The Bgy.
Ginebra Gin Kings have the Commish Cup’s best local player, at least in terms
of PBA-Online’s player efficiency rating, in Mark Caguioa, but they also have
the league’s worst record at 0-3. It’s easy to blame import Herbert Hill for
not being the most dominant guy on the floor, but we have to look past him and
look at what is plaguing Ginebra – the lack of chemistry and consistent
production beyond The Spark.
Right now
(stats based on PBA-Online’s compilation after 2 games), Caguioa leads all locals
with a 38.6 EFF rating with Hill actually not bad at 46.0 EFF. Of course, only
Matt Rogers of San Mig Coffee is doing worse than Hill in terms of import EFFs,
and we all know Rogers is on his way out with last year’s Commish Cup Best
Import Denzel Bowles back in town. Still, a quick look at all the other stats
reveals that after Caguioa and Hill, there’s hardly anyone else helping out
Ginebra’s cause.
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| Mark Caguioa has been sparking the Gin Kings all by his lonesome. |
Nobody
averages double-figure scoring outside of those two guys, and the closest guy
in terms of EFF is Willie Wilson at 24.5 EFF – norming 7 points and 4 rebounds
per game. Where are the other big names?
LA Tenorio
is in a slump with just 5.5ppg, 4.0rpg, and 3.5apg, though he is registering
3.0 steals per outing. Jayjay Helterband is also “just okay” with 7.5ppg,
4.0rpg, and 3.5apg. New acquisition Mac Baracael isn’t turning a lot of heads
with his 5.0ppg, and 2.5rpg numbers, too. Redundant wingmen Chris Ellis, Elmer
Espiritu, and Keith Jensen have also not been up to snuff.
Here’s the thing
– even if new import Vernon Macklin turns out to be manna from heaven, coach
Alfrancis Chua will still need A LOT more from his locals if the Kings are to
make any noise this conference. Caguioa will be the constant, but guys like
Tenorio, Helterbrand, and Ellis have to step up big time.
It’s time for
the Kings to play like kings instead of jesters.
Game Recaps:
RAIN OR SHINE
ELASTO-PAINTERS over MERALCO BOLTS, 91-82
Rain or
Shine preserved it’s A-grade game in the final three minutes to outlast
Meralco, 91-82, in the Phoenix PBA On Tour at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum in
Palawan on Saturday night.
The Elasto
Painters held the Bolts to just a single field goal in nearly five minutes then
unloaded 17 straight points to turn a tight outing into a surprising rout.
Paul Lee
scored five points, Beau Belga had a triple and import Bruno Sundov had a short
bank shot as the Elasto Painters established an 87-79 lead. A Ryan Arana basket
finally put away the Bolts for good, 91-79, with only a minute left in the
game.
It was the
first win in two games for the Elasto Painters, who lost in a controversial
tightly-fought encounter with the Alaska Aces last week.
The loss was
the second straight for the Bolts, who got 23 points form Eric Dawson.
ROS 91 — Sundov 20, Arana 20, Norwood
10, Lee 9, Matias 9, Quinahan 7, Cruz 5, Belga 5, Tiu 4, Tang 2, Ibanes 0,
Rodriguez 0.
MER 82 — Dawson 23, Cardona 21,
Guevarra 8, Reyes 6, Ross 6, Buenafe 6, Manuel 6, Hodge 2, Hugnatan 2, Sharma
2, Artadi 0.
QS: 22-23, 43-45, 66-65, 91-82.
ALASKA ACES over BARAKO BULL
ENERGYp COLA, 77073
The Alaska
Aces used a balanced attack to defeat a hard-fighting Barako Bull side, 77-73,
and grab the solo lead in the Commissioner’s Cup Sunday at the SMART-Araneta
Coliseum.
Robert
Dozier scored 19 points to lead six players with at least eight points for
Alaska, which improved its win-loss mark to 3-0. Barako Bull, which was tied
atop the leaderboard with the Aces prior to the game, suffered its first loss
to see its record drop to 2-1.
Dozier added
20 rebounds for the Aces, which won the battle of the boards, 50-43.
Alaska led
by as much as 17 points in the first half, before Barako Bull steadily chopped
down the deficit to just six points at the break, 42-36. The Energy Colas took
control in the second half and looked poised to cruise to victory after taking
a 67-61 lead early in the fourth quarter, before the Aces scored nine straight
points to take the driver’s seat anew.
A basket by
Calvin Abueva gave the Aces a 75-70 lead, but the Energy Colas refused to quit
as Macapagal buried a trey with over a minute left.
In the next
play, Dozier was fouled and split his charities for a 76-73 lead by Alaska.
With still
16 seconds left, the Energy Colas ran a play to free up their three-point
shooters, but couldn’t get a good shot as the Aces’ defenders were able to
switch quickly with the man on the ball.
That left
Evan Brock no other choice but to take a three-pointer at the corner, but his
shot barely hit the rim with 3.3 seconds left.
Cyrus
Baguio, who led the Aces’ locals in scoring with 11 points, split his charities
for the final tally.
“Cyrus is
our most consistent guy. He’s so easy to coach. He just works hard every game,”
said Alaska coach Luigi Trillo. “I thought it’s a hard matchup for him since
he’s being guarded by Jonas Villanueva, but he was able to play another steady
game.”
Anchoring
the Aces’ defense was Sonny Thoss, who has the difficult task of guarding
bigger imports in the tournament.
“He’s a
pillar for us at the post,” said Trillo on Thoss, who chipped in eight points
while also holding his own against Brock, who had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Josh
Urbiztondo led the way for Barako Bull with 15 points, but was scoreless in the
fourth quarter.
“We did a
good job on Josh Urbiztondo. He’s averaging 40 minutes a game and he’s playing
like an import. He’s one of the best shooters in the squad. Barako Bull
attempted 32 times and got 10 of them from the three-point area, but we were
able to hold down Josh,” said Trillo.
ALA 77 – Dozier 19, Baguio 11, Casio 9,
Jazul 8, Espinas 8, Thoss 8, Abueva 4, Dela Cruz 4, Hontiveros 4, Reyes 2,
Ramos 0.
BAR 73 – Urbiztondo 15, Brock 12,
Villanueva 10, Macapagal 9, Seigle 9, Maliksi 4, Kramer 4, Allado 4, Intal 3,
Pennisi 3.
QS: 23-17, 42-36, 59-60, 77-73
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| The members of Gatas Republik cheer their idols on! |
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| Alaska and Barako locked horns this past weekend! |
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| Coach Rajko Toroman is his usual animated self from the sidelines. |
PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS over BGY.
GINEBRA GIN KINGS, 105-90
Renaldo
Balkman scored 17 of his game-high 34 points in a furious third quarter run as
the Petron Blaze Boosters cruised to an easy victory over Barangay Ginebra San
Miguel, 105-90, Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
“The team
talked about consistency. We were up and down last conference. This time, we
started with a loss, but we came out with a lot of intensity and played with
more energy in our last two games. We need to continue to show our intense
defensive effort every single game,” said Petron Blaze coach Olsen Racela.
“It’s about
time they see the good happenings in this team. Madalas, nakikita ng mga tao
yung mga adversities sa team naming kaya nga mayroong Petronovela.”
Petron
outscored Ginebra, 35-19, in a third period that saw the Boosters form a layup
line to the basket.
The Gin
Kings opened the fourth quarter with eight straight points to cut the lead to
15 points, 86-71, but the Boosters held steady the rest of the way for their
second win in three games.
Balkman
stuffed the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two
blocks, apart from providing boundless energy for Petron.
June Mar
Fajardo added 18 points and seven rebounds, while Jay Washington and Arwind
Santos added 14 and 11 points apiece for the Boosters.
Despite the
win, Racela warned that things are still about to get tougher for Petron.
“It’s still
a long way. It’s a process, we’re getting there, but it’s a process. We’re
getting our confidence because we’re winning, but once you go through
adversity, dyan mo makikita kung gaano kabuo yung team. Matagal pa giyera,”
said Racela.
Mark Caguioa
once again top-scored for Ginebra, which lost its third straight game to open
the tournament. LA Tenorio broke out of a shooting slump to score 19 points,
while import Herbert Hill, who is about to be replaced by Vernon Macklin,
chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds but did not see action in the fourth
quarter.
PET 105 – Balkman 34, Fajardo 18,
Washington 14, Santos 11, Lassiter 8, Miranda 7, Yeo 5, Cabagnot 5, Tubid 3,
Sison 0, Faundo 0, Pena 0.
GIN 90 – Caguioa 24, Tenorio 19, Hill
16, Maierhofer 10, Baracael 7, Taha 6, Ellis 2, Labagala 2, Mamaril 2, Raymundo
2, Espiritu 0, Helterbrand 0, Hatfield 0.
QS: 24-20, 51-44, 86-63, 105-90
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| Renaldo Balkman has time to sit in mid-air after jamming this one home. |
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| Herbert Hill (L) bids farewell to the PBA after just three games. |
Source: Unless otherwise specified, game
recaps were compressed and compiled from InterAKTV. (Writing credit to Rey
Joble)
Images: All images are from InterAKTV.
(Photo credit to Pranz Kaeno Billones)
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