Philippine Basketball Association Thread

[Lebron23]

MVP MILLER STARS IN BIG FINISH AS ALASKA PULLS EVEN AT 2-2

Birthday boy Willie delivers 10 of Aces last 15 points

Saturday, 14 July 2007

Willie Miller justified why he is the league

[Lebron23]

[B]WASHINGTON, SULLINGER LIFT TALK N TEXT TO 3-2 LEAD
Cone disappointed with MVP Miller

[Lebron23]

Macmac hands down the Best Individual Performer in the PBA this Conference, I think he is almost averaging 24 PPG in the PBA Finals. Siguro naman kapag nagchampion ang Talk N Text which would be their only 2nd PBA Championship sa kanilang franchise history si Mac Cardona ang magiging PBA Finals MVP.

[jesronne]

yan na nga sabi ko kung sino dapat maging mvp... ahahahahaha.... MVP means being consistent ka sa lahat ng laro... si miller nung una consistent xa pero pag dating sa playoffs nawala ata xa bigla... habang si mac mac naman halos lahat ng game 15+ points na score nya... at kung iisipin may import pa cla na SF ang laro... so pag SF ang laro means na yung mga guards support lang at yung frontline ang dapat mag score... pero si cardona guard pero kasing galing nya ang import nila.... unstoppable yan... i cant wait to see him next season... with alapag and taulava they will wreck havoc to all pba teams...

[Lebron23]

TALK N TEXT GOES FOR ALL THE MARBLES

Aces need Miller to show up to force Game 7

Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Derrick Pumaren said the PLDT franchise has long waited for this moment to come. And now that they're so close to making their dream come true, the Talk N Text coach proclaimed he'll not allow this opportunity to slip away.

The Phone Pals hold a 3-2 lad over the Alaska Aces in the best-of-seven Finals of the 2007 Talk N Text PBA Fiesta Conference and could wrap the series up with another victory in Game 6 scheduled for 7 o'clock Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We've long waited for this (championship). Now that we're this close, we should take on the opportunity and not let it slip away," Pumaren said during the post-game interview that followed their 107-104 victory in Game 5 Sunday.

TNT won its first and only conference championship in 2003 by ruling the All-Filipino Cup. Since then the Phone Pals have never been this close to winning another championship.

"All we need is just one more win. I just hope the players have some energy left to get the job done," said Pumaren, seeking his third victory against Alaska coach Tim Cone in the Finals and his third PBA championship as bench tactician.

Pumaren won his first two championships with the now disbanded Sunkist Juicers and coincidentally, both had Alaska and Cone on the opposite end of the harcourt.

TNT import J.J. Sullinger said the team can accomplish the mission only if the Phone Pals continue to do the things that work for them.

"If we just do the things that we have to do and continue working as a team we can get the job done," said Sullinger, who has successfully outplayed Alaska import Rosell Ellis in the series.

Notwithstanding the tremendous challenge confronting his team, Cone isn't ready to give up the fight.

But he also acknowledges that for Alaska to force a deciding seventh game, the Aces will need a standout effort from his backcourt, particularly from Willie Miller

[Lebron23]

MILLER BOUNCES BACK BIGTIME, GIVES ALASKA NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Season MVP torches Pals with 37 points to send series to Game 7

Wednesday, 18 July 2007

Willie Miller redeemed himself from a disappointing Game 5 with an incredible effort Wednesday night that left Alaska coach Tim Cone in awe and salivating.

The newly crowned MVP turned Talk N Text

[Lebron23]

Vergel Meneses

Vergel Meneses
Position Guard/Forward
Nickname The Aerial Voyager
League Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg)
Team Talk 'N Text Phone Pals
Nationality Philippines
Born January 14, 1969
Malolos, Bulacan
College Jose Rizal College
Draft 1st overall, 1992
Presto Ice Cream
Pro career 1992

[Lebron23]

FedEx Express

Meneses was traded in 2002 from Ginebra to rookie team FedEx Express for a future draft pick. His career reemerged during his two year stay with the team. At the Express team, he was reunited with old coach Derrick Pumaren, his coach at Swift during their glory years in 1995. He again led the team in scoring with 14.2 ppg (15 games) on the way to a season average of 12.4 ppg, 1.9 apg and 2.6 rpg in 22 games (combined average while playing for FedEx and Ginebra), his second lowest scoring averages. He was also named the Player of the Week (POW) for the period July 29 – August 4, 2002.

In 2003, he was named to the PBL’s Top 20 Players for his exploits at Magnolia, Burger City and Swift Hotdogs. He was also a three-time recipient of the POW award, for the periods March 10-16, 2003, March 17-23, 2003 and April 14-20, 2003. He also became the first local player in 2 years to score at least 20 points in a quarter when he scored 20 points in the 3rd quarter of FedEx victory over Ginebra. Meneses was voted into his 9th All-Star game where he was named as the All-Star MVP in 2003, his 4th overall, and also led the Express to a third-place finish in the 2003 PBA Invitationals. He was also the first recipient of the Sportsman of the Year award together with Benjie Paras and Rob Johnson.

He also became a sort of a 3rd-quarter man for the FedEx team as he scored: (a) 15 points vs. San Miguel Beer on April 16, 2003, (b) 16 points against Red Bull on April 27, 2003, (c) 20 points contra Ginebra on May 02, 2003, (d) 12 points opposite Talk 'N Text on May 09, 2003 and (e) 19 points for the Commissioners All-Stars versus the Governors All-Stars in the June 01, 2003 All-Star game.

He finished the year as the Express scoring leader and the league's 8th leading scorer with an average of 15.9 ppg in nearly an average of 30 minutes playing time. He added 3.0 apg and 2.8 rpg for the season and saw him reached the 2,000 assists club, the 19th player to do so.

2004 saw him reached the 9,000-point plateau. He also made his 10th All-Star appearance during the year becoming the North team’s leading vote-getter as well as the 2nd leading vote-getter for the All-Star festivities behind Danny Seigle. By making it to his 10th All-Star, he became only the third player with at least 10 appearances in the mid-year festivities after Jerry Codi

[Lebron23]

Bono, Quinahan lead

47 players in draft list


BY NOLI CORTEZ

A TOTAL of 47 players beat the pro league deadline yesterday for the rookie draft on Aug. 19 and officials, this early, are convinced that with so many talented players in the list the proceedings could extend beyond the usual practice of just two rounds.

Three players who stand at least 6-foot-5

[ErhnamDjinn]

Came from the game kanina, ganda exciting finish, muntikan na matalo Alaska, daming bungled free throws. Buti nalang clutch si Elis. on a side note kawawa si Uytengsu panalo nga team nya 3 naman sa kanila na snatch nang wallet at Cellphone.:

[Lebron23]

Cellar dwellers field 2 imports in next Fiesta Cup



The Philippine Basketball Association is again applying a handicapping scheme in the import-reinforced tourney next year in a bid to keep balance in the competition.

The last two teams after the elimination round of the All-Filipino tourney will be allowed to field two imports in the Fiesta Conference with one standing 6-foot-1 or below. The rest of the teams will be allowed just an import with no height restriction.

This was approved by the PBA board of governors in a meeting yesterday at Chateu 1771 in Ortigas Center in Pasig.

Remaining in the drawing board is the proposed amendment to the controversial "Restricted Trade List." The teams couldn't reach an agreement and decided to make further discussion in their next meeting.

But giants like Julius Nwosu are allowed to be back in the local pro league in the next Fiesta Cup with the board deciding to put away height restriction on imports.

The return of seven-footers could well help PBA players familiarize themselves with international play.

The handicap scheme, meanwhile, opens the door for another stint by Alex Compton with Welcoat, in case the Dragons fail to make it to the top eight in the All-Filipino elims.

[Lebron23]

I think we can get another tall import next conference like 6'7 James White of the San Antonio Spurs ( got waived last year) and 7'0 former Redbull Import Earl Barron.

Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel

Imagine this starting 5

C- Earl Barron
F- Eric Menk
F- James White
G- Ronald Tubid
G- Johhny Abbarientos

2nd 5

C- Earl Barron
F- Billy Mamaril
F- Sunday Salvacion
G- Jojo Duncil
G- Jec Chia

[Lebron23]

WELCOAT IN NO HURRY TO DECIDE ON NO. 1 OVERALL PICK


Eman, Bono, Devance, Intal head rich rookie talent pool

Tuesday, 24 July 2007
IT'S a major dilemma Welcoat Paints coach Leo Austria doesn't mind facing time and time again.


With the Paint Masters earning the right to select first in the coming 2007 PBA Rookie Draft, on the hands of Austria belongs the envious task of choosing the No. 1 overall pick in a 47-man field rich in talent and potential.
Fil-Am big man Joe Devance and Ateneo Blue Eagles stalwart John Christopher Intal are those athletic types currently in the Draft list. Both are coming off spectacular seasons in the amateurs.


Intal, the reed-thin, slam-dunking forward, was a key player of the Harbour Centre team that swept Cebuana Lhuillier in the PBL Unity Cup Finals and also the main man of the ill-fated Blue Eagles squad that lost a deciding Game 3 to the University of Santo Tomas Tigers for last year's UAAP men's basketball championship.


The application of Devance however remains conditional pending his submission of a confirmation from the Department of Justice until the end of the month.


The 6-foot-5 center was adjudged the 2006 PBL Unity Cup MVP after leading Toyota Balintawak to a runner up finish behind Harbour Centre. Upon his return to the team last conference, the Road Kings made it all the way to the semifinals.


A slew of big men are also making themselves available for this year's Rookie Draft, including bullstrong University of the Visayas power forward JR Quinahan of Burger King, Doug Kramer of Ateneo and San Beda's Yousif Aljamal.


Others in the mix include controversial Santo Tomas guard Jojo Duncil, guard Ryan Reyes of Henkel Sista, Toyota Balintawak premiere playmaker, Dazz
guard Reed Juntilla, Cebuana Lhuillier's Macky Escalona, Ryan Arana of Harbour Centre, University of the East's Rolly Masbang, Frederick Hubalde of Santo Tomas, St. Benilde's Rolly Menor and former Adamson Falcon Melvin Mamaclay.


One who easily catches attention by way of his resume is guard Daryl Pepito, a 5-foot-10 playmaker born in Quezon City but is based in Australia where he plays for St. Edwards College and saw action in the Australian Basketball League.


Last year Sta. Lucia Realty tabbed Fil-Am forward Kelly Williams as the top overall pick. (DBC)

[Lebron23]

Welcoat eyes Intal as first draft pick


By Waylon Galvez

WELCOAT PAINTS, which owns the luxury of picking first in the PBA Rookie Draft next month, is likely to go for height and glamour.


Actually, the Dragons already have a short list. And this includes JC Intal, a 6-foot-4 wingman who, with his athleticism and scoring ability, can give the Dragons the kind of go-to-guy type of player they lacked during their maiden campaign last season.

Welcoat, which finished last in both conferences during the previous season, owns the top overall pick in the PBA Annual Rookie Draft scheduled Aug. 19 at the Market! Market! in Taguig.

Raymund Yu, who co-owns the team together with Terry Que, said that Intal has the quickness and leaping ability to compete in the PBA.

"We

[Lebron23]

Fonacier to join Ateneo pals in SMB?

By Nelson Beltran
Thursday, July 26, 2007

Larry Fonacier is another former Ateneo Blue Eagle set to land at San Miguel Beer.

Reliable sources said San Miguel is in hot pursuit of the 2005-06 Rookie of the Year winner, offering Kiko Adriano, Brandon Cablay and Christian Calaguio as trade replacement to Red Bull.

If the deal is closed, Fonacier is joining at San Miguel former Ateneo teammates Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales and LA Tenorio. Veteran point guard Olsen Racela is another ex-Atenean on the team.

San Miguel acquired Villanueva in an earlier trade deal with Red Bull. Gonzales was taken in from Air21 and Tenorio from the 2006 Annual Rookie Draft.

Fonacier was among Red Bull players whose playing contract expired at the close of the 2007 PBA season.

Leo Najorda, Junthy Valenzuela, Mike Hrabak and Warren Ybanez all have been given fresh two-year contracts. Fonacier is likely to get his new contract with San Miguel.

Meanwhile, Ranidel de Ocampo signed a P12.6-million, three-year contract extension with Air21 before joining the RP team in its departure for Tokushima, Japan.

The 6-foot-6 center-forward is guaranteed a maximum pay of P350,000 a month up to 2010.

June Peter Simon is close to sealing a contract-extension with Purefoods.

At Talk n Text, Macmac Cardona is also looking for contract extension this early although his existing pact is alive until next year.