Beermen, Aces determined to win Fiesta Cup title

San Miguel wants to keep the Fiesta Cup crown while Alaska hopes to finally nail a 13th title so they can finally join the legendary Crispa Redmanizers as the two most winningest franchises in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

This was according to Gee Abanilla and Dicky Bachmann, the assistant coaches of the Beermen and the Aces, during Friday’s SCOOP sa Kamayan weekly session in Manila.

The PBA’s Fiesta Conference opens on Sunday, March 21, at the Araneta Coliseum with the Sta. Lucia Realtors taking on the Barako Energy Coffee Masters (Barako Bull) in the 4 p.m. opening game while the Barangay Ginebra Kings battle the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters at 6 p.m.

San Miguel and Alaska became victims of eventual champion Purefoods (now the Derby Ace Llamados) in the recently concluded Philippine Cup with the Giants eliminating the Beermen in the semifinals. Purefoods then scored a 4-0 sweep of Alaska in the finals series.

The Beermen, who captured the same tournament at the expense of sister team Ginebra, beefed up their already formidable lineup to assure themselves of a back-to-back Fiesta Cup crown.

The Aces, likewise, revamped their lineup to avenge their embarrassing loss.

Abanilla said bringing back last year’s best import winner Gabe Freeman is one of the moves San Miguel has down to show its determination that they want to keep the crown in the import-laced tournament.

The Beermen also traded playmakers Mike Cortez and Bonbon Custodio in favor of Air21’s Coca-Cola’s Alex Cabagnot and Sta. Lucia’s Joseph Yeo.

Bachmann, on the other hand, said during their acquisition of Beermen Samigue Eman from the free agent market midway through the Philippine Cup, is exactly what the Aces needed to strengthen their almost intact roster.

The Aces, who actually are eyeing a 13th championship that would tie them with the Redmanizers as the second winningest ballclub in PBA history, will be parading a new reinforcement in Diamon Sampson.

Sampson’s impressive showing in the National Basketball Development League impressed Alaska head coach Tim Cone.

“Let’s just say that we’ve learned our lessons in the last conference which we believe have already been addressed," Bachmann said, admitting that the Alaska management was disappointed in what happened to the Aces last conference.

Ginebra team manager Samboy Lim, who spoke in behalf of coach Jong Uichico, said that addition of Yancy de Ocampo from Talk ‘N Text and John Ferriols from Alaska strengthened the Gin Kings’ frontcourt.

Lim said the Ginebra coaching staff is satisfied in choosing Awvee Storey, who played alongside Gilbert Arenas with the Washington Wizards, as their reinforcement.

“Ang Ginebra naman lagging contender ke malakas o mahina ang lineup. This is because of our do-or-die style of play which we will maintain in the Fiesta Cup," Lim said.

Also present were Freeman, assistant coaches Cholo Martin of Sta. Lucia Realty, Nash Racela of Talk ‘N Text and newly-appointed coach Junel Baculi of the Coffee Masters.

Martin said Yeo’s absence would hardly be felt with Custodio’s arrival and Felix Belano returning in a Sta. Lucia jersey.

He added that unlike last year where Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes spent most of their time on the bench due to injuries, the Realtors expect to have a healthy and injury-free lineup this year.

Tal ‘N Text believes they already solved its defensive woes when it acquired Aaron Aban and Mark Yee from Air21 and having Shawn Daniels as its reinforcement.

Baculi, who replaced Leo Isaac, said mainstays of the ASEAN Basketball League champions Philippines Patriots would help the Photokina franchise reclaim its old winning form.

The Coffee Masters recruited Rob Wainwright, Jerwin Gaco and Christian Coronel from the Patriots.

“Being last placers in the previous conference, the teams, I believe can go nowhere but up," said Baculi, a former assistant of Burger King coach Yeng Guiao.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

San Mig, Derby Ace teams to beat in Fiesta

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer, the defending champion, and Derby Ace (formerly Purefoods), the Philippine Cup winner, are among the teams to reckon with in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference, which comes off the wraps tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum.

Coaches also pointed to Alaska Milk, Talk n Text and Barangay Ginebra as the teams likely to figure prominently in the fight for the championship in the event won by the Beermen over the Kings last year.

The others, however, are not totally discounted with the coaches stressing the imports role in the reinforced tourney.

They mentioned Rain or Shine last year when the Elasto Painters made the Final Four for the first time in franchise history behind hard-working import Jai Lewis

Barako Energy Coffee and Sta. Lucia Realty clash in the 4 p.m. curtain-raiser then Ginebra and Talk n Text collide in the 6:30 p.m. main setto on opening day.


On Wednesday also at the Big Dome, Barako squares off with Coca-Cola at 5 p.m. then Air21 tangles with San Miguel Beer at 7:30 p.m.

However, San Miguel, Derby Ace, Alaska, Ginebra and Talk n Text remain the favorites to fight it out for the crown.

Coaches say the Beermen, the Llamados, the Aces, the Kings and the Tropang Texters have the built-in advantage with their solid local crew.

Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio said San Miguel and Alaska are the teams to beat but the Llamados will be out there to contend for a possible double championship.

For Alaska coach Tim Cone, San Miguel, Derby Ace and Ginebra are the teams that could well pose biggest problems to his troops.

“It’s hard to make predictions without seeing all the imports, but the SMC teams (San Miguel, Derby Ace and Ginebra) will all be favored, especially SMB with returning import Gabe Freeman. Purefoods, as the all-Filipino champion, will be there as well as Ginebra since they went to last year’s Fiesta Conference finals,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

“But as I always say, it’s not about getting the best import. It’s about getting the import that best fits your team. San Miguel has shown that already,” Cone added.

Bo Perasol and Siot Tanquingcen are two coaches which rated Talk n Text in the Top Three. Chot Reyes and Boyet Fernandez, meanwhile, included Alaska Milk in their lists. Jong Uichico picked San Miguel, Derby Ace, Alaska and Talk n Text but not necessarily in that order.

“San Miguel should be there because it’s the defending champion, Purefoods should also be a top choice since it’s the all-Filipino champion, then there’s Alaska with its great import,” said Reyes.

“Purefoods should be there. Talk n Text is also tough with Shawn Daniels. Ginebra will be a tough contender with the return of Rudy Hatfield, the addition of Yancy de Ocampo, the continuous improvement of JC Intal and the presence of healthy Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand. Rain or Shine, to me, is a contender with Jai Lewis and its young, energetic local crew,” said Tanquingcen.

“San Miguel, Talk n Text and Purefoods are strong contenders with their solid local lineups,” said Perasol.

Aside from Freeman, Daniels and Lewis, other imports seeing action in the tourney are James Penny for Coca-Cola, Anthony Johnson for Sta. Lucia, Lorrenzo Wade for Derby Ace, Keena Young for Air21, Diamon Simpson for Alaska, Sammy Monroe for Barako and Awvee Storey for Ginebra.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

SMB sends Custodio to SLR for Yeo

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer continued to rebuild its aging lineup, acquiring Joseph Yeo from Sta. Lucia in exchange for Bonbon Custodio five days before the opening of the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen, who settled for third place after losing to the eventual champions Purefoods Giants in the recent Philippine Cup, have bolstered their backcourt rotation with Yeo’s acquisition, which came on the heels of an earlier trade deal involving Alex Cabagnot and Mike Cortez.

Yeo, a former La Salle standout, blossomed into a fine playmaker with Sta. Lucia after a forgettable stint with Coca-Cola in the 2006-07 campaign.

In his second season with Sta. Lucia last year, Yeo effectively played his off-the-bench role, winding up as the team’s second-best scorer behind Kelly Williams with a 13.5-point average.

He also normed 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in a remarkable season, prompting the team management to give him a three-year contract-extension worth the maximum pay allowed in the league.


Meanwhile, Custodio, a product of University of the East, is in his second year in the pro league, also playing the off-the-bench role creditably.

The only rookie in the star-studded, talent-laden Beermen squad last year, Custodio performed well to earn a spot on the All-Rookie selection by the PBA Press Corps. He played for San Miguel’s farm team in the PBL before being elevated to the pro ranks. He was the eighth pick in the 2008 annual draft.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Simpson Hopes Carry Aces All Way Fiesta-Conf; Freeman, Lewis, Aj, Back

Their pride in tatters after another title bust in the recent Philippine Cup, the Alaska Aces hope to turn their fortunes around in the coming PBA Fiesta Conference with the help of a 22-year-old recognized for his defense.

Diamon Simpson, named to the All-America Defensive Team while playing for the St. Mary’s Gaels, has been signed up by Aces to beef up the team in the season-ending conference that starts on March 21 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The presence of Simpson along with new recruit Sam Eman and Sonny Thoss shores up Alaska’s frontline, no wonder Alaska coach Tim Cone is excited about his new starting lineup.
Simpson averaged 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds while playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the National Basketball Association Developmental League.

But his strongest suit is his defensive acumen. He averaged 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while playing the power forward spot for his collegiate squad. In 2008, he was cited as Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com.

Leroy Hickerson, a two-time slam dunk champion in the Mexican League, was scheduled to arrive last night to carry the colors of Air21.

Hickerson is listed as 6-foot-5. He ruled the slam dunk competition in the Mexican LNBP All-Star Game in 2008 and 2009. He worked out with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer and was named Player of the Year, Guard of the Year and Import Player of the Year by Latinbasket.com.
In 41 games last year, Hickerson averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game while playing for the Halcones UV Xalapa.

Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine, Coca-Cola Tigers and defending champion San Miguel Beer are bringing in old faces.

The Realtors are launching their campaign in the Fiesta Conference with Anthony Johnson, the Coca-Cola Tigers, on the other hand, are bringing back James Penny while burly import Jai Lewis will beef up the Elasto Painters. The Beermen are once again counting on Gabe Freeman to lead their title retention drive.

Source: Author Unknown  | PBA.ph

SMB, Ginebra mull trades

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra are working out possible trade deals with other ball clubs in search of a solution to problems stemming from injuries.

The Beermen hope to plug holes in their wing spots while the Kings are after players who could fill the void in their center and guard positions.

Both teams fell short in their bids to make the all-Filipino finals. Lordy Tugade and Danny Seigle are two key San Miguel players downed by injuries, while Eric Menk, Celino Cruz and Jayjay Helterbrand are among Ginebra mainstays with recurring injuries during the tourney.

A reliable source said San Miguel and Ginebra are likely to close their separate trade deals before the start of the import-laden Fiesta Conference on March 21.

SMC officials are keen on beefing up the San Miguel and Ginebra rosters, hoping for a follow-up to the strong showing of all their three ball clubs in the recent Philippine Cup.


The sister teams all made the semifinals, with the Purefoods Giants sweeping the Alaska Milk Aces in four games in the finale and the Beermen topping the Kings in their one-game playoff for third place.

All three teams have no intention of slowing it down in the second conference.

The Beermen seek back-to-back all-Filipino championships with import Gabe Freeman back in tow while the Giants go for a season sweep with Reggie Larry as reinforcement.

The Kings, runners-up behind the Beermen in the 2009 Fiesta Conference, field in Awvee Storey as their import.

Air21 is another team reportedly working out a trade.

The Express have earlier consummated a deal with the Talk n Text Tropang Texters, getting Renren Ritualo and Yancy de Ocampo for JR Quinahan, Mark Yee and Aaron Aban.

At Barako Bull, a tryout is ongoing with a number of Philippine Patriots joining the Energy Boosters in the camp.

The Fiesta Conference fires off March 21 with Barako Bull tangling with Sta. Lucia Realty and Barangay Ginebra going up against Talk n Text.

The second play date on March 24 pits Barako Bull versus Coca-Cola then San Miguel against Air21.

The start of the Fiesta Conference also marks the resumption of fan balloting for the 2010 All-Star Game set April 25 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The PBA and the Puerto Princesa city government closed their agreement after PBA officials Rickie Santos and Willy Marcial visited the host city Thursday.

It will be a five-day extravaganza with the PBA stars holding several outreach programs, including beach-cleaning, road-painting and basketball clinic, leading to the All-Star Sunday.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Giants stop Beermen, stride to final

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods is back in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup finals, ranged against a team – Alaska Milk – it has an old score to settle with.

The Giants arranged a third all-Filipino final showdown with the Aces as they completed an upset of the powerhouse San Miguel squad in their semifinal series with a stirring 87-78 win at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

For the third straight game, the Giants humbled the Beermen with a gutsy stand to win their best-of-seven series at 4-2.

Purefoods, thus, made the all-Filipino finals for the second time in three years and for the 12th time in franchise history, getting a crack at a fifth crown versus Alaska.

“It’s so nice to be back in the finals after a three-year dry spell. It’s like a rain after a long, long summer,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.


The top-seeded Alaska team and No. 3 Purefoods start their best-of-seven titular series with Game One Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Giants are out to sustain their searing playoff run, looking to avenge losses to the Aces in their two previous all-Filipino confrontations.

“This is really answered prayers. We were witnesses to a great miracle in this series. We all know how strong that team is and how good a coach they have,” said Gregorio of their conquest of the second-seeded San Miguel side.

“At the start of the playoffs, I told myself I would be happy reaching the semis. But my players wanted more. And we knew all along that it doesn’t take the best players to win, it’s the players who give their best and that’s what we have in this team,” Gregorio added.

“Beating San Miguel is like winning a championship. But that is not enough. We’ve got past the second-seeded team and we’re looking forward to also make it past the top seed. We hope we still have the legs to prevail,” Gregorio also said.

So impressive were the Giants in the last three games, they led the Beermen from start to finish in each of those contests.

And like in Games Four and Five, starters James Yap, Roger Yap, Marc Pingris, Rafi Reavis and Kerby Raymundo gave Purefoods a tremendous lift in dishing out splendid jobs.

Roger Yap and Pingris both churned out double-double numbers while James Yap, Reavis and Raymundo contributed double-digit outputs.

Roger Yap had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Pingris 15 points and 13 rebounds, James Yap 18 points, five rebounds and three assists, Reavis 12 points and eight rebounds, and Raymundo 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Purefoods starters badly outscored their SMB counterparts, 76-39.

The Giants erected a 20-point spread late in the first half and showed tremendous staying power, repelling repeated comeback attempts by the Beermen.

San Miguel failed to shake off Purefoods, unable to get a shot at back-to-back championships after its triumphant finish in the 2008-09 Fiesta Conference.

More efficient on both ends, the Giants raced to a 20-point lead at 48-28 before settling for a 48-32 spread at halftime.

Purefoods established control early while hitting at a 48.6-percent clip, 12 percent better than San Miguel’s shooting in the first 24 minutes of play.

The Giants also dominated the boards, 25-18, on tremendous hustles.

Arwind Santos sank two free throws and converted an undergoal stab to narrow their deficit to 16 at the half.

The Giants were holding a slim 26-23 lead when they launched a searing attack to pull away at 48-28.

NOTES: Olsen Racela established a new league record for most number of steals in a game Friday, stealing nine times to improve by one the old mark shared by Orly delos Santos, Willie Generalao and Johnny Abarrientos. Racela is seventh in the all-time steals ladder with 732, trailing leader Abarrientos (1341), Ramon Fernandez (1302), Bernard Fabiosa, Robert Jaworski, Dindo Pumaren and Yoyong Martirez. Abarrientos twice got eight steals in a game, first with Alaska in 2001 then with Coca-Cola in 2004.

The scores:

First Game

Purefoods 87 – R. Yap 20, J. Yap 18, Pingris 15, Reavis 12, Raymundo 11, Canaleta 7, Artadi 3, Allado 1, Maierhofer 0, Simon 0, Adducul 0.

San Miguel 78 – Santos 20, Cortez 17, Hontiveros 14, Racela 10, Washington 4, Seigle 4, Villanueva 3, Custodio 2, Ildefonso 2, Peña 2, Miranda 0, Pennisi 0.

Quarterscores: 22-16, 48-32, 64-56, 87-78

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Purefoods moves within a win

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods picked up from where it left off Wednesday and beat San Miguel Beer, 94-82 to gain a crucial 3-2 lead in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Giants seized control early, sat on a 13-point halftime cushion and sustained the surge throughout to move within a win of a series upset of the powerhouse SMB team.

As in Game Four, Purefoods starters James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Roger Yap, Rafi Reavis and Marc Pingris all came through with impressive performances, powering the Giants to the win that sent them to the threshold of a second all-Filipino Finals in three years.

A win in Game Six tomorrow or in Game Seven Wednesday will make Purefoods a surprise finalist versus Alaska Milk.

“We’re very much aware that it takes four games to win a series. So in as much as we won Game Five, there’s still no reason for us to celebrate,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.


“We know how capable San Miguel is. We’ll stick with the game plan of buckling down on defense and making it hard for them to score. I think that’s the best way to have a chance to beat a mighty opponent,” Gregorio added.

The two Yaps, Raymundo, Reavis and Pingris delivered huge numbers and Niño Cañaleta, and Rico Maierhofer took their turns in this game to play key roles coming off the bench.

“Our starters are really getting the job done but they just couldn’t play 48 minutes. Niño Cañaleta, after being benched in Game Three, came in today and became the x-factor,” said Gregorio.

Purefoods took the half at 49-36 on the strong start by James Yap and Raymundo and the team kept the momentum in the third quarter with Cañaleta firing 10 points.

Raymundo and the two Yaps scored at least 17 each and they were there helping the team close out the game.

“Definitely, we like where we are at this point. But we’ll not celebrate until we get that fourth win,” said Gregorio.

The Beermen reeled to a second straight loss as they were again beaten in shooting and rebounding.

James Yap and Raymundo started strong with both hitting double-figure outputs right in the opening half that ended in their favor at 49-36.

The Giants torched the Beermen with a 62.5-percent shooting in the second period, enabling them to carry a 13-point spread over into the final half.

Curiously, the Giants had a poor 33.3 percent shooting as against the Beermen’s 54.5 percent clip in the first quarter.

Dondon Hontiveros made nine points on perfect shooting in the first quarter but was held down to two the rest of the way.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

SMB, Purefoods try to break 2-2 series tie

San Miguel and Purefoods on Friday try to break a 2-2 tie and clinch that all-important Game 5 victory in their KFC-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Giants leveled the best-of-seven series following a 97-84 win on Wednesday as all Purefoods starters finished in double figures, with do-it-all guard Roger Yap falling just one rebound short of completing a triple double with 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

The Game 4 win definitely boosted the Giants’ confidence.

"I feel like we have a legitimate crack (at the Finals) because of the way we’ve been playing and the way we’ve been concentrating and being in focus in trying to stop this team (SMB)," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

Alaska already clinched the first Finals berth with a 4-0 sweep of Barangay Ginebra two nights ago, 102-95.

San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen admitted the Beermen were out of synch the last time.

"We didn’t play our game (in Game 4). We gave up 48 percent shooting (field goal). And then we bogged down on one-on-one, which we are not. We have to generate our shots based from our offense."

The Beermen were held to just 38.8 percent shooting (26-of-67).

But for Gregorio playing good defense against the Giants is not just enough.

"Against SMB, it’s not enough to play a defensive game," said Gregorio. "You also have to score at your end as well. I think I know what to do."

Coming off a grueling five-game quarterfinal series against Rain or Shine and now battling the Beermen in a tough contest now reduced to a best-of-three, Gregorio deemed it best to call off heavy practice Thursday as the team spent the time in the video room to study game tapes and rest those weary legs.

"San Miguel gives us different looks," said Gregorio. "Sometimes they play the zone, sometimes the box-in-1. We just have to make sure our players are in the proper spots."

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Cone wants SMB-Purefoods series to go the distance

Alaska coach Tim Cone wouldn’t say whether he prefers facing Purefoods or San Miguel in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Cone said that all he is wishing for is the best-of-seven semifinals series between the Giants and Beermen to go the distance.

"Honestly, I hope that it (SMB-Purefoods series) goes into a Game 7," said Cone with a smile. "It will give us a couple of days to refresh. Those teams give us tough match-ups. We’re not going into that series feeling confident."

The Aces earned a return trip to the All-Filipino finals Wednesday night with a 102-95 win over Barangay Ginebra for a 4-0 sweep of their own semis series – Cone’s first ever best-of-seven sweep.

The sweep is only the fourth in a PBA best-of-seven series after Northern Consolidated first did it against Manila Beer in the 1985 Reinforced Conference; Swift against Seven-Up in the 1992 Third Conference; and Ginebra against Red Bull in the semi-finals of the 2008 Fiesta Conference.

Cone said he himself couldn’t believe that the Aces were able to sweep a team as talented as the Kings.

"Who would have thought we could do this? From the very start we were sharp and never lost a thing along the way, which is quite unusual." said Cone. "We were fresh, we were hungry, every player I picked from the bench played well."

"We came into the Ginebra series very fortunate. Celino (Cruz) and (Eric) Menk have injuries. But they kind of got back on their heels but never recovered. It’s an incredible feat," added Cone.

The American mentor could only cross his fingers that his Aces would be able to sustain their fighting form through the finals as they try to win the crown that slipped out of their hands last year opposite the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.

"I hope we can play similar basketball (in the Finals)," he said.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Beermen, Giants seek pivotal win

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer and Purefoods clash for the fifth time tonight, disputing the crucial 3-2 lead in a series that has turned to be a duel of will and character in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen and the Giants slug it out in a lone game at 7 p.m. with the Alaska Milk Aces having clinched the first slot in the finals on a four-game sweep of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their own semis showdown.

Purefoods forced a 2-2 deadlock versus San Miguel on a 97-84 victory Wednesday and, thus, the burden of adjustments is back on the Beermen.

“Playoffs is about imposing your game against the other team, and Purefoods was able to do that in Games Two and Four,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

With their series down to a best-of-three affair, the Beermen and the Giants are likely to go all-out to get tonight’s crucial game.


“It’s down to a best of three, and honestly I feel we have a legitimate crack with the way we’ve been playing and with the way we’ve been concentrating in trying to stop the mighty San Miguel team,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

Tanquingcen, meanwhile, stressed they would be well if they’re able to play their game.

The series is tied at 2-2 with the Beermen imposing their will in Games One and Three, and the Giants able to make the necessary adjustments in Games Two and Four.

Gregorio’s biggest adjustment that worked well Wednesday was getting his other key players involved offensively.

Roger Yap had a near triple-double performance with Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis churning out their own double-double efforts.

Actually, Gregorio has been rotating practically just eight men and it works to their advantage as against San Miguel’s powerhouse cast.

In Game Four, the Purefoods starting five of James Yap, Roger Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Pingris and Reavis all played at least 33 minutes each with Rico Maierhofer and Paul Artadi coming off the bench for role plays.

Tanquingcen, on the other hand, played no less than 10 players almost evenly with two other guys in Olsen Racela and Michael Holper also getting some minutes.

The Purefoods starters outscored their San Miguel counterparts, 79-44.

Before the semis, San Miguel was 2-0 versus Purefoods in the tourney, and the Beermen were heavily favored to win the series, having a much better performance in the elimination round.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Purefoods beat San Miguel in Game 4, series tied

Purefoods raced to a big 22-point first quarter lead and then weathered a big San Miguel rally in a 97-84 win Wednesday night that evened their KFC-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.

James Yap played his best game of the best-of-seven duel by topscoring for 24 points, 10 of which came in the fourth period that helped defuse a searing Beermen rally.

Marc Pingris added 15 markers while Roger Yap came a rebound short of registering a triple-double with 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the win that allowed the Giants to equal the series at two games apiece.

The tie-breaking Game 5 is set Friday also at the Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s been a game of adjustments. We need the other players to get involved on offense other than James and Kerby (Raymundo). We made some antidotes, and the great thing is it worked," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Now it’s just a best-of-3 and we think we have a legitimate crack (at the Finals)."

The Giants led by as many as 36-14 in the opening quarter following a 17-2 run.

But the Beermen countered back in the fourth and came to within 74-71 with 10 minutes remaining.

Purefoods retaliated with a 16-4 assault led by James Yap to practically seal the victory with a 90-74 advantage, time down to its last 4:27.

The Beermen shot a poor 38.3 percent from the field (26-of-67). Their starters, too, were heavily outscored by Purefoods’, 79-44.

“We can’t play this way. We’re giving up 48 percent shooting when we know that we have been holding our opponents to below 40 throughout the conference," said SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen. “We just have to make sure we have the better commitment and better communication (in Game 5)."

Danny Ildefonso came off the bench to score 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, while Jay Washington contributed 14 points. Arwind Santos poured in 11 points and the same number of rebounds.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Freeman leads 'balik-imports' in PBA Fiesta tilt

Former Best Import Gabe Freeman of San Miguel Beer will bring his act anew along with other "balik-imports" when the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference opens shop on March 20.

Freeman is currently in town playing for the Philippine Patriots in the Asean Basketball League finals and he’ll be hooking up with the Beermen after his stint in the fledging league.

Also set to return for a tour of duty in the PBA are Jai Lewis for Rain or Shine, Anthony Johnson for Sta. Lucia and Chris Porter for Ginebra.

Lewis steered the Elasto Painters to their first-ever semifinals stint in the league last season. The burly but shifty Lewis is a former teammate of Gabe Norwood with the George Mason University Patriots in the US NCAA, who went all the way to the Final Four.

Johnson will be on his third outing in the country. An energetic player who plays solid at both ends of the court, Johnson first played for the Coca-Cola Tigers in 2007 but was replaced by Jeff Varem. The following year, he was picked up by Sta. Lucia and suited up for the Realtors in the Brunei Cup and the Fiesta Conference.

Porter, on the other hand, played for the Gin Kings in the 2005-06 season. He piloted the team to the semis but went a game short of reaching the championship round after losing to James Penny and the Red Bull Barakos in Game 7 of the semis.

But while teams are bringing in old faces, Coca-Cola has decided to shop around for a young reinforcement.

The Tigers are now looking at Jason Forte, brother of former Boston Celtics and Seattle Supersonics guard Joseph Forte.

Coca-Cola coach Bo Perasol revealed that Forte is now in town to try to land a spot in the team.

“He agreed to come here and paid his own travel ticket just to tryout for a spot in the team," said Perasol of Forte. “There’s no guarantee yet. We will evaluate him."

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Aces drop Kings; Giants level series

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk is back in the all-Filipino finals.

The Aces cut loose from a tight game in the homestretch and completed a masterful sweep of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their KFC PBA Philippine best-of-seven semifinal showdown with a 102-95 win last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Pointguard LA Tenorio presided over the Aces’ mighty finish that carried them to an eighth all-Filipino finale and 24th overall with a crack at a 13th championship.

“Wow! Who would have thought we could do this. To be here beating Ginebra four in a row is an incredible feat,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone of their sweet sweep.

“I don’t know where we came from. The guys lifted our game to a whole new level. From the beginning in Game One, the guys were fresh, hungry and sharp. And they didn’t lose anything along the way. It’s kind of unusual,” Cone also said.


“Ginebra played well tonight. They had the game they wanted to play. But we still had a better night,” Cone added.

Tenorio produced 20 points and 10 assists, Reynel Hugnatan put in 18 points and 10 rebounds and big men Sonny Thoss and Joe De Vance combined for 29 points and 12 rebounds as Alaska kept its mastery of Ginebra, essaying only the fourth 4-0 playoff sweep in league history.

So impressive were the Aces in the series they walloped the Kings by an average margin of 13.25 points.

“We just had a real unusual series. Just anybody I picked from the bench played very well,” said Cone.

The Kings engaged the Aces in a battle in Game Four but ran out of gas, slowing it down at the finish.

After the Kings tied for the last time at 85-all, Tenorio banged away a trey to spark a decisive eight-to-nothing run, getting the Aces ahead to stay.

Purefoods rebounded from a humbling defeat, whipping San Miguel Beer, 97-84, and forcing a 2-2 deadlock in the other semfinal game.

James Yap and Kerby Raymundo, the team’s main men, shared the load with their teammates, resulting in a better team performance and the crucial win watched by a crowd of over 12,000.

Roger Yap went a rebound shy of a triple-double effort with Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis having their own double-double job as they gave the Giants a tremendous lift in springing back from a 76-88 loss in Game Three.

Yap produced 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Pingris submitted 15 points and 11 rebounds while Reavis tallied 14 rebounds and 12 points in the game marred by the ouster of a San Miguel support staff on a technical infraction.

“I think this is the first time we hit the 20s in assist department. I told James and Kerby they have to share the ball. We have to get the other players involved on offense. Good thing they bought the idea,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“We’re not able to play our game. We allowed them to shoot 48 percent from the field and we’re also down in assists. Basically, that’s the story,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

Imposing their game, the Giants led by as many as 21 points right in the first period before slowing down in the next two quarters then getting back into the groove in the final canto.

“It was a game of adjustments. They threw good defensive efforts but we had some antidotes and good thing they worked,” said Gregorio.

“We want to stay alive and we want to stay competing. When we regained control in the fourth, I practically begged (my players) ‘please don’t let them make a run again,’” Gregorio added.

The Beermen, behind Jonas Villanueva, Jay Washington and Arwind Santos, waged a searing rally in the final half, reducing a 22-point gap, 20-42, to three, 71-74, early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants, however, showed great composure, regaining control at 90-74, on a decisive roll led by Pingris and Roger Yap.

“It’s down to a best of three, and honestly I feel we have a legitimate crack with the way we’ve been playing and with the way we’ve been concentrating in trying to stop the team,” said Gregorio.

“But we need to give my players who play extensive minutes some rest again. At this point, it’s better to spend time in video room and talk about things that should be done. It’s unnecessary to practice on the court,” Gregorio added.

The Giants came out revitalized, sprinting to a 21-point spread at 29-8.

They then had several 22-point leads before settling for a 53-44 cushion at halftime.

San Miguel made it a more manageable deficit as Danny Ildefonso, Denok Miranda and Washington closed out the second period with five straight charities.

The scores:

First Game

Purefoods 97 – Yap J. 24, Pingris 15, Yap R. 15, Raymundo 13, Reavis 12, Maierhofer 8, Simon 5, Artadi 4, Adducul 2, Allado 0.

San Miguel 84 – Ildefonso 17, Washington 14, Villanueva 13, Santos 11, Hontiveros 10, Custodio 6, Miranda 6, Peña 4, Pennisi 3, Holper 0, Cortez 0, Racela 0.

Quarterscores: 36-15, 53-44, 74-67, 97-84

Second Game

Alaska 102 – Tenorio 20, Hugnatan 18, Thoss 15, De Vance 14, Dela Cruz 9, Cablay 8, Borboran 7, Miller 7, Cariaso 4, Fonacier 0, Ferriols 0.

Ginebra 95 – Helterbrand 20, Tubid 15, Villanueva 15, Intal 10, Mamaril 9, Caguioa 9, Salvacion 5, Baguio 4, Alvarez 3, Wilson 3, Cruz 2, Abarrientos 0.

Quarterscores: 27-27, 53-59, 72-73, 102-95

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Aces send Kings to the brink; Beermen win

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk moved within a win of a return stint to the KFC PBA Philippine Cup finals as it overcame an endgame meltdown, escaping with a 91-88 win over Barangay Ginebra before a crowd of over 18,000 at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Aces nearly squandered a 23-point lead, barely pulling through as Reynel Hugnatan came through with one big defensive rebound and a charity then Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa missed a potential game-tying triple in the closing seconds.

“We had everything going our way for most of the game until we got very comfortable and stopped playing. We should’ve known better that Ginebra never quits,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

The victory gave the Aces a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series.

“We lost our poise and confidence. Luckily, we made some good defensive stops in the end, allowing us to eke out the win,” Cone said.


The Aces led by as many as 23 at 88-65 on a short stab by Mark Borboran with 8:06 left but they went without a field goal the rest of the way.

The Kings then waged a big comeback on a pressing defense but failed to complete the rally with heartbreaking misses in the clutch.

They had two chances to tie but Ronald Tubid bungled two free throws, then Caguioa misfired a three-pointer inside the last 10 seconds.

Finding themselves in a 0-3 hole, the Kings need to beat the Aces four in a row to salvage the series. But no team has ever come back from that deficit in league history.

Cone, however, isn’t counting Ginebra out.

“I’ve been in the business for 20 years and I’ve seen things happen. We’d been up 3-1 against Purefoods in the 2006 all-Filipino semis and we ended up losing,” said Cone.

San Miguel Beer restored order in its game after a floundering performance Friday, smothering Purefoods, 88-76, for a 2-1 lead in their own best-of-seven semis series.

“The main thing is the effort we put in. We’re a little more committed on defense in this game,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“In Game Four, we intend to stay in business. We’ve learned our lesson (in Game Two). We must not commit the mistake again,” Tanquingcen added.

“One glaring stats for today’s game is our inability to score. That’s basically the story,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

NOTES: Samigue Eman, the 2007 draft No. 2 pick who became an unrestricted free agent at San Miguel Beer, was acquired by Alaska Milk Friday. San Miguel put the 6-foot-11 center on the reserve list after reactivating Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso from injury in time for the semis. Before Eman was acquired by Alaska, San Miguel was working on a deal that would have sent the Davaoeño to Barangay Ginebra. Eman, however, is still restricted from playing for his new team. He makes his debut as an Alaska player next conference.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Aces eye 3-0; Giants, Beermen duel for lead

JC Intal trying to get past Alaska's defense

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk tries to push Barangay Ginebra on the brink while San Miguel Beer and Purefoods slug it out for the 2-1 lead in their own battle in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals at the Araneta Coliseum today.

The fired-up Aces and the fagged-out Kings square off at 4 p.m. with the former determined to make it three in a row to move within a win of a return stint in the all-Filipino finals.

The Aces are well aware of the Kings’ dilemma and they’ve done a good job taking advantage of it, paving the way for their emphatic victories in the first two games of their showdown.

“Because they’re tired, they can’t do the game plan they want to execute. That’s our biggest advantage at this point, and we’re really pouncing on the situation,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

The Kings are zero-two down and face a tough task of checking their slump with weary bodies plus the uncertain status of Eric Menk (groin injury) and Celino Cruz (sprained ankle).


While Alaska is setting out only for a third game in 23 days, Ginebra is playing an eighth game in two weeks.

“Despite the loss (Friday), I was happy with how we fought. We showed some semblance of a fight and that could give us a good frame of mind going to Game Three,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

“We’re hoping to do better in Game Three. We’re keeping the faith,” Uichico added.

San Miguel and Purefoods slug it out in the 6:30 p.m. mainer with the Giants enjoying the momentum and high morale following a vengeful 103-84 victory in Game Two.

The Giants also got the breaks with Kerby Raymundo spared of suspension on his unsportsmanlike conduct resulting in his ejection late in the first half Friday. Raymundo was only meted a fine of P4,000.

“It’s nice to finally win over San Miguel but it takes four games to win the series. We just tied it at one-one, so we’ve done nothing special,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“We’d got our ass kicked and there’s no excuses. We came out flat and they came out with a lot of energy. They won the rebounding. It takes effort to do that – more than talent,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“Good thing, we’re just back to scratch. For sure, the intensity will pick up for both teams. They stepped up in Game Two and we have to make sure to step up as well in Game Three,” Tanquingcen also said.

The Giants jumped the gun on the Beermen, taking the opening quarter at 28-21, and they held onto the lead all the way to the finish.

Purefoods never wavered even on the ouster of Raymundo, sustaining a gritty performance to deal San Miguel its worst defeat since a 100-129 blowout by Talk n Text in Game One of their all-Filipino semis duel last year.

“It’s about recognition of where we are today. It’s about understanding what position we are in,” said Rafi Reavis, who ably picked up the slack on Raymundo’s exit.

“Our vaunted defense came to play and it helped that Rafi ably filled in the shoes vacated by Kerby,” said Gregorio.

“We’re playing an important game Sunday and I hope that the ejection of Kerby became a blessing in disguise. He’s able to rest his injured legs. Hopefully, he comes back stronger,” said Gregorio of his ace forward-center.

Raymundo was ejected from the game with 4:11 to go in the second quarter on back-to-back technical infractions he incurred for vehemently protesting a call. Purefoods was up 42-30 then.

As a result, the former Letran stalwart ended up scoreless in a game for the first time since 2004.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Will history repeat itself for Cone, Uichico?

Alaska's Tim Cone and San Miguel's Jong Uichico

Coaches Tim Cone of Alaska Milk and Jong Uichico of Barangay Ginebra are two of the winningest coaches among active mentors in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

But there are several interesting stories to tell, aside from the fact that their teams are currently on a head-on collision course in the best-of-seven semifinals series of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

Cone, one of the few coaches to ever complete a “grandslam" in the league, has had a history of squandering either a 2-0 lead or a 3-1 advantage both in a PBA championship and semifinals series.

For his part, Uichico, owner of nine PBA championships, has shown his ability to fight back from the brink of defeat and win a series, illustrated by the Kings' disposal of Talk ‘N Text in the best-of-five quarterfinals series only recently.

The Aces are now 2-0 against the Kings and the big question is: Will history repeat itself for the two coaches?

“The bottom line is, we’ve been here before (2-0) and Ginebra has been here before (0-2)," Cone told sportswriters after his team’s 90-82 win over the Gin Kings in Game 2.

“In our (Aces') last championship series against Talk ‘N Text, we were up 2-0 and we lost the series. In Talk N Text’s last series against Ginebra, Talk ‘N Text was up, 2-0, and lost the series. We’ll have to come out Sunday (for Game 3) with a firm understanding that it will be really hard to beat Ginebra," added Cone.

Curiously, Cone, who is the second all-time winningest coach with 12 titles, has reason to be cautious despite a jumpstart in the series.

In the 2005-06 All-Filipino Cup, the Aces were up, 3-1, in the best-of-seven semis series and were beaten three straight by the Purefoods Giants, who ended up as the champions.

Alaska also lost two more heartbreaking championship series against Purefoods – the 2002 Governors Cup, after blowing a 2-0 advantage and bowing in seven games, and the 1990 Third Conference best-of-five series, in which they were swept by the Hotdogs of the legendary Baby Dalupan in three straight games after a similar 2-0 head start.

“Nothing is safe with me," said Cone. “I’ve lost in a series even when leading 2-0 or 3-1. Even on my tennis game, I was so good on leading a game, but was having a hard time closing out the match."

Asked about his chances of finally going up 3-0, Cone said: “We’ll see about that. I’ll answer you again if that happens."

For Uichico, who entertained the crowd Sunday when he received a pass from Mark Caguioa from the sidelines and made a heave from the bench, there’s no excuse for not competing even when the squad is short-handed.

“There’s no excuse for us. We have to fight. If we lose, at least we lose fighting and if we win, we won because we fought for it," said Uichico, who received a “delayed on the game" warning from the referees for throwing a shot.

“But at least, we played better compared to Game One, where we really came out flat."

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Purefoods routs SMB in Game 2, levels semifinal duel

Even without top gunner Kerby Raymundo, Purefoods remains a team too tough to crack. And San Miguel learned that the hard way Friday night.

Rafi Reavies took over in the absence of the ejected Raymundo, providing the points, inspiration and energy the Giants needed in a big 103-84 win over the San Miguel Beermen that leveled their KFC-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series.

The lanky, 6-foot-7 Reavis led the team in scoring with 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in the lopsided Game 2 win at the packed Astrodome.

Both teams will eye to break the 1-1 deadlock when Game 3 is played on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

“We came out flat the last time," said Reavis of the Giants’ 88-93 loss to the Beermen in the opener. “But we just know how to beat these guys."


Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio agreed with his big man.

“Our legs were not present in Game 1. Luckily, today we played with tremendous effort, we defended well and we made a lot of stops," he said.

The Giants took the initiative early on and led, 28-21, in the opening quarter.

But they appeared to have hit a wall in the 4:11 mark of the second period when two successive technical fouls led to Raymundo’s ejection.

Tossed out

The former Letran stalwart first incurred a technical for his constant complaining, and then, got into a physical contact with referee Nestor Sambrano while on his way back to the Purefoods bench, leading to his outright expulsion from the court.

But not even that could deter the Giants.

They held on to a 14-point lead at the break, and then stretched it to as many as a 21-point edge at 81-60 on a lay up by James Yap early into the final quarter.

“It’s nice to finally win over San Miguel," admitted Gregorio, whose Giants have lost all their two games against the Beermen in the eliminations.

“But we have to win three more games. We just cut the series into a best-of-five. There’s nothing special with this win.

James Yap and KG Canaleta each had 17 for the Giants, while Roger Yap added 15, plus five rebounds and four assists.

Raymundo ended up scoreless for Purefoods, ending a long eight-year streak where he scored at least a point for the team.

The last time the starting center failed to score in a Giants uniform came in August 10, 2002 opposite Shell when he came out of the game due to an injury.

Danny Seigle had a team-high 16 points for the Beermen while Arwind Santos made 13 markers and 12 rebounds, his three-pointer with 6:59 left in the game putting San Miguel to within 70-81.

But James Yap sparked a 12-1 Purefoods run, which he capped with a trey as the Giants pulled away for good, 93-71. - GMANews.TV

The Scores:

Purefoods 103 - Reavis 20, Canaleta 17, Yap J. 17, Yap R. 15, Artadi 12, Maierhofer 9, Pingris 7, Simon 2, Adducul 2, Allado 2, Salvador 0, Raymundo 0.

San Miguel 84 - Seigle 16, Santos 13, Hontiveros 13, Washington 10, Custodio 8, Ildefonso 7, Cortez 6, Racela 5, Villanueva 4, Miranda 2, Pennisi 0, Pena 0.

Quarters: 28-21, 50-36, 73-59, 103-84.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Aces lead Kings, 2-0; Giants win

MANILA, Philippines - Red-hot Alaska Milk made it two in a row over Barangay Ginebra, 90-82, even as a revitalized Purefoods team got even with San Miguel Beer, 103-84, in Game Two of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal series at the Astrodome last night.

The Aces continued to pounce on a tired Ginebra team, taking control early and sustaining a solid game all throughout as they established a commanding two-game-to-nil lead in their side of the Final Four.

The Giants, opting just to have a serious talk than spend more energy in practice Thursday, returned with springs in their legs, avenging an 83-99 loss to the Beermen Wednesday.

“It’s hard to believe we could play two good games against Ginebra. By and large, Ginebra just couldn’t do what they wanted to do because they’re tired,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

“The bottom line, however, is that we’ve been here and they’ve been here. We’re two-zero against Talk n Text in the last all-Filipino finals and we lost. Ginebra’s zero-two against Talk n Text in their recent quarters and they won. That’s why I’m still expecting a long series,” Cone added.


“At least, we fought tonight. We lost it far better than we lost the last time. We fought despite a depleted lineup, and I think we’ll have a better frame of mind in the next game,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

Willie Miller put in a game-high 18 points while Tony dela Cruz had a double-double game with 16 rebounds and 14 points for the Aces who also drew key numbers from Sonny Thoss, Joe De Vance and Larry Fonacier.

The Giants came roaring back into the series two days after being virtually wiped out of the court in the series opener, 83-99, as they showed their old spunk so evident in their quarterfinal victory over Rain or Shine despite the ouster of Kerby Raymundo on two technicals.

Rafi Reavis ably filled in the slack left by Raymundo, coming through with a double-double game with 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead Purefoods to its first win over San Miguel in four meetings in the all-Filipino tourney.

James Yap, Niño Canaleta, Roger Yap and Paul Artadi sustained the Giants’ offensive surge as the team, spared from the rigors of a heavy workout a day earlier, came out brimming with confidence and energy to reduce the series to a best-of-five.

“We’re really tired and weary so we just walked through our plays yesterday (Thursday) and spent a lot more time in the locker room to talk about what we must do,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“It’s nice to finally win over San Miguel but it takes four games to win the series. We just tied it at one-one, so we’ve done nothing special,” Gregorio added.

“There were no excuses. We came out flat and they came out with a lot of energy. They won the rebounds. It takes effort more than talent to do that,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“Good thing, we’re just back to scratch. For sure, the intensity will pick up for both teams. They stepped up in Game Two and we have to make sure to step up as well in Game Three,” Tanquingcen added.

The Giants jumped the gun on the Beermen early, taking the opening quarter at 28-21, then held on to the lead all the way to the finish.

They never wavered despite the ejection of Raymundo, sustaining a solid all-around game to deal San Miguel its worst defeat since a 100-129 blowout by Talk n Text in Game One of their all-Filipino semis duel last year.

Reavis had a superb game also marked by four blocks and three assists in 37 minutes of play. He was 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-7 from the stripe in producing his biggest output in the league in six years.

“It’s about recognition of where we are today. It’s about understanding what position we are in,” said Reavis.

“Our vaunted defense came to play and it helped that Rafi ably filled in the shoes of Kerby,” said Gregorio.

“We’ll be playing an important game on Sunday and I hope what happened to Kerby was a blessing in disguise. He’s able to rest his injured legs. Hopefully, he comes back stronger,” said Gregorio of his ace forward-center.

Raymundo was ejected from the game with 4:11 to go in the second quarter on back-to-back technical infractions for vehemently protesting a call. Purefoods was up 42-30 then.

As a result, the former Letran stalwart ended up scoreless in a game for the first time since 2004.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Giants, Kings try to level semis series

James Yap, Purefood’s main offensive weapon, was held to eight free throws by San Miguel Beer last Wednesday – a fact not lost on Giants coach Ryan Gregorio.

“James probably went full throttle against Rain or Shine in Game 5; he didn’t have enough gas (in Game 1),” he said. “We really need James to step up for us and consistently score in order for us to compete and eventually win against San Miguel. If he scores eight points, then we’ll have problems.”

Gregorio, however, doesn’t want to pin the blame solely on Yap.

“Other players will have to step up. I know James knows that, he really needs to score and step up his offensive weapon. Hope we can will ourselves to victory in Game 2. We don’t want to dig a deeper hole, which might be hard for us to extricate,” he said.

The Giants, still drained from their five-game series against Rain or Shine, try to level their best-of-seven semifinal series against the Beermen at 5 p.m. this Friday in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Astrodome in Pasay City.

Yap, who was 0-of-8 from the field Wednesday, is expected to come strong after being bottled up by San Miguel’s defense. The former King Warrior poured 28 points against Rain or Shine in Game 5 last Sunday.

Six Beermen scored in double figures to typify the team’s balanced offense in Game 1, which they won, 99-83.

Jayjay Washington and Dondon Hontiveros led the Beermen with 17 points apiece, Arwind Santos chipped in 16, Denok Miranda had 15, and Danny Seigle added 10.

In the other semifinal match at 7:30 p.m., Alaska Milk guns for a repeat victory over Barangay Ginebra, although Aces coach Tim Cone expects it won’t be as easy as the opener.

The Aces shot 50 percent from the field and limited the Kings to 31-of-86 shooting. They also controlled the boards, 59-40.

Cone, however, is aware of what Ginebra can do.

“It’s a seven-game series for a reason. We know it’s going to be a long series. It’s going to be a tough series,” Cone said. “They took this first game to take a kind of a deep breath and they’ll start the series on Game 2, basically.”

“What this equates to winning the series? Probably it had very little to do it except the fact that we’re up and that’s all that counts. That’s all it means. Obviously we all know that Ginebra was down 0-1, then 0-2 in the last series,” he added.

Averaging just eight points this conference, Mark Caguioa sizzled with 23 points in Game 1 but failed to get support from teammates.

Games today (Astrodome, Pasay City)
5:00 p.m. — Purefoods vs San Miguel
7:30 p.m. — Alaska vs Ginebra

FREE LIVE STREAMING AVAILABLE HERE

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin

Double-D back for Beermen

MANILA, Philippines - If Purefoods has its Yaps, San Miguel Beer is bolstered by its Dannys. The opposing pairs are facing off in a PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal duel that began last Wednesday with the Beermen drawing first blood, 99-83, at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Yaps – James and Roger – averaged a combined 39.6 points to lead the Tender Juicy Giants over Rain Or Shine in a thrilling best-of-five quarterfinal series that went the distance.

But in Game 1 against San Miguel, the Yaps were held to only 18 points together. Veterans Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle, meanwhile, combined for 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists in quality minutes off the bench. Both Dannys appeared fully recovered from injuries that kept them in cold storage for long stretches during the double round eliminations.

Ildefonso’s comeback was a tribute to his fighting heart, said orthopaedic surgeon Dr. George Canlas yesterday. After playing two games to start the conference, Ildefonso suffered a ruptured tendon in the sole of his right foot and was advised by US doctors to end his career. The US doctors based their findings on MRIs of Ildefonso’s foot without the benefit of a personal examination.

But Dr. Canlas found a solution. He put Ildefonso under rehabilitation to strengthen the structure of his foot and after careful supervision over 3 1/2 months, the two-time MVP was declared ready to play.


“All credit goes to Danny,” said Dr. Canlas. “Benjie Paras suffered the same injury during his career and came back to win a second MVP award. I was confident Danny could return just like Benjie. The initial diagnosis was he could be crippled for life with more damage to his foot. That no longer holds. If ever Danny requires surgery later, there would be no danger of being crippled.”

Dr. Canlas said Ildefonso was severely depressed when told about the US doctors’ advice to retire.

“Danny wasn’t ready to retire,” said Dr. Canlas. “He worked hard to strengthen his foot and got it done. He should be fine now. I watched him play on TV last Wednesday and it was incredible how he performed.”

Ildefonso, 33, missed 16 straight games before his reactivation for Game 1. “My foot is okay and I hope I can still help the team,” said Ildefonso after hitting 5-of-7 from the floor in 19 minutes. “By God’s will and grace, I’ll be playing until the end of the finals.”

Seigle, 33, sat out nine games in the eliminations and when he was on the floor, hardly looked like the Dynamite Danny who captured four finals MVP trophies. But last Wednesday, Seigle was back in form, twirling away from his defender to score his patented fadeaway jumper, driving down the baseline for a dunk, posting up to exploit a mismatch and even earning a technical foul. He shot 4-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-5 free throws in 16 minutes.

“It feels great to be in a playoff again and healthy,” said Seigle. “It was also my first technical in a while.”

San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen said the two Dannys clearly made a major impact in the series opener.

“Their playoff experience made a difference,” said Tanquingcen. “However, unlike before where we expected them to carry the load for the team, now we somehow ease the load on them with the infusion of young guys so as not to wear their bodies out. The dynamics are a bit different. They are now asked to give guidance and support for the younger guys.”

Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said he never expected the Dannys to be as productive.

“Now, we’ve got to prepare for the Dannys, too,” said Gregorio. “I didn’t expect them to make a dent like they did. It’s hard enough to get ready for the other guys because San Miguel is so deep down to their third unit.”

Gregorio offered no excuses for the Giants’ loss.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” he said. “We had defensive lapses and made mistakes. We’re comfortable matching up against their three bigs but when they play three small, they’re too quick for us. They have so many weapons and their player rotation is so deep. But I still believe that we can compete against them.” Gregorio said he hardly played zone because the San Miguel sharpshooters were on target.

“In the entire game, we played zone only on five instances and they scored each time,” said Gregorio. “They’ve got zone-breakers in Mick Pennisi, Jay Washington, Dondon Hontiveros, Arwind Santos and Denok Miranda all of whom scored three-pointers in Game 1. We started with Kerby (Raymundo) on Arwind and also used Marc (Pingris), KG (Canaleta) and Rico (Maierhofer) to defend him. Kerby did a good job of limiting Arwind to two points in the first period but he still ended up with 16.”

Gregorio refused to dwell on the exhaustion factor.

“Sure, we’re tired coming from the quarterfinals and San Miguel is well-rested but that’s not a reason to lose,” he said. “Just like officiating isn’t a reason. You’ve got to play through the calls and make adjustments. We know what we’ve got to do to win Game 2. We’ve got to tighten up defensively, take control of the boards and get our offense going.”

To add to Purefoods’ list of imperatives, there’s also the priority of shackling the two Dannys.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com