FIBA-Asia: RP 5 debuts vs obscure Sri Lanka

source: gmanews.tv

The Sri Lanka puzzle stands in the way of Powerade-Team Pilipinas when it formally kicks off its campaign in the 25th FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship Thursday at the Tianjin gym in Tianjian, China.

Going into the 9 a.m. game, the Sri Lankans remain a big mystery to coach Yeng Guiao, as he hasn’t seen them play, personally or even on video tapes.

The only time the RP squad got a glimpse of their opponents came Wednesday morning during breakfast at the King Hall Hotel where both teams are staying.

“Physically, medyo maliliit," Guaio noted of the Sri Lankans, a people more known to be adept at cricket than basketball.


(RP Team Departure @ NAIA) - thanks sir Rick for the pic!

“Still, we don’t know anything about them," he added. “We have no scouting report on them and we haven’t seen them play."

A check with the FIBA-Asia organizers showed only the name of the 12-man roster of Sri Lanka, but no specific positions, heights and weights were included.

The Sri Lankans made it to the FIBA-Asia meet along with India following the East Asian qualifier that also involved Bangladesh and Pakistan, all cricket-playing nations.

Making up the Sri Lanka lineup are Iresha Abesekara (25 years old), Pushpakumara Agalathunga (27), Chamath Gokula Danawansa (26), Yasarathne De Silva (23), Fernando Suranga (21), Kolamba Arachchige (23), Kulathunga Kulathunga (24), Shanaka Prasad (24), Sanjeewa Rajapakshe (33), Sidath Senanayake (21), Serasinghe Serasinghe (23) and Randima Sooroyaarachchi (28).

No room for complacency


(RP Team Arrival at China) - thanks sir Rick for the pic!

Facing a blank wall, Guiao said there should be no room for complacency in Powerade-RP’s duel against the island country in South Asia.

“We have to go all out against them regardless of what kind of team they have," said the RP coach shortly before the team went to practice at the vast Sports Hotel Wednesday.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) official Bernie Atienza and PBA operations and technical chief Rickie Santos later gave the RP team coaching staff last-minute insights about the Sri Lankans when they attended the team managers meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Joining them was SBP executive director Noli Eala, who arrived later in the day.

The RP-Sri Lanka game kicks off a heavy eight-game bill scheduled on opening day of the meet that serves as the qualifier to the 2010 World Basketball Championship in Turkey.

Other inaugural day matches pit Kazakhstan against Qatar, Iran against Chinese-Taipei, India against China, Indonesia against United Arab Emirates, Kuwait against Uzbekistan, Lebanon against Jordan and Japan against Korea.

The PBA-backed Team Pilipinas would be up against the Japanese on Friday (9 p.m.) and the Koreans on Saturday (9 p.m.).

Both teams dealt the country contrasting setbacks the first time they met in the Jones Cup two weeks ago.

The Japanese rallied back from a big 19-point deficit in the first half to pull off an 87-85 win while the Koreans kept the Nationals at bay in the endgame of an 83-80 victory.

Shooting guard James Yap is expected to arrive Thursday, but would miss the game against Sri Lanka. The Purefoods stalwart failed to leave together with the team to attend the burial of his mother-in-law, former President Corazon C. Aquino.

Yap is married to TV host and movie actress Kris Aquino, the youngest child of Mrs. Aquino and the late former senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino. Prior to her death, Mrs. Aquino had instructed Yap to continue playing for flag and country.

Confident RP team off to Tianjin

source: mb.com.ph

Despite injury to one of its key players — not to mention the limited time to prepare the team — national coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao said that the Powerade-Team Pilipinas is ready for the “real thing” which is the FIBA-Asia Championship in Tianjin, China.

The PBA-backed RP team flies to Beijing today and then will take a 35-minute train ride to reach Tianjin. Should they decide to take a bus, the journey will be two hours.

The FIBA-Asia event kicks off Thursday with the Philippines taking on Sri Lanka in the opener at 9 a.m. at the Tianjin gym. The tournament runs up to Aug. 16.

On Friday, the Nationals clash with Japan at 9 p.m. also at the same venue and end their preliminary assignments against South Korea the next day at the time and venue.

“These guys are ready to go, they know the urgency,” Guiao said yesterday after conducting his final practice session at the Moro Lorenzo gym inside the Ateneo campus in Quezon City.

“For me that was the best time to see that they are ready. The players pushed themselves to practice with me not yelling or being angry at them. Basta sa sarili nila nag-ensayo sila,” Guiao added.

Though they dropped their games against Japan and South Korea in the Jones Cup in Taiwan just recently, Guiao is confident they can beat them in China.

Guiao, however, expressed huge concern on how to beat Middle East powers like Iran, Lebanon and Jordan.

Aside from their height and heft, these teams have chemistry having played together for a longer time.

Guiao, however, have made major adjustments in their offensive patterns since arriving from the Jones Cup.

According to him, they modified several of their offensive patterns, while on the defensive end, he told the players to be more prepared on the highly physical plays in the FIBA-Asia.

“Through this one week, we made necessary adjustments. The patterns we made and the mentality on the physical contacts of the game. They’ve adjusted to it, and it’s satisfactory given the limited time,” he said.

“I think we’ll do well in China,” he added.

Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes failed to make the final roster due to a blood disorder problem and a hamstring injury, respectively.

Jayjay Helterbrand will have to endure a hamstring strain while Mick Pennisi will play with a mild case of bronchitis.

Completing the roster are Asi Taulava, Mick Pennisi, Kerby Raymundo, Gabe Norwood, Jarred Dillinger, Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Cyrus Baguio, Sonny Thoss and Yap.

Yap, whose mother-in-law, former President Cory Aquino passed away last Saturday, will join the team on Thursday.

The top three teams after the single round robin advance to the next round against the top three of Group B teams made up of Chinese Taipei, Kuwait, Uzbekistan and defending champion Iran. The results of the opening round will be carried over.

Host China leads Group C with Kazakhstan, Qatar and India while Lebanon, Jordan, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates make up Group D. Both groups will also be combined for the next phase.

The top four teams in each group of the second stage advance to the crossover quarterfinal round.

Trades continue: Villanueva, Alvarez to Kings; Artadi, Reavis to Giants

source: gmanews.tv

Just when everybody thought the trade transactions are over, a three-team multi-player transaction took place a day after the Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft.

Barangay Ginebra, Purefoods and Burger King agreed to trade players before sunset Monday, a move that would somehow bolster their respective chances in the league’s 35th season this October.

Ginebra beefed up its frontline with the inclusion of Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez and Paolo Bugia and added a veteran presence in guard Celino Cruz.

The Gin Kings also secured the services of Cholo Villanueva, a sophomore guard from Burger
King.

Villanueva and Alvarez, long-time teammates and members of the Ateneo’s 2002 UAAP champion squad, would help reinforce the weakening frontline of the Kings.

Cruz would bring his toughness to Ginebra’s backcourt and complement Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid and Chris Pacana and new recruit Villanueva.

But the Gin Kings gave up speedy guard Paul Artadi, rookie quarterback Chris Timberlake, neophyte Orlando Daroya, veteran slotman Rafi Reavis and a future pick.

Artadi would have a reunion of sorts with his old team Purefoods, which had also re-acquired forward Marc Pingris in a separate trade.

The Giants would also get Timberlake, a promising newcomer, who caught the fancy of the management and coaching staff, as well as Reavis, whose defensive presence would give the squad a new look in the coming season.

Burger King acted as conduit and the Whopper got in return the flexible Daroya and future picks.

And the team was pleased to get Daroya, according to Burger King board representative Lito Alvarez.

“The coaching staff was very impressed with Daroya’s performance in the (rookie) camp. Siya ‘yung isa sa may pinakamagandang ipinakita," said Alvarez.

The incoming PBA chairman also added that the Whopper presented top overall rookie pick Japeth Aguilar with a three-year maximum offer. The 6’9" Aguilar would get P150,000 in the first year, P225,000 in the second year and P337,500 on his third year.

Alvarez added that his team now has a total of 14 players, making Kenneth Bono and Carlo Sharma as the 13th and 14th cagers on the list.

PBA Annual Rookie Draft (2009) Burger King sticks to plan, picks Aguilar No. 1

source: gmanews.tv

Burger King hardly surprised everybody when it made Japeth Aguilar as the No. 1 pick in the 2009-10 PBA Annual Draft Sunday at the Market Market Place in Taguig.

By ending up as the year’s top rookie selection, Aguilar became the first home-grown player in four years and the second Atenean ever to be picked No. 1 in the Draft.





The 6-foot-10 son of former national team player and one-time PBA cager Peter Aguilar vowed not to disappoint.

“I’ll do my best to live up to expectations," said the soft-spoken former Western Kentucky University student.

Likewise, his acquisition somehow lessened the impact of the loss of Arwind Santos, who was traded to San Miguel Beer last week.

“Admittedly, Japeth is a player that is raw," declared Whoppers coach Yeng Guiao, who is expected to leave his coaching job before the Fiesta Conference begins since he would be seeking the gubernatorial post of Pampanga.

“This might be my last chance to win an All-Filipino," said Guiao, owner of three championships, all with imports. “We stuck with our plan, we picked Japeth, and now we want to win the All-Filipino."

The new season of Asia’s first play-for-pay league kicks off on Oct. 14.

Whoppers' trade with Coca-Cola

It was one busy day for Burger King as it also acquired Ronjay Buenafe from Coca-Cola after the Whoppers released Chris Ross, their third pick, guard Marvin Cruz and their first pick in the second round, which was at 13th.

The Whoppers likewise let go of Larry Rodriguez to Coca-Cola, which also made news by releasing Nic Belasco to Talk ‘N Text. The player the Tropang Texters would give in return has not been named yet, as coach Chot Reyes has yet to pick from among his players.

Lito Alvarez, the incoming chairman of the PBA and team manager of Burger King, however, had not named the player the Tigers would get in return for Rodriguez.

Rico Maierhofer was picked No. 2 by Purefoods before Burger King chose Ross. Rain or Shine acquired former UAAP standout Jervy Cruz before Alaska made a surprise move by choosing Michael Burtscher, a Fil-Swiss who played in the PBL and who was second to Aguilar in the vertical leap during the rookie camp.

Burtscher, too, was the fastest among the big men in the full-court sprint during the camp.

Barako Bull then acquired NCAA Finals MVP Ogie Menor before Christopher Timberlake got picked by Ginebra. Burger King, who had three picks in the first round, then acquired Ronnie Matias before San Miguel Beer chose James Sena of Jose Rizal.

The rest of the Draft went as follows: Mark Benitez, Benedict Fernandez, and Edwin Asoro all going to Barako Bull from No. 10 to 12; Francis Allera to Coca-Cola; Marcy Arellano to Rain or Shine; Sean Co to Alaska; Charles Waters to Sta. Lucia; Orlando Daroya to Ginebra; Kevin White, a nephew of Jimmy Alapag to Talk N Text; and John Walsham to San Miguel. -


(thanks to Patricia Hizon for the Pic)


(thanks to Patricia Hizon for the Pic)

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source PhilStar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Jayjay Helterbrand has conceded he won’t be 100 percent healthy while Ryan Reyes has given up hopes he could be reactivated by Powerade Team Pilipinas which leaves the country Tuesday for the 2009 FIBA-Asia championship set Aug. 6-16 in Tianjin, China.

Mick Pennisi, nursing a mild case of bronchitis, makes the health condition of the RP-Powerade worse with only five days before plunging into action in the Asian joust which serves as the regional qualifier for the world championship in Turkey next year.

Also minus Jared Dillinger and James Yap, only 10 players suited up as the national squad played Lebanon in a fight-abbreviated scrimmage at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside Ateneo yesterday.

The Lebanese jumped the gun on the Nationals and were leading 48-34 when the two teams decided to discontinue the game due to the slippery condition of the floor and the fight that erupted between Arwind Santos and Brian Feghali a little over two minutes into the second half.

Lebanon coach Dragan Raca observed improvement on the Filipinos’ game from their Jones Cup meeting on July 22 where the Lebanese whipped the Nationals, 95-83.

“Even in Taipei, I noticed the Philippines improving each game. I expect them to put up a good fight in Tianjin, China,” said Raca.

RP coach Yeng Guiao, however, was far from impressed, saying they still have a lot of problems in their game.

“I’m not happy on how we work around the ball. And except for Willie (Miller), nobody’s stepping up in terms of outside shooting,” said Guiao.

Seeing Lebanon play one more time also reinforced Guiao’s belief that Middle Eastern squads would be the teams to beat in the Tianjin joust.

“These huge teams would be tough to beat. I think we have a lot better chances of winning against Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei,” said Guiao.

“We’re having a problem with their picks. Their picks are huge and strong. They’re 20 pounds bigger, and their screens give them opening to shoot. We have to get used to their screening,” Guiao added.

The Lebanese team showed up in the scrimmage with one additional big man in Daniel Faris, a 6-foot-8 forward out of University of San Francisco.

The Nationals, meanwhile, have players continuing to endure pain.

“I don’t think there would be improvement. But it’s okay, I’ve gotten used to playing hurt,” said Helterbrand.

With the death of former President Cory Aquino, James Yap is expected to go to China a little late. – Nelson Beltran