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| Ato Agustin captured the Governors Cup in his rookie season as coach of the Petron Blaze Boosters. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
- I have to admit that I've been a little too focused on the UAAP games recently. The casualties? My coverage of the FIBA and PBA scenes. I hope to do a better job of covering them when the UAAP wars end, since, honestly, this side of college basketball really holds my fascination unlike any other.
- So here are some general thoughts on the past few weeks of Philippine Pro Ball:
The Petron Blaze Boosters winning the Governors Cup at the expense of the TNT Tropang Texters
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| Arwind Santos led Petron to an unheralded upset of the mighty Tropang Texters. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
- This one kinda saddened me, since I'm a fan of Jimmy Alapag and, by association, Talk N Text. I had hoped they would bag the triple crown, but, alas, it wasn't in the cards.
- This is a nice fairy tale story, however, for the Boosters. With a depleted roster and a bevy of import changes, not to mention a bit of controversy between Ato Agusting and Chot Reyes, Petron still managed to snare the last title of the season. My personal MVP has to be Arwind Santos, but I can't help but be amazed at how Danny Ildefonso resurfaced as a vital part of the championship puzzle for the SMC franchise. Also, I honestly think Santos would make a great addition in the Smart-Gilas NT. His length, athleticism, shooting, and grit are built for international ball. Perhaps if he were on MVP's payroll?
The 2011 PBA Draft
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| Dylan Ababou could be this year's biggest draft steal! (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
- I had mixed emotions about this, since I had wanted the Gilas players to stay put with the program up until the 2013 FIBA-Asia, which is a qualifying tourney for the 2014 FIBA World Championships (3 slots for Asia! Sayang!). I'm happy, though, that the Gilas boys were taken within the first 10 picks.
- The biggest steal here, at least for me, would have to be Dylan Ababou at 10th. His size and skill set should make him awesome in the PBA. Just you wait!
- A bit disappointed that Eric Salamt went down to 13th, but I guess he's not as "pro-ready" in terms of physique as the other guys. He'll probably surprise many, though.
- I hope the 16th pick (Brian Ilad) would no longer resort to punching anyone in the PBA.
- Too many transactions to discuss for me. I haven't even gone through all of them! Perhaps in a preview of the Philippine Cup soon?
Good luck Mr. Mondragon
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| Mamerto Mondragon has laid out grand plans for the PBA's 37th season. (image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph) |
- New PBA Chairman Mamerto Mondragon will have to meet big expectations, and he's going to use big plans to do so.
- Here are some new things to look forward to in the upcoming 37th PBA Season:
- New TV coverage courtesy of MVP's TV5 (any anchor openings? :))
- The Commissioner's Cup will feature imports with unlimited height. I'm a fan of this. I believe that tall imports won't hurt the local game. Instead, having them will help our locals adjust to the unique prospect of playing against really big guys on a regular basis. Also, I hope naturalized center Marcus Douthit can suit up in the PBA! Kahit import pa!
- The Quotient system will only determine placings. it will no longer be used to determine which team gets in, or bets booted from, the postseason. Teams will have to go through playoff games in those cases.
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