Eala offers Fajardo, Tenorio, Pingris to Gilas By Richard Dy

Petron's June Mar Fajardo, left, Ginebra's LA Tenorio, and San Mig's Marc Pingris have been made available to Gilas Pilipinas by SMC sports operations head Noli Eala. Jerome Ascano

SAN Miguel Corp. sports operations head Noli Eala has offered LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra, Jean Marc Pingris of San Mig Coffee, and Petron rookie big man June Mar Fajardo to the Gilas Pilipinas team that is set to begin its preparations for this August’s Fiba-Asia men’s championships.
Eala made the offer through his Twitter account @NoliEala, saying, “Junmar, LA and Ping are also available to Gilas if they want them. Wish Gilas all the best.”
Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes has yet to name the official roster of the national team pending the revised schedule of the PBA’s Governors Cup, which originally was supposed to end in late July.
PBA  commissioner Chito Salud has reiterated the league's position to fully support the national squad by way of adjusting the third conference schedule to give Gilas Pilipinas ample time to prepare for the Asian showpiece, which the country is hosting for the first time in 40 years.
Salud and the league board have also given Reyes the green light to name at least one player from every PBA team to the Gilas pool.
Reyes has long been vocal about his desire to pick Fajardo and Petron teammate Arwind Santos for the Gilas pool, but both have not been made available by the San Miguel franchise in the past.
It is not yet clear if Reyes has already chosen Fajardo over Santos. It is also unclear if Eala's position is also the position of San Miguel, which gathered its basketball coaches and top officials in a meeting on Sunday with big boss Ramon S. Ang.
Tenorio was part of two Gilas international stints last year, leading the national squad to the Williams Jones Cup title in Taipei en route to being named the tournament MVP. He also saw action for the national squad that placed fourth in the Fiba Asia Cup in Tokyo, Japan.
On the other hand, Pingris has been given the green light to join the Gilas Pilipinas squad more than a week ago as confirmed by San Mig Coffee board governor Rene Pardo.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/eala-offers-fajardo-tenorio-pingris-to-gilas

Cone keen to give Rogers chance to prove worth even if Bowles becomes available By Richard Dy

“We haven’t really learned how to use him. He has certain skills that are obvious but we just need to be able to use him," San Mig coach Tim Cone says of Matt Rogers. Jerome Ascano

DESPITE a 0-3 (win-loss) stint for San Mig Coffee with Matt Rogers in pre-Commissioner's Cup tune-up games, Tim Cone said the team is sticking with the import and committed to giving him a chance to show what he can do.
The Mixers signed up Rogers as Denzel Bowles, last season’s Commissioner’s Cup best import and Cone's original choice, remains tied down to his contract with the Zheijang Golden Bulls in the Chinese Basketball Association till the end of the month.
But even if Bowles becomes available, Cone said the Mixers are not inclined to get Bowles as their standby import.
“Matt’s open to learning and getting better, so it’s not fair for Matt,” stressed Cone. "And even if Denzel’s available right now, we’re committed to Matt, we’re sticking with him."
Rogers, a product of the Southwest Baptist University, averaged 20.3 points for the Mixers in pre-tournament losses to the ABL’s San Miguel Beermen, Air21 and Rain or Shine.
On the other hand, the 6-11 Bowles is a proven entity after leading the SMC franchise to last year's Commissioner's Cup championship in a stint he capped with a 39-point, 21-rebound performance in the title-clinching win over Talk 'N Text in the Finals.

Still, Cone said the 6-11 reinforcement should be given the chance to find his place in San Mig's triangle offense and prove his worth.

“We haven’t really learned how to use him,” Cone told Spin.ph. “He has certain skills that are obvious but we just need to be able to use him.”
San Mig Coffee opens its title defense on Friday against Barako Bull in a battle pitting two teams that figured prominently in a blockbuster 10-player trade more than a week ago.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/cone-keen-to-give-rogers-chance-to-prove-worth-even-if-bowles-becomes-available

PBA PHILIPPINE CUP CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS: FINALS BY Aaron Atayde

We have finally reached the Finals of our Champion of Champions tournament. We are now down to the last two championship teams within the past decade. And it is time for the fans to decide who was the best of the best.

In the semifinals, the San Miguel teams ripped both Talk ‘N Text teams to shreds. The 2006-07 Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings beat the living day lights out of the recently crowned three-peat TNT champion squad. In the other semifinal match-up, the Purefoods Chunkee Giants of the ’05-’06 season did the same against the ’08-’09 Tropang Texters.

So this is where we lay. With two teams fighting it out for the right to call themselves the Champion of Champions. And it had to be these two teams. It had to be Ginebra and Purefoods. It had to be Manila Clasico.

So who is will be the people’s champ? That is for you to decide.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (2006-07) vs. Purefoods Chunkee Giants (2005-06)

Manila Clasico in the Champion of Champions. Can’t get any better than this. These two teams are one year apart and yet in both Philippine Cup playoffs, they didn’t play each other. Imagine if they did.

Well, now you can.

Depth, check. Size, check, Talent, check. These two teams are more than capable of walking away from this with the ultimate Perpetual trophy. It is now just up to you to decide which one it will be.

Ginebra or Purefoods. The question has been going on for years. It is now time to settle it.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (2006-07)

StartersPG – JJ Helterbrand – 13.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 8.5 APG
SG – Mark Caguioa – 24.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.4 APG
C – Rafi Reavis – 8.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 0.9 APG
PF – Rudy Hatfield – 15.4 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 2.7 APG
SF – Sunday Salvacion – 9.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 0.8 APG

BenchEric Menk – 12.7 PPG, 8 RPG, and 2.2 APG
Ronald Tubid – 8.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 1.3 APG

Other notablesMark Macapagal
Billy Mamaril

Purefoods Chunkee Giants (2005-06)

StartersPG – Noy Castillo – 6.4 PPG, 2 RPG, and 1.7 APG
SG – Roger Yap – 7.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.9 APG
C – Kerby Raymundo – 15.2 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 3.2 APG
PF – Marc Pingris – 11 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and 1.3 APG
SF – James Yap – 20.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG

BenchRichard Yee – 7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 0.6 APG
Jun Limpot – 7.5 PPG, 3 RPG, and 0.3 APG

Other notablesPaul Artadi
PJ Simon

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (2006-07) or Purefoods Chunkee Giants (2005-06)?

•  Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings (2006-07)
•  Purefoods Chunkee Giants (2005-06)

View Results

Categories: PBA - Tags: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Champion of Champions, San Mig Coffee Mixers

source: http://www.slamonlineph.com/philippine-basketball-association/pba-philippine-cup-champion-of-champions-finals/

The face of resilience By Richard Dy

“We’re getting better every day. We’re trying to learn as a team," says San Mig import Matt Rogers. Jerome Ascano

A SERIOUS face injury almost put an end to the playing career of Matt Rogers, but his unbending will and faith in God helped him get back on his feet and play again.
“Having my faith in God reassures me that He has a plan for my life through trials, tribulations, injuries or cuts or whatever struggles I go through,” Rogers shared to Spin.ph. "God always has the best plan for us."

Until now, Rogers still vividly remembers that one unforgettable night in Lebanon when he suffered that career-threatening injury. Rogers was playing in his debut game as an import in the strife-torn nation when he was accidentally elbowed in the face.
So bad was the damage to his face that he had to leave the Middle East country after only five days and go back to the US to undergo full reconstructive surgery.
The 6-foot-11 Rogers was idle for the next eight weeks as he had to recover fully from the operation.
Through those trying moments, Rogers found solace in his deep faith to God, which he said  strengthened his Christian belief and paved the way later for his basketball career to blossom further.
Rogers had an opportunity to join the Indiana Pacers after playing for the team in the summer leagues last year where he averaged decent numbers of 4.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals.
He failed to make the cut of the Pacers’ final roster, but the Southwest Baptist University alumnus found his way to Spain after landing a contract with the Leyma Natura Coruna in the Liga Espanola de Baloncesto (LEB) Gold League.
From the Spanish league, Rogers then accepted the latest offer to suit up for San Mig Coffee, which he hopes to help defend the PBA Commissioner’s Cup starting on February 8.
During the Mixers’ tune-up game against Rain or Shine at the Reyes gym over the weekend, Rogers had his hands full defending the Elasto Painters’ 7-foot-3 Croatian import Bruno Sundov.
The Mixers got pounded by the quick Elasto Painters in the final period and tumbled to their third straight loss during the season break via an 83-92 decision.
Despite San Mig’s early struggle in the team’s buildup for the mid-season conference, Rogers remained optimistic the reigning champions won’t carry over their 0-3 record to the real battle.
“We’re getting better every day. We’re trying to learn as a team. We’ve got three or four new players in the team so it’s hard,” Rogers said.
Unfamiliarity with Tim Cone's triangle offense has been the major issue some of the new players in the team are facing, particularly rookie guard Alex Mallari, forward Leo Najorda and Lester Alvarez, all of whom the team acquired recently in a blockbuster 10-player, five-team trade.
“We need to learn to play together. But after two weeks, I think we’ll be really as good as we expect our team to be. We’re getting ready to take care of business by February 8,” he added.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/special-reports/the-face-of-resilience-v02

Ginebra bid for Aguilar may be revived as SMC bigwigs meet to plot next move By Snow Badua

Players like Nonoy Baclao, Ronjay Buenafe, Japeth Aguilar, and Kerby Raymundo may find themselves on the move if the SMC group decides to pull the trigger on previously shelved transactions. Jerome Ascano

BASKETBALL officials of of San Miguel Corp. are meeting on Sunday to plot the organization's next move in the wake of Ginebra and Petron's aborted trade bids for Japeth Aguilar and a couple other players.
Sources told Spin.ph that San Miguel head of basketball operations and current PBA chairman Robert Non had requested a meeting with Ramon S. Ang, a hands-on boss who has the final say on player and coaches' movements among the three teams under the SMC umbrella.
A meeting that was supposed to be the usual pre-conference round-table discussion among Ang and his coaches will now involve Non and other team governors as they decide on whether to pursue an aborted deal last week that was supposed to bring Aguilar to Ginebra's fold. (For the full story of the aborted deal, click here: Rumor or Fact).
“Dapat tuloy na yun talaga eh. Pero ngayon mag-uusap ulit sila," said the Spin.ph source.
Under the terms of the original proposal of a complex six-team deal, Petron was supposed to part with forward Jay Washington and get Vic Manuel and Jason Deustchmann from Globalport while Aguilar was set to land in Ginebra's lap while the Kings part with Kerby Raymundo, who in turn will be packaged by Globalport with Rey Guevarra and sent to Meralco for Sol Mercado and Kelly Nabong.
Globalport, for its part, would have ended up with Mercado and Washington.
When San Miguel pulled the plug on the deal on the sidelines of the PBA board's planning session in Singapore last week, Globalport went ahead with two revised deals: the Mikee Romero-owned franchise got Aguilar in a straight swap with Talk 'N Text for Rabeh Al-Hussani then acquired Mercado, Nabong, and JP Belencion from Meralco for Guevarra, Manuel, Josh Vanlandingham, and a first-round draft pick.
“Ayaw kasi i-alis sa Petron nung isang SMC official si Jay Washington. Maganda daw kasi ang nilalaro recently," bared a source, explaining the SMC organization's last-minute change of heart.
The talks with Ang, however, could see the SMC group revive its bid for Aguilar in deals that need to be repackaged since the original pieces of the transaction - like Mercado, Manuel and Nabong - have already been sent to other teams.
An option for the SMC organization, however, is to incorporate Aguilar in another transaction that is currently on hold - one that could involve Petron, Ginebra, Air21, Globalport, and Meralco, and players Ronjay Buenafe, Noy Baclao, Jason Ballesteros, John Wilson, and Raymundo.
One stumbling block to the deal could be Romero's expressed desire to keep Aguilar at Globalport, where he is set to join a core that now includes Mercado, Gary David, and Willie Miller.
One official from Meralco admits they are now closely monitoring developments at San Miguel camp, saying: “The ball is already in their hands.”
Meralco is looking to acquire the fleet-footed Raymundo in the trade, with Aguilar set to go to Ginebra, Air21 acquiring Buenafe, and Globalport getting Washington.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @spinph

source: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/ginebra-bid-for-aguilar-may-be-revived-as-smc-bigwigs-meet-to-plot-next-move-v02

Painters coach Guiao's order to 7-3 Sundov: Intimidate and dominate By Richard Dy

Rain or Shine import Bruno Sundov towers over San Mig reinforcement Matt Rogers during their tune-up game on Friday at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong City. Jerome Ascano

AS the tallest import in the coming PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Croatian Bruno Sundov has to be reminded time and again of the need to adopt a mentality of intimidation for Rain or Shine to be considered one of the legitimate title contenders in the mid-season offering.
At 7-foot-3, coach Yeng Guiao expects Sundov to be more of a defensive threat in the middle who could intimidate opponents with his sheer presence alone.
“Ang kulang lang sa import namin, he just has to understand that he’s the tallest guy on the court so he could be intimidating. If he’s not blocking shots, at least he’s intimidating on the court. Yun kasi ang kailangan namin,” said deputy Caloy Garcia, who called the shots in lieu of head coach Yeng Guiao during the Painters' exhibition match against defending champion San Mig Coffee Friday at the oven-hot Reyes gym in Mandaluyong City.
“Coach Yeng talked to Bruno this morning, and was telling him about his role in the team. Since this will be a short tournament, we have to rely on our import,” added Garcia.
(For pictures of the tune-up match, here's the link: Gallery.)
Guiao missed out on the game as he had to attend to a meeting in Pampanga since Thursday.
He failed to see Sundov drop 21 points, dominate the boards with 16 rebounds, and block three shots in a 93-82 win over the Mixers.
The Elasto Painters are so far 1-1 in tune-up matches the last two days, losing to Meralco Bolts Thursday, 98-106, in a game that saw Sundov hit 32 points and grab 10 rebounds.
Aside from explaining the role Sundov has to play in the conference featuring imports of unlimited height, Garcia said Guiao also reminded the Elasto Painters to forget the embarrassing 4-0 sweep the team suffered at the hands of three-time champion Talk `N Text during the recent Philippine Cup Finals.
“Iyan ang ni-remind ni coach sa amin na tapos na yun (Finals). Now we look forward to winning as many games as possible since this is a very short tournament,” said Garcia.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

SOURCE: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/painters-coach-guiaos-order-to-7-3-sundov-intimidate-and-dominate

Rabeh's arrival makes great Texters team even better, says Yap By Snow Badua

“Malaking bagay si Rabeh (Al-Hussaini) sa ilalim. Magaling sa depensa 'yun, tsaka masipag sa rebound,” says San Mig Coffee star James Yap. Jerome Ascano

FOR two-time PBA MVP James Yap, Talk `N Text’s formidable lineup just got even more potent following the arrival of Rabeh Al-Hussaini.
“Kahit naman noong wala pa si Rabeh malakas na ang Talk `N Text,” stressed Yap, while acknowledging the likely huge contributions at the post the former Rookie of the Year can give to coach Norman Black's team.
No wonder Yap now has the Tropang Texters high on his list as the biggest threat to the Mixers’ bid for a back-to-back Commissioner’s Cup championship.
The San Mig Coffee superstar also expects better ball rotation for the reigning three-time Philippine Cup champions as frontcourt help has been the one lacking in the Tropang Texters’ system in the past.
Only veteran Ali Peek provides the inside threat in the half court play of coach Norman Black as the team’s other big men such as Ranidel de Ocampo, Kelly Williams, and Harvey Carey are more comfortable roaming the perimeter.
Yap also thinks Al-Hussani’s defensive skills will be a big plus factor for the telecommunication franchise, which acquired the former UAAP MVP after trading the rights to 6-foot-9 wantaway center Japeth Aguilar to Globalport.
“Malaking bagay si Rabeh sa ilalim. Magaling sa depensa yun, tsaka masipag sa rebound,” noted Yap, whose team beat the Tropang Texters in a do-or-die Game Seven last year to clinch the Commissioner’s Cup title.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @snowbadua

SOURCE: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/great-talk-n-text-team-becomes-even-better-with-rabehs-arrival-says-yap