OFFICIAL PBA THREAD

[carlofromdapi]

REALTORS DOWN TIGERS A WEEK AFTER THEIR TRADE
Miranda shows up former team with 13 points, four assists
Wednesday, 11 April 2007


Like a true professional, Denok Miranda.was all business against his former team and proved to his new team it was a good decision getting him.
The sophomore guard debuted with flying colors with Sta. Lucia, anchoring the Realtors to a 103-100 decision past Coca-Cola Wednesday night in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

Part of a five-player trade last week between the two teams, Miranda tallied 13 points on a 6-of-7 shooting but more than that, it was his energy, hustle and ability to work calmly under pressure which provided the difference for the Realtors in a game that was decided in the closing minutes.

With Denok coming in we know the team will have some stability because he easily adapts to pressure games, said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez. His type of game provides the team with energy, hustle and defense and it showed tonight.

Rock Winston also had a stellar performance particularly on the defensive end as the Realtors bounced back from a 101-112 defeat against the Barangay Ginebra Kings last Easter Sunday to improve to 3-4.

The Sta. Lucia import led all scorers with 29 points which came with his 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals in 43 minutes his second best performance in the conference. He capped his standout game by slowing down Coca-Cola import Anthony Johnson and holding him to just six points in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.

With the kind of effort (Rock) showed tonight I guess he deserves another look. Although his stint remains still remains day-to-day, said Fernandez, adding the teams is in dire need a big man.

It was Winstons best game since a 32-point, 12-rebound effort in a 114-104 loss to Welcoat last March 11.

The Realtors turned the game around in the final 2:46 using a 9-0 run staring Miranda, Winston and rookie Kelly Williams.

Williams turned in 20 points, 14 in the second half and Dennis Espino scored 10 of his 17 points in the last two quarters as the frontline duo took charge of the offense in a game that featured just eight lead changes and six deadlocks.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Tigers who kept the game close and appeared to have it well under control when Ali Peek, who finished with 19 points, gave them an 81-74 lead early in the fourth.

But the Tigers couldnt hold on.

Johnson finished with a team-best 26 points but had just six in the fourth quarter as the Tigers picked up their fourth straight loss and fifth in eight games overall.

The Tigers, who gave up Miranda, Manny Ramos and their 2008 second round pick, for Kenneth Duremdes, Alex Cabagnot and Ricky Calimag, got a combined 31 points from the trio but 19 turnovers six in the fourth canto -- cost them the game.

The scores:

Sta. Lucia 103 Winston 29, Williams 20, Espino 17, Miranda 3, Omolon 10, Gonzales 5, Aquino 4, Catli 3, Bughao 2, Isip 0, Santos 0, Mendoza 0.

Coca-Cola 100 Johnson 26, Peek 19, Cabagnot 14, Calimag 11, Arigo 11, Antonio 10, Duremdes 6, Tolomia 3, Avenido 0.

Quarterscores: 26-20, 48-47, 74-76, 103-100.

 

[supraman1784]

carlo any details on that 5 player trade mentioned in the article above? who was traded and where did they go?

TEAM NJ NETS​

Kidd. Carter. Jefferson. Need we say more?​

 

[carlofromdapi]

Sta. Lucia traded Kenneth Duremdes, Alex Cabagnot, and Ricky Calimag to Coca Cola for Dennis Miranda, Manny Ramos, and its 2nd round pick for next year's draft.

 

[supraman1784]

^^ thanks

TEAM NJ NETS​

Kidd. Carter. Jefferson. Need we say more?​

 

[carlofromdapi]

DYNAMITE DANNY TOPS ALL-STAR GAME STARTERS BALLOTING
Caguioa, Helterbrand banner North All-Starsers for the 2007 PBA All-Star Game this coming April 29 and will anchor the South All-Stars aiming for a back-to-back win against their North counterparts.


When votes by fans via SMS, email and balloting in the different game venues were tallied after last Tuesdays deadline, the San Miguel scoring machine tallied a total of 118,260 votes, to lead the voting for this year's mid-season classic for the first time in this career.



A member of the all-pro RP Team that will try to earn a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Seigle makes up the starting unit for the South along with other leading vote-getters Eric Menk of Barangay Ginebra (104,784), San Miguel teammate Dondon Hontiveros (83,80

ing five.



The South All-Stars beat the North All-Stars by a cliffhanger 122-120 in last years event in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental with Taulava winning his second All-Star Game MVP trophy in three years.



"We would like to thank the people all over the country who took time and voted to complete the starting units of both the North and South teams for this year's All-Star Game. We guarantee another exciting treat to PBA fans as we unveil the 2007 All-Star weekend in San Fernando, La Union and Baguio City from April 25 to 29," said league commissioner Noli Eala.



Members of the national team preparing for two major overseas tournaments have been allowed to see action in the annual extravaganza, paving the way for the presence of Taulava, Hontiveros, Seigle, Raymundo, Caguioa and Helterbrand in the rosters of the North and South, respectively.

The Nationals were pulled out from their respective mother units for the entire Talk `N Text-PBA
Philippine Cup as they train for the South East Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship in Thailand and the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan. They are currently training in the US and will be back by the middle of this month.

The remaining 14 slots reserved for both squads will be filled up by coaches of the 10 teams.

Coaches of the top two teams in the ongoing Talk N Text Fiesta Conference through April 15s games will have the distinction of calling the shots for the South and North squads.

Baguio City will be staging the All-Star Game the main fare of the weekend activities - and the
exciting Legend's Three-point Shootout on the 29th.


On the other hand, La Union is the site of the Rookies vs. Sophomores Blitz Game and the skills challenges on April 26

 

[carlofromdapi]

EXPRESS OUT TO PROVE THEYRE FOR REAL
Air21 battles slumping Coca-Cola in a Friday-the-13th PBA triple treat
Friday, 13 April 2007

Barangay Ginebra, Alaska and defending champion Red Bull sharing the lead in the team standings with their identical 6-2 records is no surprise.


But Air21 just a half a game behind at 5-2 should be enough proof the Express are determined to be in the level of the Kings, Aces and the Barakos as title contenders in the Talk N Text Fiesta Conference.



"We are indeed playing so well at this point in time and admittedly I'm having a hard time motivating the players. But I guess their desire to do well this conference keeps them in focus," said Air21 coach Bo Perasol, who seems visibly pleased with the way things are working early in their campaign.



Shawn Daniels is not your typical flashy and high-scoring import but is making things happen and gets the job done. His ability to get everybody involved provides a lot of problems for the opposition.



With Gary David, Nino Canaleta, Wynne Arboleda, Mark Telan and rookie Arwind Santos performing consistently, the future looks good for the Express this conference.



After taking a well-deserved break, Air21 resumes its campaign Friday afternoon against the slumping Coca-Cola Tigers, seeking a follow-up to their 116-104 victory against the Alaska Aces last week.



Game time is set at 4:35 p.m at the Araneta Coliseum with Air21 gunning for its 6th win in eight games.



The Barakos and the Kings also plunge into action Friday, with both teams seeking an-all important win in a bid to close the first half of their elimination round campaign on a winning note and stay on top of the leaderboard.



Red Bull battles unpredictable Talk N Text (3-4) at 7:20 p.m. also at the Big Dome while Barangay Ginebra battles Purefoods (3-5) at 6 p.m. at the Al-Ahli Sports Club in Dubai.



"It's difficult to size up Coke at this time after the trade they've done. They're a totally different team now. I just hope we could keep our focus and respond well to the challenge," Perasol explained.



The Tigers added depth to its bench after acquiring Kenneth Duremdes, Alex Cabagnot and Ricky Calimag from Sta. Lucia last week.


The trio combined for 32 points on Wednesday but their effort wasnt enough to save the Tigers from picking up their fourth straight loss an 84-94 beating against the Realtors.

 

[airpopoy629]

naka Nike id 2k4 ata si super JJ...and arigo..wearing kobe 2 at kanina he's wearing the black 22's...

 

[carlofromdapi]

TIGERS OUTSHOOT AIR21 TO END LOSING STREAK
6 players finish in double figures for Coke on AJs b-day
Saturday, 14 April 2007

Finally, a breakthrough win for the Coca-Cola Tigers.
Kenneth Duremdes hit a huge a 3-point shot and Anthony Johnson scored 10 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Tigers held off the Air 21 Express, 123-111, at the Araneta Coliseum Friday night to snap a four-game slump in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference.

After leading for three quarters, the Tigers appeared in trouble when the Express kept the game close in the fourth quarter and tied it at 98-all. But they stood up to the challenge and never wilted under pressure.

Duremdes, just in his second game in a Coca-Cola uniform, knocked in a tie-breaking three-pointer with 5:56 remaining as the Tigers surged ahead and hung on until the final buzzer.

Then Johnson, who led all scorers, took over. He scored six straight points as the Tigers extended the lead to113-102 with 2:32 to go.

I talked to the players (Thursday) and we agreed that were just some rebounds away, some hustles away from getting a breakthrough win. And that was the thing that we really emphasized today, said Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis. We know we need one strong push and it has to be one strong push together. I guess the players exaggerated that a little bit tonight and it paid off.

It was just the fourth win for the Tigers, who closed out the first half of the elimination round with a 4-5 (win-loss) record, a fitting birthday gift for Johnson, who turned 28 that same day.

It was also Cokes first win in five games this conference at the Big Dome.

John Arigo scored 23 points and Alex Cabagnot added 14 and five assists for Coca-Cola.

The Tigers also got a splendid support from their reserves with Chester Tolomia contributing 14 points and Ricky Calimag adding 13 and five rebounds.

Im fortunate to be in a situation like this -- to be able to get players who are supposed to be in a crash course of sorts but are very intelligent ones, said Favis referring to Cabagnot, Duremdes and Calimag three players the Tigers acquired from a trade with Sta. Lucia last week.

Mark Telan showed the way for Coca-Cola with 21 points on a 10-of-13 shooting. Shawn Daniels added 20 points and 18 rebounds for the Express who desperately struggled for their shots all night.

A big letdown for the Express was Gary David, the teams scoring leader and the tournaments top local scorer, who was out of sync offensively. He finished with 20 points but half of it came from the free throw line and came at a time when the Tigers had the game all wrapped up.

A basket by David with 6:10 remaining tied the scored 98-98 but the Express blew away any chance to turn the game around by going scoreless in the next two minutes.

The loss was the just the third in eight game for the Express, who made just 45 of 92 attempts.

The Tigers committed 20 turnovers, six more than the Express, but offset those miscues by shooting 50 percent from the field and outrebounding the Express, 56-42.

The scores:

Coca-Cola 123 Johnson 28, Arigo 23, Cabagnot 14, Tolomia 14, Calimag 13, Peek 12, Duremdes 8, Avenido 5, Antonio 5, Sotto 1.

Air21 111 Telan 21, Daniels 20, David 20, Santos 14, Arboleda 8, Canaleta 7, Torion 7, Se 6, Andaya 5, Dimaunahan 3, Bernardo 0.
Quarterscores: 29-27, 61-52, 86-82, 123-111.

 

[carlofromdapi]

RED BULL STAYS ON TOP
Barakos buck Pennys foul troubles as Sharma, Fonacier-led locals step up of the fourth quarter to 72-77 on Sullingers split free throws.

After a triple by Fonacier, Don Allado split his free throws for Talk N Text.

However, Red Bull answered with six straight points back-to-back jumpers by Sharma and two foul shots by Rico Villanueva for an 86-74 lead midway with five minutes to go.

Sullinger led the Pals with 31 points, but his efforts were not enough for his team which suffered its fifth setback against three wins.

The scores:

Red Bull 102 Penny 20, Baguio 16, Sharma 13, Najorda 12, Villanueva 12, Fonacier 10, Cruz 7, Hrabak 6, Robinson 3, Valenzuela 3, Bugia 0, Ybanez 0, Alvarez 0.

Talk N Text 93 Sullinger 31, Carey 17, Cardona 14, Washington 12, Allado 6, de Ocampo 6, Billiones 4, Santos 2, Pablo 1, Fran 0, Noble 0.
Quarters: 26-17; 48-36; 74-62; 102-93.

 

[carlofromdapi]

STRONG FINISH BY KINGS BRINGS DOWN GIANTS IN DUBAI
Nealy, Tubid star in come-from-behind win which hands Uichico All-Star Game stint
Saturday, 14 April 2007

DUBAI, UAE. -- Coach Jong Uichico had said in jest that Barangay Ginebra would bring in more heat to this tiny emirate.
True to his words, his Kings, relying on a big wind-up, beat the Purefoods TJ Giants 92-82 Friday in a Talk 'N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference first-ever sortie in this sunbathed, yet energetic emirate that is home to around 265,000 registered Filipino workers.

The Kings, with four of them turning in double-digit outputs, took three full quarters to size up the Giants, and then went to the trio of Rod Nealy, Ronald Tubid and Jec Chia for the big baskets that pushed the Giants to kingdom come and which delighted around 5,000 Filipinos including RP's consul general in Dubai Antonio S. Curameng -- that flocked to the downtown Al Ahli Sports Club here.

Nealy, outduelled and outhustled by Purefoods' counterpart Marquin Chandler for three quarters, came away with another near triple-double output of 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and was instrumental in a vicious 11-2 run where he scored three points all of Chandler a split charity and a basket on a drive after eluding him which put the Kings beyond reach, 90-80, with 1:18 left.

Chandler, who scored a game-high 41 points on top of 18 rebounds, virtually carrying Purefoods on his shoulders the entire game, would try to keep the Giants in the game, scoring two free throws which cut the lead to eight.

But that proved to be the Giants' last stand as Tubid, after running down precious time, forced his way amid heavy traffic and barely beat the shotclock with a basket underneath.

The Kings thus notched their seventh win in nine outings, keeping them abreast with Red Bull at the top of the ladder in the season-ending tournament, while spoiling the Giants' bid to end their first round elimination campaign with back-to-back wins.

"It's always sweet! Masaya, masayang masaya, lalo na kung nag travel ka ng libo-libong milya. Sulit na sulit ang pagod," said Uichico, visibly happy with the way his Kings pulled off the big win before an appreciative crowd of mostly Filipinos working in this energetic, fast-rising emirate in the Middle East.

"Everybody stepped up today. They (Giants) controlled the game, but we were able to pull through in the all-important fourth quarter," said Uichico, making mention of Chia, who he said played above the coaching staff's expectation.

The Dubai sortie dubbed "Battle of Champions' was made possible with the effort of Filipino Basketball Center headed by Ramon Pizzaras, whose throng of volunteers gave a warm welcome to the PBA delegation headed by PBA commissioner Noli Eala.

"The PBA is so happy to bring this game here. At sana patuloy kayong magkaroon ng magandang samahan dito sa Dubai. On behalf of the PBA family, maraming salamat sa inyong mainit na pagtanggap sa amin dito," said Eala in a short talk before the game, highlighted by a ceremonial first toss by the consul general.

The depleted Kings, who are missing six players who are either on loan to the national team, injured or on leave, actually managed to rip the game apart at 66-58 following a swift 11-0 blitz ignited by Sunday Salvacion's triple late in the third quarter, but the Giants, behind the guns of James Yap and Rey Evangelista, quickly came back to level the count at 67-all at the end of the quarter.

The win, Barangay Ginebras third straight and seventh in their last eight games, also assured Uichico of a coaching stint in the annual All-Star Game this coming April 29 in Baguio City.

The head coaches of the Top 2 teams through the games of April 15 will mentor the North and South All-Star squads in the coming annual spectacle to be held in the summer capital of the Philippines.

The win enabled Barangay Ginebra to be ranked No. 1 even in a two-way or three-way tie at 7-2 as a result of a superior PBA quotient, thus assuring Uichico of a second straight All-Star Game coaching stint and third overall. He will handle the North All-Stars who will be bannered by Mark Caguioa and Jay-Jay Helterbrand.

The scores:

Brgy. Ginebra 92 Nealy 23, Tubid 17, Chia 12, Salvacion 11, Seigle 8, Macapagal 7, Mamaril 7, Echavez 6, Santos 1, Holfer 0,.

Purefoods 82 Chandler 41, J. Yap 10, Yee 8, Simon 7, R. Yap 5, Evangelista 4, Castillo 3, Artadi 2, Salvador 2, Limpot 0.
Quarterscores: 21-26, 35-39, 67-67, 92-82.

 

[carlofromdapi]

MILLER-LED ACES ROUT SLR, HAND CONE ALL-STAR STINT
Record-tying 5th appearance for Alaska coach in annual classic by Alaska in a 103-88 victory past the Sta. Lucia Realtors Sunday night in the 2007 Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.


The game seemed so easy for the Aces who outplayed the Realtors in key departments.



"It was one of those games when lots of things went right for us and a lot of things went wrong for Sta. Lucia," offered Cone. "We hit some really tough shots and they missed some easy ones. We're not 15 points better than they are but we played a real good game tonight.



By winning their second straight game, the Aces closed out the first half of the elimination round with a 7-2 (win-loss) card, tying Barangay Ginebra and Red Bull on top of the standings.



It also secured Cone's stint in the league's mid-year spectacle as coach of the South All-Stars team that has Danny Seigle, Eric Menk, Dondon Hontveros, Asi Taulava and James Yap as starters. It will be Cones fifth stint in the annual classic, which will enable him to tie Sonny Jaworski and Derick Pumaren for most All-Star Game coaching jobs since the event was institutionalized in 1989.



The North All-Stars will be coached by Barangay Ginebra's Jong Uichico.



"When you coach the All-Star game it's about your record. It's not a popularity contest. And who's responsible for your record? It's your players. So this is an honor for our whole team," Cone said.



"The All-Star coaching is not really important for me. The important thing is that we won the basketball game because that pushes us to the top and that's the key, " he added.



Miller finished with 21 points, the same output tallied by import Rosell Ellis, who also had 11 rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Aces pounced on the Realtors off the boards, 52-44.



Miller, who shot 8-of-16, including 2-for-3 from the 3-point range, scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Aces took control early and never trailed after closing the quarter up 32-23.



Reserve guard Eddie Laure, slowly regaining his old deadly form, contributed 14 points, center Sonny Thoss also had 14, Jeffery Cariaso added 10 and Nic Belasco had 12 rebounds for the Aces, who shot 49 percent from the field.



Alaska has not had a championship in an import-laced conference since Devin Davis led the team to victory in the 1998 Commissioner's Cup.



But the Aces, under the leadership of Ellis, have made a good account of their ability to contend for the title this conference.



"I thought in the last couple of games after our loss to Air21, we've come out and made a statement defensively," Cone observe.



Rookie Kelly Williams led all scorers with 28 points but couldn't provide spark when the Realtors needed to get back in the game.



The Realtors struggled offensively all night, making just 39 percent of their shots.



Rookie head coach Boyet Fernandez rotated all his players but no one clicked. The only other Realtor in double digit was import Rock Winston, who tallied 17 points and 13 rebounds numbers that didn't made a difference for the Realtors, who picked up their fourth loss in eight games.

The scores:

Alaska 103 Miller 21, Ellis 21, Thoss 14, Laure 14, Cariaso 10, Hugnatan 9, Belasco 9, Ferriols 5, Aban 0, Bajar 0, Juinio 0.

Sta. Lucia 88 Williams 28, Winston 17, Miranda 9, Espino 8, Aquino 6, Omolon 5, Mendoza 5, Catli 3, Gonzales 3, Magsumbol 2, Isip 2, Bughao 0, Santos 0.
Quarterscores: 32-23, 55-45, 78-57, 103-88.

 

[carlofromdapi]

SMB SURVIVES WELCOAT RALLY IN ENDGAME
Ildefonso, Racela bail Beermen out of trouble
Sunday, 15 April 2007

San Miguel Beer survived an endgame scare from Welcoat, escaping with a 96-90 win Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum to end its first round campaign in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference on a high note.
It was only the second win in nine games for the Beermen, who were bailed out of trouble by veterans Danny Ildefonso and Olsen Racela, in the win which enabled them to move half a game behind the Dragons in the encounter between two teams at the tail-end of the team standings.

Welcoat, which paraded a new import in 2007 ABA All-Star Slam Dunk contest runner-up Rob Sanders, dropped to a 2-6 record with its second straight loss and fifth in its last six games.

San Miguel Beer was looking comfortable with a 90-78 lead as the coliseum barker made the last-two-minute announcement but Alex Compton had six points, Rob Wainwright rifled a triple and rookie Froilan Baguion had a three-point play in a 12-1 run by the Dragons, cutting the Beermens lead to just 90-91, time down to only 48 ticks remaining.

Ildefonso then canned a jumper then Dorian Pena stole off Baguion which led to two free by Racela to give San Miguel breathing room even as two more turnovers by Baguion hastened Welcoats downfall.

It was an ugly win, but well take it, said San Miguel Beer interim coach Siot Tanquincen, who improved his record to 2-4 since taking over the Beermen two weeks into the conference.

Playing in only his second game since replacing Paul McMillan, Galen Young paced SMB with his 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two shotblocks and a steal but had a conference-high tying nine turnovers.

Playing his best game in the conference, Racela finished with 17 points, four assists and two rebounds while Ildefonso, Pena and Chris Calaguio added 12 apiece in a balanced attack by the Beermen, who won for the second time in their last three outings.

The loss spoiled the debut of the high-leaping Sanders, who led the Dragons with his 29 points, 14 boards, six assists and four shotblocks.

Three other Welcoat players finished in double figures with Wainwright tallying 14, Alex Compton adding 12 and Adonis Sta. Maria matching his career-high with 12.

San Miguel Beer, which won despite shooting only 37 percent from the field compared to the Dragons 41%, took the lead for good with a 16-7 run led by Young and Racela which broke the games fifth and last deadlock 12 seconds into the third period.

The Beermen, who also had a 59-43 edge in rebounding, went 12-of-36 from beyond the arc with Young, Racela and Calaguio combining for 10 of those triples.

The scores:

San Miguel Beer 96 Young 19, Racela 17, Ildefonso 12, Calaguio 12, Pena 12, Tenorio 8, Wilson 8, Gonzales 4, Espinas 2, Adducul 2, Adriano 0.
Welcoat 90 Sanders 29, Wainwright 14, Compton 12, Sta. Maria 12, Gelig 8, Baguion 7, Ibanes 3, Reyes 2, Lao 2, Cabatu 1, Lopez 0.

Quarterscores: 14-16, 38-36, 60-58, 96-90.

 

[carlofromdapi]

TOUGH FIELD AWAITS CANALETA IN ALL-STAR SLAM DUNKFEST
Baguio, Williams, Washington head high-flying challengers
Tuesday, 17 April 2007

The Philippine Basketball Association has pooled together the league's best jam artists for the 2007 PBA All-Star Week with high flyer Nino Canaleta aspiring for a third straight Slam Dunk title.

This year's Slam Dunk contest promises to be doubly exciting and thrilling as Canaleta faces the toughest field ever assembled for this competition.

Leading the challenge to foil Canaleta's bid to become the first player to win the event thrice in a row is the same former champion whom Canaleta beat out for the crown last year.

Red Bull's Cyrus Baguio seeks payback against the Air21 forward as he leads an array of known jammers entered in the competition that serves as one of the side events of the annual classic made possible by Victory Liner the league's official carrier.

Talk N Text's Anthony Washington and freshmen Kelly Williams of Sta. Lucia, Arwind Santos of Air21 and Alaska's Aaron Aban are among the players strewn on the path of Canaleta's attempt at history.

The cities of San Fernando, La Union and Baguio are hosting this year's All-Star festivities set April 25-29 with Air21, Accel, Pagcor, PSCO, Coke and World of Fun as sponsors.

A champion dunker even during his collegiate and amateur days, the 6-foot-6 Canaleta successfully took his act to the pros two years ago when he beat Enrico Villanueva in a dunk-off to win the title during the 2005 PBA All-Stars in Laoag.

Last year in Cagayan de Oro, he humbled Baguio, the 2004 dunk champion, in a tightly fought final to retain his crown and become the first back-to-back winner of the event since Vergel Meneses did the trick in 1992 and 1993.

Baguio gets a second shot at Canaleta this season, while Washington, Santos, Williams and Aban will also be trying their best to wrestle the title from the defending champion.

Williams, the do-it-all rookie forward tabbed by the Realtors as the season's No. 1 overall pick, is also expected to give Canaleta a run for his money.

The 6-foot-6 Fil-Am out of Detroit already gave fans a glimpse of his dunking ability when he slammed the ball hard off a perfect alley-oop play from former teammate Alex Cabagnot during his debut game in the league.

That he jammed the ball face-to-face with Canaleta certified Williams' status as a wise bet to crowd out the two-time champion for the slam dunk title.

"That was a wait-for-the-next-dunk play," was how Williams described the spectacular play.

 

[carlofromdapi]

NATIONALS BANNER ALL-STAR TEAMS
8 RP Team mainstays in midseason classicers.

Also in the North Team that is heavy with scoring guards are De Ocampo, Enrico Villanueva, Larry Fonacier, Gary David, Willie Miller, John Arigo and Mark Cardona.

In contrast, Cone will be working with a team that is a mixture of 3-point shooters and slam dunk artists.

Seigle, the top vote getter among the starters, leads the South that also has Taulava, Hontiveros, Eric Menk and James Yap for its first five.

Completing the South roster are Alapag, Sunday Salvacion, Sonny Thoss, Kelly Williams, Cyrus Baguio, Ronald Tubid and Roger Yap.

Cone, who matched Derick Pumaren's record of five coaching appearances in an All-Star Game, hopes to improve his 4-1 record that includes a two-game sweep by the RP Centennial Team of the import-reinforced All-Star Selection in 1998.

Taulava, who is making his seventh All-Star stint, will be aspiring for a personal record by trying to win a second straight All-Star MVP trophy and third overall. He shared the honor with teammate Jimmy Alapag in Cebu in 2005.

The 2007 PBA All-Star Extravaganza is a five-day event hosted by San Fernando, La Union and Baguio City and supported by Victory Liner, San Miguel Corp., Air21, Accel, Coke, PAGCOR, PCSO and World of Fun.

San Fernando, La Union hosts the Skills Events and the Blitz Game (Rookies versus Sophomores) while Baguio plays host to the featured All-Star Game.

 

[carlofromdapi]

RED BULL CLASHES WITH WELCOAT FOR SOLO LEAD
Struggling Sta. Lucia & Talk N Text go to battle
Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Yeng Guiao enjoys watching their games from the stands. The Red Bull coach has temporarily turned over the coaching reins to assistant Gee Abanilla to avoid any complications in his electoral campaign.

But even without the fiery coach who is seeking re-election as vice-governor of Pampanga on the sidelines, the Barakos have hardly slowed down as if they want to make a statement.

"To be working with these extremely motivated individuals makes my job easy," said Abanilla, who has a 2-3 (win-loss) record since taking over the coaching chores.

"Right now, their focus is to maintain their position in the top two and earn an automatic spot in the semis. That goal keeps them going and motivated," Abanilla said.

The defending champion Red Bull is currently tied along with Barangay Ginebra and Alaska for first place in the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference but is likely to assume the solo lead once it opens the second round of eliminations against skidding Welcoat Wednesday.

Definitely, the Barakos can't take the Dragons lightly in their 7:20 p.m. date at the Araneta Coliseum.

But anyway one looks at it, the defending champions present a lot of mismatches in every position, making them the hands down favorite to chalk up their eighth win in 10 games.

The Dragons (2-6) are coming off two straight defeats, including a frustrating 90-96 decision to the San Miguel Beermen last Sunday in a game they had a chance to win but blew on three consecutive lapses by guard Froilan Baguion in the closing seconds.

Still feeling the effects of jet lag, Welcoats new import Robert Sanders tallied 29 points that included a couple of rattling dunks and had 14 rebounds in his debut Sunday. Those numbers suggest his match-up with Red Bull import James Penny should be a must-see.

Sta. Lucia, meantime, attempts to bounce back from an 88-103 defeat to Alaska last Sunday when it faces another slumping team in Talk N Text at 4:35 p.m.

Both the Realtors and the Phone Pals are locked at 3-5 and need that all-important win to stay in the middle of the standings midway through the eliminations.

 

[carlofromdapi]

FULLY-CHARGED PHONE PALS SMOTHER REALTORS
Cardona-Allado connection helps TNT end 2-game slump
Wednesday, 18 April 2007


Talk N Text coach Derick Pumaren admitted he was disappointed over their last two defeats.
So before the Phone Pals left their locker room Wednesday night for a game against the Sta. Lucia Realtors, Pumaren stressed one important point which he wrote in bold letters on the board: PLAY WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.

Led by Mark Cardona and Don Allado, the Phone Pals took to heart their coachs order and came away with a 99-84 rout over the struggling Realtors at the Araneta Coliseum to snap a two-game slump.

Both teams shot poorly in the first half but the Phone Pals managed to post a comfortable lead at halftime by pounding the Realtors off the boards.

We needed this win very badly and the players showed a lot of character. They moved the ball well and they defended very well, Pumaren said.

While he was relieved that his team moved to the middle of the pack and in contention for an outright quarterfinal spot, Pumaren said his troops fell short of their goal halfway through the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference.

I thought we could be a 0.600 team after the first half of the elimination, Pumaren said.

Cardona scored 24 points on a 10-of-15 shooting while Allado had 22 markers and 12 rebounds to show the way for the Phone Pals, who improved to 4-5.

J.J Sullinger had a bad shooting night, going only 6-of-16 from the field and finished with 19 points. But he was 6-for-6 from the foul line. As a team, Talk N Text went 14-for-14 from the stripe.

The Phone Pals shot 38 percent in the first half, just a little better over the Realtors (33 percent) but made up for it with strong rebounding, beating Sta. Lucia in the boards battle, 61-42.

Their superiority off the boards included a 21-13 edge on offensive side which netted them 27 second chance points.

I hope with continue to play like this every night, Pumaren said.

After trailing 27-46 at halftime, the Realtors grimly fought back in the second half but couldnt get their game going as they struggle offensively. Sloppy defense also added to their woes.

Rookie Kelly Williams scored 22 points but made just 7 of 23 attempts from the field and Rock Winston added 21 for the Realtors who picked up their second straight loss and closed out the first half of the eliminations with a 3-6 mark.

Sta. Lucia shot just 37 percent for the game and made just 19 of 27 free throws.

Six straight points by Williams pulled the Realtors within 20-29 with 8:22 left in the second quarter. But the Phone Pals, starring Allado, Harvey Carey and Felix Belano responded with a 17-7 run to rip the game wide open.

The scores:

Talk N Text 99 Cardona 24, Allado 22, Sullinger 19, Washington 10, Carey 8, Belano 7, Pablo 4, de Ocampo Y. 3, Billones 2, Aldave 0, Santos 0, Fran 0, Noble 0.

Sta. Lucia 84 Williams 22, Winston 21, Miranda 9, Santos 6. Espino 6, Bughao 5, Isip 5, Omolon 4, Aquino 4, Mendoza 2, Catli 0, Gonzales 0.
Quarterscores: 23-14, 46-27, 78-57, 99-84.

 

[carlofromdapi]

RED BULL GRABS SOLO LEAD AFTER WALTZING OVER WELCOAT
Dragons drop to cellar alongside SMB
Wednesday, 18 April 2007


Red Bull never had an anxious moment against Welcoat except for a brief instance in the third quarter when James Penny crashed to the floor on a flagrant foul by Jay-R Reyes.

The Barakos simply outclassed the Dragons, 100-71, to regain solo lead while sending their victims to the bottom of the chart in the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

Penny suffered a bruised left hand and sat out the last 20 minutes of the game but the Barakos still proved too much for the Dragons in notching their eighth win against two losses.

With the victory, Red Bull relegated Alaska and Barangay Ginebra to second place with their identical 7-2 win-loss cards.

The Dragons absorbed a severe beating and joined the San Miguel Beermen at the tailend on their similar 2-7 records.

Probably due to frustration, Reyes hammered Penny while the Red Bull import was airborne going for a layup four minutes into the second half and the Barakos enjoying a 61-36 spread.

"Namaga ang kamay ni Penny and we dont know yet the extent of his injury. Hopefully, nothing serious as we have a game Sunday against Purefoods," said Red Bull interim coach Gie Abanilla.

"After Sunday, makakapahinga na si Penny because of the All-Star Week. Pennys tired already and he needs the break to recharge," Abanilla added.

Enrico Villanueva seemingly exacted revenge for Penny later on, hacking Reyes on the head while the Welcoat rookie was going for a short stab.

The rest of the match was a yawner with the Barakos completely dominating the hapless Dragons, dealing them a third successive defeat.

The Dragons have gone 0-2 with Rob Sanders as their import.

Welcoat allowed Red Bull to pull away early with the Dragons shooting a paltry 28 percent from the field in the opening half.

Sanders was 2-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from the stripe to pace the Dragons with just six points in the first 24 minutes of play.

"Ayaw maglaro ng import namin. Hindi nakikinig kay coach sa huddle," rued Welcoat co-team owner Terry Que.

Coach Leo Austria seemed to have had enough of Sanders that he decided to freeze him in the last nine minutes of the contest.

Sanders struggled for only 12 points and nine rebounds.

Penny had only 14 points and nine rebounds but practically all his teammates contributed significantly. Junthy Valenzuela scored a game-high 19 points with Larry Fonacier sharing 13 and Villanueva chipping in 10.

The scores:

Red Bull 100 Valenzuela 19, Penny 14, Fonacier 13, Villanueva 10, Baguio 8, Sharma 7, Bugia 6, Hrabak 6, Robinson 5, Cruz 5, Alvarez 3, Najorda 2, Ybanez 2.

Welcoat 71 Sta. Maria 13, Sanders 12, Cabatu 10, Reyes 9, Gelig 7, Wainwright 7, Lopez 5, Compton 3, Ibanes 3, Baguion 2, Lao 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15, 50-33, 80-48, 100-71.

 

[carlofromdapi]

WARM WELCOME AWAITS PBA ALL-STARS IN BAGUIOing unit of Danny Seigle, Eric Menk, Asi Taulava, James Yap and Dondon Hontiveros, with Sunday Salvacion, Sonny Thoss, Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Cyrus Baguio, Ronald Tubid and Roger Yap coming off the bench.

Handling the North is Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, whose team is built around Romel Adducul, Danny Ildefonso, Kerby Raymundo, Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Enrico Villanueva, Ranidel de Ocampo, Larry Fonacier, Gary David, John Arigo and Mark Cardona.

Adducul, Ildefonso, Raymundo, Caguioa and Helterbrand have been voted as the North's starting unit.

Behind Roger Yap's last second heroics, South won over North, 122-120, in last year's All-Star Game in Cagayan de Oro City.

 

[carlofromdapi]

AIR21 REPEATS OVER JAMES YAP-LESS PUREFOODS
Canaleta erupts for season-high 30 to lead Express
Thursday, 19 April 2007


Purefoods Tender Juicy became all the more depleted with ace wingman James Yap attending to his celebrity wife Kris Aquino who gave birth to their first child.

With last seasons MVP at the bedside of his wife at the Makati Medical Center, the Giants labored Thursday at The Arena in San Juan, suffering another loss at the hands of the Air21 Express in the Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference.

KG Canaleta erupted for 16 points in the first quarter as the Express seized the initiative early and cruised to a 102-89 win over the hapless Giants.

Shawn Daniels, Gary David and Wynne Arboleda also made an impact for the Express as they repeated over the Giants in a game marred by a near-fight between Purefoods Marquin Chandler and Air21 rookie Arwind Santos.

Emotions ran high after Chandler and Santos got entangled then the Air21 player tumbled down the floor. Chandler was called a personal foul while Santos and Purefoods Don Camaso were both assessed technical fouls in the aftermath of the near fight.

Air21 was enjoying a 75-56 spread when the incident happened. The Express soon brushed aside the distraction and went on to close out their stint in the first half of the eliminations with a 6-3 win-loss record.

The Express whipped the Giants, 107-103, in their first meeting at the Cuneta Astrodome last March 23.

Curiously, coach Bo Perasol and his troops lost three of their next four games after that.

Purefoods absorbed its fifth loss in its last six games and slid to 3-7, just half-game in front of tailenders San Miguel Beer and Welcoat.

The Express completely got the Giants number with Canaleta coming out smoking to give Air21 a huge lead early.

The former UE Warrior went 6-of-8 from the field for 16 points that went with four rebounds right in the opening canto.

The Express took the first quarter at 28-15, sat on a 19-point cushion twice in the third period and enjoyed double-digit spreads the rest of the way.

Canaleta finished with a season-high 30 points two points shy of his career-high -- with
David, Daniels and Arboleda each adding at least 11.

Chandler paced the Giants with 26.

After the Giants came within 10, Canaleta rifled in a trey then Jimwell Torion stole off Chandler before setting up Mark Telan for a lay-up to all but settled the outcome of the game at 89-74. (NC)

The scores:

Air21 102 Canaleta 30, David 16, Daniels 15, Arboleda 11, Se 9, Santos 8, Torion 6, Telan 4, Dimaunahan 3.

Purefoods 89 Chandler 26, Simon 19, Evangelista 12, Castrillo 10, Yee 8, Salvador 7, Yap 5, Camaso 2, Artadi 0, Gamboa 0.
Quarterscores: 28-15, 55-44, 79-64, 102-89.

 

[carlofromdapi]

4-TIME WEEKS BEST AND COUNTING
Player of the Week April 9 to 15

IN the course of his colorful career, Willie Miller has already left little doubt on his playing abilities.

Yet when he still manages to add another side to his game, it only makes him more lethal, and making Alaska a more formidable a force in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference.

Hes not only playing. Hes playing with grave intelligence and playing all facets of the game, including defense, said Aces coach Tim Cone of Miller, who was adjudged as the PBA Press Corps ACCEL-TNT Player of the Week for the period April
9-15.

It was the fourth such citation in the season and second in the conference for the 5-foot-11 guard, who was also so honored March 4-11, and he earned the scribes nod due to impressive numbers in Alaskas two wins for the week.

Miller had 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in Alaskas 103-88 win over Sta. Lucia last Sunday, that performance coming on the heels of another equally sterling job of 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in a 94-84 win over San Miguel Beer last Wednesday.

Those wins, especially the one over the Realtors, enabled the Aces to improve their win-loss record to 7-2 and tie defending champion Red Bull and Barangay Ginebra for the lead.

As is his wont, the 29-year-old Olongapo native shrugs off the kudos thrown at his direction.

Swerte at sa akin natatapat. Pero dahil yun sa aggressiveness ng import namin. Kailangan siyang i-double kaya nalilibre ako at iba pang mga teammates ko, quipped the 2002 Most Valuable Player.

It is undeniable, however, that Miller was the foremost to step up when teammate Dale Singson was injured last month, making him miss Alaskas last four games and leave only Miller and Rensy Bajar to tend the backcourt.

Tiyempo lang rin siguro dahil na-injured si Dale. So dalawa na lang kami ni (Rensy) Bajar na point guard sa amin at kailangan naming talagang kumayod, said Miller.

There are other perks for Alaska aside from its current lofty perch.

The win over Sta. Lucia also secured Cone's stint in the league's mid-year spectacle as coach of the South All-Stars team, his fifth stint in the annual classic which tied him with Sonny Jaworski and Derick Pumaren for most All-Star Game coaching jobs since the event was institutionalized in 1989.

As if following Millers suit, Cone said the credit should not go solely to him.

"When you coach the All-Star game it's about your record. It's not a popularity contest. And who's responsible for your record? It's your players. So this is an honor for our whole team," Cone said.

 

[carlofromdapi]

BEERMEN BEAT UP REALTORS, CLIMB OUT OF CELLAR
Young leads SMB with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists in the season-ending tourney, finally sprang out of the cellar, leaving the Welcoat Dragons alone at the bottom of the standings at 2-7.

Coach Siot Tanquingcen and his troops are hoping to make a big charge in the second round of the eliminations to make it to the upper half of the chart for at least an outright seat in the quarterfinal round.

The team remains well on target with the sixth-running Coca-Cola just a game ahead at 4-6 and No. 5 Talk N Text two games in front at 5-5.

But Tanquingcen cautioned his boys that they still have a long way to go.

Yes, weve started to win games but were still down in the lower half of the
chart. Mahaba pa ang hahabulin natin, Tanquingcen told his boys.

Showing great determination, the Beermen started with a 12-2 run and dominated the hapless Realtors up to the final buzzer.

The Beermen actually struggled but the Realtors struggled even more. The error-littered first half ended with San Miguel on top by 11 at 34-23.

But the Beermen picked up their game in the third period and pulled away at 54-35 on clutch shots by Young, Olsen Racela and Christian Calaguio.

Danny Ildefonso scored on a dunk with 30 seconds to go and the Beermen closed the third quarter at 60-42.

The Realtors, through the efforts of Denok Miranda, Bitoy Omolon and Norman Gonzales, narrowed the gap to 12 at 56-68 but San Miguel stopped Sta. Lucias
momentum on a timely timeout with four minutes left in the clock.

The scores:

San Miguel 78 Ildefonso 16, Young 13, Espinas 10, Tenorio 9, Wilson 8, Racela 7, Adducul 6, Calaguio 6, Cablay 3, Pena 0, Gonzales 0.

Sta. Lucia 61 Williams 12, Gonzales 12, Winston 8, Omolon 6, Mendoza 5, Miranda 5, Aquino 4, Espino 4, Santos 3, Bughao 1, Magsumbol 1, Isip 0.

Quarterscores: 21-14, 34-23, 60-42, 78-61

 

[carlofromdapi]

AIR21 DELIVERS ON A SUNDAY
Daniels triple double leads Express to win, spoils Compton career-high
Sunday, 22 April 2007

Air21 survived a 38-point effort by Alex Compton and the Express exacted revenge with a 102-94 victory over the Welcoat Dragons Sunday night in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
After taking control for three quarters, the Express, who lost a 103-99 overtime decision in both teams first meeting last March 30, found themselves fending off repeated threats by the Dragons, sealing the game with two offensive rebounds in the closing minutes.

Our mentality going into the game was to get back at Welcoat. But it was one of those nights when the goal was like a hula-hoop for Alex, said Air21 coach Bo Perasol, so thankful that Compton missed some crucial shots in the closing minutes.

Most of the time we take them for granted. But I dont think they (Dragons) are pushovers in this league...I think we played well enough but we had to find ways to stop Alex. I dont know if putting Arwind (Santos) and KG (Canaleta) on him mattered. We were just lucky that some of those shots that he had taken in the last seconds didnt fall Again our desire to get back at them helped us survived, Perasol observed.

It was the second straight win for the Express, who tied the Alaska Aces in third place in the team standings with their identical 7-3 records.

Shawn Daniels recorded his second triple double in the conference of 17 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Air21 while Mark Telan scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds and Santos added 21, including two free throws with 18 seconds remaining to give the Express a comfortable 99-94 lead.

The Express pounced on the Dragons off the boards, 61-42 and their domination of the boards also earned them a 22-13 edge off the offensive boards and 23 second chance points.

Air21 also capitalized on Welcoat's 16 turnovers that netted them another 23 points.

The 33-year-old Compton, playing with the zest and passion of a 22-year old, went 7-of-11 from the 3-point range, 6-of-12 from the perimeter and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.

By halftime he had already 25 points, including 6-of-7 from downtown to keep the Dragons within 48-54 at the break.

I would rather score two points or zero points and win, said Compton, the teams assistant coach who is playing in the conference as an import.

Getting into the playoffs is very valuable for me. I am given only the opportunity to play this conference kaya ang gusto ko sana makalaro ako ng mahaba-haba, he added.

Welcoat picked up its eighth loss in 10 games and was foiled anew in its attempt to duplicate its three wins in the previous Philippine Cup.

The Dragons showed a lot of heart in dealing with the Express. With still eight minutes left in the third quarter, Welcoat played without import Rob Sanders who picked up his fourth foul.

Welcoat nearly shocked the Express when Sanders, coming off the bench early in the fourth, hit a short jumper that shoved the Dragons ahead, 83-82. Sanders scored 19 points on a 6-of-18 shooting from the field and 7-of-14 from the line.

But Wynne Arboleda quickly responded with a three-pointer and after Rob Wainwright scored from eight-feet, Gary David and Telan scored successively to put Air21 ahead to stay.

The scores:

Air21 102 Telan 23, Santos 21, Daniels 17, Canaleta 11, David 10, Arboleda 8, Dimaunahan 4, Se 4, Andaya 2, Torion 2, Bernardo 0.

Welcoat 94 Compton 38, Sanders 19, Lopez 12, Reyes 10, Wainwright 10, Cabatu 2, Sta. Maria 2, Ibanes 1, Baguion 0, Gelig 0, Lao 0.
Quarterscores: 21-23, 54-48, 78-73, 102-94.

 

[carlofromdapi]

NEW DAD YAP LEADS PUREFOODS PAST RED BULL
Reigning MVP sizzles for 36 as Giants buck Chandlers ejection
Sunday, 22 April 2007

WITHOUT an import, Purefoods seemed lost. Good thing the Giants have a Most Valuable Player.

James Yap fired a season-high 36 points and the rest of the Giants rallied around their acknowledged leader to beat archrival Red Bull, 103-89, Sunday in the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We lost our import tonight. So we had to rely on our second import and he gave us a huge lift," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio of Yap, who did the most
damage after Marquin Chandler was tossed due to technical fouls right in the second period.

Yap, who sank 12 of 23 shots, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, said he was just trying to atone for missing out their last game, an 89-102 loss to Air21 last Thursday, while attending to the birth of his new son by wife Kris Aquino.

"Tsina-challenge ko lang ang sarili ko," Yap said simply. "At hindi lang naman ako, nagtulungan kaming lahat, lalo na nu'ng mawala si Chandler."

Peter June Simon threw in 19 of his 21 points and Jondan Salvador grabbed 10 of his 14 rebounds in the second half, helping propel Purefoods out of a two-game slide and into a 4-7 win-loss slate.

"More than anything else, the pride of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants was very evident tonight," said Gregorio.

The loss was Red Bull's third in 11 games, pulling it out of a leadership tie with idle Alaska and putting to naught James Penny's 32 points and 17 rebounds.

The game lived up to its billing as a heated rematch between last season's finalists with emotions running high from the get-go.

Proof were the five technical fouls assessed the teams in the first half alone, two straight on Chandler that led to his ejection with still 1:11 left in the second period after he had notched 10 points and as many rebounds.

Chandler was visibly irritated after being slapped with a warding off foul and then being pestered by Celino Cruz to giving up the ball. As a result, he elbowed Cruz for his first 'T' and got the second and was thrown out after coming into contact with a game official.

The Giants hardly felt their prized import's absence in the succeeding minutes, completing their 28-19 domination of the period for a 48-43 lead at the half and stretching the lead to 78-65 early in the fourth.

Ironically, the lack of a potent inside threat for Purefoods like Chandler seemed to have worked in the Giants' favor.

In its conscious bid to fully exploit the Giants' inherent weakness inside, the Bulls became overzealous in their bid and committed more turnovers and misses than baskets.

While doing so, the likes of Red Bull's Junthy Valenzuela, Rico Villanueva and Penny also entered foul trouble, frustrated no end when Purefoods often went to its fast-paced offense.

Meanwhile, the likes of James Yap, Peter June Simon and Don Camaso went great guns for the Giants, propping them to an 80-67 bulge even after Arnold Gamboa, Camaso and Richard Yee have picked up fouls that lessened their ability to help inside.

Yap's three-point play gave Purefoods an 85-70 lead, his triple made it a 92-76 spread and Simon's own three from the left corner pegged a 95-77 count, just over four minutes remaining.

Rey Evangelista's steal led to his own fastbreak layup and Yap's trey ensured a 103-87 lead going into the game's final minute.

The scores:

Purefoods 103 Yap, J. 36, Simon 21, Chandler 10, Salvador 9, Evangelista 8, Camaso 7, Yap, R. 4, Artadi 2, Gamboa 2, Yee 2, Castillo 2.

Red Bull 89 Penny 32, Cruz 15, Valenzuela 8, Fonacier 7, Villanueva 7, Sharma 6, Alvarez 6, Najorda 5, Baguio 3, Bugia 0, Ybanez 0, Robinson 0, Hrabak 0.

Quarters: 20-24, 48-43, 75-65, 103-89.

 

[carlofromdapi]

DEADLIEST SNIPERS OUT TO UNSEAT ANTONIO IN 3-PT SHOOTOUT
Caguioa, Ritualo, Hontiveros lead challengers
Tuesday, 24 April 2007

THREE of the top gunners in the RP men's national team and the pro league's most prolific outside shooter today banner an elite cast out to challenge William Antonio for the 3-point shootout title of the 2007 PBA All-Star Week.


Nationals Mark Caguioa, RenRen Ritualo and Dondon Hontiveros join hotshot Gary David as they try to unseat Antonio as king of long-range shooting in the mid-season extravaganza from April 25-29 in the cities of San Fernando, La Union and Baguio.

Also entered in the event serving as one of the thrilling sidelights to the five-day meet supported by Victory Liner the official carrier of the 2007 PBA All-Star Week, San Miguel Beer, Air21, Casino Alcohol, Pigrolac Premium, Accel, Coca-Cola, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs and Rain or Shine are Larry Fonacier, Willie Miller, Paolo Mendoza, Denver Lopez and Peter June Simon.

Meanwhile, the PBA has decided to implement the 3-point dunk in both the Blitz Game between the Sophomores and the Rookies and the featured game pitting the North against the South All-Stars.

In the past two years, the novelty play was applied only in the Blitz Game.

Under its rules, a dunk shall be awarded three points based on three patterns - if a player takes off from outside of the half-moon arc similar to the no-charge zone', coming off a pass or a rebound and is caught in mid air and dunked before the player's two feet touch the floor, and a clear path to the basket for the offensive player regardless of the take off.

The referee shall signal with one raised hand with a closed fist when the attempt to dunk is initiated from outside the arc and signal with two raised fists when completed.

It shall be reviewable if the player indeed elevated from outside the arc following the same guidelines of review as with a 3-point attempt.

Likewise, any foul by a defender on an offensive player attempting to make a dunk and who takes-off from beyond the 3-point dunk arc shall be ruled either a 3-point or a 2-point attempt based on the criteria specified under the special guidelines.

Antonio was the unlikely winner in last year's 3-point shootout, beating veteran Olsen Racela and James Yap in the final.

Two of the past champions in the last four stagings of the contest Jimmy Alapag (2003 and 2005) and Ronald Tubid (2004) are not seeing action this time.

The three-point shootout, the Trick Shot and Obstacle Challenges, the Shooting Stars, the Blitz Game and the much awaited Slam Dunk contest will be held on Thursday at the Pacoy Ortega gym in San Fernando , LA Union .

The centerpiece event All-Star Game will be held in Baguio City on Sunday at the University of Baguio gym.

 

[carlofromdapi]

BEER OVER MILK AS SMB BEATS ALASKA
Ildefonso, Tenorio-led Beermen post 3rd straight win
Tuesday, 24 April 2007

At the moment, San Miguel Beer interim coach Siot Tanquingcen isnt looking up the leaderboard.
Were just taking one step at a time. It doesnt really matter wherever we land as long as we make the playoffs, said the soft-spoken coach moments after the Beermen got a 100-96 revenge win over the Alaska Aces Tuesday night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Danny Ildefonso scored 19 points on a 9-of-14 shooting from the field while Chris Calaguio and LA Tenorio came off the bench and made the big plays as San Miguel Beer won its third straight game in the Talk N Text-PBA Fiesta Conference.

SMBs fourth victory in 11 games wasnt sealed until Olsen Racela nailed a 3-pointer with 1:34 remaining, ending Alaskas hopes of turning the game around.

All the credit goes to players. We really never had a practice since returning from Tacloban on Sunday. But the players showed a lot of character. They played well offensively and defensively, said Tanquingcen of his team which recorded its fourth win in its last five games.

Galen Young turned in 16 points and Brandon Cablay and Calaguio added 13 apiece for the Beermen, who controlled the game early with excellent shooting and capitalized on Alaskas 10 turnovers in the first half that netted them 16 points.

But the Beermen, who lost to Alaska 94-84 in their first meeting last April 11, completely dominated the game in the third quarter as the rookie Tenorio and Calaguio begun hitting from long range as SMB led by as many as 15 points. Calaguio went 2-for-3 from 3-point range in the period and Tenorio, who finished with 11 points and a career-high nine assists, also went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.

The Aces, who lost back-to-back games for the first time in the conference, didnt actually play ugly but simply could not gain any headway basically because their shots wouldnt fall. Alaska took 76 shots but made only 37 of those. They were also hurt by their 15 turnovers that produced a total of 25 points for the Beermen.

Rosell Ellis scored 17 points and Eddie Laure had 16 for the Aces who dropped to a 7-4 record and fell to fourth in the team standings.

Laure, slowly recovering his deadly form, gave the Aces some hope late in the game when he knocked in a trey that moved the Aces within 90-94 with 1:57 to go.

But before Alaska could build momentum, Racela quickly answered with his own triple in the next play to keep the Aces at bay.

The scores:

San Miguel Beer 100 Ildefonso 18, Young 16, Cablay 13, Calaguio 13, Tenorio 11, Pena 9, Adducul 8, Racela 8, Wilson 4, Espinas 0.

Alaska 96 Ellis 17, Laure 16, Thoss 12, Cariaso 12, Ferriols 11, Bajar 8, Singson 6, Miller 6, Belasco 6, Hugnatan 2.
Quarterscores: 28-15, 43-37, 75-64, 100-96.