Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Castro lifts Talk ‘N Text over B-MEG to tie series

Jayson Castro was so fast, the B-MEG Llamados didn’t know what hit them.
Talk ‘N Text was trailing by five points, 99-94, with less than two minutes left when Castro scored six straight points including the go-ahead three-pointer at the 35.7-second mark to lift the Tropang Texters to a 104-102 victory Wednesday night at the packed SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Talk ‘N Text preserved the win, but not without several tense moments at the free throw line. The Tropang Texters forced two straight defensive stops, but Donnell Harvey and Kelly Williams both missed all their ensuing free throws to keep the Llamados in the game.
But B-MEG import Denzel Bowles threw the ball away off Williams’ miss, instead of calling timeout. Ryan Reyes cradled the ball, making two free throws to give Talk ‘N Text a 102-99 edge. The Tropang Texters sent Bowles to the free throw line on the next possession, and the B-MEG reinforcement split his free throws to cut the deficit to two points.
Jimmy Alapag hit two more free throws in the succeeding play to preserve the win for the Tropang Texters, before Bowles hit a meaningless layup to end the game for the final score.
“In the end, it will all boil down to the last possession, that’s how it’s gonna be,” said Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes.
He credited a more efficient performance for his team for the victory.
“Today we only had seven turnovers and 12 missed free throws. We can survive a game with that number of turnovers and missed shots,” Reyes said.
He said it really was his strategy to foul Bowles at the end of the game with Talk ‘N Text up three points.
“It was my instruction to foul Bowles. My only fault was not telling Ali Peek to foul when Bowles was still in the half court. But then again, it’s a much better gamble instead of giving up a foul when Bowles was already attacking or have given up a hand off to a shooter, who’ll take a three-pointer and give up three free throws,” said Reyes.
Talk ‘N Text tied the series at 1-all, winning despite explosive performances from Bowles, who scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and James Yap, who scored 20 of his conference-high 25 points in the second half on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Yap also had eight rebounds.
Harvey carried the fight for Talk ‘N Text, scoring 29 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Castro added 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists despite nursing various leg injuries.
The scores:
Talk ‘N Text 104 – Harvey 29, Castro 23, Reyes 13, Peek 12, Williams 8, Dillinger 6, De Ocampo 6, Fonacier 4, Alapag 3, Gamalinda 0, Carey 0
B-MEG – Bowles 33, Yap 25, Urbiztondo 15, Simon 10, Pingris 9, Barroca 4, Devance 4, De Ocampo 2, Intal 0, Villanueva 0, Reavis 0
Quarters: 24-16, 49-48, 73-75, 104-102

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/castro-lifts-talk-n-text-over-b-meg-to-tie-series

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

CONE, REYES WANT EXTRA EFFORT

B-MEG coach Tim Cone can't stress enough the need for his charges to dig deep within themselves and


find the energy and intensity for an even better game.



So does his Talk N Text counterpart, Chot Reyes.



It is with such similar intents as backdrop that the Llamados and Tropang Texters square off anew

Wednesday in Game 2 of their PBA Commissioner's Cup championship duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.



B-Meg took the best-of-seven series opener 88-82 last Monday after making the defensive stops while

pouncing on TNT's atrocious shooting from both the stripes and the field.



How to follow that act up is Cone's main concern.



"I've said it before, that for us to win back-to-back games takes extra effort," said Cone.



His own players finding the will and touch following a dismal performance gnaws at Reyes.



The Texters made only 29 of 75 field attempts but it was his team's 16-for-36 foul shooting,

including a 3-for-10 clip in the decisive fourth period, that rankled Reyes most.



"in the crucial moments we kept missing," said Reyes. "We had too many turnovers, missed too many

shots, and they outrebounded us. But in the end, if we missed 10 less free throws than we did we

could have won.



"That's basketball. We need to put that ball through the hoop. In this game, we just couldn't."



Cone, however, won't be so easily deceived and knows there are other areas Reyes and his staff would

be working on.



"They'll look at the tapes, see what we've been doing, the pick-and-rolls, and also what we're

trying to take away. They'll see those," said Cone.



"I've always felt the loser in a series has the advantage coming into the next game," he added.

"They will make the adjustments and we have to make quick reactions in the course of the game. It

could be difficult doing that. They have 48 hours to decide what to do."



Cone and his staff will also be looking at the tapes and would sure be having the Llamados

sharpening their three-point shooting after making only 1-for-8 to the Texters' 8-for-25 clip from

beyond the arc. Free throw shooting should be on one corner of his mind.



"It was real kind of reversal," said Cone, whose charges went 5-for-13 from the stripe in the fourth

period after missing just four of 10 in the entire first half.



"In the first half, they missed 10 free throws. We're really lucky, for in the second half they

started making and we started missing those free throws."



B-Meg also did not get to the line in third period while TNT made seven of 10 charities that helped

raze the Llamados' 48-40 halftime lead and install the Texters ahead, 67-62, going into the fourth.



Then the defending champion's sour shooting returned and not only from the stripe. In the first

seven minutes of the final canto, the Texters went 0-for-6 from the field and 2-for-6 from the

stripe, helping fuel the Llamados' surge to a 77-69 lead.



Despite their woes the Texters still managed to keep within 82-86 and got given a lease on life when

Denzel Bowles almost ruined a 25-point, 11-rebound performance with two missed charities in the

final 30 seconds.



But the Texters bade their bid goodbye by going 0-for-2 from the field and committing a turnover the

rest of the way, in the process totally stoking Reyes' frustrations. (NC)


Source: http://www.pba.ph/news/entry/1545

Sunday, April 22, 2012

PBA approves Lassiter-to-Petron deal; Powerade ‘happy with trade’

The PBA has approved the five-man transaction that would finally bring star rookie Marcio Lassiter from the Powerade Tigers to the Petron Blaze Boosters.
In a text message, PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial confirmed the league’s approval of the deal.
The trade is a revised version of an initial proposal last February, which would have sent Lassiter to the Boosters in exchange for Rey Guevarra and Noy Baclao. That original proposal was vetoed by the PBA, with league commissioner Chito Salud saying that it would have a negative effect on the league’s balance.
In the new trade, Powerade sent Lassiter and Celino Cruz to Petron for Guevarra, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, and Lordy Tugade. The PBA described the trade as having “acceptable parity” for both sides.
Powerade went through with the deal despite an earlier pronouncement from coach Bo Perasol that he would prefer that the team not trade Lassiter, the team’s second-leading local scorer and the top candidate for the Rookie of the Year award. Perasol was among the signatories to the trade documents.
Powerade executive Ronnie Asuncion, for his part, explained the rationale behind the trade in a statement. “We are very happy with this trade. We are getting a much-needed big man in Rabeh Al-Hussaini and getting two proven shooters and scorers in Guevarra and Tugade,” he said. The statement added that Perasol welcomed the trade.
Al-Hussaini won Rookie of the Year honors last season, but has just recently returned to action after recovering from torn ACL surgery. Tugade, 34, is a veteran shooter who has seen limited minutes for Petron, while Guevarra, the third overall pick in last season’s draft, is a role player off the bench for the Boosters.
Cruz, 34, is a journeyman point guard who has seen action for Shell, Red Bull, Burger King, Purefoods, and Ginebra.

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/pba-approves-lassiter-to-petron-deal-powerade-happy-with-trade

David, Caguioa top candidates for Best Player of Commissioner’s Cup

Powerade’s Gary David could end up as the winner of the Best Player of the Conference for the second straight tournament.
David stayed at the No. 1 spot in statistical points race after the semifinal round of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
And his closest competitor for the BPC plum could be Barangay Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa.
David’s 34.5 SPs average was still on top of the category even though his Tigers were booted out early in the elimination round.
Ending up second was Caguioa with 31.0 SPs average. He missed all the games in the semifinal round against eventual winner B-MEG due to an eye injury.
Marcio Lassiter, recently traded to Petron Blaze, ranked No. 3 in stats with 30.3 SPs, followed by Alaska teammates Cyrus Baguio (29.1) and LA Tenorio (29.0).
Only the top five in the SPs are eligible for the top individual honor of the tournament.
This will be the first time that the BPC winner will not come from any of the two teams playing in the finals in six years.
The Llamados and Talk ‘N Text are fighting for the Commissioner’s Cup crown with Game One on Monday.
Tropang Texters forward Ranidel de Ocampo ranked No. 9 with 26.1 SPs average.
The SPs comprise 40 percent of the voting. Media votes comprise 30 percent, and players’ votes 25, while the PBA commissioner’s office takes the remaining five percent.
In the Best Import derby, B-MEG’s Denzel Bowles is almost a shoo-in to win the award as he topped the stats with 45.24 SPs. He was followed by Gabe Freeman of Barako Bull (43.57), Talk ‘N Text’s Donnell Harvey (42.09) and Ginebra’s Jackson Vroman (35.73).
Bowles is the only import who has been with the team since Day One of the tournament.


Source:  http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/david-caguioa-top-candidates-for-best-player-of-commissioners-cup

Again, a possible BPC Plum might slip away for Mark Caguioa for the Nth time

A Possible second BPC for Mark "the spark" Caguioa might slip again after he failed to play for the Barangay Barangay Ginebra in their series against the B-Meg Llamados. 

Powerade's streaky shooter Gary David still leads the Best Player of the Conference race  despite his team was ousted just before the quarterfinal, he lead the race with an averaged  of 35.5 stats points(SPs) a game while Caguioa trails in second with 31.0 sps. 

Gary David lead the locals this season in scoring with an averaged of 27.10 points per game, his total of 271 points this conference that he sets in the Battle for Quarterfinal berth is still the highest output of a local this conference. Only four players were able to reach the 200 mark aside from david this conference. Willie Miller(253), Marc Cardona(232), Alaska(218), and James Yap (227) who is the only player that may top Gary David's 271. 

Mark Caguioa ended the conference with a 16.90 points 6.40 rebounds, 2.40 assit and 1.0 steal per ball game. He is expected to be out for three-months after his surgery. 

Can you believe it guys?Whole through out his career, Caguioa only won 1 Best Player of the conference?despite his strong showing every conference?
Source:  http://yourthecatcher.blogspot.com/2012/04/again-possible-bpc-plum-might-slip-away.html