95-88, behind the hustle plays of rookie Cliff Hodge and clutch baskets of Mark Cardona, Sol Mercado and Mark Borboran.
The Batang Pier will continue to miss the services of Gary David due to injury and Capacio hopes that Rabeh Al-Hussaini can finally be a contributor both on offense and defense.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/talk-n-text-shoots-for-philippine-cup-lead-vs-air-21-meralco-globalport-tussle

Small but terrible Mark Cruz stands tall, brings home the ‘suka’ for the Letran Knights

Mia Rengie Angela Domingo, InterAKTV · Wednesday, October 17, 2012 · 12:51 am

AKTV/Paul Ryan Tan

Standing just 5-foot-5 and built reed thin, Mark Cruz doesn’t look like he belongs in the basketball court. “Mukha lang siyang nautusang bumili ng suka,” as oldtimers say.
But the second-year Letran point guard, the smallest man on the court during the Knights’ NCAA Season 88 semifinal series against San Sebastian, often stood tall. He erupted for 20 huge points in their 92-74 win over the Stags last Saturday, before carrying the slack for Letran star Kevin Alas in their 73-70 victory to clinch the semis series last Monday.
Even Cruz, the brother of GlobalPort point guard Marvin, is aware that his small statue can be fodder for doubters. “Toyo naman ang binili ko ngayon,” Cruz told InterAKTV in jest shortly after his second explosion against the Stags.
Turning serious, the 20-year-old spitfire said the Knights’ preparation care of coach Louie Alas was the key.
“Nag-focus lang kami sa desire to win at pumasok sa finals. Sobrang pi-nu-push kami ni Coach every practice, day in and day out. Sobra-sobrang push kaya naging ganito kami ka-tough.”
Marvin is a proud sibling, often giving him words of inspiration. “Lagi nya ako ginu-good luck and keep it up daw.”
In the finals against San Beda, Cruz is expected to face a tougher challenge, with the guard trio of Melo Lim, Baser Amer, and Ryusei Koge expected to pounce on him.
Cruz, however, is undeterred.
“Sobrang gustong gusto namin makapunta sa finals. Bliness kami ni God.”

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/small-but-terrible-mark-cruz-stands-tall-brings-home-the-suka-for-the-letran-knights

Injury scare as Fajardo ends up in hospital By the staff

Petron rookie June Mar Fajardo had 16 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and a block against San Mig Coffee on Sunday night despite playing hurt for parts of the match. Jerome Ascano

A DAY after his best game thus far in his young PBA career, Petron’s rookie center Junmar Fajardo has been confined in a hospital after suffering scrotal trauma during the Boosters’ match against San Mig Coffee on Sunday.
The injury came on the heels of Fajardo's best game as a pro, tallying 16 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and a block shot in the Boosters’ 84-90 loss to the Mixers. Apparently, the Cebuano hotshot played hurt during his breakout game.
San Miguel Corporation sports director Noli Eala reported the news on his Twitter account @NoliEala.
“Pls pray for Junmar who is now in d hospital after suffering frm scrotal trauma. He got hit last night in a sensitive area yet endured pain,” wrote Eala.
Eala said that the worst case scenario for the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft is that he will be missing a few games.
“Best case is JF is relieved of swelling in 2-3 days. Worst case is possible surgery n will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks. Hoping for the best,” Eala wrote.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @spinph

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/injury-scare-as-fajardo-ends-up-in-hospital

CHAN EARLY SCORING LEADER; MAIERHOFER CURRENT BOARDS CHAIRMAN

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Published on October 15, 2012

Two weeks into the 2012-13 Philippine Cup and the league’s 38th season, guess who are the top
individual performers so far?

Bouyed up by his career-high 35 points in Rain or Shine’s 99-98 win over Air21 last Friday, it’s
not surprising why Jeff Chan is on top of the scoring list with his 26.7 points per game average
through three games.

Globalport’s Willie Miller and Talk ‘N Text’s Jayson Castro are right behind Chan with their
23.3 and 23.0 points per game averages, respectively.

These three are the only players averaging at least twenty points per game this early in the
conference and season. 

Curiously, Gary David, the scoring leader in the last three seasons and in six of the last seven
conferences, isn’t even in the Top 10 in scoring. David, now with Globalport, is on a slow start
averaging just 13.0 points in his first two games on a very cold 20% shooting from the field (6 of
30).

Like Chan, also helped by a career-high performance in his recent game is Barangay Ginebra San
Miguel’s Rico Maierhofer who is the early leader in rebounding. Maierhofer, who had a career-best
17 rebounds in the Kings’ 95-88 loss to Meralco last Saturday in Digos City, is the current
chairman of the boards with his 12.0 rebounds per outing.

Barako Bull’s Rico Villanueva, Maierhofer’s former teammate at Barangay Ginebra, ranks second in
rebounding with his 11.7 a game while Petron Blaze rookie June Mar Fajardo, the No. 1 overall pick
in the recent PBA Draft, follows next with his 10.7 boards per night. San Mig Coffee’s Yancy de
Ocampo ranks fourth with his 10.0 rpg.

Maierhofer, Villanueva and the elder de Ocampo are the only players averaging a double-double so far
in the conference.

Petron Blaze’s Arwind Santos, the rebounding leader last season (10.7) and in last season’s
Philippine Cup (11.8), is only at No. 6 currently with his 9.3 per game, behind another Barangay
Ginebra San Miguel player in Billy Mamaril who is norming a fifth-best 9.7 rpg.

In other statistical categories, Meralco’s Sol Mercado is lording it over everybody in assists
with his 8.0 per game, two assists per game ahead of the second-running Jonas Villanueva of San Mig
Coffee (6.0 apg).

Showing a different facet to his game this time around, Talk ‘N Text’s Larry Fonacier is the
surprise early leader in steals with his 3.0 per night while Meralco rookie Cliff Hodge, recently
adjudged Accel Player of the Week for the period October 4 to 11, is co-leading the shotblocks
category with his 2.0 a game, the same average of the Mixers’ de Ocampo.

Here are the conference leaders so far through October 14, 2012: http://bit.ly/RLQjPX (or copy/paste
link to your browser's address bar to access)

source: 

http://www.pba.ph/blogs/entry/301

'Pinatubo Trio' left in shock as season ends in disappointment By Mei-Lin Lozada

A season filled with hope ends in disappointment for Calvin Abueva, who finished his career with the Stags without the championship trophy he wanted so much. Jomar Galvez

LONG after the final buzzer had sounded, San Sebastian star Calvin Abueva looked every inch like a man who had no clue what hit him.
Abueva is the NCAA’s most popular player, a triple-double machine who became the first player in local basketball history to lead a major league in scoring, assists, and rebounds in a season. He was so gifted athletically he was picked in the second round by Alaska in the last PBA rookie draft.
Even before the season started, this was already ordained as his moment, when the 6-1 guard signs off with a championship trophy in one hand and an MVP trophy in the other as he leaves San Sebastian as a conquering hero.
Instead, he was no more than a stunned spectator on Monday as the Letran Knights completed an improbable trip to the NCAA Finals.
“Kumpyansa kami na papasok sa Finals,” said Abueva, moments after the twice-to-beat Stags dropped a 70-73 setback to the Knights in their sudden-death match. “Di ko din alam ano nangyari, binigay namin 'yung lahat ng kaya namin pero 'di lang talaga lumusot.”
A season filled with so much hope for Abueva now ends in disappointment. First to go was his MVP trophy, which he lost when he committed a bonehead disqualifying foul in the eliminations. Now he bids goodbye to a championship trophy he had yearned to win.
“Siguro 'di lang para sa amin 'to,” he said, grudgingly accepting defeat. “Sana maging aral sa amin yung mga nangyari, maging aral na rin sa kanilang mga maiiwan (sa team).”
Abueva was one third of the dreaded ‘Pinatubo Trio’ that had been hailed as one of the most dominant troika in college basketball. The other members are Ian Sangalang and Ronald Pascual, who like Abueva failed to win a championship on his final year with the team.
“Malungkot kasi last year ko na to gusto ko sana manalo,” he said. “Pero ayun naging malungkot ang exit.”
Being in the Finals the past three years, Pascual had hoped to get a shot at avenging their defeat to San Beda last season. “Chance na sana namin na magharap ng San Beda sa championship ulit,” he said, his voice trailing off.
Sangalang, at least, has another year of eligibility left with the team. He also will inherit the MVP award which his teammate had forfeited.
But the award rings hallow for Sangalang at the moment.
 “Hindi na bale na ‘wag mag-MVP pero mag-champion kami,” he said. “Kasi pag champion mas madami ang sasaya, eh ngayon MVP nga pero di naman kumpleto ang saya, may kulang.”
The Stags captain said a championship would have been a fitting farewell gift for his senior teammates.
“Sobrang hirap kasi lagi kami nasa finals in the past three years, ngayon sobrang sakit. Tapos ang dami pa mawawala at di pa maganda ang exit nila kaya nakakalungkot. Masakit talaga.”

Follow the writer on Twitter: @meilinlozada

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/pinatubo-trio-left-in-shock-as-season-ends-in-disappointment

Rookie Hodge quick to make his presence felt By the staff

Rookie Cliff Hodge has averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals in the Meralco Bolts' back-to-back victories in the PBA Philippine Cup. Jerome Ascano

HE'S only in his rookie season, yet Cliff Hodge is already playing like a veteran for Meralco in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft, Hodge came up big in the Bolts’ last two games, leading to victories against Alaska and Barangay Ginebra that gave the team a share of second place with two others in the season-opening conference.
Hodge had 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and two steals as the Bolts came from behind to nip Barangay Ginebra, 95-88, in the league’s first road game this season in Digos City on Saturday - a performance that came on the heels of his 20-point, 11-rebound effort in a 93-86 win over Alaska.
Hodge averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals in the two wins in a performance that gave fresh hope to the young franchise and made the Fil-American forward the first rookie this season to be named Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.
Hodge, from Pensacola, Florida, actually became the first freshman in over a year to earn the distinction in the Philippine Cup. He is also the first rookie winner since Paul Lee won Player of the Week honors twice in the 2012 Governors Cup, according to PBA chief statistician and Spin.ph columnist Fidel Mangonon.
Hodge edged out Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan for the weekly honor for the period covering October 8 to 14.
Coach Ryan Gregorio naturally has nothing but good words for his hard-working rookie.
“It (citation) speaks volumes of his significant contributions to our team. The tangible contributions are quite obvious: Team leaders in points, rebounds, and blocks,” Gregorio noted.
“But the biggest impact he brings to the table is his limitless energy. His enthusiasm is rubbing off to all the members of our team that is beyond numbers and statistics.”
The 24-year-old Hodge was quick to play down what he has done for the Bolts so far, emphasizing their two straight wins were the result of team work.
“It’s a team game, and I would like to thank my teammates for the hard work in both games because I wouldn’t be getting this award without them,” said Hodge, whose mother is from Cavite.
“Total team effort in both games.”
Hodge debuted with 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal in Meralco’s 110-112 overtime loss against defending champion Talk `N Text.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @spinph

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/rookie-hodge-quick-to-make-his-presence-felt

Fajardo and Slaughter not yet ready for overseas battle, insists Toroman By Richard Dy

Serbian coach Rajko Toroman believes former Cebu college ball rivals Greg Slaughter and June Mar Fajardo are not ready yet for the tough international meets. 

PETRON rookie June Mar Fajardo and Ateneo center Greg Slaughter, two celebrated big men owing to their size and skill, are not yet ripe for big international events like the Fiba-Asia men’s championships, according to former national coach Rajko Toroman.
While insisting he was not trying to put down Smart Gilas 2.0 coach Chot Reyes’ efforts to beef up the national squad for next year’s Fiba Asia men’s in Beirut, Toroman said he believes Fajardo and Slaughter have a long way to go before they can hold their own against against Asia’s best big men.
The 6-10 Fajardo and Slaughter, 6-11, are two of the big men Reyes hopes to recruit to beef up a Gilas team that won the Jones Cup and finished fourth in the Fiba Asia Cup during the PBA offseason.
“In my opinion, June Mar isn’t ready yet (for Fiba-Asia). Even Greg isn’t ready for that yet,” Toroman, told Spin.ph as he sat on ringside watching a PBA game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Toroman said both big men, though dominant in college because of their size, still have a lot to work on as far as quickness and agility is concerned.
“Both June Mar and Greg have to improve on their quickness. International play is very different. So they really need to work on quickness drills and agility,” added Toroman, currently serving as Petron’s team consultant.
Before becoming this year’s PBA top rookie pick, Fajardo played for the San Miguel Beermen in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) last season.
The Pinamungajan, Cebu native is coming off a big game against San Mig Coffee on Sunday night where his tremendous potential came in full display. He finished with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and a 4-of-7 clip from the foul line to go with 13 rebounds, three steals, and a block shot.
He also provided the highlight clip of the night, throwing down a two-handed follow-up dunk off a Chris Lutz miss against San Mig big men Rafi Reavis and Yancy de Ocampo.
“He (Fajardo) is slowly picking up the game now. Nakita na ng tao kung ano ang kaya niya," said Petron coach Olsen Racela after the 84-90 loss to San Mig.
"We’d like to build on that. We told him to just be patient. Take your time. And after our Rain or Shine and Barako Bull games, we told him, 'Huwag ka ma-frustrate dahil alam namin ano ang kaya mong gawin'.”
On the other hand, Slaughter, who fought many battles with Fajardo in the Cebu college circuit, marked his final year for the Blue Eagles with a UAAP championship.
Toroman said the upside for Fajardo at this point is his good work ethic.
“He has a very good attitude towards the game. He wants to keep improving. I always tell him to learn from the mistakes he commits during the game so he’ll get better,” added Toroman, who handled the Smart Gilas basketball program from 2009 to 2011.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @spinph

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/special-reports/fajardo-and-slaughter-not-yet-ready-for-overseas-battle-insists-toroman