PBA season 2008-2009 vol. II

[mayfel2]

It’s TNT vs Aces



Waylon Galvez

Alaska Milk and Talk ‘N Text, the best two teams in the elimination round, will slug it out for the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.


Before a packed Astrodome in Pasay City, the Aces and the Tropang Texters finished off separate semifinal opponents last night, four games to two.

The Aces dethroned Sta. Lucia Realty, 87-83, while the Tropang Texters leaned on Mark Cardona’s 34 points to oust San Miguel Beer, 116-115.

Former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Willie Miller scattered 22 points, 12 of which came in the final frame including an fast break lay-up of a turnover by Joseph Yeo that gave Alaska an 85-82 lead with 48.3 seconds left.

Alaska’s win not only propelled the Wilfred Uytengsu-owned tea to the finals for the 22nd time – 20th under coach Tim Cone – but it also avenged a grueling seven-game semifinals setback to SLR in this same conference last season.

The Aces and the Texters will be facing in the championship for the second time and first since the former defeated the latter in seen games during the 2006-07 Fiesta Cup.

Game 1 of the best-of-seven Finals is set Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

"I’m glad that was over," said Cone. "They (Realtors) are really tough. They have great athletes with big heart. We’re just fortunate. We don’t want to go to a Game 7 because it would really be tough."

Cone will be facing his former assistant, TNT mentor Chot Reyes who, as head coach of Coca-Cola, won against the Alaska bench tactician during the 2002 All-Filipino Cup.

Reynel Hugnatan also delivered solid numbers for the Aces as scored 19 points with 12 rebounds, while Tenorio contributed 14.

Cardona’s three-pointer gave TNT a 116-115 lead with 1:41 left in the extra period. When it was over, he saluted the pro-SMB crowd which let him hear it throughout the playoffs.

Cardona, one of the strong contenders for the Best Player of the Conference award, went 13-of-24 from the field, including 7-of-15 from three-point territory.

Playmaker Jimmy Alapag also came through for the Texters as he scattered 27 points, while forward Harvey Carey had four points and a conference high 22 rebounds, typifying the team’s determination despite the absence of the De Ocampo brothers, Yancy and Ranidel.

Yancy was fined P20,000 and served a one-game suspension for committing a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 on San Miguel’s Danny Seigle in Game 5, while Ranidel was banished from the game in the second quarter for committing another F2 offense against Lordy Tugade.

That didn’t deter Talk ‘N Text’s resolve though.

"I kept telling my players during huddle, ‘just go all out and play with your hearts,’" said Talk ‘N Text mentor Chot Reyes, in the Finals as a coach for the first time since guiding San Miguel to the 2006-07 Philippine Cup against eventual champion Ginebra.

First Game

Talk ‘N Text 116 — Cardona 34, Alapag 27, Dillinger 14, De Ocampo 11, Peek 9, Ritualo 7, Castro 6, Aljamal 4, Carey 4, Reyes 0, Lao 0.

San Miguel 115 — Seigle 32, Washington 19, Pingris 16, Hontiveros 15, Villanueva 9, Tugade 9, Custodio 8, Pennisi 7, Gonzales 0, Racela 0.

Quarters: 35-30, 62-58, 89-80, 111-111, 116-115 OT.

Second Game

Alaska 87 — Miller 22, Hugnatan 19, Tenorio 14, Cariaso 8, Thoss 6, Ferriols 6, De Vance 5, Fonacier 5, Dela Cruz 2, Borboran 0.

Sta. Lucia 83 — Espino 21, Williams 16, Omolon 16, Yeo 15, Miranda 6, Reyes 5, Gonzales 2, Mendoza 2, Daa 0, Aquino 0.

Quarters: 16-19, 44-40, 63-69, 87-83.
http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20090126146556.html

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

Texters disconnect Beermen, enter final
By Nelson Beltran
January 26, 2009
Philippine Star

Seigle of San Miguel shots over Talk N Text defenders Ali Peek (34) and Ranidel De Ocampo in last night’s Game 6 of the best-of-seven semis series. Jun Mendoza​

Talk n Text played with a big fighting heart in the face of tough adversity, outlasting San Miguel Beer, 116-115, in an overtime thriller to clinch the first slot in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup finals at the Astrodome last night.

Mark Cardona and Jimmy Alapag sizzled with 34 and 27 points, respectively, while Harvey Carey pulled down a personal career-high 22 rebounds as the Tropang Texters bucked the absence of Yancy de Ocampo and the early ouster of Ranidel de Ocampo to make the conference finals for the seventh time in franchise history.

Coach Chot Reyes gained his 10th finale, getting the chance to be the first PBA tactician to win three All-Filipino crowns with three different teams.

“Exactly a year today, Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan and Mr. Ricky Vargas talked to me for the first time offering me to coach the team. After discussing the details, I told them give me one year and I will bring the team to the finals. By sheer Divine Providence, Talk n Text is in the final after a year,” said Reyes.

Short-handed, saddled with fouls and all, the Texters survived the trial by digging deep and gutting it out on sheer fighting heart.

Cardona sparkled in the crunch, knocking down the most important baskets, including a triple that proved to be the deciding basket with 1:41 left to play.

“Minus the De Ocampo brothers and with practically all the guys in foul-trouble situation, I told them in a timeout that ‘sorry but I have no secrets for you. You have play your best, play with your hearts out, play good defense.’ In the end, that’s what they did,” said Reyes.

Ranidel joined his brother Yancy on the sidelines after being called for a flagrant foul penalty 2 infraction on Lordy Tugade in the second quarter.

Minus the two, Alapag fueled a Talk n Text breakaway in the third period before Cardona took over, personally finishing off the Beermen and silencing the San Miguel crowd which booed him practically the entire series.

Cardona, saving his best for last, went 7-of-15 from the three-point area and 6-of-9 from the two-point zone for his most productive game in the series. He averaged 23.8 points in the elims but was limited to 16.4 a game in the first five contests in the semis.

The Beermen, who were led by Danny Seigle with 32 points, engaged the Texters in a battle but yielded the game by going scoreless in the last two minutes of overtime play.

The Texters also fired blanks at the finish, relying on key offensive rebounds to beat the Beermen, 4-2, in their best-of-seven duel.

It was Talk n Text’s first win over San Miguel in seven playoff series.

The Beermen went to Seigle, Marc Pingris and Jay Washington as they came charging back from a 60-77 deficit and sent the game into overtime on a triple by Washington with 24.9 ticks left in regulation play.

The Texters failed to win it in regulation with Alapag missing a long shot just before the buzzer sounded.

Alapag sizzled with seven treys earlier but was clamped down by Dondon Hontiveros in the fourth period.

Meanwhile, the Red Team upstaged Blue, 55-50, in the National 13-under tournament organized by national head coach Mark Herrera.

 

[reamily2]

Transition in the works

Transition in the works

Looks like San Miguel should go to the new direction, the era is officially gone

 

[bola2]

yes! I hope
alaska will make it to its 13th cup!

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

Looks like San Miguel should go to the new direction, the era is officially gone

San Miguel looked like an old team in this series.

Jay Washington missed an easy shot in the paint in which no one was guarding him in the dying minute. While Harvey Carey grabbed 20 plus rebounds in that game.

Now, I know why TNT gave up Washington and retained Carey.

 

[nardy2]

San Miguel looked like an old team in this series.

Jay Washington missed an easy shot in the paint in which no one was guarding him in the dying minute. While Harvey Carey grabbed 20 plus rebounds in that game.

Now, I know why TNT gave up Washington and retained Carey.

The Beermen is a team of veterans who are used to being one of the automatic semifinalists and not as a team that has to go thru a number of knock-out series just to make it to the semifinals, this made them run out of gas. Plus the injury to Mike Cortez took out a key player on their rotation. With Dondon a marked man with his moves well scouted by TNT, he lost his explosiveness in this series which could have given his team the adrenalin.

Carey even though undersized can be depended on to mix it up under the basket. That hard work of positioning and pushing aside opponents made him that big number of rebounds. The dirty work in the shaded lane is something which Washington seems to like to shy away from but that is not so obvious as San Miguel has Pingris, Pena and Pennisi to do that.

Jay on the other hand needs still to develop to a player who his team can depend on in crucial moments when the game is on the line. This is not the first time Washington has a chance to be a hero but chooked. Just give him more time.

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

The Beermen is a team of veterans who are used to being one of the automatic semifinalists and not as a team that has to go thru a number of knock-out series just to make it to the semifinals, this made them run out of gas. Plus the injury to Mike Cortez took out a key player on their rotation. With Dondon a marked man with his moves well scouted by TNT, he lost his explosiveness in this series which could have given his team the adrenalin.

Carey even though undersized can be depended on to mix it up under the basket. That hard work of positioning and pushing aside opponents made him that big number of rebounds. The dirty work in the shaded lane is something which Washington seems to like to shy away from but that is not so obvious as San Miguel has Pingris, Pena and Pennisi to do that.

Jay on the other hand needs still to develop to a player who his team can depend on in crucial moments when the game is on the line. This is not the first time Washington has a chance to be a hero but chooked. Just give him more time.

I thought Bonbon Custodio did an excellent job playing in the backcourt but his inexperienced showed in this semis encounter with TNT. Hontiveros had a spectacular series with Ginebra scoring in the 30s twice but unfortunately I felt he was burned out coming to the TNT series.

 

[dxjayrock20082]

This is going to be an exiting championship showdown between TNT Tropang Texters vs Alaska Milk Aces. A run & gun type of team (tnt) and a defensive team (alaska) who loves to use the vaunted triangle offense.

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

Pangilinan vs Uytengsu.

This is going to be one hell of a boxing match.

 

[dxjayrock20082]

It's like drinking milk while having a phone call.

 

[nardy2]

TUESDAY |JANUARY 27, 2009

Flagrant fouls an issue

THE severity of flagrant fouls should determine their punishments.

This was the idea broached yesterday by PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios, adding he intends to present to the league governors today a revised degree of penalties for players who commit such fouls.

"I am going to talk to the Board on the penalty side and hopefully, if it is approved, we will apply it to the finals," Barrios said, referring to the Philippine Cup championship series between Talk N Text and Alaska that starts tomorrow.

"The fine should be by consequence," Barrios added. "If the flagrant foul was committed on a player and because of it he does not return, then the penalties should be stiff as they are right now."

The penalty could be lighter, Barrios stated, if there’s really no harm done on the aggrieved party.

Currently, a flagrant foul-penalty 2 carries with it an automatic one-game suspension plus a P20,000 fine which could be raised by the commissioner.

The latest to be meted such a penalty were brothers Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo of Talk N Text, the latter happening in the course of the Tropang Texters’ 116-115 overtime victory over the San Miguel Beermen in Game 6 of their semifinal series last Sunday.

The younger De Ocampo, who was caught sticking his foot out underneath the jump-shooting Lordy Tugade, will serve out his suspension in the series opener.

That infraction was the 15th such case of flagrant foul 2s to go with 18 flagrant foul 1s this conference.

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

Ranidel De Ocampo may miss Game 1 of the Finals because of his flagrant foul 2 in their Semis Game 6 clincher.

 

[ramzaruglia2]

It's like drinking milk while having a phone call.

That is a bad combination.

The "milk" is hot, and the "signal" is on the top edge. And there is bad blood between Cardona and Miller.

Remember what Captain Hook said after they clinched their series against the Beermen.

 

[nardy2]

That is a bad combination.

The "milk" is hot, and the "signal" is on the top edge. And there is bad blood between Cardona and Miller.

Remember what Captain Hook said after they clinched their series against the Beermen.

That gives Coach Yeng one more reason why he would not include Macmac in his National Team. Willie is no doubt one of Guiao's favorites and is one of the most liked by his current team mates in the National Team.

 

[The_Big_Cat2]

That is a bad combination.

The "milk" is hot, and the "signal" is on the top edge. And there is bad blood between Cardona and Miller.

Remember what Captain Hook said after they clinched their series against the Beermen.

I thought I heard Mac said that Willie is his idol in that post-game interview.

 

[LordOfLeyte2]

Keypoints for Alaska: Silence is Golden

Keypoints for Alaska: Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden-

Limit the point production of TNT guards and voila, bad night for TNT.


That aside, Alaska's back-court cannot out-fire the TNT back-court.

 

[jesronne2]

Silence is Golden-

Limit the point production of TNT guards and voila, bad night for TNT.


That aside, Alaska's back-court cannot out-fire the TNT back-court.

smb is a defensive type of team and they were not able to stop cardona, alapag, ritualo, castro and dillinger...

i hope tnt wins... its a battle between an american and a filipino.... (referring of the owners)

 

[nardy2]

I thought I heard Mac said that Willie is his idol in that post-game interview.

WEDNESDAY |JANUARY 28, 2009

Toss-up: Miller or Cardona

AN interesting sidelight to the KFC PBA Philippine Cup championship series between Talk N Text and Alaska is how the teams’ respective stars will fare out in the Best Player of the Conference race.

The Aces’ Willie Miller and Tropang Texters’ Mac-Mac Cardona are the hot favorites to crowd each other out for the tournament’s highest individual plum, but the statistics that are usually used as a gauge tell a different story.

With the two guards being mainly stifled in the semifinals, Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava suddenly found himself on top of the statistical category with his 32.4 statistical points average, followed closely by last year’s winner Kelly Williams of Sta. Lucia Realty with his 32.1 SPs.

The Tigers did not get past the wildcard phase and the Realtors bowed to the Aces after six semis games, however, practically dashing Taulava’s and Williams’ hopes of getting the nod from the all-important voters.

Third-running Miller has 31.6, just a shade above the 31.5 by Cardona, who led the race after the eliminations and through the quarterfinals with Miller at fourth each time.

What should prove decisive are the votes to be cast by representatives from the teams, media, league and television coveror Solar Sports starting today up to Tuesday.

 

[Silent Killer2]

I'll go with TNT. they have complete lineup.

they play good offense as well. defense? good as well.

TNT in 6 games

 

[LordOfLeyte2]

smb is a defensive type of team and they were not able to stop cardona, alapag, ritualo, castro and dillinger...

i hope tnt wins... its a battle between an american and a filipino.... (referring of the owners)

SMB is far from a defensive team as they allow over 101.8 pts per game and their coach fuels the fire of their offensive minded players in which he allows Hontiveros, Custodio, Seigle, Tugade, Washington and Pinnisi to fire away in hoping that SMB's deep arsenal of offense can outlast any team.

But alas, TNT's Back-court have answered and actually out-gunned them in firepower.