Batang Pier force KO tiff

November 26, 2019

NORTHPORT translated desire into effort and manhandled NLEX with a wire-to-wire 115-90 win last night to force a deciding game in their PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Just as Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao feared, Michael Qualls, Christian Standhardinger and Sean Anthony led the eighth-ranked Batang Pier with sterling all-around performances as they negated the top-seeded team’s twice-to-win advantage.

The rubber match is set tomorrow, also at the Big Dome.

Qualls wound up with game-highs of 39 points and 16 rebounds on top of five assists, Standhardinger added 24 markers and 14 boards while Anthony came off the bench for 12 points.

NLEX, TNT seek semis berths in crucial tiffs

Noli Cortez

November 25, 2019

TOP seed NLEX and third-ranked TNT try to make quick work of rivals which have other plans today in the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals duels at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Road Warriors and KaTropa have a twice-to-beat advantage but whether they could take full use of the edge and avoid a deciding game on Wednesday is another matter.

Magnolia is determined to retain the crown it fought so hard for last year and would take a step towards that direction should it negate its No. 6 seeding and repeat over TNT.

The Hotshots won their lone elimination round encounter 100-93 last Nov. 16 in a game where the defending champions led by as many as 23 points before ultimately dealing the KaTropa their third straight loss.

But TNT has since recovered from that setback and arrested its skid by holding off San Miguel Beer 114-109 at eliminations’ end last Wednesday.

That win coincided with the return from a two-game lay-off by Jayson Castro due to a leg injury and the veteran playmaker is sure to be a major factor for the KaTropa along with KJ McDaniels, Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario.

For Magnolia to live and at least fight another day, coach Chito Victolero said his charges must execute on both ends of the court while taking the cue mostly from Romero Travis, Ian Sangalang and Paul Lee on offense.

NLEX coach Yeng Guiao also wants his side to make short work of NorthPort and issued a stern warning on the eve of the match to drive home the point.

“There’s no such thing as a twice-to-beat advantage. We have to finish the job tomorrow.

Or else they will finish it for us,” Guiao said. Guiao has a very good reason for such a statement.

While NorthPort racked up two straight wins, touched off by a 102-94 win over the Road Warriors last Nov. 13 to finish the eliminations, NLEX went the other route and also lost to Alaska 90-106.

Guiao also offered his own take on the importance of the match for his team, which joined the league by acquiring the old Air21 franchise in 2014 and is looking to realize its second semifinals appearance since making last year’s Philippine Cup Final Four

“Monday could be the biggest game for this franchise,” said Guiao. “Even if we’ve made the semis once before, this one looks more interesting for us looking at our potential.”

With a packed lineup led by the do-it-all duo of Manny Harris and Kiefer Ravena, NLEX looks well-equipped and all set to challenge the traditional league powerhouses for the crown.

Beermen not shirking from tough challenge

Noli Cortez

November 22, 2019

SAN Miguel Beer’s uphill climb in the PBA Governors Cup just got tougher, but no one in the SMB camp is about to shirk from the challenge.

In fact, the Beermen are now more determined than ever.

“This is a test of character,” said SMB coach Leo Austria. “In these circumstances, kahit wala ka ng nakikitang light duon sa dulo ng tunnel, it’s something that could develop the character of the team.”

June Mar Fajardo wholeheartedly agree, saying: “Trials lang ito para sa amin. Dito ma-te-test ‘yung character namin. Hindi pa naman kami out, so kailangan maging positive lang kami sa mga nangyari. Positive lang kami sa game, positive ‘yung approach namin sa Sunday.”

Fajardo was referring to his side’s quarterfinals duel with Ginebra, a matchup forged after TNT beat SMB 114-109 last Wednesday to take third at the end of the elimination round.

The loss relegated the Beermen to fifth and in a twice-to-win handicap against the fourth-ranked Kings.

Also holding win-once advantages are top-ranked NLEX against No. 8 NorthPort, No. 2 Meralco against seventh seed Alaska and TNT against the sixth-ranked Magnolia Hotshots.

The SMB-Ginebra duel should hog majority of the limelight since the Beermen are only one loss away from losing their Grand Slam bid.

Things could have been starkly different had there not been a fight among Arwind Santos, Ronald Tubid, Kelly Nabong and import Dez Wells during practice last Sunday.

That forced SMB management to hand out an indefinite suspension on Santos, Tubid and Nabong, a decision announced before the TNT game.

Wells escaped punishment, but only because he has reportedly already left the country last Tuesday.

Austria welcomed the management decision. “That’s what the organization stands for, ” he said.

“We have to do something that could give us some reminders that nobody is above the policies of the company,” added Austria, also saying the incident should stress the overriding team-first policy of the franchise.

“Maybe a minor setback, but moving forward I think it will help us a lot because it’s a strong signal to everybody and the team that they cannot do something silly,” he added,

“Everyone should think of the team bago ‘yung sarili nila. It’s a strong signal for everyone.”
So do the ones coming from Ginebra.

The very same Kings spoiled the Beermen’s first Grand Slam bid under Austria back in 2017, needing just one game in their quarterfinals duel to dispatch the latter and eventually complete a back-to-back feat in the season-ending tourney.

It was also Ginebra that foiled SMB’s bid for a second straight Commissioner’s Cup crown in their 2018 finals meeting.

“It will be a tough match-up for us,” admitted Austria.

John Holland, tapped to stand in for Wells when the later got injured last month and is now SMB’s official import, aired the same wary view but remained generally positive.

“It’s a harder road now, but we still have enough talent to do it so I’m still confident in us,” said Holland. “I still think that no matter which team we play, we have a good chance. Now it’s just a little harder, (but) we just need to win two games. It’s alright.”

Like Austria, the former Cleveland Cavalier also knows the Beermen’s championship experience will also come into play in their quest.

“We have to put it together for one game, two games, one game at a time and get it done,” said Holland.

“It’s a tough situation but it is what it is. It’s the playoffs. We have to deal with all that adversity and just keep pushing and push through it. And I think we have enough talent on the team to do it, so I think it’s just about getting it done now.”

From 0-5, Aces advance to Govs Cup q’finals

Noli Cortez

November 21, 2019

ALASKA’s hard work of late gave it a relatively easy passage to the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals.

Frank House set the tone and the rest of the Aces followed suit as they manhandled the NLEX Road Warriors 106-90 last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo to make it as the seventh-seeded team in the next round.

House scored a personal PBA career-best 24 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists while five local teammates chipped in at least 10 points as Alaska blitzed its way to its fourth straight win ending the eliminations while completing the last eight cast.

Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso marveled at the way his charges played their hearts out in a game they wanted so badly to win, saying: “I can see by the way we were engaged, the way we were focused, it was as if playoff time na kami. I want to give credit to… everyone.

Every day in practice challenging themselves, each other, practicing at a high level and then showcasing it in the game.”

With a 5-6 slate overall, the Aces actually tied NorthPort but gained the upper hand due to the winner-over-the-other rule.

The top four have a twice-to-beat advantage over their lower-ranked opponents in the next round, but getting this far despite a 0-5 start pleased Cariaso no end.

Alaska was better off than Columbian, which was hoping the former loses for them to tie at 4-7 and figure in a playoff game for the last quarterfinals berth.

Instead, the Dyip joined Rain or Shine, Phoenix Pulse and Blackwater in looking forward to the next season.

Alaska now gets to meet second-ranked Meralco in the quarterfinals that start Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Making the Aces’ latest win more impressive was the fact it was fashioned minus Jeron Teng, the team’s top local scorer who has to sit out the next two weeks due to a hyper-extended right knee.

The loss, its second straight and third against eight wins, hardly mattered for NLEX as it still held on to the top ranking going to the next round.

The Road Warriors sorely need to fine-tune their game going to their match against the Batang Pier or else see their win-once advantage go for naught.

Manny Harris scattered 22 points to lead NLEX, which also drew 19 points from Poy Erram, 17 from JR Quinahan and 15 from Kiefer Ravena.

But the Road Warriors’ porous defense added to their scrambling offense in the face of their opponents’ pressure, causing the former to trail by as much as 39-61.

Aces in must-win mode against Road Warriors

Noli Cortez

November 20, 2019

ALASKA is bent on living and fighting at least another day when it tangles with NLEX today at the end of the PBA Governors Cup eliminations at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

San Miguel Beer and TNT collide in the nightcap, with the outcome also having an effect on the fate of at least a couple of other teams going to the eight-team quarterfinals that start Sunday.

A win by the Beermen will boost them to fourth but they could go as high as third should they prevail by at least 13 points while relegating the Ginebra Kings to fourth and the KaTropa to fifth.

The worst SMB could wind up with is a 6-5 record which would tie it with Magnolia, but the former takes fifth due to its earlier win over the defending champion Beermen.

In case of a TNT win, it would take fourth behind Ginebra and drop SMB to fifth. The KaTropa could actually get No. 2 if they and the Road Warriors emerge victorious and land third if Alaska wins.

Teams that finish among the top four are rewarded with a twice-to-beat advantage over their lower-ranked opponents in the next round where No. 1 takes on No. 8, No. 2 duels No. 7, No3 tangles with No. 6 and Nos. 4 and 5 collide.
Where it lands is not a problem for NLEX.

Long assured of the top seeding following a five-game streak and back-to-back losses by TNT, the Road Warriors still want a win to regain momentum they lost following a 94-102 loss to NorthPort last week.

Alaska needs to win its fourth straight game to clinch a quarterfinals berth and tie NorthPort, which had ended the eliminations with a 5-6 slate, for seventh.

By virtue of their 106-99 win over the Batang Pier last Nov. 3, the Aces will secure No. 7, relegate the former to eighth and eliminate 4-7 Columbian. Rain or Shine also ended the eliminations with the same record but gets relegated to 10th due to an inferior quotient.

An Alaska loss will give NorthPort seventh and relegate the former into a knockout game on Friday with Columbian for the last quarterfinals berth.

Aces coach Jeff Cariaso is simply thankful enough that his side is given the opportunity to automatically make it, considering they started the tournament at 0-5 and languished in the cellar for more than a month before fully coming alive.

“We are very blessed to be given a chance to make the playoffs,” said Cariaso on the eve of the match.

“We know we are going up against the hottest and No. 1-seeded team so we must bring our absolute A-game,” added Cariaso.

“We look forward to a tough battle. All I can say is we’ve been preparing well and our attitude remains the same: Find a way to live another day.”

Alaska may have to do it without Jeron Teng, who injured his right knee in the course of a 105-102 win over Phoenix Pulse last week and is still listed as day-to-day.

Kings’ defensive breakdown gnaws at Cone

Noli Cortez

November 19, 2019

PARTLY because of its own doing and with help from other teams, Ginebra has hit its immediate target of being included among the top four quarterfinalists in the PBA Governors Cup.

But the Kings still need a lot of improvement if they hope to reclaim the crown they relinquished last year. No less than coach Tim Cone said so.

“We’ve got things to work on going to the playoffs,” Cone said after Ginebra’s 96-98 loss to NorthPort last Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Things that we’re not doing well instinctively, like getting back on defense, communicating defensively,” added Cone.

“So that’s going to be our focus this week, try to get in and really get down defensively and try to improve that area of our game right now. It’s obvious for us there’s something we need to work on our game.”

The win, its second straight straight for 5-6 record overall, was a big one for NorthPort as it clinched a quarterfinals berth.

The Batang Pier could get No. 7 if Alaska loses to NLEX or No. 8 if the Aces prevail.

Just getting to the next round is what matters at the moment for NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio, whose side had to endure the loss to a knee injury by ace guard Robert Bolick.

“Blessing, nanalo tayo. At least, we are in the quarters. We’ll be ready against the twice-to-beat team,” said Jarencio, referring to his team’s next opponent which could either be NLEX or Meralco.

The loss, which gave it a 7-4 slate, hardly mattered for Ginebra which has already assure itself of finishing in the upper half of the eight-team quarterfinals with back-to-back wins over TNT and Columbian last Nov. 8 and 15, respectively.

Further securing the Kings’ top four finish was Magnolia’s 100-93 win over the KaTropa last Saturday.

It’s now a matter of determining what the official quarterfinals placings would be and that would be known at the end of the elimination round tomorrow when NLEX meets Alaska and San Miguel Beer and TNT colide.

Ginebra would clinch No. 3 behind NLEX and Meralco if SMB wins but would drop to fourth if TNT prevails and takes third spot.

Such scenarios would put the Kings in a tough matchup either way. As the No. 3 seed in the next round they would be ranged against defending champion and sixth-ranked Magnolia or fifth-ranked SMB if they fall to No. 4.

Cone knows his team’s win-once advantage offers little comfort against either the Hotshots or Beermen, thus his insistence for his team to fine-tune its game, especially on the defensive end.

“I don’t like where our defenses is right now. I haven’t for the last three or four games,” Cone said. “We’ve got to get that corrected before we get into the playoffs. Otherwise, we’ll pay the price.”

The loss to NorthPort already rankles at Cone although it was one his team could afford. “It’s always disturbing to lose,” he said.

“Even though this is a non-bearing game for us, I didn’t like losing,” added Cone. “I’ve said this before a million times, I hate to lose and I don’t care whether we’re… playing the Los Angeles Lakers or we’re playing our grandmothers, it doesn’t matter. We want to come out and play hard and win every game.”

Painters stun Bolts, boost hopes

Noli Cortez

November 18, 2019

RAIN or Shine fanned its hopes of playing off for a quarterfinals berth by nipping Meralco 83-81 last night in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rich Ross and Rey Nambatac played major roles in a big fourth quarter push by the Elasto Painters that carried them past the Bolts and into their second straight win rounding out their elimination round assignments.

Now with a 4-7 slate, Rain or Shine is left hoping NorthPort loses to Ginebra later in the night and Alaska drops its last game against NLEX at eliminations end on Wednesday for all of them to tie Columbian at seventh.

After the quotient is applied, the Aces take seventh, the Batang Pier would be relegated to 10th while the E-Painters and Dyip figure in a knockout game for the final slot in the eight-team quarterfinals and the right to face the top-ranked team.

A three-way tie for eighth place with Columbian and NorthPort will also push Rain or Shine into the playoff match, but a three-way tie with Alaska and Columbian for eighth boots the E-Painters out.

Meralco could have snared the top seeding in the next round but failed to stretch its five-game streak going into the game.

A large part of the blame was the Bolts’ poor start to the payoff period, when they missed their first six shots and committed four turnovers that fueled the E-Painters’ rise from a 60-69 deficit.

Still, Meralco could have tied the game up when Allen Durham came up with a block and recovery against Jewel Ponferrada in Rain or Shine’s last thrust. Instead of going all the way, however, Durham passed off to Raymond Almazan, who missed a short stab just before the final buzzer.

The loss dropped Meralco to an 8-3 card notwithstanding Durham’s 23 points and 16 rebounds and Almazan’s 18 points and as many rebounds.

Baser Amer also finished with 18 points for the Bolts, who actually led by 13 points twice, the last at 69-56, only to see their drive stalled.

At first, it was Ross who sparked Rain or Shine’s charge with six of his points during the Bolts’ dry spell before Nambatac came in and promptly scattered seven points, the last two off a floater that made it an 82-77 count, 1:28 to go.

Kings eye top 4 finish, q’finals edge

Noli Cortez

November 15, 2019

GINEBRA has two cracks at clinching a top four finish in the PBA Governors Cup eliminations and getting a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

The Kings intend to get the job done right away when they collide with dangerous Columbian tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Currently in a three-way tie for seventh, the Dyip are gunning for an outright seat in the quarterfinals but would only hit that target if they snap a two-game slide and win.

A loss will relegate Columbian into a tie for the eighth and last spot in the next round, which would be resolved by quotient in case of multiple ties or a simple one-game playoff.

Ginebra has no such problem. Actually, the Kings can afford to lose as long as they win over NorthPort at the end of their eliminations campaign on Sunday.

Even if the perennial crowd darlings wind up with a 7-4 slate and get tied by either or both TNT and San Miguel Beer at 7-4, the Kings will still secure third by virtue of their earlier wins over the KaTropa and Beermen.

But that’s an iffy proposition at best and Ginebra knows it cannot afford to lose its last two games as it would completely miss out on that quarterfinals bonus.

“Kailangan makuha na namin iyung bonus sa Columbian game pa lang,” said Ginebra skipper LA Tenorio.

“Mahirap kasing iasa mo sa next game na lang,” added Tenorio. “Basta kung ano nasa harap trabahuhin agad.”

Phoenix Pulse and Blackwater, both out of the race, clash in the opener with each trying to end its season on a winning note.

The winner of the match avoids a dead-last finish in the season-ending conference, a far humbler reward than what they expected but got foiled immediately when they couldn’t get their campaign really going.

Still, the fight is far from gone as both Phoenix and Blackwater try to move forward
“We would still try to go for that win,” said Fuel Masters coach Louie Alas, whose team formally got booted out of the race for the eight-team quarterfinals when it lost a narrow 102-105 decision to Alaska only last Wednesday, its fourth straight loss.

Blackwater has the same intent even though it is already assured of the top overall pick in next month’s draft whatever spot it ultimately finishes in.

Batang Pier boost hopes

Noli Cortez

November 14, 2019

NORTHPORT may be down, but not out.

Riding the able shoulders of their Big Two, the Batang Pier stopped erstwhile streaking NLEX dead on its tracks with a 102-94 shocker last night in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Michael Qualls tallied a game-high 36 points on top of 11 rebounds and five assists while Christian Standhardinger notched 23 markers and a game-best 19 boards in leading NorthPort’s surge over a Road Warriors’ side whose five-game roll ended.

After improving to 4-7 overall, NorthPort now shares seventh with idle Columbian and can claim an outright slot in the eight-team quarterfinals should it wind up the eliminations with another win against Ginebra on Sunday.

Another scenario is for the Batang Pier being relegated to a tie for eighth and playing off for the last spot in the next round. But that is something coach Pido Jarencio could live with, more so after the Batang Pier snapped their two-game slide and then stared at an early 15-point deficit against NLEX.

“The players want to win this game kasi do-or-die game for us. Kundi out na, wala na tayo for the conference,” said Jarencio.

“Bad start lang kami. First quarter bad start pero pagdating ng second quarter, third (period) gumanda na takbo. Iyon na, naging consistent kami,” added Jarencio.

“Ang problema namin kasi is consistency, offense and defense. Pero tonight we worked as a team. May konti pang problema sa chemistry. Pero kahit papaano we’re here, competing. Lumalaban iyung team.”

The loss, only its second in 10 games, hardly mattered for NLEX as it remained on top of the heap.

But the Road Warriors’ chances of clinching the No. 1 seeding and squaring off against the eighth-ranked team in the next round now hinges mostly on whether they would win their last eliminations assignment against Alaska next Wednesday.

Manny Harris tried to brighten NLEX’s hopes by hitting seven of his first 10 shots. But he went 5-for-19 from the field the rest of the way, failing to sustain any momentum due to the fouls given up on him by the Paolo Taha-anchored defenders of NorthPort.

Harris finished with 34 points but only Kiefer Ravena’s 16 points and JR Quinahan’s 10 markers were the most the former NBA campaigner could get from his local teammates.

In contrast, NorthPort also drew 19 points from Sean Anthony, 10 of those coming in the pivotal third quarter where the Batang Pier outscored the Batang Pier 38-27 to raze a 43-51 deficit and take an 81-78 lead into the final canto.

Qualls took over in the final 8:23 of the game where he scattered 11 of his points and put NorthPort safely ahead 100-87, only 1:25 to go.

Road Warriors stake streak vs struggling Batang Pier

Noli Cortez

November 13, 2019

NLEX coach Yeng Guiao knows NorthPort is bound to snap out of its funk one of these days.

It’s the reason why the seasoned tactician wants the Road Warriors to stay focused when they tangle with the scrambling Batang Pier today in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Alaska aims to continue its rise while Phoenix Pulse tries to fan its own flickering hopes when they collide in the nightcap.

A two-game winning streak have pushed the Aces from the cellar and another victory will boost them from eighth and into a share of seventh with idle Columbian.

The Fuel Masters have lost their last three but still maintain hopes of forging a tie for the eighth and last spot in the quarterfinals should they win tonight and over Blackwater on Friday.

Ties for the last spot would first be broken via the quotient before the two best teams clash in a playoff game. A knockout game will resolve any two-way tie.

NorthPort may fall into such a deadlock if it fails to cut short a two-game slide, which Guiao himself attributes to a couple of factors.

“If NorthPort hadn’t lost Robert Bolick and C-Stand (Christian Standhardinger) had come in earlier with their new import they would be higher in the standings,” noted Guiao.

Bolick has been sidelined for the rest of the season and perhaps well into the next by a knee injury he suffered last Oct. 23, which incidentally marked the team debut of new acquisition Standhardinger and replacement import Michael Qualls.

Before the injury, Bolick was averaging 13.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists and was one of the team’s acknowledged team leaders and main stabilizer.

Qualls (34.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.67 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.67 blocks) and Standhardinger (25 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists) have been doing their part but the clear lack of support have put to waste their efforts.

Still, the NorthPort threat is very real for Guiao. “It does not make them any less dangerous when we play them tomorrow,” he said, referring to the Batang Pier’s 3-6 slate.

Already assured of a win-once advantage in the quarterfinals, NLEX is looking to stretch its winning streak to six and stay on track to finish the eliminations as the top seed.

NLEX is also driven by its own burning desire to complete its big turnaround from a cellar-finish in the last Commissioner’s Cup and to keep on improving for the playoffs.

“We need to preserve our gains by improving our consistency and this game is a big test,” said Guiao. “Our focus is on execution and trying to get better for the next round.”

Since coming in to replace Olu Ashaolu four games back, Manny Harris has been undefeated with NLEX, even helping engineer that memorable fightback against Magnolia that resulted in an 86-85 cliffhanger last Sunday.

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