Thursday, April 29, 2010

Miller, Baguio to debut against former teams

source: gmanews.tv

Two days after being involved in a blockbuster trade, both Willie Miller and Cyrus Baguio will be judged on Friday as they suit up for their respective new teams and play against each other in the main game of the PBA Fiesta Conference doubleheader at the Araneta Coliseum.

Barangay Ginebra and Alaska clash in a 7:30 p. m. match made more interesting following the intriguing deal that brought Miller, the two-time league most valuable player (MVP), to the Kings in exchange for the high-flying Baguio following the All-Start weekend.

Despite losing Baguio, Kings coach Jong Uichico said he is thrilled with the arrival of the enigmatic shooting guard out of Letran, whom he expects will need a couple of more games before finally settling in with Ginebra’s system.

“Of course it’s always nice to have a Willie Miller in your team. But we now have to wait for him to get use to our system. We have to be patient," said Uichico.

The 5-foot-11 Miller averaged 17 points, three rebounds and 4.5 assists in four games with Alaska this conference.

Aside from Miller, new Ginebra import Mildon Ambres will also have to adjust with the Kings’ brand of play. Ambres takes over the place vacated by Awvee Storey.

Storey, the Kings’ reinforcement in their first five games, is hurting with a dislocated finger in his right hand, but may be tapped anew if ever Ambres proves to be a flop.

Uichico admitted not seeing strong points on Ambres during evaluation periods since his arrival last Monday.

Like Miller and Ambres, eyes will also be on Baguio since he’ll be taking over the spot left by the player whom coach Tim Cone declared as the best closer in the league.

Baguio, a former All-Star Games Slam Dunk champion and Red Bull’s (now Barako Energy Coffee) second round pick in the 2003 Draft averaged 9.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a back up in Ginebra’s 3-2 (win-loss) slate.

The former University of Santo Tomas (UST) star is joining Alaska just when the Aces appeared to have snapped out of a slump, winning its last two games before the All-Stars for an even 2-2 slate.

Asked whether which team got the better end of the deal, Cone gave his reasonable thoughts.

“I don’t think one game would be enough to determine which team got the better end of the deal. Willie may score 60 points or Cyrus may be shut down once our teams meet, but you can only tell whether you made the right decision on the trade at the end of the conference," said Cone.

“Hopefully, our teams meet in the finals. That would be really, really interesting," he added.

The Kings have lost their last outing against San Miguel Beer, 102-94, in a game where the Beermen’s starters dominated their Ginebra counterparts, 87-41.

With interest more on the Kings-Aces tussle, the defending champion Beermen quietly gun for their sixth win in seven outings when they face Rain or Shine.

The Beermen are currently on top of the standings with a 5-1 card while the Elasto Painters are tied for fourth to sixth spots with the Kings and the Llamados (3-2).

Fresh from a 12-day rest, the Elasto Painters are also in a high after a 91-80 win over the Coca-Cola Tigers last April 16. – JVP/RCJ, GMANews.TV

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ace gunner Miller traded for Baguio

By WAYLON GALVEZ
April 28, 2010, 4:15pm

Just as everybody is taking the much-needed rest after the blockbuster PBA All-Star Festivities in Puerto Princesa over the weekend, Alaska Milk, in a stunning move, traded two-time MVP Willie Miller to Ginebra in exchange for Cyrus Baguio.

The deal was consummated yesterday and both parties claimed their teams will be better by the exchange.

Miller, the 5-foot 11 spitfire who earned the moniker the “Thriller,” for his daredevil moves, adds a new dimension to a Ginebra team which, before he came on board, already teemed with star power.

Alaska coach Tim Cone said it was Miller who had sought for the trade, although no reason was given why the player asked to move to another team.

Cone said that he will surely miss Miller, whom he considers as “one of the real good guys in the league.”

“He made it known to us for the last couple of years that he has wanted to be traded. It was only now that the Aces got what it felt a good deal,” Cone said.

“I think it’s a good deal for us,” said Joaqui Trillo, Alaska’s alternate governor to the PBA Board.

Miller is known as a prolific scorer and a fine closer – traits that landed him a spot in the Philippine team that finished 8th in the FIBA-Asia Championship in Tianjin, China.

Baguio, who blossomed into a fine all-around player during his stint with Barako Bull before he was acquired by Ginebra last conference from Air21, was also a member of that team handled by coach Yeng Guiao.

Interestingly, Ginebra and Alaska battle each other at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Araneta Coliseum.

This will be Miller’s fourth team in the PBA after starting his pro career with Red Bull, which took him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 Rookie Draft. He also played for Talk ’N Text.

Miller, the PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2002 and 2007, will have as teammates reigning MVP Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid, and Celino Cruz.

Ginebra mentor Jong Uichico said that he would rather “wait and see” on how to utilize a talented player like Miller, who will have his first practice session Thursday with the Kings at the Green Meadows gym in Green Hills, San Juan.

So far this conference, the 32-year-old Miller averaged 17 point, three rebounds and 4.5 assists.

It’s interesting to see if the native of Olongapo City will start for Ginebra or will come off the bench behind Caguioa and Helterbrand.

Both Miller and Baguio earn maximum salaries of P350,000 and their contracts will expire at the end of July 2010.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

No security for imports

source: Joaquin Henson | philstar.com

In the PBA, the bottom line is what counts and imports whose teams are floundering will likely get the pink slip unless the tide turns regardless of their personal stats.

Sometimes, even imports on winning teams are cut if the prognosis is they’re not good enough for a championship. There’s no job security when it comes to playing as an import because you’re only as good as your last game.

Take Barangay Ginebra’s Awvee Storey who’s the only import in town with NBA credentials. He showed up with a resume that listed stints with the New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks but the word is coach Joseph Uichico has given up on the former Arizona State guard after scoring only 13 points in an 86-72 loss to Sta. Lucia Realty and 14 in a 102-94 setback to San Miguel Beer.

Storey’s inconsistency must have caused Uichico headaches. He had 33 points in a 97-90 win over Talk ‘N’ Text, 20 in a 98-91 decision over Coca-Cola and 40 in a 100-98 squeaker over Rain or Shine. For a team with lofty expectations, a 3-2 start just isn’t acceptable, prompting Uichico to call in Mildon Ambres of Southern Nazarene.

Ambres, 25, was named the NBA D-League’s first Most Improved Player awardee a few weeks ago for raising his scoring clip from 6.5 to 14.5 points with the Idaho Stampede this season. He was one of only two Idaho players to see action in the team’s 50 games.

Uichico’s gamble is Ambres will play with the same intensity he displayed in the D-League.

The downside is Ambres had a so-so varsity career. After averaging 21.2 points and 14 rebounds as a senior at Opelousas High School in 2001-02, Ambres joined the Louisiana State University varsity but couldn’t crack the lineup. He wound up sitting out two seasons before gaining eligibility at Southern Mississippi in 2004-05, averaging 7.7 points. In 2005-06, Ambres averaged 6.4 points in 31 games with the Golden Eagles then transferred to Southern Nazarene in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

At Southern Nazarene, Ambres finally hit his stride, averaging 15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds. He led the varsity to the Sooners Athletic Conference title, firing 24 points in Southern Nazarene’s 82-68 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State.

Ambres played for CSU Caudripol Brasov in Romania, averaging 18.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in 26 games in 2007-08 then suited up in the D-League.

“I’m extremely happy for Mildon as he earns the well-deserved award,” said Stampede coach Bob MacKinnon. “Being honored as the most improved player in a league that is all about development is such a great tribute to how hard Mildon worked and the dedication of the coaching staff this past season.”

Ambres scored in twin digits in 38 of 50 games and registered a season-high 32 points in a 165-153 overtime victory over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. “Mildon demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his craft, working hard every night to improve all aspects of his game,” said D-League vice president of basketball operations Chris Alpert. “His dedication to improving his skills is directly in line with the D-League’s core mission of developing the top basketball prospects in the world and I congratulate Mildon on his impressive accomplishment.”

Ambres is slated to make his PBA debut against Alaska at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday.

* * * *

B-Meg Derby Ace will also parade a new import in the Llamados’ next outing against San Miguel Beer at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium this Sunday. Lorenzo Wade hasn’t scored less than 20 points in five games so far but B-Meg’s 3-2 record is no cause for celebration even as the Llamados’ two losses (79-76 to Coca-Cola and 83-81 to Alaska) could’ve gone either way.

You couldn’t ask anything more from Wade who’s extremely coachable. In B-Meg’s 93-80 romp over Barako Coffee last Wednesday, the former San Diego State star produced 27 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocked shots in 39 solid minutes. But coach Ryan Gregorio isn’t taking any chances. Wade has been relegated to the injured list while Gregorio tries out Clif Brown of Niagara University. If Brown doesn’t work out, Gregorio has the option of reactivating Wade.

Brown, 25, is a livewire on the court unlike the laid-back Wade. As a senior in 2006-07, he hit 32 points, including 6-of-11 triples, to power Niagara to a 77-69 win over Florida A&M in an NCAA play-in game to advance to the tournament first round as the No. 16 seed against top-ranked Kansas. The triumph over Florida A&M was Niagara’s first in 37 years in the NCAA playoffs. Earlier that season, Brown pumped in a career-high 33 points, including 4-of-5 triples, in a 74-63 decision over St. Bonaventure. Brown wound up averaging 16.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 33.7 minutes in 33 games.

Air21 will make another switch, starting with Keena Young, trying out Jason Forte and now banking on Reggie Larry. Coach Yeng Guiao is hoping Larry will trigger a reversal of fortunes as the Express has lost four in a row. Young opened the conference on a sour note with Air21 going 1-3. Young was particularly pathetic in the Express’ 92-75 loss to B-Meg last April 9. He was scoreless in the first period en route to an anemic 13-point effort and couldn’t hold Wade’s pants down. Wade got away with 29 points in the rout.

Forte, who never averaged in double figures in four years with Southern Mississippi, failed to turn things around for Air21 in two outings. Getting impatient and feeling a sense of urgency, Guiao is giving Larry a chance to strut his wares.

Larry was close to playing for Purefoods last year but withdrew before the Fiesta Conference started because of an injury. Now, the former Boise State forward has the opportunity to show what he could’ve done with the Tender Juicy Giants.

Larry averaged 14.1 points and 8.1 rebounds as a junior college transfer at Boise State, where former PBA star Vince Hizon once played, in 2006-07. He started in 26 of the varsity’s 31 games and earned a reputation as a force down low, blocking 44 shots and collecting 22 steals. In his senior season, Larry hit at a 19.4 clip as Boise State posted a 25-9 record and made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years.