PBA Exhibit

Last April, I was able to glance upon the PBA memorabilla exhibit at galleria sports loop. The exhibit featured used shoes, game used balls, Standees, Handprints and trophies for the public to see.

RP Beats Japan by 9

(Photo from FIBA Asia Website)


Great win for Powerade Team Pilipinas! Down by 11 yet went to a run in the 3rd quarter to seal the deal against Japan.

These 2 teams have been consistently at each other's throats since the 1994 asiad when The captain Alvin Patrimonio failed to connect in the winning basket. The captain, with the centennials got revenge on the Nihon-jins via an overtime game. The 2002 Asiad, 2007 and 2009 Jones Cup featured the 2 teams coming back in late game runs to win the game by a small margin.

Asi Taulava found the fountain of youth for the RP team, debuting in their new red (alternate?)Jerseys. Same with Sonny Thoss, who made led the team in scoring. Interesting though, Orimo did not enter the game. From our side, Japeth Aguilar didnt even play a single minute. Hopefully he'll be well rested and 100% for tomorrow as they take on Ha and the boys over flowers squad of south korea.

RP Team: Playing Posum?

What transpired over the week seemed to be a shock for the local avid filipino basketball fan. Powerade Team Pilipinas, though not expected to show all and keep intent on winning games in the William Jones cup. We expected to lose games, but not get smacked by Jordan in the opening round or have our 19 point lead vanish at the hands of Japan. Negativity and criticism are rising in local and international hoop forums. But there are signs and flashes of brilliance that make us wonder if the RP Team is really playing possum or not....



There are most times where the team use individual one on one plays and turnovers galore. Basking in dissapointment everytime the opposing team clobbers us by a 10 point lead or so a few minutes within the start of a game, yet we shout and cheer valiantly as the team climbs back to let the enemies' lead wither or even tie the score, using set plays and offensive schemes only to revert back to the NBA style and lose at the end by a few points. Questions like, "why didnt they call a timeout?" or "why didnt they revert to the set plays" boggle out mind. As if in the back of our heads, we are thinking that the team isnt really taking this seriously.

The team who does well in the jones cup does not really guarantee that they'll win big on the suceeding touranments that they will enter. Such an example is the 2007 version wherein Jordan won the jones cup but ended up as only the 5th place in Fiba Asia in tokushima. Kazakhstan, a team which placed way below and 2nd to the last, ended up a notch higher in fiba at 4th place and even made it to the wild card olympic qualifying round. Another example is the 1998 centennial team wherein they won the Jones cup but got smacked by the US College teams, Korea and China in tune to the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

Right now we are seeing a mystery, Are we seeing a team which continues to hold back? A team which is really on a loss and has no chance to win in the grand stage? A team which has lost lots of precious preparation time due to the professional league and the commissioner's vision? Or a team that is just playing possum?

In 2 weeks time we will know.

Arboleda Joins Poweade Team Pilipinas

With the recent injuries and uncertain status of Jayjay Helterbrand and Ryan Reyes. Coach Yeng has appointed BK Whopper Guard Wynnie Arboleda as an interim point guard for the national team. He will play in the jones cup but if Reyes' and Helterbrand's injuries continue, might go all the way to Fiba Asia.



Arboleda, The Triple H of the PBA (Like HHH, he is known for his physical and cerebral asassin like calculated moves, plus he is also the son in law of the team owner like HHH and Vince Mc Mahon). Also played in the tune up game against the Atheltes in Action Soldiers of Christ team.

With time Running out and the pba still havent played the final season. Arboleda is the logical choice for the guard even with better players around (Alapag, Castro etc) because of his familiarity in the system.

Nike Hyperize Philippines

As Part of Nike's Hyperize Asian City PAck (Along with china, Olympic Gold, Taiwan and Hongkong)

I hope nike would make this available for the Filipino People and not another limited edition thing. They have been making bad Decisions over the years...

Remember the Philippine Air Force 1? That was the first nike filipino inspired nike shoe and they sold it everywhere except one country where the shoe mattered the most.... The Philippines!

Not that much of a "terno" with Powerade or smart gilas' Jerseys. But I think the RP Players will be wearing this one in the Jones Cup and Fiba Wars.

Powerade Pinas Goes To battle Today against Athletes In action

WKU Big man Japeth Aguilar donning the New Nike red jersey of Powerade Pilipinas (Alternate?) Photo from Interbasket forums/Inside Sports

and The Powerade National Team goes up today against the Athletes in action squad from the USA. The AIA, Christian sports organization and is active in 75 countries. At the san juan arena today

The RP Team and AIA had quite a history together

in 2005, The RP Team lost in the Jones Cup against the AIA after a desparation 3 by Asi

In 2006, While Playing in the Philippines, Gabe Norwood was discovered to be a Fil Am and is now a fixture in RP Basketball

In 2007, SMC Team Pilipinas defeated AIA in the Jones Cup By 6 and was tied with the Philippines for 3rd place.

Powerade RP Will suit up with 9 Players, with some of the players injured or playing in the PBA finals.

While the lineup is still depleted, I'm happy this RP team is getting some tune ups it desperately needs.

I'm not sold on the red jersey though, While it fits Yeng's system. Call me Superstitious, but the last time we wore red was in 2002 (Selecta RP) where the country jinxed its last 3 games, the Yao Ming Blowout, The Packing shet game against Korea and that Morale lacking game against Kazakhstan.

Yeng Appointed RP Team Coach (Toroman next?)

Yeng Guiao was appointed as the head coach for the 2009 Fiba Asia seniors national team. The announcement was made early this afternoon by commissioner Sonny Barrios.

The Jet Li lookalike coach come politician is known for bringing out the best in no name players, RP Hoops Fans cannot wait for his choices in the national squad.

Here's Hoping that the program and training can run smoothly and politicians from the other camp will shut up and leave the game alone forever.

On other stories, it seems like former Iran national team coach Rajko Toroman is most likely to be the coach of the developmental team that will compete for the 2011 Fiba Asia and hopefully the bad logo 2012 Olympics. With the current issues regarding the coaching staff of the youth team, it is better to have a foreigner who will handle the team. And please BCAP, for once shut up.

Artwork of the Week: K-Will

Customized Mcfarlane Sportspick - Kelly Williams #9 Team Pilipinas
(from TMAC version 3 base figure)

This is the first time I customized an sportspick figure. I saw a lot of customizers do renditions with their sports picks figures for players or variant uniforms that havent been done as of yet. But I havent seen anyone do local (PBA) Players. I've been doing model kits before but this seemed to be a whole new ballgame. I Re sculpted the face and did the decals. The base was also re designed and the Jersey was repainted in the proper colors.

Help Destroy the BAP

We know Philippine Politics is one of the crappiest things in the world. Its like a demon with 9 heads. When you cut one off, there are still 8 that are remaining. And the head you eventually Cut back will grow back anyway. It is a never ending saga of corruption and evil.

In its culture of mass bribery, traitors and defectors fueled by Guns, Goons and Gold. Even with the mass protests, people power revolutions and political assassinations. Things still do not change. Thus, it is not a guarantee that things as light as Online petitions would even guarantee a chink in BAP's satanic armor.

But if you are still pissed with them and want to do something against the taiwanese spy and pechay, you can sign this petition.

http://www.petitiononline.com/stopBAP/petition.html

RP Youth Team Advances to the second round.

The Nokia RP Youth team Made it in the second round of the FIBA Asia youth championships.

This is a surprising news as they were not expected to squeeze through the second round with strong opponents from taipei and lebanon. The team beat taipei by one into double overtime then lost by 3 to Lebanon on the second match. They went to blow out UAE in the final match.

The team is now grouped with Iran, Japan and Korea.

Group I
China
Kazakhstan
Lebanon
Syria

Group II
Iran
Korea
Japan
Philippines

FIBA Asia Youth Chamionships Start Today

Nearly a week after the end of the Beijing Olympics, Asian Hoops starts another chapter as the FIBA asia Under 18 championships today. Nokia Pilipinas Youh t will battle taiwan at 8pm that day. Follwed by a match against Lebanon the day after and UAE to cap off the last day of the preliminary round.

Cool Tournament logo BTW.

1st day
9:00 / CHN-HKG
11:00 / KSA-JOR
13:00 / KOR-KAZ
15:00 / JPN-IND
17:00 / Opening Ceremony
18:00 / IRI-MAS
20:00 / TPE-PHI
22:00 / LIB-UAE

2nd day
9:00 / JOR-KOR
11:00 / HKG-JPN
13:00 / KAZ-KSA
15:00 / IND-CHN
17:00 / SYR-MAS
19:00 / PHI-LIB
21:00 / UAE-TPE

3rd day
9:00 / CHN-JPN
11:00 / KAZ-JOR
13:00 / HKG-IND
15:00 / KOR-KSA
17:00 / SYR-IRI
19:00 / TPE-LIB
21:00 / PHI-UAE

Ginebra Captures 3rd Crown in this decade.

After losing their first five games and searching between imports to get their first win, Barangay Ginebra won the Fiesta Conference Title and had their Eight PBA Championship overall.

Ginebra, With some of their Stars bugged by injuries and at played its last 2 games at the brink of elimination, defeated Air 21 Express 97-84

Chris Alexander, Paced with 19 rebounds, 16 points, 4 blocks, 1 Steal and 1 Assist. Eric Menk came back from his 2000-2004 form along with Tubid, stepped up and helped the Reigning best import with the scoring load

Air 21, Down for most of the 3 Quarters refused to go down without a fight, lead by a valiant effort from Steve Thomas, They fought back, came within a point or two and still lead by a little. But in the closing minutes of the game, they gave way through the fighting heart of the wounded kings and the thousands of their "Sixth Man". Still, a valiant effort

In other news, with this being the final game of the 2007-08 Season, The anchors from TV 5 (formerly ABC) said goodbye from the audiences. Starting next Season, The PBA will be broadcasted by C/S 9 and Basketball TV. No offense to The former channel, But with BTV's Expertise and Better Coverage/ Reception Next Season is going to be an exciting one.

Now That The PBA season is already finished, let us hope that their head honchos would start planning on next year's Fiba Asia team which is the qualifying team for the 2010 Championships.

RP Youth bags seaba crown!

The RP team has once again bulldozed its southeast asian competitors this time in the 18 and under division through the efforts of the Nokia Youth team. The massacre's details averaged around 42 ppg. The victory lessened the pain of the upset in the seaba champions cup. (Its a good thing that Dato Yeoh guy didnt do anything to destroy our lineup this time around).

Up next for the youth team is the asian championships. While not having any expectations, the nation is hoping for a respectable showing from these guys.

I just hope they get some decent showing this time around. 4 years ago, I remember having our physical education class being held on the same sports center as the RP youth team. Their coach looks upset the way they run plays and next I heard, the team got beaten badly by its asian counterparts. But then again, those were the bap days.

Kung Fu Dunk

What if you combine Slam Dunk and Shaolin Soccer?

This is the new basketball movie Starring Jay Chou. From what I've seen so far, the movie looks quite decent to say the least. Because aside from Slamdunk, there hasn't been that much good asian series. Dear Boys and CKBC aint that good either. Buzzer Beater and MVP Valentine were decent but seem to be lacking something.




Come to think of it, I'm surprised that the Philippines hasn't produced a basketball themed movie for more than a decade now. The Last time there was one was when "The Flying A" Johnny Abarientos and "Papi" Willie Revillame filmed Go Johnny Go back in 1996-97. Where it banked in on the Flying A's MVP Season and the Charlotte Hornet's Scout Hype. Pretty Decent movie. There was That movie of Asi Taulava, Juday and Robin Padilla but the movie Only used hoops as a side accent.

But then Again I saw the Basketball Match at the Philippine Tokusatsu Uchuu Keiji Zaido Between the Uchuu Keiji (Space Shereiffs) and the Fuuma Empire. It Even Had Alex Crisano on it LoL.

The Real Hanamichi Sakuragi?

I Came across this article regarding the supposedly Real Life Hanamichi Sakuragi circulating through the net. Too bad that the article is not true. The world could need an example of hope such as him.




"Hanamichi Sakuragi was born in 1968 in a family of the common and current working class. Her mother passed away when he was very small, without the love of her mother he used the violence (street fights) to solve her problems. From boy mts was very high to 12 years average 1,75, and its body began to acquire force and much resistance through its fights. Once it had a fight with the students in the sport zone of the University of Tokyo; their abilities of fight, speed and physical power, attracted the trainer of the basketball equipment, and ingenió so that it entered the smaller equipment.

In a practice party, to the 17 years of age, against the National Equipment of Japan, Hanamichi of 1,89 mts, was the unique one that was not scared by the professionals and only wrote down 33 points he: 10 shots, 3 nailed, 1 free triple, 1 shot that did not find the terminology to explain it, and 2 shots.

Although its equipment lost just by 59 points (59 - 115), had been excellent a first party for Hanamichi. The basketball was in chaos, and he was named “La Hope of the Basketball japonés”. Nevertheless, his father fell ill a year later. Hanamichi went from return to Tokyo, and this way would cost everything to him. It lowered of the bus in Tokyo and was on the verge of crossing the street to the hospital when an automobile that went very fast I strike it. Although it had “cuerpo of acero”, the impact simply was too strong. One collapsed, took it to the hospital. Unfortunately he was too much tarde… before they sent to him to the operating room died by the great internal hemorrhage, only with 18 years of age.

The World of the Japanese Basketball completely was destroyed, called this loss “Colosal”. The mangaca Takehiko Inoue created its series ” Slam Dunk ” cradle in the history of this young person."



then I saw this:

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb384/zendesigns/Resource/Yoshiki.jpg

Click on the link and Look at the second picture of the japanese musician yoshiki, poof! yes that's his picture when he was young. Same picture as the one used in the article.

kawawa naman yung mga nauto. (I pity all those who got fooled).

RP Team bags the hoops gold!

wow! this has got to be a really special RP team in recent memory. Not only because They bagged the Sea Games Gold but also

Defeated an NBL Team (It's the slingers, but still an NBL Team)
Mercilessly demolish their enemies including the host team (Take that you King!)
2 different outfitters for their jerseys, accel and nike (First time I saw a team with 2 outfitters and changing them back and forth within the said tourney.
Had the gesture to donate their stuff to the cambodian players (those poor guys couldn't even afford basketball shoes) :-(