2nd Round- September 19 @ 1215AM and 3AM
Semifinals- September 20 @ 1230AM and 3AM3rd Place- September 21 @ 1230AM

Finals- September 21 @ 315AM

BTV

2nd Round- September 19 @ 1215AM and 3AM
Semifinals- September 20 @ 1230AM and 3AM
3rd Place- September 21 @ 1230AM
Finals- September 21 @ 315AM

BTV

2nd Round- September 19 @ 1215AM and 3AM
Semifinals- September 20 @ 1230AM and 3AM
3rd Place- September 21 @ 1230AM
Finals- September 21 @ 315AM

BTV

ESPN
Sky Cable 31
Destiny 82

There are unconfirmed reports that San Miguel is maneuvering its way to get the top pick in the draft. Welcoat owns the draft's first overall pick after winning the draft lottery over Coca Cola. San Miguel has the rights to Coca Cola's first round selection this year because of a previous trade which sent Dale Singson to the Tigers several years ago. The deal could possibly go down like this, San Miguel=Player1+number 2 overall pick to Welcoat=number 1 overall pick.

The trade does not make sense for the Beermen unless they're eyeing a player who is also being eyed by Welcoat. Welcoat has not yet announced who will their choice be at number one although various media outlets have reported that the team is eyeing anyone from among Samigue Eman, Ken Bono and JC Intal as the likely number one overall pick. Welcoat is keeping everybody guessing with what they're going to do with their draft selection. It is not the lack of decisiveness on the part of Welcoat but a draft strategy of sorts. I think Welcoat has already made up its mind whom to pick this August 19, even before the PBA released the list of draft aspirants. Samigue Eman will be their pick, even though Welcoat will claim in the papers that they're also eyeing Intal and Bono.

(more...)

DraftExpress is reporting that the Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed in principle to trade Kevin Garnett for a package that would include Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff. This was probably the best deal that the Timberwolves got in terms of talent and from a financial standpoint. Jefferson, Green and Telfair are all young studs who came straight to the NBA from high school. The veteran Theo Ratliff can still play but his greatest value is his expiring contract which will give the Timberwolves tremendous savings next year.

The trade has been discussed all summer but the primary holdup to the negotiation has been the contract extension for Garnett. KG, who has an opt-out clause in his contract next season, is reportedly asking for a 5-year extension worth 125 million dollars. Whether or not an agreement has been reached to heed KG's request is still unknown. Do you think the Celtics would shell that kind of an amount for KG? I think so. KG in a Boston uniform would generate a lot of buzz in Celticland and make everyone forget they're mortgaging the team's future for that chance of "going all the way."

(more...)

So we finally win one against China. I watched it last night, and I'm sure that I, along with tens of thousands of my basketball loving kin are ecstatic with joy over this wonderful development, and no doubt there is 'much love in the room', so to speak. China is an established powerhouse, and even their team B is a force to reckon with. That, and aside from the fact that it was a make or break game for us is reason enough to enjoy this win.

Yet I can't help being the proverbial kill - joy when I read the different accounts of this spectacular win. In particular, the esteemed Ronnie Nathanielsz' 'RP basketball's quest for respect and redemption' at the Manila Standard, and Coach Chot Reyes quote of 'It's a matter of honor and respect for the Philippines..' in Nelson Beltran's article in the Philippine Star.

For some odd reason, I cannot seem to align the idea that winning basketball games in the region or even gaining an Olympic slot has anything to do with my being a Filipino, or the least of which, my pride in being one.

In fact, I will venture to say one thing that has been burning in my mind for so many years, everytime I hear the words 'redemption', 'respect', 'basketball' and 'Filipino'. And it is that it has never occurred to me that we need to gain respect. This is purely because, to me at least, I never lost it.

(more...)

San Miguel Beer is deadset on adding Red Bull guard Larry Fonacier to its already formidable roster. According to Nelson Beltran of the Philippine Star, a deal is reportedly close to being consummated that would bring the crack ex-Blue Eagle guard to the Beermen's camp on or before draft day. In the proposed deal, the Beermen will reportedly dangle Kiko Adriano, Brandon Lee Cablay, and Chris Calaguio to Red Bull in exchange for Fonacier.

Larry Fonacier's addition will reunite him with ex-Ateneo teammates Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales, and LA Tenorio. Another Ateneo stalwart who has caught the Beermen's eyes is the high-flying JC "The Rocket" Intal. San Miguel owns the rights to the second overall pick in the pick. Welcoat, who owns the draft's first overall pick, will reportedly use their pick on 6-10 Samigue Eman, making Intal available for the Beermen.

(more...)

Well obviously, there's the pretty good performance of the RP Team, and the rosy outlook as they go over to Japan at the end of this week. Oh, and they're also wearing NIKE LIMITED EDITION 'BELIEVER' TSHIRTS - and that's a pretty good reason to be ecstatic right there.

These limited edition shirts, available for P895 at Nike Retail outlets nationwide. And if the shirts aren't your thing, there are also replica Team Pilipinas Jackets at P1,995, as well as replica Team Pilipinas Jerseys and Shorts at P1,545 each. Nike's Press Release is as follows:

(more...)

Basketball TV, God bless these people, aired the U.S. Team's Blue vs. White scrimmage last night, which was great because the only thing I was busying myself with was deleting old messages from my cellphone (seriously). So when I got a text from a good friend Dario that the game was on, I wasted no time forwarding his text to other friends and planting my behind in front of our TV. Here's a few thoughts I had while watching.

No T-Mac. T-Mac, as followers of this blog know, is my man - I knew D-Wade wasn't going to play, but I didn't know Tracy wasn't, so after this I'll be checking out why.

Great one for the fans Part I - Lets face it, the Finals was a bust, and if I remember right, US TV ratings were higher for some reality talent / dance show. Being a scrimmage, whose purpose is to form the U.S. Team leading to the FIBA and eventually, Olympics, this was like an All-Star Game but "with a purpose", and so everyone played seriously, not wanting to be cut. Also, guys like Mike Miller and J.J. Redick were playing, players who would otherwise not have seen the light of day in an All Star Game. I wonder how much tickets were, and who benefited from them?

Great one for the fans Part II - Not only was it an interesting game per se, but unless you're hiding underneath a rock, you'd know that the NBA is going through the roughest time it has ever gone through, what with allegations of game - fixing by long time NBA referee Tim Donaghy. David Stern himself refers to these times as "..the most serious situation and worst situation that I have ever experienced either as a fan of the NBA, a lawyer for the NBA or a commissioner of the NBA..(quote here)", which is saying a lot, considering he's been there for 23 years. Suddenly, all those questionable calls, those near wins, those games which were judged by a point or two - hell, maybe even the whole Finals itself, are now under question.

To me, that's disaster of a monstrous scale - probably equivalent to when Robert Jaworksi forced Ginebra to include his son Dodot in the lineup - the single turning point in my youth when it dawned on me that, no, you don't have to be the best player to get in the PBA. You can get in or win via external factors, such as having your Dad as coach, and now in the NBA's case, 'hiring' the referee. The repercussions, make no mistake, are tremendous. Anytime a questionable call occurs in the NBA - and these happen whether the refs are rigged or not - we're going to remember Tim Donaghy, just like anytime some idiot Sitio - Barangay level player gets in the PBA, I remember Dodot.

(more...)

For next season, the PBA approved the use of a 14-man lineup to all 10 participating teams. The move is similar to the one made by the NBA last season wherein each team can have as many as 15 players on its roster (extending throughout the playoffs). This will basically scrap the practice of placing players on the injury list. Previously, teams were allowed to have a maximum of 2 players on the injured list. The glitch was that the salaries of these players do not count against the cap, making it very difficult to determine if a team has exceeded the league mandated salary cap. The PBA salary cap is a hard cap, which means teams are disallowed to exceed the cap no matter what reason, even if that reason is to re-sign one's own free agents.

The great thing about this scenario is that teams can accommodate more players on their roster. With the coming PBA draft and the looming free agency, a lot of players will be displaced. An additional twenty players to the active roster will be a welcome sight to players who are on the bubble (borderline prospects). Scrapping the "injury list" thing also means teams can now directly activate injured players without having to wait for 5 playing games before allowing the player(s) to suit up, making it more flexible for teams to exercise their options.

(more...)

You still remember former Red Bull import 7-0 Earl Barron? How about 6-9 Anthony "Pig" Miller of FedEx? Does the name of former Purefoods reinforcement 7-1 Lorenzo Coleman ring a bell to you? Well, they all saw action in the 2004-05 season which was the last time the league scrapped the height restriction for imports. Chances are, you may see some of them sometime next year. Nelson Beltran of the Philippine Star reports that the PBA Board of Governors has approved the scrapping of the height restrictions for imports in the 2007-08 Fiesta Cup. The Board also approved the provision of a handicapping scheme to the two last-placed teams in the Philippine Cup to even out the competition, wherein both teams will be allowed to get two reinforcements, with one standing below 6'1". The rest of the teams are allowed to get only one import with no height restriction.

The handicapping scheme allows a team like Welcoat, who may be in for another rough stint in the pros this season, to recall back Alex Compton. The 5-11 Compton played last conference for Welcoat as the team's second import after the league granted Welcoat a concession to field full-blooded American. Alas, despite his immense constribution to the team in the Fiesta Cup, the Dragons could only muster 4 wins en route to a 10th place finish. He could have another chance this season, but only if Welcoat does not fare well in the Philippine Cup.

(more...)

A total of 47 PBA aspirants have filed their applications for this year's PBA Rookie Draft set on August 19 at Market Market in Taguig. This year's draft is touted to be the deepest in years that could rival the 2003 Draft and the 1989 Draft.

UAAP MVP Ken Bono, Baby Shaq JR Quinahan and 6-10 Samigue Eman led all big men in the draft, that also include Fil-Am Joe Devance, ex-Ateneo stars JC Intal, Macky Escalona, and Doug Kramer, San Beda’s Yousif Aljamal, UP's Marvin Cruz, De LaSalle's Ryan Araña, Reed Juntilla, Fil-Am Ryan Reyes and ex-UST star Jojo Duncil. Because of the incredible depth of this year's draft, the league is thinking of expanding the rounds from the usual two-round draft the past two years to possibly three.

Devance, however, is not yet officially in the draft as he has yet to submit his confirmation papers from the Department of Justice. If he makes it, he will bring another quality big man in the draft pool.

The Welcoat Dragons will pick first after winning the draft lottery over the Coca Cola Tigers. The Coke pick however, has been seeded to San Miguel Beer to complete the trade several years ago (Dale Singson trade if you can remember). This early, Welcoat is eyeing University of Mindanao giant Samigue Eman to be the team's first pick overall. San Miguel is reportedly interested with JC Intal to complete their Ateneo Blue Eagles connection.

(more...)

When the Alaska Aces made a deal for Willie Miller May of last year, the coaching staff and management had high expectations for the Olongapo City native. With Miller they figured they have a chance to relive their glory days in the 90s.

Willie Miller, the 2007 PBA MVP, made the Talk N Text Phonepals regret why they traded him. He fell a point shy (22 points) of his finals average but delivered the goods when it mattered most for the Aces as he led Alaska to a 99-96 steering triumph over the Phonepals in game 7 of 2006-07 PBA Fiesta Cup.

Miller made a crucial basket, forced Macmac Cardona into a turnover, and set up Rossel Ellis for a twinner as the Aces surged to a four-point lead 98-94 with time down to 44.5 seconds, a cushion which they would protect until the final buzzer. The Phonepals had a chance to bring the game into overtime but a JJ Sullinger heave from the left flank just bounced off the rim. It was the Aces' 12th title since 1986. They're the 3rd winningest franchise in history and will tie with Crispa for second if they win another title in the future. The Phonepals is now 0-3 on Game 7s.

Macmac Cardona started like a house on fire, scoring 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the Phonepals built an eight-point advantage 53-45 going into the second half. They, however, wouldn't be able to sustain their fiery run as the Aces slowly cut down on their lead and built momentum of their own led by Fiesta Cup Best Import Rossel Ellis. Ellis was a virtual workhorse inside the paint as he led the Aces comeback in the second half. He fell one assist shy of a triple double (30 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists), and made a strong case that he deserved the Best Import award. After Alaska turned things around in the fourth quarter, JJ Sullinger almost singlehandedly carried back the Phonepals into the game scoring a three-point basket after a three-point basket but that last heave (a miss) at the buzzer spelled the Phonepals' doom. It was a sorry loss for the Phonepals who had two chances to bag the Fiesta Cup crown but couldn't put away the stubborn Aces.

(more...)

It's Game 7 of the best-of-seven Fiesta Cup championship series between the Talk N Text Phonepals and the Alaska Acess today at the Cuneta Astrodome. For Alaska, they are clueless if the real Willie Miller will show up today. Miller has blown hot and cold in the championship series, even getting the ire of coach Tim Cone prior to game 6 ("He's not performing like a real MVP"). In Alaska's three wins in the finals, Miller has been "Jordanesque", averaging 29ppg (56% FG shooting), pumped up by the 37 points he put up in game 6 which tied the series at 3-3. In the 3 loses, however, Miller has been a shadow of his own self, averaging a paltry 17ppg (on 34% FG shooting). The big question for Alaska is who will be the Willier Miller who'll show up today. If he'll be the Willie Miller who played for the Aces in the game 2, 3 and 5 losses, Alaska will be in deep trouble. The Aces ride on the backs of Willie Miller. He is like the import, the messiah while Rossel Ellis is the local, the complementary player. Wherever he goes, so goes the Aces. If there is reason to believe that the Aces will end their seven-year title drought today, it will be the play of Willie Miller. Alaska is seeking their 12th championship while the Phonepals have not been able to win it since copping their first PBA title in 2003.

The finals has evolved into a showdown between two of the league's most explosive guards: Miller vs 2007 Fiesta BPC awardee Mac-Mac Cardona. Their match-up has been closely watched by the press. Both have been entertaining in their own ways, and both have been very outstanding this conference. Of the two, however, Cardona is more consistent. In the six finals games, Cardona is averaging 22ppg (23ppg if they win, 21ppg if they lose). The only game he was below normal was in the game one rout wherein he only had 13 points.

(more...)

UPDATED (07.20.07, 11:44 AM Manila Time):

We now have 15 GM's for the inaugural BallEx SIM League. On July 19, we had 6 new GM sign-ups! The Commish plans to start the Beta Test run next week (exact date to be announced) so that everyone will get acquainted with how the SIM League is played out.

Trade offers are already being made among the GM's and it looks like we're going to have an almost done deal between the Sonics and the Blazers. The deal rests on how much rookie Jeff Green (1st round pick of Boston in this year's draft who was traded to the Sonics as part of the Ray Allen transfer to the Celtics) will officially get once he signs the contract in real life*.

*Real life? Yep! You got that right! Player salaries in this SIM League are best on actual salaries as posted by the NBA.

Here are the remaining available NBA Teams (per Division):

ATLANTIC:
Heat
Knicks
76rs

CENTRAL:
Pistons
Cavaliers
Pacers
Hawks
Hornets
Bucks

MIDWEST:
Spurs
Rockets
Timberwolves

PACIFIC:
Clippers
Kings

Time to pick! And yes... this year's NBA Finalists have yet to be signed up by a GM! :)

The much anticipated 2007 NBA Draft is now a thing of the past, and as expected we saw the next great bigman Greg Oden get drafted at #1 by the Portland Trailblazers. As also anticipated the freakishly gifted Kevin Durant was taken at #2 by the Seatle Supersonics. We also saw the other much publicized college hoopsters like the Florida trio of Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer get drafted in the top 10. But what about the other guys taken in the first round? Will they ever make an impact or will they simply be overshadowed by the more prominent names from college hoops?
I would like to focus on the players you may never have heard of before. They are the ones taken in the latter part of the draft, but because they were drafted by teams whose style of play fits their own, they will have the opportunity to make a splash once they are given ample minutes on the hardwood.

1) Marco Belinelli - Golden State Warriors
Is Don Nelson a wiz at scouting talent or what? Belinelli fits the Warriors offense to a T! Nellie loves shooters, and he probably got the best gunslinger in the 07 Draft. His stroke is like a combo of Allan Houston and Peja Stojakovic. He has good passing skills and can handle the rock, a must for all players who want to be part of Nelsons run and gun style of play. He has been playing pro-ball in Europe the past 4 years and can be considered vet the age of 22. The only knock on this guy is his defense, which is a common flaw in all Euro players. He must toughen up if he wants to survive the rigors of the NBA's 82 game sched. Nevertheless, his shooting alone ensures him of quality PT on the floor. I can just imagine the thrill he got when he heard he was headed to the Bay Area...

2) Alando Tucker - Phoenix Suns
Another swingman who can flat-out score from anywhere on the floor. And what better place for a scorer to be in than on a team that loves to shoot at will! He is a high-flyer who glides to the hoop with ease. If you block his path he will pull up and shoot right over you. He will need to improve his range out to the 3-point line if he wants to gain more PT with the Suns. But his knack for scoring will intrigue Mike D'Antoni no end, he will find a way to give Tucker some time on the floor in his rookie season.
Tucker may have been disappointed when he was not taken in the top 20, but hearing his name called out by the Suns at #29 surely made his day! Hey Raja, your days as the starting SG of the Suns are numbered my friend...

3) Morris Almond - Utah Jazz
The Jazz have been actively seeking an SG, what with the imminent departure of Playoffs hero Derek Fisher. They got a good one at #25 in Morris Almond. He already has an NBA-ready body and with the proper skill to boot. His midrange jumper is money and he can curl off screens with ease ala Reggie Miller and Ray Allen. An excellent passer, could play PG if he only had better ballhandling skills. But the Jazz already have Deron Williams so he need not bother with that. He'll need to improve his drive to the basket moves coz he can't rely on his jumper forever. Nevertheless, the Jazz were fortunate to have landed a player of Almonds caliber late in to the first round. Being a very hard worker, Jerry Sloan will just love this guy!
If the Jazz fail to land a vet SG during free agency at least they got an insurance policy in Morris Almond.

You can coach these players in the BallEx SIm League! Sign up for a team now: http://basketball.exchange.ph/forum/index.php

Apart from being a General Manager of a Team in the upcoming BallEx SIM League, the participant will have the chance to create a Team's "personality" and style of play as a Coach.

Will you build a team based on a high octane, run-and-gun, with nary an emphasis on defense philosophy? Will you emulate Mike D'Antoni and build a team like the Phoenix Suns? Will you be a Phil Jackson, who, with the triangle offense, creates a team based on this offensive concept, valuing teamwork and emphasizing the need for players with excellent passing skills? Or will you be like Sloan, who puts emphasis on defense and half court execution, employing numerous variations of the pick and roll offense?

To give you an idea how team's are made to play a particular style of offense and flavor of defense, a BallEx SIM League GM/Coach submits a Depth Chart which contains the following:

Before every SIM I will be starting a thread wherein all GM's must post their respective Depth Charts. Format must be as follows:

Starting Five:

C: player 1/ player 2 / player 3
PF: player 1 /player 2 / player 3
SF: player 1/ player 2 / player 3
SG: player 1/ player 2 / player 3
PG: player 1/ player 2 / player 3

Injured Reserve: player 1/ player 2 / player 3

* Maximum 12 players on the active roster, the rest go on the Injured Reserve

Key Offensive Players:
1) player/option 1
2) player/option 2
3) player/option 3

PACE: choice of Very Slow, Slow, Normal, Fast, Very Fast
TRAP FREQUENCY: choice of Never, Sometimes, Normal, Often, Always
PRESS FREQUENCY: choice of Never, Sometimes, Normal, Often, Always
OFFENSIVE FOCUS: choice of Inside, Outside, Balanced

Notes:

• Starting Five: You can load 3 players per position. This will determine the order of rotation when a player needs to sit down to get some rest or gets into foul trouble. Example: If for the C position, you submitted this list --- Biedrins / Foyle / Wright, Biedrins starts at Center, who is then substituted by Foyle, and then Wright.
• Some players may play more than 1 position. A PF can play C and vice versa, an SG can play SF and vice versa.
  

These Depth Charts are required information and must be submitted four (4) hours before the scheduled simulation.

You may see the need for adjustments, especially if you notice that your team is riding a 4 game losing streak.  That calls for some immediate tweaking.  You may change the starting lineup or change the offensive settings or defensive settings.  Or you may want your point guard to be the first offensive option.

It's up to you!  The freedom is yours with the BallEx SIM League!

Good day, Basketball Junkies!

Slots are still available for prospective General Managers (GMs) for our BallEx SIM League. We'd like to invite those who are interested in trying out the life of a GM of an NBA Team (at least, in this NBA simulation).

We have 22 slots available. We hope to fill this up before the last week of July 2007.

Don't be intimidated by the SIM League rules and mechanics. Your Commish and yours truly will be there to hand-hold you along the way. In fact, we will kick off the BallEx SIM League with a Beta Test Run, so that those who are still unfamiliar with the system can get their feet wet by asking questions and learning from their mistakes.

This is a fun distraction especially while we are waiting for the NBA Season to commence on November 2007.

You can check out the Teams that are still available here.

To review the roster of the available teams, please visit the BallEx SIM League Home Page.

Teams taken are the following:

1. Chicago Bulls (GM: Curveball)
2. Denver Nuggets (GM: TroyD92)
3. Golden State Warriors: (GM: John Knight)
4. Orlando Magic: (GM: Anton_oberio04)
5. Phoenix Suns: (GM: Pugz)
6. Portland Trailblazers: (GM: Varsitsyks)
7. Utah Jazz: (GM: The Commish)

Let's get it on, Guys!

UPDATE (07.19.07, 9:18 AM Manila Time): We now have a total of 10 GMs for the BallEx SIM League. 19 Teams still waiting for their GM's. Sign up now and enjoy the thrill of managing and coaching your OWN NBA Team! Visit the BallEx SIM League Board to view the remaining teams.

UPDATE2 (07.19.07, 3:38 PM Manila Time):  2 more GMs signed up, taking the Nets and the Grizz.  Trade offers have been made.  Trade between TroyD92 (GM of Denver Nuggets) and Antonio_oberio04 (GM of the Orlando Magic) is being finalized.

There were unconfirmed speculations during draft day that Minnesota star Kevin Garnett was almost shipped to the Golden State Warriors during draft day, but a little misunderstanding cost the Warriors KG and fan favorite Jason Richardson.

According to sources, a three-team deal would have sent the Warriors KG and guard Troy Hudson, Charlotte would get Richardson, and Minnesota would get Monta Ellis, future picks, the rights to the Charlotte's 2007 first round pick (8th overall), Al Harrington and a bunch of salary cap fillers to make the money work.

The catch was that Minnesota wanted Joakim Noah or Al Thornton at number 8, but the Bobcats wound up selecting Brandan Wright instead, which basically killed the KG deal. Not that Wright is a bad player but the Timberwolves probably don't consider him as a fit with the team compared with Thornton or Noah. So what went wrong? If the deal was already in place, why didn't Charlotte drafted the guy Minnesota wanted?

(more...)

The BallEx SIM League is now open!

To view and review the roster of the Team you'd like to manage and coach, kindly go to this link: http://www.basketball.exchange.ph/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12.

Apart from our Commish and yours truly, we already have two (2) new GM's who have signed up. The Teams picked, so far, are: the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, the Utah Jazz, and the Denver Nuggets. All Western Teams! :)

25 NBA Teams are still available as of today, July 16, 2007 (4:00 pm). Sign up now so you can reserve your favorite team!  (The SIM League Application is only updated to run a total of 29 NBA Teams in the meantime).
Please note that you will need to register as a user in the BallEx Forum first before you can enter and sign up a team.

Tip: If you happen to pick a team that you feel is weak relative to the other teams, please remember that you can still make your team competitive by striking deals or trades with other teams. It is up to you to make the right tactical or strategic maneuvers if you plan to make your team competitive for the current season or embark on a rebuilding mode if you plan for your team to be competitive in the next or following seasons.

If you want to sign up as General Manager (GM) for the inaugural BallEx SIM League, we'd like you to go to and check out the Ballex SIM League Home Page.

You can start doing your research by studying the complete team rosters as well as each of the players' ratings (e.g. Defensive Skill, Offensive Skill, Rebounding, Potential, etc.). It may interest you to note that the Team Rosters loaded for the 1st Season of the BallEx SIM League is updated as of July 2007. That means, you will see Greg Oden playing for the Portland Trailblazers (no doubt one of the first teams to be snapped up by the prospective GM's here) or Ray Allen suiting up for the Boston Celtics or Grant Hill exchanging passes with Steve Nash on the break.

Or Kobe playing alongside KG? That is a POSSIBILITY with this SIM League!

You may also want to, initially, gloss over the Player Salaries, as this will be important factors to consider when making a trade with another team during the season. The Commish and the other Moderators of the BallEx SIM League will be on the boards on a regular basis to guide you in this regard (as not all are very familiar with Salary Cap, FA, and Trading Rules).

When you go to the BallEx SIM League Home Page, don't be surprised if you find a simple, bare-boned framed site (Gary, Gil, and yours truly are still figuring out how we can improve the appearance). Just select on the appropriate links from the drop down menu (ex. If you want to view the Team Roster, select Roster, then Team Rosters, then click on the team you'd like to view).

We hope to start the GM/Team Sign Up process either tomorrow (July 15, Sunday, at 5:00 PM, Manila Time) or on Monday (July 16 at 5:00 PM, Manila Time). So please, stay tuned for the announcement.

Finally, we'd like for you to bear with us if some of the links are not yet working as we are still beta testing this.

A Hilltopper teammate flies straight into Japeth Aguilar during one of the school's scrimmages but the 6-9 Filipino simply doesn't budge, maintains his ground and assumes the full impact of the 200+ pound body coming into him. A year ago, the same scenario would have played out differently. He was weak, couldn't keep pace with his highly physical teammates, and couldn't make plays without visiting the floor. He has now gained an additional 10 pounds of strength and looks to have fully adjusted to basketball life in the US. He will play college ball for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers this fall (the Hilltoppers is a division I team in the US NCAA competing in the Sunbelt conference that has produced the likes of ex-NBA players Chris Marcus, Johnny Givens, Tellis Frank and Chris Robinson).

Japeth sat out last year due to transfer rules. He has two years of varsity eligibility and hopes to make an impact to be able to make an impression on NBA scouts.

Not used to the physical brand of play in the US, Japeth locked himself up in the weight room and made earnest goals to improve on his strength. He's still a few pounds away from his target of 220 lbs. but he has gained considerable strength which will be necessary when he faces the conference's top big men.

(more...)

Great news to all die-hard basketball junkies out there!

BallEx will soon be coming up with its own Simulation League (SIM League) here!

For those who are hooked to Fantasy Ball, here's a new way to while away the time while waiting for the next Fantasy season. SIM Leagues are the latest craze online in parts of the world where the NBA or basketball, in general, is popular.

For the uninitiated, SIM Leagues allow one to manage every facet of basketball operations, from forming your NBA team from scratch to making offers to Free Agents during the off-season to negotiating for trades to managing the starting lineups and substitutions, to creating your own brand of basketball style for your team by crafting your offensive and defensive sets. This simulation gives you the chance to play as General Manager and Coach (ala Pat Riley at one point in his career with the Heat) and run the show from the front office and the bench.

(more...)

In this 2nd part, I wish to highlight the growing nature of basketball as a "global sport", influenced by the popularity of the NBA as well as its "open door policy" on allowing foreign-born players to compete in the league. These two factors must be recognized and embraced as an accepted fact --- that the world and game of basketball is, indeed, already GLOBAL.

Article of Excuses

I recently read an article by a noted sportswriter who wrote about the lambasting we got from a tournament, the FIBA-Asia Club Championships, in which the All-Pro Philippine Team participated. We all know that Filipinos are known sour-grapes when it comes to losing in basketball. In that article, we got the usual litany of excuses as to why we got beaten badly. In fact, most of them were valid: unfamiliarity with international rules, lack of cohesiveness, and fatigue. (more...)

The Philippines finished the Jones Cup with a 5-4 win-loss slate and a third place finish. Hardly an accomplishment considering that nine years ago, the RP Centennial team brought home the bacon. The team still has a lot of work to do but you gotta like the progress they made over the last few weeks. They're still in the running for an Olympic slot but they will face strong competition from Korea, Lebanon, Iran and Jordan. Judging over their Jones Cup performance, the problem with the team is their inability to defend on the post, and inability to get the rebounds. We need more athletic big men on the team (or emphasis on "gang rebounding") to be able to accomplish our goals. We didn't have problems with shooting, scoring, and perimeter defense since our guards have shown that they're up to task, and have displayed remarkable ability to blow by people. So who makes the cut and who does not? Below is my own personal evaluation on who makes the final 12.

Asi Taulava - If not for Asi, we're probably dead meat. Asi's boardwork, post defense and intangibles is giving us hope that we can play up to par against the bigs from Jordan, Iran, Lebanon and China. Asi is terribly outmatched in terms of size and athletic ability against Asia's top big men but he is trying his darnest best to level the competition.

Kelly Williams - He impressed a great deal of observers with his sterling play in the Jones Cup. He gives the team an athletic flavor at the 3 spot. Rebounding and defense is what he brings to the table. Needs to improve perimeter shooting.

Dondon Hontiveros - he's blamed for RP's two harrowing losses in the recent Jones Cup but make no mistake about it, this guy can play on both ends of the court. What the coaching staff likes about him is that he can only not score, but also plays hard on the defensive end and can bring the ball down.

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Terrific three point shooting plus inside execution by the Khazaks did the RP team in, with RP Coach Chot Reyes saying he felt this would happen after RP's game against Qatar the day previous. Although RP won that game, Coach Reyes felt that since the team's losing an 18 point lead around the 2nd half foretold of worse things to come.

"I saw it coming, from the second half of yesterday's game ... I saw this coming. It was very disappointing," he said. "I tried to remedy it by having practice this morning, but they had mentally checked out of this tournament." Here's a video of proceedings in the 3rd quarter:

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Kazakhstan continued its dominance of the RP team, routing the nationals 107-90 in the 29th William Jones Cup men's basketball tournament in Taipei. The Kazakhs are now 4-0 against the Philippines dating back to the Busan Asian games. The RP team finished the tournament 5-4 W-L tied with 4 others: US (Athletes In Action), Iran, Korea and Chinese Taipei (host) but grabbed 3rd place by virtue of a superior quotient and having beaten all four teams. Jordan (7-2) and Lebanon (6-3) wound up, 1st and 2nd, respectively.

The RP team's sluggish performance so infuriated head coach Chot Reyes that he went straight to the team bus instead of the usual post-game huddle with his players, after the game.

“I saw it coming since the second half of yesterday’s game against Qatar. I tried to remedy the situation by practicing early this morning,” said Reyes. “Kazakhstan is a good team. We’ve had a bad record against them. I don’t mind losing to them but not this way. This is unacceptable,” he added, obviously disgusted with the team's lack of effort on the floor.

"They (the nationals) are confined to the barracks tonight. Nobody visits them. Lights out at 10."

The team allowed the Kazakhs to score 16 of 44 from behind the arc. The RP team's gunners, on the other hand, couldn't keep pace, turning cold (shooting a dismal 9 of 36 or a 20% success rate).

The game was actually nip and tuck at the beginning, with the nationals holding a slim 22-21 advantage at the end of the first quarter. James Yap, who went 1-of-2 from the three-point area, suffered a sprained left ankle after a bad fall with 5:01 left in the second quarter. Yap, who was celebrating his wedding anniversary with TV personality Kris Aquino, was carried out of the court by Asi Taulava. The nationals stretched their lead to six, 40-34, 3:59 left in the 2nd but a 12-2 blast by the Kazakhs put them on the driver seat 46-42. Jay-jay Helterbrand closed out the half by hitting one of two free throws, 43-46.

It was a see-saw affair until the end of 3rd with the Kazakhs only holding a four-point edge at the end of third 76-72 but a 12-2 bomb at the start of the final quarter by the Kazakhs put the game away 88-74. The nationals did not recover after that.

KAZAKHSTAN 107 - Y. Rustam 28, P. Anton 23, T. Alexandr 12, Y. Issakov 11, Y. Mikhail 10, S. Andrey 10, K.Dimitriy 7, B. Yegor 6, N.Ivan 0, S. Artyom 0, M.Voyeikov 0, G. Dimiriy 0.
PHILIPPINES 90 - Caguioa 24, Alapag 21,Hontiveros 14,Williams 13, Helterbrand 5, Taulava 3, Yap 3, Ritualo 3, Menk 2, Raymundo 2, de Ocampo 0, Pennisi 0.
Quarterscores: 21-22, 46-43,76-72,107-90

Manila Invitational Cup

July 12, Thursday
San Juan Coliseum
730pm RP vs Lebanon

July 13, Friday
Araneta Coliseum
2pm Lebanon vs Syria
4pm China vs RP

July 14, Saturday
San Juan Coliseum
4pm Lebanon vs China
6pm Syria vs RP

July 15, Sunday
230pm Battle for 3rd
430pm Championship

Manila Invitational Cup

July 12, Thursday
San Juan Coliseum
730pm RP vs Lebanon

July 13, Friday
Araneta Coliseum
2pm Lebanon vs Syria
4pm China vs RP

July 14, Saturday
San Juan Coliseum
4pm Lebanon vs China
6pm Syria vs RP

July 15, Sunday
230pm Battle for 3rd
430pm Championship