I'm Back! Now Let's Talk about J-Wash.

Yep, I'm still alive and this blog is still kicking. Talking about being alive, the addition of Jay Washington could breath new life to a team that has lost all but 2 games last conference.

I, of course, was heavily disappointed with the trade that saw promising forward Japeth Aguilar going out in exchange for Washington, center Yousef Taha and a 1st round pick in the upcoming draft. I had high hopes for Japeth, as he was one of the very few bright spots for the team last conference. Well, it's been months since the trade was consummated so I've long since moved on.

Now, J-Wash. A 6'7" stretch forward who had accomplished quite a lot already in his career but has been saddled with injuries for the past couple of seasons.  He was drafted 1st overall in 2005, a 3-time Mythical First Team member, and 2-time Best Player of the Conference.  Make no mistake, J-Wash is one heck of a player.

But, there is a big IF. As mentioned above, J-Wash have struggled with injuries for the last couple of years.  Playing with Arwind Santos, who played basically the same position as him, might have also affected his playing time and role in his previous squad.

When healthy though, Washington is one of the biggest match-up nightmares in the league. At 6'7", he is a center in PBA standards.  He can post up, put the ball on the floor, or hit the outside shot. His range extends way up to the 3-point line, where he shot 35% in the 2011-12 season.  He might have lost some of his athleticism, although he has never really relied on that attribute. What makes him a dangerous player is his array of offensive skills and multiple ways to score.

Washington is not known much for his defense, but he has always been a good rebounder, averaging about 7 rebounds for his career. He can play both forward positions, though I believe he is better suited at the power forward spot, where he'll have opportunities to post up as well as stretch the floor.

At 32, Washington is just the same age as Arwind Santos, and if he can stay healthy, he may very well still have a good 3-4 years of high level basketball left in him. Given of course, he stays away from injuries. *fingers crossed*

As much as I hate seeing Japeth go, I am excited about this addition of J-Wash.  He provides scoring, veteran savvy, and winning mentality to the team. Will he rejuvenate his game in a new setting? Or will he continue to regress?  I am strongly hoping for the former, and I can't wait to find out.

Welcome to GlobalPort, Jay Washington!

Roar Out.

Snippets: Miller's Struggles, Yee the Enforcer, Ageless David.

Miller Time still looking to regain his timing.

Of GlobalPort's touted MMDA (Mercado-Miller-David-Aguilar) connection, one guy is yet to find his game yet so far in the first 3 games; 2-time MVP Willie Miller.

Last conference, Willie had a resurgence in his game after an injury sidelined main man Gary David for several games. Although the team wasn't winning, Willie was putting up great numbers: 16.7 points (6th in league), 6.2 assists (2nd, behind Sol), and shooting 38.8% from threes (6th).

This conference though, Miller has been on somewhat of a funk, averaging only 4.67 points, 3.67 rebounds, 2 assists and a concerning 3 turnovers; playing 26.67 minutes per game.

20 Questions with AJ Mandani

"The way I motivate my self is by dedicating everyday to my family. Without them I would not be who I am today, so everyday when I wake up I think of them and ways on how can i make myself better, because I want to make them proud."

photo courtesy of the PBA

It didn't take long for GlobalPort fans to be impressed with rookie AJ Mandani. The moment he stepped on the court for the first time as a Batang Pier, he immediately showed some neat ballhandling, connecting on tough lay-ups and made a couple of jumpers. He finished the game with 13 points, and even though GlobalPort fell to Ginebra that night, people were introduced to the exciting brand of basketball that AJ can offer.

AJ was generous enough to grant us a Q&A, where he talks about his personal outlooks, home, and basketball.

Aguilar Stellar in Debut

Expectations were high for the PBA's so-called 'prodigal son.' Japeth earlier demanded a trade from his mother team, the Talk N' Text Tropang Texters, a move that left a bad impression to some. People felt that it's quite immature, for someone who hasn't proven himself much yet, to be asking demands. Well, Japeth eventually got what he asked for, and on his first game as a member of the GlobalPort Batang Pier, all eyes were on him.

We knew what to expect from Japeth's game. Blocking and rebounding. Last night though, he showed much more, proving that his recent ambitious plight to get to the NBA wasn't so much of a failure after all.

Finishing with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals and only a single foul in 37 minutes, Japeth surely made a statement in his first game. And while it's quite too early to call him the real deal already, it's not premature to recognize his improvements and potential.

Global Port: Reloaded

What can I say? The higher-ups in Global Port pulled off all the right moves in the offseason. I have always been critical of this new management especially after they traded away 2 future cornerstones in JVee Casio and Sean Anthony. The team's first conference was disastrous, managing only a single win in 14 games and the team looked headed back to being laughingstocks again.

Mandani, Mercado and Miller comprises Global Port's
 new triple "M" guard combo. Be very afraid.

Two colossal deals however totally changed the whole picture. The team acquired Sol Mercado, one of the most dynamic guards in the league, and swapped underachieving Rabeh Al-Hussaini for the talented, albeit controversial, forward Japeth Aguilar. The team also nabbed Kelly Nabong and JP Belencion while letting go of Rey Guevarra, Josh Vanlandingham and rookie Vic Manuel. All 3 have had their moments with the team, especially the impressive rookie Manuel, but it was a undoubtedly a very good deal for Global Port.

Tip-off

A new franchise.  A new beginning.

As we say goodbye to our beloved Tigers, we embrace this new franchise called GlobalPort Batang Pier (in this blog, I'll be calling them Porters for personal convenience), spearheaded by the ageless Gary David.

The start of a new chapter unfolds on September 30, 2012, as the Porters take on the Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings.

But before that, let's take a look on the team's roster which undertook a major overhaul during the offseason.

Gary David - the rightful winner of last season's MVP (yes, I'm still bitter), Gary will be tasked to lead this squad.  I presume he will be given captainship duties while still being the team's most potent offensive weapon.  At 34, Gary is still as good as ever and has stayed away from injuries in recent years.

Willie Miller - A 2-time MVP, the Thriller will be playing Robin to Gary's Batman.  Even at age 35, Miller can still score in bunches and his championship savvy will be valuable to this team especially to the younger guys.  He will likely start at point guard and will be instrumental in relieving some pressure off Gary, given that Miller is a known clutch player himself. 

The Thriller joins forces with El Granada

Rabeh Al-Hussaini - Rabeh was a bit disappointing last conference.  He can score, but there's a lack of effort in the defensive end, which led to reduced minutes.  Still, he is just 24 and still have room for improvement.  In my opinion, Rabeh would be better off playing the number 4 spot alongside a banger.  His 3rd year in the league will be crucial for his development.  He will likely be the team's 3rd scoring option and main threat down low.  If he improves his rebounding and defense, he will be a crucial part of this team as well as for the future.

Rey Guevarra - Last conference's revelation, Rey will likely benefit from the departure of Sean Anthony and Lordy Tugade which will open up minutes for him.  This athletic forward have shown flashes of brilliance at both ends of the floor, and he will have more opportunity to showcase his talents in the upcoming season.

Vic Manuel - The 9th pick of this year's draft, this PBA D-League MVP will now be tested if he can be as effective playing in the big league.  At 6'4", he is rather undersized as a big man, but he's got good fundamentals and has ripened his skills after deferring joining the PBA for a couple of years.  Manuel is a workhorse who should help offset the loss of Sean Anthony.

Future faces of the franchise?

Rudy Lingganay - Rudy was a pleasant surprise last season as an undrafted rookie.  He proved to be a steady contributor despite fluctuating minutes.  Just like Guevarra, he will be given more opportunity to play for this new squad. 

Jondan Salvador - Another impressive newcomer last conference, Salvador is a solid big man who loves to do the dirty work inside the paint.  Though only 6'3", he can compensate well enough with his width and physicality.

Rommel Adducul - He can no longer score like he used to, but the General can still provide rebounding and interior defense.  He can even serve as a mentor to the young bigs like Rabeh and Manuel.

Jason Deutchmann - You just can't go wrong with a 6'6" guy who can shoot.  Though hounded by injuries this past year, Jason's rare mix of shooting and size will make him an interesting player to watch out for.

Josh Vanlandingham - A holdover from the Tigerellas, Josh' shooting will always be valuable off the bench.  A rather streaky shooter who is capable of scoring 20 when he's hot, he will be relied upon to provide that extra firepower from the second unit.

AJ Mandani - One of the team's 3 rookies.  Mandani struggled a bit in the preseason.  Still, he will be given a chance to strut his stuff when the real competition begins, as long as he will be given minutes.

Mark Yee - Yee will provide much-needed toughness from the wing position.  Known as an enforcer, Yee will be that pesky defender who can hit the occasional 3.

Marvin Cruz - A returning player, Cruz will provide depth at the pointguard spot.  Cruz, Miller and Lingganay will form a triumvirate of left-handed pointguards for the Porters.

Angelus Raymundo - I honestly don't know much about this guy other than he is 6'5".

PROJECTED ROTATION:
C - Al-Hussaini / Adducul
F - Manuel / Salvador / Raymundo
F - Guevarra / Deutchmann / Yee
G - David / Vanlandingham
G - Miller / Lingganay / Cruz / Mandani

EXPECTATIONS:
Realistically, this team won't be as talented as the other teams that have all boosted up their rosters.  The same has been said about Powerade last year though, and that team ended up 3 wins away from a championship.  More than anything else, I'm just looking forward to seeing this team play and we'll see how it goes from there.

Roar out.  

Farewell Tigers

After months of speculation and uncertainty, the Powerade Tigers officially sold its PBA franchise to Mr. Mikee Romero.  It was a bittersweet conclusion to what have been a rollercoaster year for this team.  After 8 years of futility, the team managed to get back to the finals thanks to a miraculous run bannered by a 33-year-old veteran and 2 rookies.  This was the season that we thought the Tigers were supposed to finally turn their fortunes around, little did we know it will be their last.

I am proud to say that I have been a fan ever since they came into the league (and even longer than that), and I stuck with them all the way to the end.  Through the good and the bad.

 

The Aerial Voyager, my first basketball hero.

HOW I BECAME A FAN

I can trace this way back to the mid-90s, when there was still the Swift Mighty Meaties owned by the RFM franchise.  I was 7 years old back then.  My father, who owns an advertising business, had Swift as one of his clients at the time.  It was  only but natural that he supported the team.  My oldest memory was waking up in the middle of my sleep to the roars of my father, celebrating as Swift won a championship.  For some reason, I came to develop a similar passion with him.  Eventually, when Swift cut its ties with my father, he switched to become a Purefoods fan and had been ever since. My loyalty, on the other hand, remained with Swift.

The Panthers struggled to continue the earlier success of the franchise.

THE COCA-COLA TIGERS

After Swift/Sunkist's success in the mid-90's, the franchise started to struggle for the next few years. I had vague recollection of young Ali Peek and Nic Belasco with the Pop-Cola Panthers.  The team also seemed to become a refuge for former stars at the twilight years of their career, like Jojo Lastimosa and Noli Locsin.  Finally, in 2002, RFM sold its PBA franchise to the San Miguel Corporation, who at that time owned Coca-Cola Philippines.  And this was when the fun began.

I was 14 years old when Coke won its first title, in its inagaural year nonetheless.  It was against Alaska and it was December.  The night the Tigers won the title, I was at a family reunion/Christmas party.  What I recalled was almost all people there at the party were cheering for Alaska.  I of course, rooted for the Tigers, and by the time the night was over, I was the only one left smiling.

"The Jet" led the Tigers to 4 finals appearances and 2 titles.

The Tigers' second title came in 2003, again in December.  It was an interesting series for me, since the Tigers were up against then-sister team, San Miguel, featuring the Cebuano Hotshot Dondon Hontiveros. As a Cebuano, Dondon was my "idol", tracing back to his days with the Cebu Gems in the MBA.  He was my favorite player at that time.  But it when came to  choosing between my favorite player or my favorite team, there wasn't even a moment's doubt in my mind which one I was rooting for.  It was not Dondon.

Well, Dondon played a great series nonetheless, stepping up in the absence of Danny Seigle.  For the first time, I was rooting hard against him.  The Tigers had Tee McClary, my all-time favorite Tiger import.  San Miguel had star power and were younger, but the Tigers had championship savvy.  At one time, the guys on the floor for the Tigers were Johnny Abarrientos, Jeffrey Cariaso, Poch Juinio and Bong Hawkins, all remnants of the great Alaska dynasty in the 1990's.  The Tigers won another title that year, and it was certainly a great time to be a Tigers fan.


THE DARK AGES

Of course, it had to end.  Good times always do.  The core of that championship team was gradually dissolved; and the catalyst of all the success, Chot Reyes, also left.  This was when the team started plummeting down, an era I fondly like to refer as ""The Dark Ages."

This was also the time that I started to become active in PBA basketball forums.  I had so much pent-up frustrations as a fan and I badly needed an avenue.  I started with the NGETS Forum, where I first met fellow Tiger crazies like Potchi, Ms. Tigre, Joyzeepot, JCBernardo, Like, and several others.  Those guys will probably remember me for being such a whiner.  I was never hesitant to express my dissatisfaction with the team.  I would criticize the coach, the management, and the players.  An angry fan.. that was excatly what I was.

When NGETS ceased its operations, I transferred to PBA's official forum at PBA.ph, where I eventually became a moderator of the Tigers board.  As a mod, I felt that I had to tone down my criticisms against the team a little bit.  However, I still continued to be highly critical of the team, and continued to express my insights, most of them negative.

All those negativity stem out from my deep devotion to the team.  I cared for the team so much that when I see something is wrong, I wouldn't hesitate to voice it out.  While many people called me a pessimist, I called myself passionate.

The arrival of "The Rock" rejuvenated the Tigers for a while.

THE TIGERELLAS

The 2011 Philippine Cup Powerade team has got to be the greatest Cinderella story in the PBA in recent memory.  As an 8th seed, the team swept the top-seed B-Meg Llamados, then went on to grind it out in a 7-game series against Rain or Shine.  As the cliche goes though, every Cinderella has her midnight; and for the Tigers, it came at the hands of the powerhouse Talk N' Text squad.  Nevertheless, the outsized and outmatched Tigers fought, never backed down, and showed a heart deserving to be called champions.  The result doesn't matter anyway.  For us Tiger fans, the Tigers were the champions.

Unfortunately, that team was broken up as swiftly as it was formed.  Marcio Lassiter and Doug Kramer got traded.  Team governor JB Baylon resigned.  Those were signs that something was going on with the franchise.  The higher-ups tried to denied it again and again, but truth came out, and the franchise was eventually sold.

The team that dared to defy all odds.

And so we say goodbye.  Goodbye to the team we have rooted for, for the last decade.  Goodbye to the team that have essentially become a part of our lives.  Goodbye to the team that gave us reason to be excited on Wednesdays, Fridays, or Sundays.

The Tigers bid farewell to the PBA, but they will never be forgotten.

The Tigers won a title in its maiden year, then entered the finals in its last.  An almost perfect ending, but still quite fitting.  If this was our midnight, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Let's all remember though, that the Cinderella story didn't end at midnight.



Roar out.