Joe Devance

Ginebra Loses Anew as Aces Pound on Slaughter’s Absence

(Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Alaska Uses a Big Third Quarter to Get Third Straight Win

Sometimes, having a bully on your team helps a lot especially when you’re up against the elite teams in the PBA such as the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. The bully on your team will do the dirty works against the opponents’ best player from mind tricks to small antics that will take the focus out of that specific and even, absorb some elbows along the way. Usually, the bully on your team is your team’s main muscle man. Fortunately for the Alaska Aces, they do have their own muscle man and that man is none other than Vic Manuel.
Greg Slaughter is nowhere on the court but on the bench. Joe Devance isn’t playing just yet. Both men were forced to watch as their team got dominated for the second time around, this time by the surging Alaska Aces, 97-83. The Aces of Alex Compton hiked their win number to 3 after starting the season with two consecutive losses. On the other hand, Ginebra has dropped its second straight game exactly 9 days after their stunning loss at the hands of the Blackwater Elites.
What happened in the game? Below are the numbers:

The absence of Gregzilla balanced things out

Greg Slaughter has played a vital role in Ginebra’s Governors’ Cup championship which earned him the Best Player of the Conference award. So it’s no surprise that Ginebra missed him during last night’s encounter against the Aces as Alaska took advantage of the situation. Offensively, the Aces shot 44% from the field which also includes a 43% shooting from the 2-point area. This is precisely because Slaughter wasn’t around to challenge the Aces’ slashers. It also enabled the biggies of Alaska to do their works as Sonny Thoss had 17 points, complimenting the efforts of Vic Manuel who led the Aces with 18 points. The Aces also won the rebounding battle, 45-43.

Vic Manuel’s Efforts

Over the last few years, Vic Manuel has established a reputation as a bruiser, someone you wouldn’t enjoy playing against because of the mere fact that he will find ways to knock the ball out of your hands or worse, to frustrate you and eventually, take away your focus in the game. And we all saw Vic Manuel’s efforts to the fullest last night as he led the Aces with his18 points- 14 of those points came in the 2nd half when the Aces ran havoc against the puzzled Gin Kings. He shot 6 for 15 from the field and made 6 of his 8 attempts from the free throw line. Manuel also added  6 rebounds while playing for 23 minutes.

Conclusion

The good news for the Gin Kings though, they have until Friday to prepare for their game against the Phoenix Fuel Masters. It should give them enough time to ponder on their mistakes. It should give Tim Cone to plan the needed adjustments should Greg Slaughter miss that game, again because despite the Fuel Masters’ 2-2 record, Phoenix has vastly improved. Will Ginebra finally break their losing streak? They better. Why? The league-leading San Miguel Beermen are next after Friday. 

Jeron Teng Looks Forward to 1st Game against Ginebra

Jeron Teng
(Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

The son of Alvin Teng embraces confidence boost heading into battle against the giants

After winning their first two games to open the league’s 43rd season, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings looked like the team who is ready to take down the league’s best all-Filipino crew, the San Miguel Beermen. Then, they ran into the path of the Blackwater Elites who in turn, handed the Gin Kings their first taste of defeat this conference, 94-77. While the fans of the Gin Kings are hoping that their team will bounce back from this setback, they are heading into another anticipated battle and it’s not some mediocre team, folks. It’s the Alaska Aces who are now bannered by Calvin Abueva AND their prized rookie, Jeron Teng.
Facing the Gin Kings may be a daunting task but one player is looking forward to it and that player is Jeron Teng. In fact, the son of former PBA player, Alvin Teng, is the welcoming the confidence boost that he gained from breakaway third quarter against the Kia Picanto when outscored the entire Kia team, 13-5. Folks, that’s 13 of his 23 points in the win- Alaska’s 2nd straight.

Question: Can Ginebra defend Jeron Teng?

Realistically, Ginebra has no one on their current roster ASIDE from Joe Devance that can match-up the intensity of Jeron Teng on both ends of the court. As we saw in their previous game against Blackwater, Ginebra struggled to defend Mac Belo who scored 22 points despite making 6 of 17 shots. Aside from Belo, Ginebra also failed to limit Allein Maliksi who added 17 points for the win. 
Having said that, Ginebra will have their hands full on Jeron Teng aside from the Beast, Calvin Abueva. Sure, they can contain the Beast but defending Jeron Teng is another story all throughout. Tim Cone could send out Kevin Ferrer or even start Japeth Aguilar at the 3 spot to try to defend Teng. But then, we’re talking about Tim Cone, ladies and gentlemen, the winningest coach in the history of the PBA. One way or another, he’ll figure things out. But then again, we’re also talking about defending Jeron Teng. 

Prediction: Alaska will stun the Gin Kings in Sunday’s game, January 21.

The Pros and Cons of Keeping Joe Devance

(Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Free agent Devance says he is staying with Barangay Ginebra

In the NBA, we have Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan, among others. These are the best coach-player tandems that were virtually successful throughout their stint together. Duncan, for one, has stuck with his coach through thick and thin in a relationship that lasted for almost two decades which produced 5 championships for the San Antonio Spurs. In the PBA, we have that rare combination of a coach and a player who could win together. Among those pairs is Tim Cone and Joe Devance.
The two won multiple championships together with the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers including Tim Cone’s second grand slam and now, to Governors’ Cup championships with the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. In fact, Tim Cone has said it in numerous times that Joe Devance has been one of the best players he has coached in his decorated coaching career owing to  the fact that Devance’s height plus his ability to play all 5 positions gives Tim Cone the flexibility to put Devance in any given position depending on the need and the situation.
However, their relationship is currently facing a threat as Joe Devance was surprisingly tagged as a free agent by the Gin Kings. The good news is, Joe Devance has already said that he’s sticking with the crowd darlings despite looming interest from Coach Louie Alas of the Phoenix Fuel Masters who said that signing Joe Devance will be a long shot.
Question: assuming that Ginebra decides to re-sign Joe Devance anew, what are the pros and cons of doing so?

Pros: Versatility and Flexibility

As mentioned above, Joe Devance is one of the few guys in the PBA who can play any position with ease. He can do almost everything for the Gin Kings. He can defend well because of his height and wingspan. He can be a point guard who can also shoot long-distance bombs. He’s almost a complete package for Tim Cone. No wonder why Tim Cone loves this guy. 

Cons: Fewer Minutes for New Guys. And fewer Opportunities

While keeping JDV will enable the Gin Kings to have a reliable scorer off the bench, his roster spot and playing minutes will be eaten and these are the things that can be given to the new guys like Jett Manuel or give more minutes for Jervy Cruz.
Additionally, imagine the possibilities if JDV is to be traded for younger players? Who knows? The core of the Gin Kings are not getting younger so they will have to start looking into the long run and start looking for new players who can take over once the veterans call it a career. But then again, JDV is still JDV. 

Conclusion

While it’s already possible that Ginerba will keep JDV, for now, it’s also unlikely that he will finish the season or his career with Ginebra. But then again, who would want to break a winning tandem like Tim Cone and Joe Devance? 

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.

Joe Devance Missing the Philippine Cup: How will it Affect Ginebra?

Joe Devance’s absence will be huge

Joe Devance has played a crucial role in Ginebra’s championship run during the Governors’ Cup. 
Make no mistake about it, folks. Joe Devance is one of Coach Tim Cone’s favorite players. Why?
Joe Devance has been one of the few PBA players who can effectively play any position and defend any position as well. That’s what makes JDV unique. But more than anything else, ever since Joe Devance came over to the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and reunite with Tim Cone, good things have started to come Ginebra’s way.
Joe Devance has been a vital piece to Ginebra’s back-to-back Governors’ Cup championships- both against Allen Durham and the rest of the Meralco Bolts. In the 2017 edition of the Governors’ Cup Finals which went to a Game 7, JDV has produced notably good numbers and came to the Gin Kings’ rescue whenever they needed a basket or a defensive stop. His height and wingspan makes him a perfect complement to Ginebra’s Twin Towers of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar. JDV has averaged 12 points and 5 rebounds during the closing conference of the 2016-2017 season.

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However, with the upcoming Philippine Cup starting on December 17, there’s one problem that may affect Ginebra’s chances this conference especially if they want to challenge the San Miguel Beermen. According to Coach Tim Cone, Joe Devance has recently gone under the knife to remove a bunion in his left foot which has been bothering him during the past conferences. This surgery will require JDV out of basketball-related actions for the next 3 months.

How will this affect Ginebra?

For starters, Ginebra will lose one of its power forwards who can shoot and score threes. Additionally, someone from the bench of Tim Cone will need to double his effort to at least, cover that 12 points per game that they will be losing. 
Fortunately, Ginebra will have Art Dela Cruz back as he has recovered from his injury. And, JDV’s absence will enable Tim Cone to field rookie Jett Manuel, Ginebra’s first-round pick in the PBA Draft.

Conclusion

One way or another, Ginebra will miss the services of Joe Devance once the season kicks off. But who knows? It might be a blessing in disguise. Who knows? JDV might come back as a better player eventually. For now, Ginebra will have to do with their current roster. 

Back to Basics: 3 Things Ginebra Must Do Tonight to Win it All

Failure to do these things might force a Game 7. Might

Scottie Thompson 2017 Governors Cup Finals
With Sol Mercado out, the rest of the Ginebra guards must step up in Game 6. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

After a convincing outing from LA Tenorio who was held scoreless in Game 4, after Greg Slaughter started for the first time in the series and scored 17 points in their Game 5 victory at the Philippine Arena which was witnessed by more than 34,000 fans, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, the defending Governors’ Cup champions, can clinch the title with a win tonight in Game 6 at the Philippine Arena. 
The only question is: Can the Gin Kings pull it out and celebrate tonight? It’s up to the Gin Kings themselves. But one thing is certain: the Meralco Bolts will rely on Allen Durham anew to carry the majority of the Bolts’ scoring load come tonight’s Game 6.
Now, we all know that the Bolts can definitely force a Game 7 on Friday IF they can hit their target, especially from rainbow country. If you’re Ginebra, wouldn’t it better if you can celebrate tonight rather than go home and prepare yourselves for a slugfest on Friday? Should the Gin Kings do the things below, there won’t be a Game 7 to worry about:

Limit Allen Durham’s Output

Okay. This is easier said than done for any team who is playing against the Meralco Bolts. Keep in mind, folks, Allen Durham is a two-time Best Import awardee and his numbers don’t lie either. In their Game 5 defeat, Durham scored 27 points, leading all scorers from both teams, on 52% field goal shooting. He also had 19 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks If anything, the Gin Kings should be wary of Durham’s capability to unleash a scoring onslaught especially now that the Bolts’ season is on the line. 

What to do? 

Tim Cone should put his best defenders on Allen Durham. Throw in double teams whenever Durham is in the post. Frustrate him and you take away Meralco’s power source. Whoever Tim Cone will be sending in to guard Durham will have his hands full. Now, who among the giants of Ginebra can defend the smaller Durham? 
Answer: All of them. Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, Justin Brownlee and yes, even Joe Devance can make life miserable for Allen Dirham especially on the offensive end primarily because of the formers’ height advantage.

The Guards Must Step Up

With Sol Mercado out indefinitely due to the injury that he sustained back in the closing seconds of Game 4 which was won by the Bolts, the play setting duty falls to the hands of Tineyte, LA Tenorio who played for 40 minutes in Game 5 and scored 17 points. Earlier this week, Tenorio indicated that he doesn’t mind playing for 48 MINUTES if the need arises but, he doesn’t have to do that, right? 

What to do?

Scottie Thompson MUST step out of his shooting slump and take parts of the defensive pressure away from Tenorio because in case you’ve forgotten, Tenorio is already playing with a problematic arm so the last thing you will need is Tenorio aggravating that arm injury due to the fact hat the rest of the Ginebra guards are struggling to pick up the pace. 
Tim Cone may even opt to allow Jay Jay Helterbrand play for longer minutes because whether we like it or not, Helterbrand can still contribute as we saw in last year’s Game 6 of the Governors’ Cup Finals. 
And, what a better way to clinch a title than with Helterbrand teaming up with old pal, Mark Caguioa, on the floor, for one final time, for possibly their final championship run, together? Fans will definitely go nuts if the old Fast and the Furious duo takes the court for one final ride.

Shut Down Meralco Early On

Let’s make this simple, folks. Bury the Bolts during the early goings of the game and don’t allow Durham and company to turn the tide in their favor. In Game 1, Ginebra finished the first quarter with an 11-point lead and then outscored Meralco, 25-16 in the fourth quarter which enabled the Gin Kings to win the game. If Ginebra can do that again tonight, then the party starts right after the final buzzer.

Conclusion

Ginebra has been in the same situation last year when they were one-win away from the title. If they do the things above, they won’t be needing a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Justin Brownlee to take it all. 

By the Numbers: Three Things that Went Wrong for Ginebra in Game 4

Because of these things, the series is tied at 2-2 instead of Ginebra holding a 3-1 leading heading into Game 5

Allen Durham Meralco Bolts
For the second straight game, Ginebra failed to utilize their height advantage. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Despite another 34-point performance from Justin Brownlee, despite the fact that we got to see the Fast and the Furious in action, and despite the vociferously deafening “GI-NE-BRA!” chants by the Ginebra faithfuls that this basketball pundit on wheels endured, those things weren’t enough as the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings suffered yet another stunning 85-83 defeat at the hands of the Meralco Bolts in last night’s Game 4 which knotted the series at 2-2. 
However, we must remember that the game wasn’t won until the final buzzer when Ginebra took 4 shots right after Allen Durham made a lay-up to give the Bolts the lead. 4 shots. 4 attempts. 0 makes. 
Even Coach Tim Cone admitted that even if one of his players was able to call a timeout before the last possession, he doubted that it could affect the outcome, stating that calling a timeout will also enable Meralco to make some adjustments. So, the players made the call. Justin Brownlee attempted a floater to force an extra period and he missed. Ouch!
Justin Brownlee may have scored 34 points while making half of his 24 field goal attempts but he had 5 turnovers and had 5 personal fouls. Joe Devance broke out of his shooting slump to score 15 points but fouled out late. 
There were many things that went horribly wrong for Ginebra in Game 4 so allow this basketball pundit on wheels to list down 3 things which basically denied the Gin Kings to celebrate tomorrow at the Philippine Arena- should they win Game 5:

4 Points Combined from Tenorio, Thompson and Mercado

One reason why the defending champions struggled and eventually lost Game 4 was the fact none of their guards were shooting and scoring well. 
Scottie Thompson scored 4 points on 2 of 5 field goal shooting. LA Tenorio, the hero of Game 2, was pointless, literally as he missed all of his 7 attempts although he did have 6 assists and a steal. Sol Mercado, who gurt hurt late in the dying moments of the game, was scoreless too. He is likely to miss tomorrow’s Game 5 which means the rest of the Ginebra guards needed to make sure that their presence will be felt offensively.

14 Missed from Deep

If anything, Game 4 a reversal of roles. Why? In the first two games of the best-of-7 series, it was the Meralco Bolts who were shooting bricks from outside. 
In Games 3 and 4, it was Ginebra who was shooting bricks. Horribly. 
In Game 4 alone, the Gin Kings have attempted 22 shots from the 3-point line and they missed a total of 14. Only Justin Brownlee (4 of 8) and Joe Devance (3 of 5) had respectable shooting performance from long distance as they were the only ones who scored in double figures in the first place.  

17 Offensive Rebounds for the Bolts

This is another one of those nagging ironies of Game 4. The entire Meralco team out-muscled the much-taller Gin Kings on the offensive boards as evident by their 17-12 advantage in that category. Allen Durham, who top-scored for Meralco with his 28 points, grabbed 18 rebounds- 7 on the offensive end. The result: the Bolts also took a 13-9 advantage on second-chance points.

Conclusion

Assuming that Ginebra did get the timeout on the last possession of Game 4, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Sure, they made 43% of their atempts last night but failed to make even one of those 4 attempts in the 40 seconds of the game. Just one make to force an overtime. A 3 to win. Unfortunately, Ginebra faltered. Ginebra missed. And, Ginebra lost. Again. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Here’s 3 Reasons Why Ginebra Will Win Again in Game 2

Make no mistake, Folks. Not even a reloaded Bolts team can dethrone the champs.

Game 1 was a glimpse of what we can expect from the Gin Kings. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)
If anything, the Gin Kings were just beginning to scratch the surface when they drew the first blood in the best-of-7 championship series against the Meralco Bolts after Ginebra held a double-digit lead and won, 102-87 in front of mostly pro-Ginebra fans in Lucena. 
If you were watching the game, then you know how things transpired beginning from the very moment Japeth Aguilar slammed it home during the early minutes of the first quarter to energize the crowd. During the big chunk of the game, dominance had been the theme of the game as the Bolts fell behind, came back in the 3rd quarter, but faltered for good in the 4th quarter. 
If the Bolts go on to lose Game 2, too, if they don’t start making smarter shot selections, it will be a SWEEP for the Gin Kings.
Why sweep? Let this basketball pundit on wheels explain to you the reasons why Ginebra will win the championship in 4 games, 5 at max:

1. Height is Might

This is perhaps one of the most obvious advantages that Ginebra has over Meralco. Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar, dubbed as the Gin Kings’ Twin Towers, stand 7 feet and 6 feet 9 inches respectively. Joe Devance is not far away with a 6 feet 7 inches height. Import Justin Brownlee also stands at 6 feet 7 inches. So, literally and figuratively speaking, the big men of Ginebra are indeed BIG MEN. 
As painful as it is to read, Allen Durham only stands at 6 feet 6 inches, tied as being the tallest Bolt player aside from Bryan Faundo, Kelly Nabong who is suspended indefinitely, and Ranidel De Ocampo whom we all know is more of a 3 than 4 or 5. The next tallest? The injured Ken Bono. 
Now you know why Ginebra also won the rebounding battle in Game 1, holding a 59-40 rebounding edge. 

2. Ginebra is More DISCIPLINED

If you are playing for the winningest coach in the history of the PBA in Tim Cone, then you must be disciplined. Why? Discipline attracts success better than talent alone. 
In Game 1, Ginebra was the more disciplined squad with regards to their shot selection. Unlike the Bolts who were missing more than half of their attempts especially from rainbow country, Ginebra made 40 of their 87 shot attempts- good enough for a respectable 45% field goal shooting. And since they were in the lead almost throughout the series opener, the defending champs knew there was no need to rush those attempts from the three-point line as shown by their 7 of 18 shooting from long distance. 
Meralco on the other hand, had 8 makes from three but took 34 tries. No wonder why Norman Black was mad. 

3. The Brownlee Effect

The Bolts will never forget Justin Brownlee for that buzzer-beating trey in last season’s Game 6 of the Governors’ Cup Finals which clinched Ginebra’s first title in 8 years. Sure, Allen Durham is poised to win a second successive Best Import award but Justin Brownlee’s familiarity and longevity with the Gin Kings and the system of Tim Cone is one of the many reasons why Ginebra was able to reach the Finals anew. In addition to this, the bond that Brownlee has developed with the rest of the Ginebra players plays an important role especially in this series primarily because of the presence of the trust among players, especially during clutch situations.  

Conclusion:

While we can expect a Meralco fightback come Game 2, while we can expect multiple adjustments from both teams, one thing is certain: whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Gin Kings or a bitter hater, Ginebra, one way or another, will win this season’s Governors’ Cup championship. It’s not because of the free throws disparity or the fouls. It’s not because of the lack of talent of the Bolts. It’s simply because of the fact that Ginebra is a taller and a well-coached team compared to Meralco. 

And, let’s not forget the masked man, Kevin Ferrer. 

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Joe Devance: Hips Dont Lie, Lingering Injury Could be a Problem

Joe Devance Scored 9 points, grabbed 5 rebound in 26 minutes of play in Game 1

Game 1 of the 2017 PBA Governors Cup finals is in the book and Ginebra takes the first victory by the score of 102-87.  Lucena city was jam-packed with basketball fans as they witnessed how Ginebra dominated the paint.
Japeth Aguilar scored 15, Justin Brownlee got 32 points, Greg Slaughter got 14 buckets, Kevin Ferrer contributed 11 and Joe Devance got 9 points. Surely at this stage, we all know that Ginebra is leveraging their height against Meralco.

Joe is not 100%

The concern is, one big man of Ginebra is playing in pain and fighting a hip injury. Joe Devance has been on and off the previous games and he may be the same with the series against Meralco. This would be a big concern for Tim Cone and with all the Ginebra crew as they use their big men as one of their primary weapons. Joe Devance was instrumental in winning many games for Ginebra and losing him would mean they won’t have a flexible big man that can stretch the floor, grab rebounds and score inside in crunch time.
Watch Joe Davance in game vs TNT in Game 4 

Joe Devance vs Jared Dillinger Tale of the Tape, The Tension Brewing Again!

Jared Dillinger has been waiting too damn long for this!

Right after the win of Ginebra against Talk n Text the Filipino American Small Forward of Meralco Bolts took to social media and announced on Twitter:

“Been waiting to damn long for this! Let’s go! This is what we wanted! Finals Rematch!- Jared Dillinger 

Joe is Ready to get his revenge

The 33-year-old PBA veteran could not hold his excitement and is looking forward to once again facing their tormentor last year. Meralco Bolts was the runner-up in the 2016 PBA Governors Cup and he wants nothing else than to avenge their defeat against the crowd favorite Ginebra. 
Dillinger who is one of the main gunners of Meralco Bolts will be facing up against another Filipino- American in Joe Devance. Joe was born in Hawaii and is two years older than Jared at 35. Coincidentally, Jared played his last college basketball in Hawaii, I wonder if they ever saw each other on the island and played pick up basketball?
Just when you thought the dust has already settled Joe Devance also tweeted and he had no reservations when he said that he hates Jared Dillinger. 

Joe Devance Tweets that he doesn’t like Jared Dillinger 

The Much Awaited Rematch 

Last year, Ginebra finished the series in game 6 with a looping shot from Justin Brownlee outside the rainbow country that sends the crowd into a frenzy at the Araneta Coliseum. This year, Meralco Bolts looks to get back and this time they will have more motivation to win, but while this is a team game, we certainly won’t miss the opportunity of pitting two players, especially Jared and Joe. 

Joe Devance Got the Best Prize from Wife in this Very Funny Post Game Interview!

Cherry on top: A kiss from Wife Monica

Joe Devance calling wife to join post game interview

Joe Devance played exceptionally well although he had a few mishaps, he is still one of the reasons why Ginebra won tonight. Joe Devance did not play well in the last game but tonight was different as he was playing inspired basketball scoring team high of 20 points, including a few critical buckets late in the game that sealed the win for the Barangay Ginebra who won game three with the score of 106 -103. They are now one win away in booking another ticket to the 2017 Governors Cup Finals where they can potentially meet Meralco once again.
Best Ever Post Game Interview!
Joe Devance looks serious but sounded like he was joking a little bit as he answers questions from the courtside reporter.

“It is a very emotional game, I am not gonna lie, I’m a little bit disappointed, I missed a wide open layup, I can’t believe that. I got to be better.” – Joe Devance
He continues by saying that his teammate bailed him out with the rebound and emphasized that whoever wants it more will win and come out ready to battle next game.
After answering another question, Joe Devance goes back to his missed shot as he dwells on it and emphasizes that he really felt bad about it. He then stated that he is still happy with the win and thanked all NSD fans for the support.
Joe Devance looked like he wasn’t ready to move on as he calls his wife and introduces him to the fans.

“Here is my beautiful wife guys, Come here sweetie, Monica come here right now?”
“My wife right here, she gives me strength, even though I missed that layup, she makes me happy, my kids make me happy, I’m truly thankful”  – Joe Devance
The interview was topped with and sealed with a kiss 
Watch Joe Devance post-game interview below courtesy of TV5. 

Monstrous Performance from Glen Rice Jr with 44 and 20 but Missed Most Important Shot as Ginebra Escapes with the Victory

Gin Kings Use Balance Attack to Inch Closer to Finals

Scottie Thompson had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)
Just when the Ginebra faithfuls who were watching in Batangas and those who were watching on their respective TVs thought that the Gin Kings would finally take a commanding 2-0 series lead back in Game 2 of their best-of-5 semifinal series, the Talk N Text KaTropa went back to business and disappoint the crowd darlings as the KaTropa won Game 2 to tie the series at 1 game apiece. 
Now, both the defending champions, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and the KaTropa will slug it out anew to decide to will move within 1 win away from a slot in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals to dance against the already waiting Meralco Bolts.
“GI-NE-BRA! GI-NE-BRA!” These were the words that were coming from the mouth of those who were in attendance as they witnessed the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings moved within one win away from returning to the Governors’ Cup Finals after battling it out all game long to come out victorious, 106-103 against the Talk N Text KaTropa.
Wanting to make up for their sloppy start that eventually cost them Game 2, the Gin Kings went back to basics as they immediately two blocked shots and take a 13-5 lead in the first 3 minutes of the game. Coming off a timeout, Glen Rice Jr. scored the KaTropa’s next 7 points which were highlighted by 2 dunks and a 3-point shot to make 13-12 and force Tim Cone to use a timeout. Throughout the remainder of the quarter, TNT held a 3-point lead during most of the time until the KaTropa, again, started to clank away all of their shot attempts as  Sol Mercado ended the first quarter with a lay-up to make it, 31-26 in favor of the Gin Kings. Glen Rice Jr. already had 14 points in the first quarter alone.
TNT began the second quarter with Jayson Castro and Glen Rice Jr. scored the first 4 points of the KaTropa as Ginebra struggled to get anything going on their offense during 3 minutes into the quarter until their inside attack started to click in as the Gin Kings were able to fish fouls from TNT defenders. 
Later in the quarter, LA Tenorio drained a 3-pointer to make it 45-37 as TNT continued to struggle with their own shots and were also mered by turnovers. After hanging onto a slim margin, a shot from rainbow country by Justin Brownlee increased Ginebra’s lead to 9, at 51-42 approaching the 2-minute mark of the 2nd quarter. Then, Scottie Thompson added a lay-up to make it 55-45 with under two minutes before the halftime break.
The Gin Kings held a 60-49 advantage at the half as LA Tenorio stood the tallest for Ginebra with his 13 points to lead all Ginebra scorers. Scottie Thompson and Greg Slaughter scored 9 points apiece. What was the difference for Ginebra in the first half? Simple: Free throws. The Gin Kings were awarded 27 free throws in the first 24 minutes of action with the Gin Kings 19 of those freebies.
Glen Rice Jr. had 27 points and 9 rebounds to lead the KaTropa but no one else on the TNT team scored in double figures in the first half as Jayson Castro only managed 6 points and that was one of the primary reasons why the KaTropa fell by double digits entering the 3rd quarter.
Again, the dynamic duo of Glen Rice Jr. and Jayson started things off for Talk N Text as they joined forces to trim Ginebra’s lead to 62-56 with under 9 minutes to play in the third, leading to a Tim Cone timeout. Talk N Text continued to score as the lead went down to as low as 2-points, 69-67.  
Ginebra went on to re-establish an 8-point advantage during the course of the third quarter as TNT was able to prevent Ginebra from breaking the game wide open as they kept themselves within striking distance thanks to their improving shooting from beyond the three-point line. Despite Glen Rice Jr. only scoring 2 points in the 3rd quarter, Talk N Text was only down, 85-80 heading into the final quarter.
When the 4th quarter began, Glen Rice Jr. drained another bomb from long distance and Jayson  Castro added another mid-range jumper to knot the score at 85 apiece with barely a minute into the quarter. After a series of missed attempts from deep by both teams, the KaTropa finally overtook Ginebra, 91-89 on a Kelly Williams basket which followed by a Ginebra timeout with 7:05 left. A few possessions after that sequence, Scottie Thompson added another trey to give his team a 94-93 lead heading into the final 5 minutes of the game.
Then, with Ginebra clinging to a slim margin, Scottie Thompson, again, outrebounded TNT rebounders and scored on a putback to make it 101-98 with 2:09 remaining in the game. Joe Devance scored on another putback to make it 103-98 and forced Nash Racela to call another timeout with 1:33 on the clock. Then, with Jayson Castro missing on a three-point attempt on the previous possession, Joe Devance came out of nowhere to score a crucial putback to make it 105-100 with  32 ticks left on the clock.
After TNT inched closer, at 106-103 on Glen Rice Jr.’s trey with under 10 seconds left, Scottie Thompson missed both charities on the other end, leaving the door open for TNT to force an extra period but Rice Jr.’s final attempt just clanked off the rim as time expired.
Joe Devance led the Gin Kings with 20 points. Greg Slaughter came off the bench to score 19 points. Justin Brownlee had 17 points and 13 rebounds. Ginebra won because of their ability to grab offensive rebounds and score 22 points off those offensive rebounds which played an essential role in the endgame.
Glen Rice Jr.’s 44 points and 20 rebounds to lead Talk N Text went straight to the trash can as the KaTropa are just one loss away from ending their season. Jayson Castro added 17 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists but also had 4 turnovers.  The game was basically equally-matched in every statistic except for one thing: points scored by bench players. The bench players of Nash Racela only managed 15 markers, a far cry to Ginebra’s bench players who combined for 28 points.

Related: Our prediction of the game, did we get it right? 
Scores:
Ginebra – 106
Devance 20, Slaughter 19, Brownlee 17, Thompson 17, Tenorio 16, J. Aguilar 8, Mercado 7, Ferrer 2, Helterbrand 0, Jamito 0, Cruz 0,, Mariano 0, Caguioa 0, R. Aguilar 0, Taha 0
TNT – 103
Rice Jr. 44, Castro 17, Semerad 10, Williams 10, Rosario 7, Pogoy 7, Golla 3, Reyes 3, Seigle 2, Carey 0, Nuyles 0, Tautuaa 0, Hernandez 0, Lngganay 0, Chua 0
Quarter  scores:
31-26, 60-49, 85-80, 106-103

Ginebra Leans on Defense to Take Game 1

The Gin Kings were never truly threatened throughout the game

Joe Devance co-led the balanced offense of Ginebra. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)
For the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, slamming down the hopes of the San Miguel Beermen for a Grand Slam during their one-time quarterfinal date is nothing compared to having to face a dangerous team like the Talk N Text KaTropa in a best-of-5 series. 
Against the Beermen, they had a twice-to-beat advantage. Here in the semifinals, they start at 0. No advantages. No bonuses. If they win 3 games against TNT, then their hopes of winning back-to-back Governors’ Cup titles will be very much alive. As for the TNT KaTropa, their road towards getting back to the Finals begins here in Game 1, against the defending champions, a team they defeated early on in their last playing date for the elimination round.
The Ginebra Gin Kings went on multiple scoring runs, defended well and did not rely heavily on their import as the defending champions did everything right for most parts as they prevailed victorious in Game 1 after frustrating the Talk N Text KaTropa, 121-94.
Both teams started off running on offense as the Gin Kings began with a 4-0 spurt and then Jayson Castro scored the TNT’s first 5 points of the night. After a series of mixed made and missed shots by both squads which kept the score close for most parts, a three-point shot by Glen Rice Jr. enabled Talk N Text to take the lead for the first time, at 17-15. In the next possession, Japeth Aguilar was fouled, drained both charities to tie the score at 17 all as both teams endured another scoring slump as they were clanking most of their shots, not allowing any significant scoring run. The lead went up to 5 after a dunk by Justin Brownlee, 24-19 with 2:13 to play and was followed by a basket and a free throw from Greg Slaughter to put Ginebra by up 8. The defense of Ginebra forced TNT players to commit silly turnovers or get the ball stolen away from them as the Gin Kings led, 31-22 after 1 quarter.Joe Devance already had 9 points, on 3 three-pointers.
Jervy Cruz and Slaughter scored the first points of Ginebra in the early minutes of quarter number 2 as the lead reached 12 points off a Jervy Cruz made a basket with barely 3 minutes into the quarter. From that point, Ginebra’s lead never went below 8 points as the Gin Kings’ players off the bench were able to work with Brownlee as they kept the KaTropa clanking on defense. The rest of the second quarter was a sore in the eyes for TNT fans as their team was not only missing a big amount of shot attempts but also turning the ball every now and then. The Gin Kings were up by 12, at 60-48 after LA Tenorio drained a floater to end the first half
Justin Brownlee scored 15 points in the first half to go along with his 6 rebounds, 4 assists plus 3 steals. Joe Devance added 11 while Greg Slaughter had 8 points off the bench. Ginebra’s field goal percentage in the first half was at 52%, a better percentage as to what TNT was able to manage which was at 43%. Ginebra’s 10 steals in the first 24 minutes of the game were proven essential as Ginebra were able to run and score on the other end.
Jayson Castro, on the other side of the fence, led TNT  with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists while Glen Rice Jr. added 12 points but thanks to Ginebra’s defense plus his erratic shot selection, he only made 4 of his 12 shot attempts heading into the halftime break. But what exactly doomed the KaTropa of Coach Nash Racela in the first half? It was their 15 turnovers that were converted into 19 points off those turnovers.
As it turned out, the KaTropa’s struggles continued in the second as the lead ballooned to 16 in during opening minutes of the 3rd canto only to be decreased back to 13 on Glen Rice Jr.’s 3-point play.
Then, Joe Devance another trey to put his team up by 17, at 68-51 with under 9 minutes to play in the quarter, prompting Nash Racela to call another timeout. All of a sudden, the lead went up as high as 22 points only for TNT to bring it down to 16 off a Glen Rice Jr. dunk, bringing Tim Cone up from his seat to call a timeout with under 6 minutes left. But that was the closest TNT would get until Glen Rice Jr. drained two charities to bring down the lead to 15 with under two minutes left in the quarter. Throughout the 3rd, Ginebra went with Greg Slaughter who scored on a wide variety of ways but most of his points were scored on the inside, something he was well-known even during his playing days in Cebu. The crowd darling Gin Kings held a 20-point advantage, at 95-75 heading into the 4th quarter.
The KaTropa were held without a single field goal in the first 3 minutes of the final quarter as Ginebra slowly increased their lead to 27 as Jervy Cruz scored on another mid-range shot to prompt another time from Nash Racela. And finally, at the 7:32 mark of the 4th quarter, Alex Nuyles scored the first points of TNT in the quarter but the lead went up 107-77 after a pair of charities from Mark Caguioa. Soon enough, the rest of the bench players of Ginebra took the floor and delivered the finishing touches to the game.
Justin Brownlee again, led the Gin Kings with his 21 points while converting 10 of his 15 attempts. Joe Devance added 19 while Greg Slaughter contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks while leading Ginebra’s bench. Ginebra’s defense was again, one of the keys that gained Ginebra this win as TNT only made 44% of their attempts, including 30% shooting from downtown. Points scored by bench players was clearly another thing that was dominated by Ginebra as the Gin Kings’ bench players combined for 54 points as compared to only 30 points by TNT’s bench.
For the players of Nash Racela, Glen Rice Jr. had 26 points but missed 12 of his 20 attempts including 4 of his 5 attempts from deep. Jayson Castro had 16 points but turned the ball over 6 times. Roger Pogoy finished with 12 points but only made 4 of his 13 shots. TNT’s inability to score on a more consistent basis throughout the entire game can be contributed to the fact that they never got to hold onto the ball for long as a result of their 22 turnovers.
Scores:
Ginebra – 121
Brownlee 21, Devance 19, Slaughter 16, Caguioa 13, Tenorio 10, J. Aguilar 10, Cruz 10, Thompson 7, Mercado 7, Mariano 4, Taha 4, Helterbrand 0, Jamito 0, R. Aguilar 0
TNT – 94
Rice Jr. 26, Castro 16, Pogoy 12, Tautuaa 7, Carey 6, Nuyles 6, Rosario 5, Williams 5, Semerad 5, Hernandez 3, Reyes 2, Chua 1, Golla 0, Lingganay 0, Seigle 0
Quarter scoring:
31-22, 60-48, 95-75, 121-94

Joe Devance Trains Boxing and a Long Time Pacquiao Fan

Joe Devance, the veteran player from the most popular basketball team in the country was present during one of Manny Pacquiao’s training session in Manila. Joe is a well-known figure inside the basketball court. He shares how his father influenced him in boxing and how he has been a long time fan. He also shares having boxing equipment at his house and what he thinks about Manny Pacquiao’s performance.
Of course he also shares with us his prediction for the fight.

Cone Wants Japeth And Joe To Get Their Offense Going.

Photo by PBA Media Bureau

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is off to a great start after falling behind in their first game of the conference against the Phoenix Fuel Masters in an out of town game. The country’s most loved ball club who had a very impressive performance in their last conferences, clinching a title in the Governors’ cup in the previous season and made another finals appearance in the season opener conference against the tough contender San Miguel Beermen.
Cone and the rest of the squad is on a mission again this conference to try and bring the glory to their country-wide-known franchise as they prove that they can beat elite teams such as Star Hotshots who they previously gave a beating in a Manila Clasico showdown in MOA arena in front of an expectedly huge crowd.
The most winningest coach was left impressed with how their import was able to battle head to head with tall imports. Barangay Ginebra brought back their Governors’ Cup hero Justin Brownlee as their reinforcement into this conference which allows each team to bring in an import with the maximum height limit of 6’10”. The Ginebra management chose familiarity over size to try and clinch another title. But the most successful coach still wants Japeth Aguilar and Joe Devance to find their tempo and get their offense going given that they are the ones banging their bodies inside the lane with the role to fill the shoes left by Greg Slaughter.
As the Ginebra squad tries to figure out a way to get everybody involved, it is probably one of the best start in their franchise history that will eventually lead them to another Finals appearance without the help of the tallest player in the PBA, Slaughter who is expected to suit up next conference in another import-laiden conference.

Unsung Hero of Game 2: Joe Devance Playing in Pain

What is the definition of a hero?
Sometimes, it’s someone who saves the day, sometimes it’s Joe Devance.
After a disheartening game 1 loss to the San Miguel Beermen, the team was probably left wondering if they can really triumph against the mammoth that is SMB. It was really horrible for Ginebra from start to finish that night. The score was wrapped up at 109 – 82. 
Is it a mismatch?
Ginebra answered that question early as they surprised SMB with a scorching start and making a statement scoring 67 points in the first half and rousing the big crowd inside the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena at yesterday’s game. We thought it could be an easy victory for the Barangay until the Kings helplessly staggered in the third quarter allowing the Beermen to catch up.

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That’s when the Kings needed someone to step up.
Joe Devance was that guy nailing 3-pointers in the crucial minutes of the game and taking it upon himself to make a move in the dying seconds of the game to take it to overtime. The score did not come easy as he was blocked from behind and had to pick up the ball and release it again on time for the buzzer. What a presence of mind.
Although responsible for some critical errors, he fought back and never lost his compusure. He has shown his never die spirit and without Joe Devance Ginebra may have faltered that day.
Joe Devance ended up with 16 points, 7 out of 10 shooting from the field and 7 rebounds.

Joe Devance Game routine, Injection for his plantar fasciatis

Joe Devance is the real hero of game 2!

Watch Joe Devance buzzer beater shot in game 2:

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Joe Devance Only Needed the 3rd Quarter to Score

Joe Devance playing with Plantar Fasciitis didn’t mind the pain at all as he contributed 14 points in the 3rd quarter including a number of critical field goal that changed the complexion of the game. During the interview we were briefly interrupted by Marc Pingris, a long time friend of Joe.
Check out what this big boy had to say about his game. Winning also won’t be too bad as he will be celebrating his birthday on Tuesday at Game 7.

Injury Update: Will Joe Devance be available on their do-or-die match with Alaska?

Photo by PBA Media Bureau

During a huge rally in the second half, Joe Devance who has been one of the players stepping up to get that run going wrongfully landed on his heel.

Joe was able to get back on defense on that last sequence but eventually laid on the floor holding on his foot.

It was reported that he already had an injury on the particular spot and was taken immediately to the hospital. Devance was screaming in pain in the dug out during the Ginebra run which they eventually won but is uncertain if he will be available to play on their do-or-die game against Alaska on Tuesday.

Statement has yet to be released by the Ginebra Camp regarding Joe’s condition after a good news of winning the game, this could be a huge let down on their next game.

Big guys such as Marcelo, Cruz and Ferrer will need to fill his shoes if he will not be available to play on their game in the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday at 7pm

Joe Devance: Ginebra’s Unsung Hero in the Finals

Joe Devance can be a starting forward in any PBA team but his role in Ginebra was different.

In eliminations, quarterfinals and semifinals JDV was not in his usual self as his minutes and scoring goes down.

Also in the first 3 games of the Finals, Joe wasn’t able to get his groove offensively but in their last two game, he was just killing Merlaco silently.

In game 4 JDV sank a tough fall away jumper with 25 seconds left in the game and it helps Ginebra to tie the series.

Today, he started for Tim Cone (maybe for match up purposes) and he does what he needs to do and that is to control the game silently for ginebra.

He finished the game with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. He also made some big shots in the 4th quarter when Meralco is trying to make a comeback.

If Ginebra wants to finish the series on Wednesday, JDV will play a big factor for them.

"Joe got it going" Tim Cone said on containing Fajardo in game 1

Before Ginebra entered the semi final phase against the Championship caliber SMB, they had one concern, that’s how will they be able to contain Junmar Fajardo since they don’t have Greg Slaughter to match him up.

But in their 2nd meeting this conference, Ginebra found a way to make it hard for Fajardo in conquering the paint and diverted the SMB’s offensive focal point. “We felt we dont deserve to be on the same floor during the first half, we got frustrated.”  Tim Cone said after trailing with as much as 13 points through out the first half of Semifinals game 1.

“We haven’t been here in this situation in a while we dont know how hard we need to play in a game like this.”   Cone states that they lack of experience especially with him being in the semi-final round with Ginebra gives them a hard time on identifying the level of performance they need to overcome an experienced team like San Miguel Beermen in terms of playoffs appearances and championships.

“Our guys came out and played raised their level of performance, though we had lost our confidence during the first half ,they kept battling and got us the momentum.” Cone said.

“This doesnt win the series not big of a deal game two is the big deal.”
“SMB’s 5 is so solid its better than an all star team.”

Emphasizing how hard it is to match the level of performance of SMB and their players.

“Joe got it going for us ,hit a couple of shots ran the floor well. Junmar doesn’t have too many weaknesses but defending a guy like Joe makes it hard for him to chase down the floor.”

“Joe played a crucial part in 4th quarter he did a good job in making Fajardo chase them, he stepped out made a few shots the real key was joe in those situations he’s been to the grandslam he know how to play this game , I thought he played well from start to finish.” Cone Said.

What Should Ginebra Do to End their Title Drought?

With the takeover of CTC as head coach of the team this season, the Barangay Ginebra are expected
to end their eight year title drought. Unfortunately, the team failed to do so in the AFC after the
controversial loss and quarterfinal exit against the GlobalPort Batang Pier. But they still have 2 conferences to lived up the expectations or else, another failed season. Let us examine what are they
need to do to finally take home the trophy this season.

1. MORE PLAYING TIME for the YOUNG GUNS

a. Scottie Thompson – The very promising rookie out of the Perpetual Help Atlas had make an impression last conference.  He is an all around player and is a very energetic player. He could be the new spark off the bench for Ginebra. Scottie will fill the statsheet every game if given a chance. Based on P.E.R., Thompson is a very efficient player.

b. Nico Salva – Salva had a great collegiate career from Ateneo and we know what he can do inside the court if given a chance. CTC can develop this guy into something special. He can provide some shooting and scoring for the team. He could be the today’s Sunday Salvacion or Mark Macapagal for Ginebra.

2. ACQUIRE a DEADLY SHOOTER and WING DEFENDER

This is what I think the missing piece in Barangay Ginebra’s title quest. Chris Ellis hasn’t shown improvement on his offensive game. And I think its time for them to part with him. They can trade him for the likes of Rey Guevarra, Anthony Semerad or Ronald Pascual plus future picks.

3. CONSISTENCY for JAPETH AGUILAR

Greg Slaughter is the only consistent contributor in Barangay Ginebra bigs and Japeth Aguilar should be the other one. If he will only be consistent together with Slaughter, they will be a force to reckon with every night. Japeth needs to do something with his game or else he would end up playing for another team.

4. SOL MERCADO should be the “SIXTH MAN”

Sol Mercado is a combo guard so he can be the reliever of either L.A. Tenorio or Mark Caguioa. I see him as a great team leader that could guide this team to the championship. You can see the “Never Say Die” spirit on him. If he can average atleast 13 points and 5 assists a game off the bench, Ginebra will be back to the Finals.

5. JOE DEVANCE and JERVY CRUZ should be the “TWIN TOWER’S RELIEVER”

Joe Devance and Jervy Cruz need to provide some scoring off the bench. They should be the reliever of Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter. If this two will be consistent and will contribute every game together with Slaughter and Aguilar, Ginebra would be unstoppable.