(From Business World)
The season-closing Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference is about three weeks old and competition is picking up pace. Some teams are off to a fast start while others are still searching for their groove and have yet to make headway.
Below are early updates on the goings-on in the current tournament.
Among the early pacesetters in the import-laden Fiesta Conference are the defending champions San Miguel Beermen, Coca-Cola Tigers, Barangay Ginebra Kings and Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters. All teams have winning records of .600 onwards and slowly building "cushions" to carry them in what is expected to be rough roads ahead.
While still far from the immovable force they are on paper, the Beermen (4-1) are finding ways to win games this early. Albeit foul-prone, import Gabe Freeman is still his high-energy self (20.4 ppg and 18.8 rpg) that the rest of the Beermen take their cue from. But other San Miguel players are also showing the way, in particular, new addition Alex Cabagnot who has been key with his 12.8 ppg and 5.8 apg numbers in his floor general role.
Sporting joint 3-1 records are Coca-Cola and Ginebra, who are both benefiting from reinforcements who are seemingly for keeps. The Tigers brought back James Penny in the hopes of reclaiming PBA relevance and the latter is obliging as he has been stud-like with 30.2 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.25 spg and 2.5 bpg on top of the leadership he gives on the court. The Kings, for their part, have the tough Awvee Storey (26.5 ppg and 20.2 rpg) who has infused toughness to the team’s ailing frontcourt to complement its steady backcourt play.
Started slow but Talk ’N Text (3-2) is getting better as it finds the system that suits its roster. With the do-it-all Shawn Daniels (15.8 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 2 spg and 2 bpg) on hand, the Texters find themselves having a more balanced attack that has seen at least six players churning out double-figure numbers each time.
Those still figuring their way in the tournament are the Rain or Shine Elastopainters who are carding a 2-2 record; Air21 Express, who have recently replaced original import Keena Young with Jason Forte to get back on track, are at 1-3; and the Barako Coffee Energy Masters and Sta. Lucia Realtors who are tied at 1-4.
Divergent paths
Afforded an extended break than the rest of the field after going deep in the previous conference, the Derby Ace Llamados (formerly Purefoods) and Alaska Aces are going divergent paths so far, with one playing crisp as ever and the other having their struggles.
Philippine Cup champs Llamados are the de facto leaders in the Fiesta Conference with an unblemished record of 2-0. They have certainly taken off quite well from their title-clinching ways previously and playing steady ball on both ends. Import Lorrenzo Wade (24.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg) has been a good fit. The play, however, of forward KG Canaleta (15 ppg) has been huge for Derby Ace as he has taken the slack for the convalescing Kerby Raymundo.
The Aces, meanwhile, are toiling with a 0-2 card. Including their sweep by the Llamados in the Philippine Cup, they are now 0-6 in their last six games. Alaska has a good import though in Diamon Simpson (28.5 ppg and 20.5 rpg) but local support (especially in the frontline) has been wanting to date as well as endgame composure.
While it is still early to call the outcome of the Fiesta race at this point, we can see that patterns are slowly being established. Who holds ground and who doesn’t, that we will find out as the tournament progresses.
The season-closing Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference is about three weeks old and competition is picking up pace. Some teams are off to a fast start while others are still searching for their groove and have yet to make headway.
Below are early updates on the goings-on in the current tournament.
Among the early pacesetters in the import-laden Fiesta Conference are the defending champions San Miguel Beermen, Coca-Cola Tigers, Barangay Ginebra Kings and Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters. All teams have winning records of .600 onwards and slowly building "cushions" to carry them in what is expected to be rough roads ahead.
While still far from the immovable force they are on paper, the Beermen (4-1) are finding ways to win games this early. Albeit foul-prone, import Gabe Freeman is still his high-energy self (20.4 ppg and 18.8 rpg) that the rest of the Beermen take their cue from. But other San Miguel players are also showing the way, in particular, new addition Alex Cabagnot who has been key with his 12.8 ppg and 5.8 apg numbers in his floor general role.
Sporting joint 3-1 records are Coca-Cola and Ginebra, who are both benefiting from reinforcements who are seemingly for keeps. The Tigers brought back James Penny in the hopes of reclaiming PBA relevance and the latter is obliging as he has been stud-like with 30.2 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.25 spg and 2.5 bpg on top of the leadership he gives on the court. The Kings, for their part, have the tough Awvee Storey (26.5 ppg and 20.2 rpg) who has infused toughness to the team’s ailing frontcourt to complement its steady backcourt play.
Started slow but Talk ’N Text (3-2) is getting better as it finds the system that suits its roster. With the do-it-all Shawn Daniels (15.8 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 2 spg and 2 bpg) on hand, the Texters find themselves having a more balanced attack that has seen at least six players churning out double-figure numbers each time.
Those still figuring their way in the tournament are the Rain or Shine Elastopainters who are carding a 2-2 record; Air21 Express, who have recently replaced original import Keena Young with Jason Forte to get back on track, are at 1-3; and the Barako Coffee Energy Masters and Sta. Lucia Realtors who are tied at 1-4.
Divergent paths
Afforded an extended break than the rest of the field after going deep in the previous conference, the Derby Ace Llamados (formerly Purefoods) and Alaska Aces are going divergent paths so far, with one playing crisp as ever and the other having their struggles.
Philippine Cup champs Llamados are the de facto leaders in the Fiesta Conference with an unblemished record of 2-0. They have certainly taken off quite well from their title-clinching ways previously and playing steady ball on both ends. Import Lorrenzo Wade (24.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg) has been a good fit. The play, however, of forward KG Canaleta (15 ppg) has been huge for Derby Ace as he has taken the slack for the convalescing Kerby Raymundo.
The Aces, meanwhile, are toiling with a 0-2 card. Including their sweep by the Llamados in the Philippine Cup, they are now 0-6 in their last six games. Alaska has a good import though in Diamon Simpson (28.5 ppg and 20.5 rpg) but local support (especially in the frontline) has been wanting to date as well as endgame composure.
While it is still early to call the outcome of the Fiesta race at this point, we can see that patterns are slowly being established. Who holds ground and who doesn’t, that we will find out as the tournament progresses.
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