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.                                                          

Gary David. Got. Robbed.

Now is not the time to be civilized, nor be tame in my words.

GARY DAVID NOT WINNING THE MVP WAS BULLSHIT.

ROBBED.

10 straight 30+ point games, 19 straight 20+ point games. Scored 42 points in a game this season. Averaged 26 ppg for the season, a scoring feat that have not been seen from a local since Allan Caidic 2 decades ago. Didn't just lead, but essentially carried his team all the way to the finals.

Somehow all these are not enough to be an MVP in the PBA.  Since when had they set their standards this high?

You can't ignore the numbers, they never lie:

Gary David - 25.84 PPG, 2.29 apg, 3.8 rpg, 44% FG pct, 36% 3-PT fgs, 39% efficiency.

Mark Caguioa - 16.32 PPG, 2.27 apg, 4.76 rpg, 39% FG pct, 33% 3-PT fgs, 31% efficiency.

 The only area Caguioa had an edge was rebounding.  If for some crazy reason that was the basis for winning the MVP, I rest my case.

 Of course, people will say "It's not about the numbers."

 THEN WHAT THE F**K IS IT ALL ABOUT THEN?

Gary carried an underdog and 8th seed team to the finals. Caguioa, despite having a much more stacked lineup, failed to do the same.

 We may never see another local player average more than 25 points per game in a season for the next 20 years or so.  They denied Gary something he deserved much more than anybody else in the past 5 years or so. 

But then again, Gary has always been underrated.  Has always been underappreciated.  Has always been undervalued.  Has always been overlooked. The only scoring league-leader not to be voted in the All-Star game that same season, for 2 straight seasons.

It's not even about the prestige of winning the award.  This is all about how the PBA utterly disrespected Gary David.

 Whoever were involved in this travesty should be ashamed of themselves.

Roar out.

Omar Sneed: Not Your Typical Import

When the Powerade Tigers ultimately decided to replace Rashad McCants with another import, I was both glad and apprehensive.  Happy because McCants wasn't really helping the team grab wins.  The dude can score, but does little of anything else.  At the same time, I wasn't too sure about getting a 35-year-old as the replacement.  Omar Sneed was on the low radar, as opposed to the highly-touted McCants.

Sneed was quick to dispel those doubts.

Sneed's 3 games with the team all produced wins, with Sneed averaging 23 points, 17.3 rebounds, 7 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  He is also shooting an incredible 57% from the field.  His 7 assists/game would actually rank second  in the league, behind only Jimmy Alapag.  Coming from a big man, that's quite a remarkable feat.

Despite those eye-popping numbers, Sneed is not your typical import.  While most imports love chucking up shots, Sneed is always looking to pass first.  In his first game, he dished out 11 assists, the same number of attempts he took.  But when his scoring was needed in the game against powerhouse Talk N' Text, he didn't disappoint either on way to 32 points on 12/19 shooting.  Against league-leaders Rain or Shine, he did a little of everything, finishing up with 24/20/7.

The first thing you would notice about Sneed is that he is a bit unorthodox.  He throws up awkward shots and he isn't your typical post-up back-to-the-basket player despite his size and width.  To some extent, this adds up to his unpredictability.  Certainly Rain or Shine didn't expect him to put the ball on the floor and slash (in slow-mo fashion) for a lay-up.  Heck, I'm pretty sure Alapag was as surprised as everybody else when Sneed did a face up interception on him.  And while everyone almost expected him to dunk the ball, he leisurely went up for a soft lay-up.

But perhaps the most important thing that Sneed brought to the team was his team-first mentality.  Having spent a large chunk of his career in Europe, he has gotten accustomed to Euro-basketball, which is characterized by team-ball.  He came in knowing that Gary David will be the primary option, and that his task is to grab rebounds and be a much-needed interior presence on both ends of the floor; things that McCants failed to provide.

Sure, Omar Sneed is slow.  He looks a bit out-of-shape.  He is 35 years old.  His shooting form is ugly.  He is not athletic and certainly not flashy.  Call him boring, but at the end of the day, he gets the job done, and that's what matters.

After all, we've got fafa Rey to take care of the highlights.

 Roar out.

PowerRey has taken Flight

Image courtesy of the PBA and Paul Ryan Tan

TerREYfic!  Guevarralaciouss! AuthoREYtative!

I tend to throw out bad puns when something excites me, so pardon me for those.   It's just that things looked bleak just a week ago with Powerade starting the conference with 2 losses, when all of a sudden came a REY of light! (there, I did it again.)

I admit it.  Of the 3 guys we got in exchange for Marcio Lassiter, it was Rey Guevarra I was LEAST excited about.  Rabeh Al-Hussaini of course was the best acquisition, and a veteran shooter like Lordy Tugade was a welcome addition.  Guevarra on the other hand, was someone I did not expect to have any significant impact to the team.

Boy, was I dead wrong.

Rey played just 5 minutes in his debut as a Tiger, going scoreless.  He did not play in the team's second game against Barako Bull.  Now, if Rey is to do something that would make people notice him, there could be no better way than to do it in emphatic fashion.  The game against Alaska provided the opportunity.

It was a blowout, and I was getting sleepy watching the game on TV.  Rey was having a good game to start off, and was on pace to eclipse his previous career-high of 14 points. 

Seconds left before the third quarter wraps up, Rey gets the ball on top for an isolation.  Sweet crossover that left Bonbon Custodio eating dust, then past import Jason Forte (nonetheless) for a monster slam!  Can somebody say NASTY?!? I don't know about you, but I haven't seen such a forceful delivery from a local player in recent memory.  And who would expect that kind of play from an almost forgotten guy who has career averages of 3.44 points?

 

(vid courtesy of youtube user  renz1347713)

Now, before we overhype this guy, I would like to point out that he is a pretty good defender as well.  He chooses his shots well and is good at leaking-out that often leads to easy baskets on the offensive end.

He scored 11 points the next game versus Talk N' Text, highlighted by another beastly slam off a Gary David pass.  Now every Powerade game wouldn't be complete without a Rey Guevarra jam.  But more importantly, we discovered a gem in what seemed to be a filler guy in the Rabeh-Marcio trade, and who knows, he could even end up as the best catch of that deal.

Roar out!!

Game Report: Petron 97 - Powerade 83

RABID REACTION

Marcio Lassiter didn't suit up due to a hand injury.  Rabeh Al-Hussaini on the other hand, started at center.  Rabeh's night was over quickly though as he was charged with a flagrant foul penalty 2 after elbowing Dorian Peña in the second quarter.  I thought the call was too much, but Dorian did a pretty good job of selling it.  Rabeh finished with 4 points on 2/3 shooting.  His defense was really shaky though.  He allowed a Petron lay-up without contesting it, which made coach Bo Perasol jump out.  He also failed to grab a single rebound.  Hopefully Rabeh learned his lesson and come back strong next game.


RASHAD MCCANTS

Rashad McCants lived up to his billing in his first game.  He's a good attacker and finisher.  He did have a couple of bad passes and didn't shoot well from the perimeter.  But he's good.


PLEASANT SURPRISE

While Rabeh's debut wasn't pleasant, another newcomer came to play.  Jondan Salvador had a solid game, finishing with 7 points and 10 rebounds.  He's undersized but wide and a bruiser, kind of remind me of former Tiger Ali Peek.  They're both southpaws too.

Who's Hot?

 Gary David 40 MIN | 8-14 FG | 8-10 FT | 6 REB | 5 AST | 26 PTS |




Who's Not?

 JVee Casio 32 MIN | 2-10 FG | 1-6 3FG | 3 REB | 3 AST | 5 PTS |




NEXT GAME:


05/25/2012 Friday 5:15 vs Barako Bull 

Remembering The Arsenal

The Coca-Cola Tigers entered the league in 2002, immediately winning a title in its maiden year, then followed it up with 3 more consecutive finals appearances the next year, culminating in a second title in December 2003.

It was dynasty in the making, too bad it was short-lived.

Chot Reyes was tasked to coach the national team and was never able to return to the team.  Rudy Hatfield, the team's best player at that time, got caught up in nationality issues.  He too, never came back to Coke.

But perhaps what formally culminated that "golden era" was when Jeffrey Cariaso got traded.  Along with Reynel Hugnatan and draft picks, he was sent to Alaska in exchange for center Ali Peek and guard John Arigo.  Since then, the Tigers never entered the semis again until recently.

For the next seven years, the Tigers bounced around the cellar.  From contenders to laughingstocks.  For seven years, everything looked bleak.