UP vs NU 2010-08-07 14:00 2010-08-07 16:00 Filoil Arena
UST vs FEU 2010-08-07 16:00 2010-08-07 18:00 Filoil Arena

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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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