Boxing vs MMA: Will There Be Another Crossover Match this year?

It probably goes without saying that the boxing match that received the most attention last year was Mayweather vs. McGregor.

On Saturday 26^th August 2017, Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought Conor McGregor in what was labelled ‘The Money Fight’. This saw eleven-time champion, Mayweather, in a ring with the UFC Lightweight Champion and mixed martial arts (MMA) world champion, McGregor.

The match took place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena inthe light-middleweight weight class, with Mayweather winning by a technical knockout (TKO) during the tenth round. This took Mayweather’s undefeated streak to 50 matches.

Their winnings?

McGregor took home $30,000,000 and Mayweather pocketed $100,000,000 – but reports suggest they both earnt far more than this ($100,000,000 and $300,000,000 respectively).

Could we be seeing another crossover match anytime soon?

Boxing vs. MMA

If you ask Conor McGregor what he thinks, he says we should expect there to be more crossover fights between MMA and boxing.

Despite many people, boxing fans in particular, feeling as though there wouldn’t be any competition between two, McGregor felt that they’d be proven wrong and would be left wanting more.

But what about Mayweather?

Well, reports suggest that there could even be a re-match between McGregor and Mayweather in the UFC.

At the end of last year, UFC commentator, Joe Ragan, said that Mayweather had mentioned that he’d be interested in having a bout in MMA. According to Ragan, Dana White had confirmed that he’d spoken to the boxer to fight inside the Octagon. about doing a deal in the UFC, which would see Mayweather making an appearance

When questioned about whether or not this was true, they referenced the most recent fight between McGregor and Mayweather, saying if that happened, anything can happen. This has led people to believe there could be another fight in the not too distant future.

Who Else Might Be Interested?

Aside from the two who have already taken part in a crossover match, would any other boxers be interested?

Well, Anthony Joshua would be willing to accept a cage fight or take to the boxing ring with an MMA artist in the future. Before The Money Match took place, Joshua said he could see the appeal of the match, despite it being heavily criticised by many. Speaking to Press Association Sport he said that he liked fighting and would ‘do thing they couldn’t do was submissions. He’d let them bite, elbow and kick but whatever’. He admitted that he’d probably get beaten, saying that the only there couldn’t be any submissions.

Joshua said he couldn’t beat a guy with submissions due to the skills needed to be able to do that, but when it comes to fighting rules and pure aggression he believes he can fight and it won’t be a problem. Who knows, there may even be athletes from totally different backgrounds looking to have their glory day in the ring.

And one thing’s for sure, as well as the fans of these fighters, one industry that’s particularly looking forward to such an event is the gambling industry. Last year, bookmakers saw a wagering handle between $60-70 million from the Mayweather/McGregor fight, with Nevada’s casino operators raking in $989.5 million – a record-breaking revenue.

What is happening to the Cavs?

In the crazy world of NBA basketball, one thing has been a constant in the past few years, the Cleveland Cavs always playing solidly. They might not have won every game, they perhaps haven’t blown too many sides off the court, however, they have rarely been crushed. It has been incredibly rare to see LeBron and co have to slink off the court after suffering a genuine mauling by another side.

Last night though they were left broken and bruised after a stunning performance by the Minnesota Timberwolves who raced in a 20-4 league and didn’t look back for a second. If you are feeling as lucky as the Timberwolves then come shoot some hoops with 243 ways to win on the excellent game basketball star. It is a game that combines the best of basketball with the best of slots. It is easy to play, fun to win and is the perfect way to combine a love of dunks with a passion for spins. The Cavs will be hoping their luck can turn as the season goes on.

They will be particularly worried about the fact that LeBron was kept down to only ten points and with rumours abounding that he might not be sticking around in Ohio for too long, the team need to get back on track and have the King playing at his best, sooner rather than later. It was his lowest points total in a game since October 2007 which was all the way back during his first stint with the Cavs. For a team hoping to win back the title they lost to Golden State Warriors last season they are not in great form having lost four of their last six matches as they experience travel sickness in road matches.

The margins have not made for great reading either, this 28 point loss has come hot on the heels of a 14 point deficit against the Boston Celtics and a 14 point defeat to the Sacramento Kings who currently hold a losing record. While the Cavs themselves are 26-14, they have already lost more than half as many games as they did when they won their last championship with a significant amount of games to go.

They do therefore look a little bit vulnerable, while the Warriors continue to sweep all before them with their 33-8 record, this could be the first year in a while where we do not see LeBron in the NBA finals and he decides his time back in Akron has come to an end. With the Celtics on form and the Raptors firing on all cylinders this could be a very hard year for the Cavs and LeBron.

It is important for them to get back on track quickly, to get LeBron firing again and to give a boost to the whole team. It absolutely does not feel like they are big trouble or in a crisis but they also are nowhere near their best and if any team are going to stop Golden State then they have to reach a level far higher than where the Cavaliers are at right now. They can start on the road back to the top with a win over the Raptors, a side currently above them in conference, when they meet on Friday.

Lakers Larry Nance Jr. and other players to be traded for Pelicans Anthony Davis?

The Lakers are willing to break their young core for a potential big catch in the free agency.

There have been a few bright spots in the otherwise a miserable season for the Los Angeles Lakers. They got the biggest steal last year’s draft in Kyle Kuzma. They managed to snap the winning streak of the Houston Rockets. Oh and don’t forget about their game against the Golden State Warriors when the defending champions needed an extra period just to beat the Lakers by a small margin. If anything, this has been competitive the Lakers have become in the last few seasons. But then again, sticking around like glue against the Warriors won’t be enough to bring the Lakers back to the playoffs and certainly won’t be enough to lure big names next season.

And despite their win over the struggling Atlanta Hawks which ended their losing streak, the Lakers are still at the bottom of the Western Conference thanks to their 12-27 record as they have dropped 9 of their last 10 games. And yet they are hoping to sign the likes of Paul George and LeBron James in the next off-season? Who would want to sign with a bottom-dweller team in the first place?

Despite their struggles, the Lakers are still willing to break their young core who has been the primary reason for their 12 wins this season- so far, just to have enough space for a big star. Aside from Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson whose names have been constantly included in the trade rumors, there’s a new name added and it belongs to Larry Nance Jr. Remember his dunk over Kevin Durant? Can you just imagine him doing that while wearing another uniform?

Apparently, the Lakers wanted to make sure that they will have the need cap space to lure big names come July 2018 and they are appearing to have been pushing that big panic button for a long time now.Take away the Randle problem because he’s likely to be traded anyway but Clarkson? Nance Jr.? Larry Nance Jr. may have only played 28 games this season due to injury issues and he’s only averaging 8 points per game but if you look at the Lakers’ win against the Hawks, Nance Jr. is one of their 8 players who scored in double figures, totaling 13 points and 8 rebounds. So trading Larry Nance Jr. is a big gamble despite his injury problems.

Conclusion

Just a few weeks ago, Larry Nance Jr’s name was actually included in the 6 players that the Lakers were willing to send to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis. While that trade remains a rumor to this day,  it can always happen. The question is: Will the Lakers pull the trigger this time around without any assurance that any trade will guarantee them landing LeBron James?

That remains to be seen.  

Ginebra Let go of Joe Devance, Now a Free Agent and can sign with Other Teams

What should Joe Devance do now?

While we were a bit surprised of the move, we also think that this will also be temporary and that we would see Joe Devance back in the line up in the second conference.

The 35-year-old Joe Devance and the first overall pick in 2007 has played very well under coach Tim Cone and during those times the duo has produced a total of 8 championships dating back when the two was with Star Hotshots.

Times are changing for Ginebra

Ginebra in the past years has made a lot of big moves and through the years it has changed faces. Joe Devance was instrumental in the championship run of Ginebra and while he is not exactly at his prime anymore, his skills and size are hard to come by in the PBA.  Other teams can surely lure him as most of the teams needed size in their frontcourt.

The absence of Joe Devance will give more opportunities to Raymond Aguilar and Jarvy Cruz.

Just recently, Ginebra also acquired the service of wingman John Wilson. 

Complete List of the Philippines FIBA World Cup in 2023 Training Pool. Young, can Run and Shoot

Chot Reyes early morning on January 5 announced the 23 players that will be part of the training pool for the upcoming FIBA World Cup that will be held in the Philippines.

If you are following college basketball in the Philippines then most of the names on the list may be familiar to you.  Let’s take a look.

Guards:

1. Robert Lee Bolick, San Beda College

2. Jaymar Perez, Lyceum of the Philippines

3. Juan Gomez De Llano, University of the Philippines

4. Remy Martin, Arizona State University

5. Matthew Nieto, Ateneo University

6. Andres Paul C. Desiderio, University of the Philippines

Wings:

1. Thirdy Ravena, Ateneo De Manila

2. Rodolofo Alejandro III, National University

3. Kenneth Tufflin, Far Eastern University

4. Jeo Ambohot, Colegio De San Juan De Letran

5. Kobe Paras, Cal State Northridge

6. Dwight Ramos, California State University

7. Joshua Sinclair, National University

8. Arvin Tolentino, Far Eastern University

9. Javee Moco, San Beda College

Bigs:

1. Kai Sotto, Ateneo De Manila University

2. Isaac Go, Ateneo De Manila University

3. Abu Tratter, De La Salle University

4. Ariel Jon Edu, Llandovery, college UK

5. Carl Vincent Tamayo, National University

6. Kenmark Carino, San Beda College

7. Will Allen Gozum, Mapua University

8. Troy Rike, Wake Forest University

We are a bit excited and hope these young guys train well for the 2023 FIBA World cup that will pit them against the top players all over the world including NBA players.

By no means final but for now #23for23 #💪🇵🇭❤️ #thefuture #playlouderin2023 #basketballiscominghome pic.twitter.com/Iggk4gtnpR

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) January 5, 2018

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Why Home and Away Game won’t work for the PBA

What will happen if PBA implements home and away game?

Every Ginebra game whether home or away will be Ginebra’s home at least most of the time. 

There are 12 teams in the PBA and while some of them have good followings, most of the teams won’t be able to fill a stadium or at least attract enough crowd to watch at the venue not unless the audiences are employees or families of the brand the team is representing.

Exhibit A. Championship game. Ginebra vs Meralco.  Did you see the crowd? Maybe a strong 80% of the fans watching were wearing red and whether the game was at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City or even at the 50,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bulacan, there is just no way Meralco fans can outnumber the Ginebra fans in any location in the Philippines or in the world.

PBA fans shares among teams an imbalance.

Ginebra probably has more than 60% of the total PBA fans share. Without this franchise, the PBA may already have been out of business or struggling to make ends meet. While teams like Star Hotshots, TNT, San Miguel Beermen and Alaska may also have decent followings teams like Kia, Blackwater, Phoenix are too small and brand new to compile enough fans most especially if they are not winning games. 

Specific or team fans are not concentrated in one area. 

Unlike the defunct MBA or the NBA, where the team represents an area or a city and the fans come to watch to support their local team. The PBA represents a brand and users or promoters of that brand are not in one place. 

Can you tell where most Kia owners are? Are you sure that they are even a fan of basketball or support Kia’s basketball team? Even NLEX Road Warriors could not summon enough fans to come and watch them at the Philippine Arena which is located at NLEX.  

A fan needs a reason to support a team and representing your city or even a country promotes that nationality or local pride unlike supporting a team that mainly represent a product. 

How about if we put the home court arena close to the company headquarters? 

That is an idea but we can’t always force its employees to watch the games or maybe pay overtime so they can extend already long hours of work to watch a basketball game. This won’t help especially if the league is trying to generate enough revenue.

The Verdict 

While PBA is the most popular league in the Philippines, it has failed to spread out its fans among other teams due to monopoly, imbalance exposures, and domination by a few teams. This prevented the league from growing hence they are unable to put good numbers of gate tickets on a none Ginebra game.  

As we speak teams may already be spending a lot of money and may not actually be getting enough returns on their investments. Building additional facilities or locating a good facility maybe is a task harder than anyone could imagine, not to mention the logistics and security that has to be implemented every time.  

Can you name 12 good basketball arenas in Manila or anywhere in the Philippines?

Anyway, the short answer to why home and away game will not work is: The PBA is not built for it. 

Standhardinger: A Rookie that Possesses a Veteran’s Presence

How could a rookie even before playing a single game in the league become a massive threat to teams racing for the title?

Christian Standhardinger just got the ultimate aura to put everyone in shock even before playing at least a single tournament. So to answer the question raised above, we must get to know this season’s rookie who apparently is a huge threat to the league’s powerhouses.

Despite being a rookie relative to the PBA, Christian already has the experience particularly internationally. He is a Filipino-German player who has played for some other foreign teams like Nebraska and Hawaii.

He used to play in other lands were much larger guys exist. What made his presence even more alarming is when he joined the Team Gilas Pilipinas and contributed a lot to the team with his iron inside mechanism. Christian’s like the Mini Andrei Blatche for Gilas. He could lead the offense despite not being the point guard.

Was it just Standhardinger alone who established this threat?

Well, Standhardinger undeniably has the substance of being a monster player sooner or later in the league but the tension he has unleashed within and beyond the league was practically not by him alone.

His team, the San Miguel Beermen’s name plays a relevant role in this shock. We know that the San Miguel Beermen is undefeated in the Philippine Cup. They have the 4-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, a huge guy wherein as time passes, seems that he becomes more and more unstoppable. Even Greg Slaughter, the one who can match the Kraken’s size could not get the job done.

With Standhardinger entering a very strong team, which he’s not an infamous player with, his intensity fluctuated upward. The title ‘twin towers’ became more sounding due to matchup against last cup’s champion Brgy. Ginebra which is expected to be their toughest opponent.

Standhardinger stunned the league with his presence alone already. We are all waiting for him to unleash his full potential and mix his skills to produce an even stronger and solid SMB Squad.

Rumor: Julius Randle annd Jordan Clarkson Up for Grabs

The Lakers are said to have offer two of its best players in various trades

While there’s no doubt that the current roster of the Los Angeles Lakers has both the talent and the potential to develop into a playoff-bound team, they have yet to make a significant impact in the Western Conference as they are sitting in 14th place with an 11-23 record- the second-worst record in the West. They head into their match-up against the Houston Rockets having dropped 8 of their last 10 games which include a 121-106 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers. And just by looking at their schedule, things won’t get any better for the Purple and Gold.

The Lakers are also one of the most active teams as of late as they are either trying to get rid or trade their players in hopes of creating enough cap space in hopes that they can lure superstars such as LeBron James and Paul George come July of 2018. While there’s no assurance that either LeBron and/or PG13 will sign with the Lakers, Magic Johnson and company are working round the clock trying to figure out the best trade deals that could help improve the team’s standings because as it is, it appears that they are back to doing the one thing that they are good at over the past seasons: losing tons of games.

As of now, there are two notable players whom the Lakers are reportedly trying to ship via a trade. These players are Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle. While there’s no word as to which team did the Lakers offer these two but the thing is: they are trying to trade two of the members of their young core.Jordan Clarkson is currently the team’s third-leading scorer, averaging 14 points per game. Julius Randle is averaging 12 points per game while coming off the bench the first 33 games of the season. While Randle has said that he’s accepting whatever role he will be given, sources have also said that Randle is growing unhappy with his deteriorating minutes- making it a bit easy for the Lakers to decide to offer him in a trade.

Conclusion

Trading Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle is something that the Lakers must decide on carefully because a bad trade will not improve their chances of a possible playoff appearance nor will help them lure big names come July 2018. 

Now, if you’re gonna ask this pundit on wheels as to who among Clarkson and Randle does he want the Lakers to retain, it would be Jordan Clarkson. Why? He is playing one of his best careers as a scorer, registering his highest 3-point shooting percentage at 35.2% and a true shooting percentage of 53.2% He can help the Lakers just by being the leader off the bench- something that Randle isn’t fond of doing. 

NBA in 2018: Questions that Need Answers

After a stunning pre-season which rocked the season, there are things that we are looking forward to in 2018

While there’s no question that this year’s pre-season was one of the wildest in recent memory due to the various super teams that were assembled plus the arrival of some of the promising rookies, 2018 should present the answers to the questions most of us asked prior to the start of the regular season and below are just some of the questions:

1. Will Golden State repeat as champions?
   This is probably the most obvious question everyone asked after the Warriors successfully reclaimed the NBA championship from the Cleveland Cavaliers. With the super-trio of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson still intact to this point in time, many were predicting another dominant season for the Warriors. However, numerous injuries have hit the Warriors during the first two months of the season and the fact that the Houston Rockets have started the season on fire had many questioning the Warriors’ dominance. In fact, many fans are now saying that this is the weakest the Warriors have become over the course of the 3 seasons. Sure, they are back atop the Western Conference but can they repeat as champions? That’s a different story, folks.  
2. Will OKC make it work?
   One of the stories that rocked the NBA the most was when the Oklahoma City Thunder assembled an on-paper mighty super trio of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George after getting the latter two from separate trades. On paper, this trio can almost beat any super team but the problem is, they haven’t been the team they are meant to be. Until now. Heading into their first game of 2018, the Thunder have won 8 of their last 10 games with a 20-16 record which puts them in 5th place in the West. While the Thunder have been better than they were in November, can they actually keep only winning and make a championship team out of this? We’ll be watching, OKC.
3. Will Lonzo Ball become the best rookie in history?
   Lonzo Ball was one of the most-hyped rookies in history ever since LeBron James’ pre-draft days. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the number two pick, many fans began saying that Lonzo Ball will bring the Lakers back to the Finals. As this point in time, this pundit on wheels is very much disappointed with Lonzo Ball’s performance because he is being outplayed by his own teammate, Kyle Kuzma, who is the 27thy pick in the 2017 Draft. Lonzo is still clanking most of his shots, especially from the three-point line. Will he improve? The season’s still long so there’s still plenty of time. Rookie of the Year material? Nope. 
4. Where will LeBron James take his talents next?
   This is probably one of the most nagging questions this year even before the start of the season. There were many speculations as to where His Majesty will establish his new kingdom come July of next year. One prominent destination where LeBron could land is the Lakers where he will be joining the young core that includes Lonzo Ball. Or, he could join Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in Philadelphia. Or what about Houston? The possibilities are limitless. Or, he could remain in Cleveland depending on how far will the Cavaliers go in the playoffs. 

Conclusion

One thing is certain. All of the questions above and more will be answered slowly as 2018 begins unfolding itself soon. Mind you, folks. The trade deadline is almost at hand.Remember those trade rumors? They may make noise anew come January. 

Happy New Year, everyone. 

The UAAP Season 80 Review: A Year Filled with Surprises and Drama

Nevertheless, it has been a season for the books

This season’s Men’s Basketball Tournament is more than just about the Ateneo-La Salle Rivalry.

Over the past seasons, the Men’s Basketball tournament of the UAAP has been one of the country’s most exciting basketball leagues and mind you, folks. The UAAP is more than just about the fierce rivalry between the Ateneo de Manila Bule Eagles and the De La Salle Green Archers. And Season 80 is no different at all.

For those who were probably stuck in their studies all while the basketball wars were happening, below are just some of the stories which this pundit on wheels thinks has made 2017 memorable for the UAAP fans:

Surprise!

One of the teams that made the most impact this year was the UP Fighting Maroons. And nobody expected them to win. Especially not against a powerhouse team like the Green Archers whom they beat surprisingly by a big margin. They did by shutting down the rest of the Archers as Ben Mbala was almost impossible to stop. And it worked. Throughout the entire season, Paul Desiderio hit numerous game-winning treys. Unfortunately, UP came short of making it to the Final 4 but given the fact they were able to beat La Salle, it’s only a matter of time until UP becomes a Final 4-bound team.

Ateneo’s Redemption Season

After losing in the Finals last season against Jeron Teng and company, the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles wasted no time as they began the season by winning the first 13 games only to lose on the 14th against their archrivals. Then, their backs were forced onto the wall as the Far Eastern University Tamaraws forced a sudden-death match against the number one team. Fortunately, Isaac Go redeemed himself as he nailed two clutch baskets- one that forced overtime and the other one that sealed the win for the Eagles.

In the Finals against La Salle, Isaac Go was the hero of the series as he completed a 3-point play during the dying seconds of Game 1, allowing Ateneo to take Game 1. And when La Salle was threatening for the last time in a classic Game 3, Isaac Go received a pass from Thirdy Ravena and calmly drained a three-pointer to ice things up. Victory. Redemption. George Isaac Go.

La Salle’s Drama

Losing in the Finals against the Blue Eagles was definitely a bitter pill to swallow for the Archers. After all, they were the only ones who beat the Eagles during the elimination rounds.  And they came a defensive stop away from winning a second consecutive championship. They fell short. Tears were shred. Congratulatory and consoling hugs were exchanged. In the end, La Salle lost it all. And the drama was just getting started back then.

Coach Aldin Ayo said after the Finals series that 2-time MVP Ben Mbala still has one season of eligibility with the Green Archers. Then, Mbala said he has enough of the issues surrounding his eligibility owing to the reinstatement of the “seven years out of high school” rule by the UAAP. Mbala has taken his talents to Mexico after saying that he won’t waste a year doing nothing. In a snap, things went gloomier for La Salle.

Throughout the latter part of the season, Aldin Ayo’s name has been connected to the UST coaching job. Many speculated that Ayo’s former connections from the Letran Knights were pushing for him to transfer from Taft to Espana. At first, Ayo denied the rumors, saying that his commitment was with La Salle. WAS. After a few weeks, Aldin Ayo parted ways with the Green Archers- taking with him his coaching staff. Is Aldin Ayo really headed to Espana? We’ll all have to wait. 

Conclusion

Now that the season is over in the Men’s division, there are a few questions that need answers come Season 81. Will Ateneo repeat? Possibly. Who will take over from Ayo in La Salle? Nobody knows. For now. Will the Fighting Maroons ever make it back to the Final 4? That’s up for a debate. Nevertheless, it has been a pleasant season in general- except if you’re a fan of the UST Growling Tigers. 

Balls-Eye: Cavs Could’ve Been Better if Only Wade Was the New Guy

They’ve done it before. They could’ve done it again.

The supposed to be spectacular blast of supernova due to merge of superstars turned out to be a tiny spark with a lot of smoke. Its a foggy path for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Losing Kyrie Irving gave the Cavs the need for LeBron to find another partner. One person would suffice. And if there would be anyone who’d perfectly fit the puzzle, it would be Dwyane Wade of course. They have proven their effectiveness way back when they played together for the Heat.

It would have turned out way better if a team has only one main focus.

1. Derrick Rose

Most of the time, Rose’s plays are isolations wherein he would score the basket himself through a lightning fast cut through to the unprotected rim. We know that LeBron provides this kind of offense already. The one man team style of play. If there’ll be two guys like this on the floor, in times of crisis, teamplay would be as good as dead. Another thing is that two players with this kind of mindset won’t be able to work together. Well, given that they tend to score baskets all by themselves.

2. Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas

These two great players came from the same team — the Boston Celtics and it happened when they were key players of that squad. Meaning, they already have the chemistry and sense of team play inherent between them. As a result, in most of the plays wherein I.T sets up, most probably Crowder would be its focal point.

Conclusion

Cavs maybe very strong as it appears because there are teams within the team. But that’s also what made them weak. They aren’t as compact as one when they play.

If Dwyane Wade would be the only one to be added, despite coming from the Bulls, he’ll had no one with inherent relationship except for former partner LeBron James.

Cavs do not need extra power. They just need to empower their usual source. And this would be done through Dwyane Wade behind LeBron James. 

Balls-Eye: 5 Best Power Forwards in the PBA

The guys with the perfect balance will always be the powerforwards. In all aspects they come in midway of Centers and Guards. But what makes some of them standout?

We’ll find out as we run down the 5 best power forwards we have in the Filipino Basketball.

1. Ranidel De Ocampo

A.K.A RDO, he is one of the finest forwards any team would want to have. Ranidel’s got the size to match even with centers in rebounding and post up plays. What makes him special? With his size, he could impeccably deliver from beyond the arc. A dangerous weapon for guys with the size advantage. R.D.O can take all sorts of shots depending on his defender.

2. Marc Pingris

Of course the Pinoy Sakuragi would never go out of sight when talking about some of the best power forwards. Despite having a relatively small size, he is a huge defensive obstacle. It is proven. Even the mighty Japeth Aguilar gets blocked and is having a hard time during post up matches.

3. Calvin Abueva

The beast would be considered the player with an extra impact on the floor. He’s got the intensity. He even gained prominence with the ‘Calvin Crush’ wherein he goes full speed against any defender and bangs it with his full body strength, not caring whoit is in front whether a center or a guard. He just hustles on both ends.

Another good thing about Calvin is his presence which irritates opponents and somehow gets them out of focus.

4. Japeth Aguilar

A 6 foot 9 inch gut with incredible jumping power? It is non other than Japeth Aguilar. Japeth’s got the length and the strength to go all out.

Another good thing in Japeth is that his size does not hinder his speed. He frequently finishes fast break attacks in a spectacular alley oop jams. An excellent finisher and hype provider for the team and for audiences of course.

5. Rafi Reavis

Reavis could match Aguilar’s length but he is an even better player when talking about the battle under the rim. Aguilar could shoot from the perimeter but Reavis is more efficient when cleaning up missed shots and scoring in the shaded area. Reavis is a perfect match against this era’s twin towers.

Highlights of the number one forward on our list ( Ranidel De Ocampo)

A Rocky 2017: Stories that Rocked the PBA in 2017

Ginebra’s championship run during the Governors’ Cup is just one of the many stories that happened this year (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

What a year it has been for the PBA.

In case you haven’t been updated as to what happened in the PBA during the past 12 months, well, you’ve missed a lot. From an aborted Grand Slam to a controversial trade, 2017 has been indeed a busy year for the PBA and it has been a controversial year, too.

To help you have a recap of what happened in the league, below are the stories which this pundit on wheels thinks that rocked the entire league the most:

The Standhardinger Saga

Let’s start with one of the biggest stories in local basketball scene this year. Christian Standhardinger’s name has been very much familiar with the Filipino fans owing to his stint with the Gilas Pilipinas. When he announced his intention to join the draft, it had been expected by many that he would be picked ahead of the likes of Kiefer Ravena and Jeron Teng.

Surprise!

First, he missed the Draft Combine. Then, the Kia Picanto traded away the rights to pick first in the draft to the San Miguel Beermen for a bunch of bench players. Many questions were shocked by Kia’s decision with some even questioning if they intend to become a competitive team in the future. Despite questions from almost every direction, Commissioner Chito Narvasa still approved the said deal. Despite the questions, there was nothing illegal in the deal, to begin with. It was a lopsided trade, yes but it’s within the rules and regulations of the league. 

The Chito Narvasa Stand-off

The deal that sent Standhardinger to the Beermen created a rippling effect to the league and among those affected was none other than the good commissioner, Chito Narvasa. Why? He approved the trade despite calls for him to veto him. That started a war between two factions: the one led by the MVP Group who wanted Narvasa out of the picture, and the one that was led by the SMC Group who stood behind Narvasa. The MVP Group managed to get 7 votes to terminate Narvasa’s contract which a vote short of the 8 votes required to remove or retain a commissioner. This war canceled the annual planning session of the PBA in the United States, creating speculations of a possible lockout. 

Then came along the opening day of the 43rd season. The board members gathered around during a press conference just a few hours prior to the opening ceremony- announcing that Chito Narvasa has tendered his resignation. Then, the board came up with a resolution, retaining Narvasa until the end of the year to allow Narvasa to help in the selection of his replacement. 

Who will replace him? We’ll have to wait until next week to know. 

Ginebra’s Back-to-Back Governors’ Cup Championships

Ginebra’s road to another Governors’ Cup championship wasn’t easy as many people initially thought. First, they had to face a Grand Slam-seeking San Miguel Beermen that was bannered anew by 4-time MVP, June Mar Fajardo in the quarterfinals. Then, the Gin Kings battled the TNT KaTropa in a controversial semifinal series. 

Then came to the Finals where they faced the Meralco Bolts- the same team they beat for the championship in 6 games last year.

After winning the first two games of the series, many people began coming up with predictions that Ginebra would sweep Meralco this time around. The Bolts fought back and forced a Game 7 at the Philippine Arena. However, LA Tenorio showed us that yes, despite playing through pain, he still has what it takes to lead his team to a championship and that’s what he did. He drained jumper after jumper in front of a 50,000+ crowd who trooped to the Philippine to witness Ginebra being crowned a champion anew. LA Tenorio finished the 42nd season of the PBA with a Finals MVP. 

Conclusion

As it is, 2017 will be remembered as both a controversial and an exciting year not just for the PBA but for the basketball scene in general. While we are still waiting for the replacement of Chito Narvasa as the PBA Commissioner, this pundit on wheels believes that 2018 will be a better year for the PBA. If anything, this year’s draft class is already loaded with talent enough to shock the league next year. 

ONE Championship’s Outstanding Martial Artists of 2017

While all ONE Championship athletes go out and give their all inside the cage, there is just a handful who have shown the true championship quality over the past twelve months.

These competitors have gone above and beyond their personal limits, delighting fans with spectacular performances.

Moreover, these martial artists have captured the imaginations of fans in their home countries and fans from all over

 the world.

Here are the top five martial artists who left an indelible mark on the ONE Championship stage this 2017.

#5) Aung La N Sang

Aung La N Sang is Myanmar’s most successful athlete in history, whose constricting style has earned him the moniker of ”The Burmese Python” as he owns 12 victories by way of submission.

After starting his 2017 on a sour note by losing the first world title bout of his career on 14 January at ONE: QUEST FOR POWER in Jakarta, Indonesia, Aung La N Sang redeemed himself by stunning former undefeated champion Vitaly Bigdash of Russia in a highly-anticipated rematch to be crowned the new ONE Middleweight World Champion at ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION in Yangon, Myanmar on 30 June.

Aung La N Sang was focused from the second he stepped into the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, and once the bell rang, he was unstoppable.

The 32-year-old hometown hero rocked the champion minutes into the contest and nearly secured a first-round stoppage victory.

Despite being grounded by the Russian in the following stanzas, Aung La N Sang clearly did more damage in striking exchanges throughout the course of the bout.

As a result, Aung La N Sang earned a unanimous decision nod and claimed the ONE Middleweight World Championship.

Aung La N Sang concluded his 2017 by taking part of ONE Championship’s openweight super-bout against highly-decorated heavyweight kickboxer Alain “The Panther” Ngalani, which headlined ONE: HERO’S DREAM in Yangon, Myanmar on 3 November.

Aung La N Sang weathered an early storm from his Cameroonian heavyweight opponent, working in guard to defend himself from Ngalani’s top game.

Recognizing an opening for a standing guillotine choke, Aung La N Sang wrapped his arm around Ngalani’s neck and pulled guard to finish his opponent by submission in the first round.

#4) Christian Lee

Christian “The Warrior” Lee, the younger brother of reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, began his professional career on an absolute tear, railing off five straight victories by thrilling finish.

Lee has impressed fans with his ability to seek out stoppage wins over top-caliber opponents in 2017.

After steamrolling Chinese stalwart Wan Jan Ping at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY in Manila, Philippines on 21 April, Lee  toppled fellow top featherweight Keanu Subba of Malaysia in his most recent bout, winning by third-round submission in a competitive contest at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18 August.

The 19-year-old Singaporean martial arts sensation took another step in fulfilling all of those on 9 December as he delivered a masterful performance against former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku at ONE: WARRIORS OF THE WORLD in Bangkok, Thailand.

In perhaps his most impressive performance to date, Lee brought his best against a dangerous opponent in Boku as he employed the perfect strategy and completed a rapturous knockout triumph that undoubtedly signals his readiness to challenge the upper tier of talent in the promotion’s most stacked division.

Bringing the action right to Boku, Lee blasted the Japanese veteran with powerful strikes, takedowns and submission attempts.

Just past the three-minute mark, Lee quickly took Boku’s back and executed a textbook trip takedown with such incredible power that it knocked Japanese veteran out.

The impressive win over Boku was Lee’s seventh first-round stoppage victory and tied the promotional record for most finishes at eight.

#3) Kevin Belingon

Representing the famed Team Lakay in Baguio City, Philippines, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is one of the country’smost talented martial artists with a professional record of 16-5.

Belingon is known as a fierce competitor with the ability to finish opponents in a variety of methods as the 29-yearold Wushu practitioner owns seven huge knockouts on his resume and is considered as one of the most feared strikers in ONE Championship’s deep bantamweight division.

Since losing to reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes in January 2016, Belingon has barged through his top rivals with a slew of fearsome striking performances and showcased his incredible punching power.

It began  with a thorough defeat of Tajikistan’s highly-touted Muin Gafurov in October 2016, followed by a complete first-round annihilation of Finnish submission wizard Toni “Dynamite” Tauru at ONE KINGS OF DESTINY in Manila, Philippines on 21 April.

Those two consecutive wins earned Belingon a showdown with top bantamweight contender Reece “Lightning” McLaren at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18 August.

Belingon needed just 62 seconds to end matters abruptly as he began the bout-ending sequence by dropping McLaren with a well-placed overhand right.

As the Aussie crashed to the canvas, Belingon followed with a relentless volley of punches to finish the contest.

At ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in Manila, Philippines on 10 November, Belingon scored his fourth straight victory by defeating Korean-American contender Kevin “Old Boy” Chung via unanimous decision.

With his recent excellence inside the ONE Championship cage, Belingon is validating his case for a title rematch against Fernandes in 2018.

#2) Alex Silva

Alex “Little Rock” Silva just wrapped up a banner year in ONE Championship as the 35-year-old Brazilian submission wizard brilliantly defeated a pair of top contenders and then outclassed previously-undefeated titleholder Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito to clinch the ONE Strawweight World Championship.

Following his third-round submission of Filipino journeyman Roy Doliguez at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 10 February, Alex “Little Rock” Silva displayed his elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills on another elite Japanese martial artist.

Silva met an unbeaten Hayato Suzuki, a highly-regarded wrestler and Grachan champion, on the undercard of ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in Manila, Philippines on 10 November.

Fans expected a technical ground war with two talented grapplers each wanting to showcase their best techniques, but what they got instead was a complete shocker.

From out of nowhere, Silva out-scrambled Suzuki following a takedown attempt and latched onto an armbar that forced a quick tap from Suzuki.

The result marked Suzuki’s first loss in 20 bouts as a professional and conversely catapulted Silva to an eventual world title shot weeks later.

Silva routed Naito by way of unanimous decision to bring home the ONE Strawweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: WARRIORS OF THE WORLD in Bangkok, Thailand on 9 December.

Honorable mention:

Amir Khan of Singapore, Mei Yamaguchi of Japan, and Jomary Torres of the Philippines.

#1) Martin Nguyen

Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Sydney, Australia is a highly-skilled finisher and one of the most talented martial artists in the world today.

Sporting a 10-1 professional record, Nguyen’s all-around skill set allows him to compete at the highest level of competition.

2017 had been a remarkable year for Nguyen as he captured two coveted world titles. Nguyen stepped into the ONE Championship cage on 18 August at ONE: QUEST FOR GREATNESS in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, notching his first gold under the ONE Championship banner when he stopped former undefeated featherweight champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov to claim the ONE Featherweight World Championship.

Nguyen wrote his name in history books as the first man to hold two world titles simultaneously in ONE Championship by knocking out beloved Filipino martial arts superstar Eduard “Landslide” Folayang to bring home the ONE Lightweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD in Manila, Philippines on 10 November.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit http://www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram@ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Kyle Kuzma SHOULD Be an All-Star

He’s outplaying other rookies including Lonzo Ball.

Over the course of the season, almost everyone is saying the same thing: Kyle Kuzma is definitely the steal of the draft. And the Los Angeles Lakers have the Brooklyn Nets to thank for. 

Imagine if the Lakers didn’t trade D’Angelo Russell to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and the rights to pick Kuzma, the 27th pick in the 2017 Draft, the Lakers would have been in a much worse situation owing to Lonzo Ball’s struggles in terms of putting the ball into the basket.  Of course, Lonzo Ball is getting more attention from the media because of the tremendous amount of hype that he got even before the draft and of course, thanks to his equally famous father, LaVar Ball.

While many fans initially thought that Lonzo Ball would be the new face of a franchise who has been enduring long spells of no playoff appearances, they are dead wrong. Who is the Lakers’ scoring leader this season? Not Lonzo Ball. Not Brandon Ingram. It’s the guy wearing the #0, Kyle Kuzma.

Kuzma has been averaging 18 points per game while playing for 31 minutes. He’s making 49% of his shot attempts including 41% of his attempts from the three-point line- leading the Lakers. But what made people go crazy and began campaigning for Kuzma to play in the All-Star Game is his performance in the last two weeks. How good ios Kuzma during that period?

• 26 points per game
• 7 rebounds
• 52% field goal shooting

On Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuzma exploded for 31 points- the most for a rookie player who played on Christmas Day since LeBron James had 34 back in 2003. No wonder why the King himself was also impressed with #0. Kuzma went 6 for 13 from the three-point line and had 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot. 

Conclusion

Will these numbers equalize to Kyle Kuzma getting a spot in the All-Star Game? Definitely. Rookie of the Year? That’s not impossible. Face of the franchise? YEP! 

For now, Kyle Kuzma is performing as if he’s not a rookie. He may have his down moments but the beauty of it, he keeps on coming back way better and he has already broken many rookie-related records. Example? He became the first rookie since Jerry West to average 25 points, at least, in 3 consecutive games. 

No wonder why many teams are now scratching their heads. They missed the chance to have Kuzma on board. And they missed BIG TIME. 

Crucial Powerhouse Encounter: Who Will Remain Standing in Rockets Celtics Clash?

Houston Rockets slide down to number 2 spot after three consecutive awful defeats. On the other hand, the Celtics is trying to keep a hold on East’s top spot. What could be even better if these two teams face each other? And much more importantly, who would be victorious after 48 minutes of action?

Okay, folks let us start with the Houston Rockets.

James Harden scored 51 points twice and lost both games. Facing the thunder, he was outshone by Russell Westbrook. He scored relatively high but misses a lot of shots. James Harden is in his worst shooting form.

Rockets losing in the 1st two games were without Clint Capela. It was thought to be the reason until he came back, and lose against OKC.

How about Celtics?

They aren’t on a losing streak currently but still, one thing is their problem. The unproductive Aron Baynes. Kyrie Irving, being the top scorer for Boston against the Washington Wizards didn’t shoot well. With these scenarios, a strong center is needed, which Celtics does not have.

The solution would be its either Irving must shoot efficiently or Baynes’ effective rebounding.

Who would win the game?

Weighing in all the facts, Rockets have a bigger problem than Celtics. We can notice that if Irving is playing well, most of the time Celtics win. On the other hand, Harden playing extremely well isn’t enough to take the Rockets pass the opponent.

Expect a head to head isolation plays between Harden and Irving.

On the other hand, in terms of the shaded area, Rockets has the advantage with Clint Capela.

If Irving won’t deliver from the outside well, Rockets would win.

If, Harden would hold the ball most of the time, Celtics would win due to lack of team play.

Twin Tower Era: Who’s Magnolia Hotshots’ Trump Card?

Despite Magnolia’s loss on Christmas Classico, it turned out to be a healthy one. They seem to have drawn a trump card concealed inside their deep deck. A duo who could stop and counter the force of the threatening era of the twin towers of San Miguel and of course their recent opponent, Brgy Ginebra.

Facing the Brgy Ginebra squad is and will always be an ultimate test of character. Talking about Greg and Japeth combination, the shaded area seems to be preoccupied all the time due to this enormous beasts.

However, the Hotshots somehow kept up with the very dense Ginebra interior. The wall-like defense of the twin towers became the key for Hotshots to unlock their hidden weapon that could match the towers.

Smaller but still with power

Who can be able to stop the Pinoy Sakuragi Marc Pingris whenever he post-ups. He’s a great match against Japeth Aguilar despite the height disadvantage. Ping just outwits size with strength and agility. Another good thing about Pingris is that he could deliver one-handed floaters — a great way to shoot over huge players.

How about Gregzilla?

Slaughter might be the biggest player but still, he’s not the only big man existing in the league. Magnolia’s roster has a smaller but way faster and athletic player. Ian Sangalang hustled in their recent game both offensively and defensively.

What’s Sangalang’s advantage over Slaughter?

If Slaughter’s advantage were size, Sangalang’s got the speed. He could run in transition and finish fast breaks. In addition, fast breaks are twin towers’ weakness due to the high pace of the transition which they commonly could not keep up. Therefore, Sangalang can be considered the biggest man in terms of transition baskets.

Conclusion

You may never win in a head to head battle against players way bigger than you are but there is always some weak points that when taken advantage of, will be very effective and fatal. The key to outplaying the twin towers is through individual agility and team’s high offensive pace.

Scrutinizing Dubs: A Completely Different Team Without Curry

Steph Curry’s absence is just a huge void for the Dubs.

It is evident that the Warriors lost due to being completely lost with their rhythm, especially on the offensive end. One good example of this drastic scenario is their latest game, which happened to be their latest terrible loss.

96 – 81. Losing so badly is unusual for the Warriors but what makes this even more unusual is the fact that 81 points is very much low when speaking of the Warriors which is an extremely offensive team.

We already know that Warriors’ suddenly shrinks without Curry. What’s interesting are the possible reasons lingering behind.

1. Klay Thompson could not focus as a shooting guard and could not play point guard at least as effective as Curry.

It is indeed a fact that Klay aside from Steph is also one of the best shooters in the league, but his playing position contributes to it much and thus the position he plays would extremely affect the way and the intensity of his performance.

Without Steph as the main playmaker, Klay could not primarily focus on his own play to make shots but his time and energy are subdivided into making shots for his teammates before making shots for himself. Thus, Thompson’s outside domination and the entire play of Warriors would be adversely affected.

2. KD Would be Offensively Inconsistent

Kevin Durant is a ferocious offensive monster and would score enormously from time to time. But without a point guard which sets him up most of the time, we could expect a great finisher to struggle and stumble at times, which was exactly what happened during the Nuggets game. Durant shot 6-17 from the field and missed all his outside attempts, 5 to be exact. Which leads us to the 3rd reason

3. Outside Shooting Significantly Drops

Steph is the main trigger to be pulled whenever outside shooting is urgent. Without him shooting impeccably, Warriors’ production would drop down and the game would probably result in a loss, to prevent this, Warriors have the instinct that they need to cover up this insufficiency. Thus somebody must take outside shots either with comfort or with force. Durant doesn’t have it that night against Nuggets but still as one of the team’s key player, he needs to do the shooting and unluckily, all five missed.

Conclusion

Warriors’ isn’t all about Steph Curry but a team diminished by a major role player will always turn out to be a different one in the late phase of the story.

Update: Isaiah Thomas Attitude Getting Worse as he gets Closer to Return says LeBron James

LeBron James Comment on Isaiah Thomas Should Worry Other Teams.

In an interview, LeBron James was asked about the attitude of Isaiah and he was quick to say that it is getting worse and worse everytime you get an inch closer to something you love to do. This should be taken on a positive note as LeBron James are seeing signs of how Thomas wants to be back and make an impact.

Cleveland is not doing bad without him, currently, at 3rd in the Eastern Conference only behind rival Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, Isaiah Thomas entry to the roster is a welcome and anticipated addition but some are already hesitant about how he would greatly impact the chemistry of the Cavs.

Isaiah Thomas has never officially played as a Cavaliers since the blockbuster trade which swapped him for Kyrie Irving. Thomas is eager to be back on the court and has recently posted a video of him dunking.

IT 👀 #thatslowgrind (via @kayla_jasmin_) #thehoopgods

A post shared by The Gods Of Hoops 🔥 (@thehoopgods) on Dec 24, 2017 at 2:08pm PST

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Thomas did not play on Christmas Day against the Warriors, but he recently got through a full-contact, 5-on-5 practice with the Cavs’ G-League affiliate. Thomas is targeted to return January or in two weeks but Coach Tyrone Lue has not ruled out an earlier return.

Thomas was the main man of the Celtics averaging about 28 points per game and while that role will change in Cleveland, he has already promised to score close to 30 points once he returns in the lineup.

Balls-Eye: Top 5 Point Guards to Hustle this Season

With a known disadvantage brought by the presence of two twin towers. The playmaker providing an extra boost for the team is a must. Here are 5 players that will surely go head-to-head this season.

1. Scottie Thompson

Despite Brgy Ginebra having its own twin tower. They are one of the must beat team today. They need some extra push aside from Japeth and Greg and extra efforts require some exceptionality which Scottie Thompson possesses. His unusual style of playing as a guard would increase Gin Kings’ unpredictability.

2. Terrence Romeo

Of course, Romeo wouldn’t be missing in action. It became his nature as a huge scorer for the Batang Pier. Romeo is also hungry for the title. At his young career, he already has proven himself and there’s only one thing left to cement his legacy, winning a title. Surely, Romeo gets fiercer and fiercer with every cup that he and Globalport haven’t won or even reached the finals.

3 and 4. James Yap and Paul Lee

As criticisms arise that trading these two guys onto each other’s respective teams are ineffective. Yap and Lee surely have the drive to convert criticisms into fallacies. Both of their teams were powerhouses and they do not want them though explicit, be these teams reason to sink to the abyss.

5. Jayson Castro

Who can match the speed of the blur? The best point guard in Asia would never be left behind the point guard showdown. Though it might be hard for Castro to penetrate when against Ginebra and SMB, he’ll make threes rain on the arena.

The Kiefer Ravena and Terrence Romeo Battle: Who will win?

Both are proven scorers in their collegiate careers. Who will prevail on their Christmas clash?

When Kiefer Ravena first announced that he would be finally joining the draft, most basketball pundits, including this one, thought that it would be worth all those years of waiting because Kiefer Ravena has long been ready to turn pro owing to his vast experience that he acquired while trying out for the NBA D-League in the United States and also his successful stint with the Gilas Pilipinas which earned him his 4th gold medal in the South East Asian Games earlier this year.

During his first PBA game for the NLEX Road Warriors against the Kia Picanto, the Phenom led the way with 18 points and 12 assists to win on his first game, 119-115. Even Coach Yeng Guiao was impressed with Ravena’s performance, even saying that Ravena is exactly what the doctor ordered. And we all know that the usually hot-headed Yeng Guiao isn’t someone you can easily impress.

Up next for the Road Warriors?

They will be facing the GlobalPort Batang Pier of Terrene Romeo and Stanley Pringle. But let’s just focus on one particular match-up that we’ve already seen in the UAAP, the match-up featuring Kiefer Ravena going up against the Bro, Terrence Romeo.

To begin with, these two guards have already battled each other multiple times during their respective careers in the UAAP which was highlighted by a Finals slugfest which ended up in Ravena’s Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles hoisting the championship after beating the FEU Tamaraws of Romeo.

While Manong Kiefer may have the numbers against the Bro, this is the PBA.

In terms of experience, Terrence Romeo obviously has the upper hand in this battle of two explosive guards in the PBA. He is already a multi-time scoring champion and that is something we can expect Kiefer to do in his career. And Kiefer Ravena is also one of the few players who can engage in a scoring battle against Romeo.

So who will win tomorrow?

Prediction: The GlobalPort Batang Pier will win

Why? Experience is why. 

Conclusion

While Kiefer Ravena may be a rookie, Terrence Romeo may want to watch his back come tomorrow because the Phenom might make a run for the scoring championship and, the win. And we all know that Yeng Guiao always has something under his sleeves to defends guards like Romeo. Either way, this will be an exciting match-up, right? 

What Mbala’s departure means for La Salle and for the UAAP in general?

Mbala’s decision is final and is taking his talents to Mexico

Ever since coming into the UAAP last season, Ben Mbala has become a force to be reckoned with. Literally and figuratively, he’s a beast on the court and has become the main defensive anchor of the De La Salle Green Archers for the last two seasons. He won the MVP twice and is a member of the Mythical Team for two seasons. He helped La Salle win the first 13 games of the UAAP back in Season 79 before winning the championship against the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles.

Heading into Season 80, La Salle was tagged as favorites to repeat as champions despite losing Jeron Teng to graduation. And despite missing Ben Mbala for the first two games of the season due to Mbala’s commitment to his country’s national team, the Green Archers went on to return the favor to the Blue Eagles by ending the latter’s 13-game winning streak. Both teams went to the Finals again where Ateneo finally won the championship after winning the series, 2-1.

Coach Aldin Ayo has indicated right after the Finals that Ben Mbala will return for Season 81.

That was a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately for Aldin Ayo and company, they will have to figure things out on their own come next season because Ben Mbala has made the hardest and most heart-breaking decision not to return to the Green Archers. According to the reigning two-time MVP, his decision to leave La Salle was motivated by the questions surrounding his eligibility to play next season. This was due to the reports that the “Seven Year out of High School” rule has already lapsed. This rule was imposed by the UAAP to ease the lack of recruitment that was brought about by the implementation of the K-12 curriculum. Additionally, Ben Mbala has said that he felt it was already high time for him take his talents elsewhere instead of staying in Manila, doing nothing. He is now set to play in Mexico.

What Mbala’s departure means for La Salle and for the UAAP in general?

There’s no denying the fact that Ben Mbala is one of the best foreign players to play in the UAAP and La Salle will sorely miss him due to his competitiveness and the fact that he is almost impossible to guard. Replacing Mbala’s numbers would be a big headache for La Salle because it’s not every day that you see a kind of player who can score as if he’s LeBron James.

While La Salle will have headaches due to Mbala’s decision not to return, this could also mean less headache for the rest of the league. They won’t have to defend someone who is virtually unguardable. Also, Mbala’s decision has already made Ateneo’s road to repeating as champions, less complicated. 

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Conclusion

Who will lead La Salle come next season and beyond? Like it or not, La Salle still has many players who can take over the leadership role and one of those guys is Ricci Rivero who played tremendously great this season. While losing Ben Mbala will be a big blow for La Salle, this will also allow other players to blossom. 

Kiefer Ravena versus Jeron Teng: Who has the better debut game?

Rivalry Continues: Ravena vs Teng

(Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Yesterday’s games marked the beginning of the PBA careers of two of the top 5 picks from this year’s draft, Kiefer Ravena of the NLEX Road Warriors and, Jeron Teng of the Alaska Aces. Both young men have well-decorated collegiate careers in the UAAP  with both winning multiple championships for their respective teams plus MVPs and  Finals MVPs. So there’s no surprise at all that these two were included among the top prized rookies in this year’s draft. In fact, if Christian Stanhardinger wasn’t picked as the top pick, many pundits believed that either Ravena or Teng could have been the top pick. Either way, these two will go head-to-head for the Rookie of the Year award because Standhardinger will miss a big chunk of this season due to his ABL stint.

Question: Who got a better debut in their respective debuts?

Let’s start by comparing the numbers:

• Kiefer Ravena: 18 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, 7 for 11 shooting
• Jeron Teng: 16 points, 0 assists, 2 rebounds, 4 for 9 shooting

Statistically, Manong Kiefer had a better debut, even better than his father, Bong Ravena who only had 2 points in his first PBA game. While the younger Ravena is already a proven scorer during his college days and even in the amateur ranks, his playmaking ability is what separates him from Standhardinger and Teng. He also had 2 steals and played for 29 minutes and helped to get the big W for the Road Warriors.  

Jeron Teng, on the other hand, is a talented player and only fools will think otherwise. He may not have won on his first game but we all know that he can get better as the season progresses. 

Conclusion

It’s only one game and one good game doesn’t mean a player is already the Rookie of the Year. But there’s no denying the fact that both Kiefer Ravena and Jeron Teng will be the future of the PBA and we are in for a show of this generation’s new breed of basketball stars. Christian Standhardinger may be the top pick but both Ravena and Teng will make the loudest of the noise among rookies not because of their names but because of what they can do with the ball in their hands.  

Who will win the ROY? Prediction: Kiefer Ravena

Balls-Eye: Beermen Challenges Gin Kings’ Twin Towers

With the huge addition of Christian Standhardinger on the SMB Squad, liquor just got even stronger so they may destroy the mighty Barangay Ginebra or give them a hard time at the very least.

Nevertheless, it was a great news that Greg Slaughter came back before this foreseen epic battle commence. He already managed to play a cup and won a title with Ginebra, a great preparation to take on SMB this coming season.

We know how much Ginebra’s twin towers provide comfort for their team in battling for the boards and establishing an impenetrable interior but now they aren’t the only monster duo inside the shaded zone. 

Here comes another perilous tandem, the Kraken June Mar Fajardo and the inside crushing Christian Standhardinger.

It’s not as though June Mar couldn’t handle big guys alone but his job will be much easier now that he isn’t the only one to do the role of a big man.

SMB will be a huge obstacle in Ginebra’s road to conquering this era. Outside shooting may be the most effective counter if inside seems unbeatable yet SMB is also a team packed with shooters. No place to counter, the team who wants victory must excel both under the rim and beyond the arc.

With the threat against the twin towers being shut down, who can fill in the hypothetical void to be left?

Scottie Thompson, Ginebra’s rebounding point guard will be put to a very extreme test of his potentials, facing a team with huge guys. Can he still manage to hook his surprise boards? Can he surpass the limits of his outside shooting? This is just one of the many things we all should get excited about. More and more match ups and trends will arise once this teams try to take down each other.

Games and Amusement Board headed by Chairman Baham Mitra Offers to Conciliate the PBA

GAB supports PBA unity, offers to conciliate – Mitra

The PBA has been quiet for sometime now, especially after a series of league shaking news and rumors. While the PBA has not announced any changes in the league or it’s opennings the public remain warry of what is to happen next especially since the separation and creation of two factions that divided the league over the status of Commisioner Chito Narvasa. Baham Mitra of the Games and Amusement Board offers to have a dialogue with the league stakeholders to help put their differences aside. Below is the official statement.  

“Just like every Filipino fan, the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) looks forward to a united league that will bring out the best of all the 12 teams. If you need the Board’s support to mend your differences, we’re ready to broker unity talks,” GAB Chairman Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra said. 

The PBA has had to adjust its league schedule to enable the teams to be at their peak condition during international matches as the Asian World Cup qualifiers and other games of Team Philippines. However, on top of such adjustments, the PBA contended with leadership issues. Five teams, namely, San Miguel Beer, Ginebra, Magnolia, GlobalPort and Kia remain loyal to Chito Narvasa while seven teams composed of TNT, Meralco, NLEX, Alaska, Rain or Shine, Phoenix and Blackwater, had a falling out with him.

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“As a governing body in charge of the PBA, our interest is to ensure that the league is united and is in full capacity to operate for the interest of the Filipino fans. I am willing to mediate,” said Mitra, a self-confessed basketball fan.

“Our lines are open and will always be available for patching up their differences, especially for the number 1 basketball league in the Philippines.  Like the rest of the country, we’re excited and everyone hopes to attend the opening night. I wish to have a quick dialogue with stakeholders and of course see the current and newest players.”

“Although Narvasa’s contract is up for extension or termination on December 31 yet, the rest of the country and the Board want the fractious league to be united again as soon as possible. Players and teams don’t need distractions. We want them to be focused on their game,” Mitra said.

“The Philippines is set to enjoy the glory days of basketball. That’s the trajectory we want for the PBA.”

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Will the PBA resolve their issue before opening night?

Yes

No

Maybe

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