Schedule of Games (September 30 and October 1)

PRADA: Marist vs Xavier School
Date: September 30 - Saturday
Time: 8:00 AM
Venue: Jacinto Tiu Competition Court

PAYA: Southridge vs Xavier School
Date: September 30 - Saturday
Time: 12:00 nn
Venue: High School Gym Wooden Court

Fr. Martin's: CKSC vs Xavier School
Date: October 1 - Sunday
Time: 9:00 AM
Venue: San Beda College, Mendiola

35th Hour: Kevin Durant

With the NBA lockout still in progress and with no hope of it being soon lifted, the Durantula, Kevin Durant, decided to show his fans how his daily life goes about. Durant is one of the NBA stars who consistently plays in many summer leagues during this lockout to help him keep in shape for the upcoming NBA season, if there is any.

Here is 35th Hour, featuring Kevin Durant and what he does during the NBA "offseason".

Episode 1: Capital Punishment

Episode 2: "Hardwork beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

One Of The Cheesiest Songs I Have Ever Heard

Credits to Kyles Lao for the find.

Smart Gilas: A Journey As A Whole

Once again, the Philippines has come up short in an international competition with their defeat to Korea, 68-70. Disappointing, yes but the journey, heartfelt. For the past three years, the Smart Gilas National Team has continued to change the perception of the world on what the Filipinos can do, especially in the game dearest to our hearts, basketball. 

During the fight for 3rd a while ago, Smart Gilas had all the chances to win. We were completely dominating the Korean opposition, as we were during the 2002 Busan Games, but "luck" has its limits. The Korean team made their shots when it mattered the most and their superior outside shooting continues to haunt us to this very day. Hats off to Korea for the victory but that was ours!!! Marcus Douthit showed the world why he's the best power forward in Asia with a dominating performance. The Mighty Mouse found his old form and played brilliantly. Sadly, basketball is a team game and a tough game like this can't be just won with 2 players playing well, offensively. 

Free throws continue to haunt us to this very day from Olsen Racela's missed charities to the ones we missed today. It goes to show in general that the Filipinos are horrible free throw shooters, just saying. Marcus Douthit missed several down the stretch. Kelly Williams clanked 2 and Marcio Lassiter missed 1 hurting our chances. (Sadly, I don't want to label them as goats, too derogatory in a time like this) Bilog ang bola, that adage summarizes our misfortunes. At times the ball will fall for us and at times, it won't. 

The Smart Gilas National Team showed the world that through hardwork, good coaching, and corporate funding that the dream is possible. Qualifying for the Olympics and regaining our rightful place as the 

#1 basketball country is a dream attainable. Hats off to the Gilas team led by Coach Rajko Toroman. They have revolutionized on how the game of basketball should be played. Yes, there are star players to carry your team but nothing beats a team running like a well-oiled machine. 

The Gilas program goes to show that talent development is possible. Bringing in the best of college basketball, some Fil-foreigner to add ceiling, and some old reliable players from the PBA, makes our National Team a young, quick, united and talented group. Our old concept of forming a National Team several months before the competition is bogus, and it shows because we haven't succeeded in doing so. We should continue this and build an even stronger team. Some of our players even became better players after they have joined this program. As a proof, all of them were selected in the Top 10 of the PBA Draft.

I would also like to give credit to Manny V. Pangilinan, MVP, for all that he has done for Philippine sports especially to basketball. He had a vision for Philippine basketball and it almost became a reality but God has other plans for him and the country. He should be hurting the most after all he has done but I believe Mr. Pangilinan's love for the game is a testament that basketball is not just a business venture but a way to pioneer change and to unite a country. I hope he still will be the benefactor for our National Team, if this project does continue, and in my opinion it will.

What is next for the Smart Gilas team? Yes, all its players except for skipper Chris Tiu and Marcus Douthit will be joining their respective PBA team but if we want to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, we need to start NOW! The main concern is who would be funding for this team? I hope Mr. Pangilinan still does but only time will tell. Without proper funding, our National Team will not develop. It is through money we get to hire the best coaches, play in tough international competitions abroad, and have better training in other countries and without money, how do you expect to run a team? Second, who will be the coach for this team? Coach Rajko did a magnificent job, in my opinion, in running the team. He single handedly changed the brand of play for Philippine basketball from being an one-on-one isolation team to a team who runs a fluid system. If they decide to keep Coach Rajko, good. If not, I hope that we can find someone as passionate and energetic as him to teach us the proper way to play basketball. Lastly, the talent of the Gilas team will be better. The UAAP and the NCAA is full of talented players they can choose from. The future really looks bright for Philippine basketball. 

As a whole, I salute the Smart Gilas team for being back the pride and the recognition of Philippine basketball. Yes, they did not win and qualify for the Olympics, but they won over a nation's heart. Mabuhay ang Smart Gilas at Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! 

UAAP S74 Finals Analysis

            All the battles have been fought and games decided by blowouts or last second heaves, Season 74 of your UAAP has been one of the most exciting in recent memory. The influx of talented rookies, solid foreigners, and the competitive spirit of college basketball, have turned the UAAP into the basketball hoopla of the country and has overtaken the slow progressing Philippine Basketball Association, in terms of popularity. 

            As the elimination round and the exciting Final Four closed, two teams remain and have the right to fight and to be crowned this season’s champions and they are the three-peat defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles and last season’s runners-up Far Eastern University Tamaraws.

            Let us breakdown the key points for both teams and put them head-to-head and see who has the edge.

FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY TAMARAWS

Keys For Success:

Defense

 FEU’s defense should be able to dictate on how Ateneo will play the game. The big dilemma that FEU Head Coach Bert Flores has is which option to give Ateneo. Will he choose to let Greg Slaughter and his inside presence dominate the game or will he let the slashing and shooting ability of the other players of Ateneo such as Kiefer Ravena and Nico Salva beat him? Personally, Slaughter dictates the tempo of the game. When only one man defends him, he can easily score at will but when he sees the double team, he knows when and how to dish it to his open teammates. Slaughter has been playing poorly as of late and FEU should capitalize on that. They should throw changing defenses at him and keep him guessing.  

The Dynamic Duo

 Last season’s Rookie of the Year Terrence Romeo and last season’s MVP RR Garcia should launch an all out scoring barrage against the Blue Eagles. Although Ateneo has been the league’s best defensive team, it would be tough to defeat the Tamaraws if both Garcia and Romeo have good games. Both players can dictate the tempo of the game by either scoring at will or dishing it off to open teammates. The bad part about relying on RR and Romeo is that both take too many shots, or in basketball terms volume shooters, so they should be able to decide on when to take the shots or when to pass them.

Revenge

FEU has consistently posted Top 2 records in the elimination round but come the Final 4, they become a totally different team. Last season, Ateneo completely annihilated them and stamping their class en route to a three-peat. Can FEU use their shortcomings as fuel for their first championship ever since the Arwind Santos era or will they continue to feel the pressure and choke under these circumstances?

OTHER NOTES:

Chemistry

Will the likes of JR Cawaling, Pipo Noundou, and Christian Sentchu be able to play for the Tamaraws? If they do so, the Tamaraws are faced with a big dilemma. Will they allow 3 of their key players to suit up and disrupt the rotation and chemistry the team has built during their absence or will Coach Bert opt to use the players that got him to this moment in the Finals?

Starting 5

Will Coach Bert Flores decide to start with 2 guards and 3 bigs or 3 guards and 2 bigs? Ateneo has had a history of match-up problems, especially against Adamson, when their opponents go big. The main concern of FEU is that they have a lot of talented guards but will they match Ateneo man for man or go big and play a defensive game? In my opinion, FEU should go and try to defend Ateneo because no team can out-gun the Blue Eagles especially in championship games such as these. It is better for them to keep the game close rather than let the Blue Eagles run away at the start.

ATENEO BLUE EAGLES

Keys For Success:

Give the ball to Greg

Most championship teams build around a solid big man down low and Ateneo has that in Greg Slaughter. When Slaughter has the ball down low, everyone is watching his every move. He can either go up for that seemingly unblockable hook shot of his, turn around and shoot over his opponent, or dribble the ball and go up strong. Slaughter causes many match-up problems because he draws so much attention on offense. If Ateneo is able to make a consistent effort in feeding the ball to him, it almost guarantees them a victory. Slaughter is also able to kick the ball out once he sees double team and Ateneo should make FEU pay.

Bench Play

Ateneo’s bench this seasonhas been inconsistent. To me, this second unit lacks a scoring threat but makes up for it through defense. The key of the series will be if Ateneo’s bench can sustain the lead its starters made. Justin Chua should step-up big time just as he did all of last season and be the main man in the second unit. We’ll see if Tonito Gonzaga, arguably the most improved player on the Ateneo side, can continue his torrid shooting ways and defend the opponent’s best scoring threat.

Go 4 Glory

Does Ateneo still have the determination and drive to go for a rare 4-peat? I believe they do. Being the best team in the elimination round, they have showed that they still have heart and what it takes to bring back another championship to Loyola Heights. Amidst times of struggle, this is where they will dig deep and fight for what they believe is their championship.

Now that we have talked about both team’s keys for victory, let us put them head-to-head and from there, let us predict on who will bring the bacon.

Starters:

Both team’s starting units are topnotch. Both of them can score at any given moment and both teams possess offensive threats that they can go to. FEU will dictate on the game based on the starting unit. It is either they play 2 guards to create defensive mismatches on the other end or will they decide to place 3 guards and match Ateneo’s scoring prowess? Nevertheless, Ateneo’s starting unit boasts a great offensive-defensive line-up which can match any teams.

Slight Advantage: Ateneo

Guard Play:

FEU is a guard-oriented team led by last season’s MVP, RR Garcia. The Tamaraws have Terrence Romeo, Ping Exciminiano, Mike Tolomia, Jens Knuttel, and Roger Pugoy in the mix and any one of them can score in any given moment. For Ateneo, they have this season’s Rookie of the Year in Kiefer Ravena, Emman Monfort, Juami Tiongson, Kirk Long, Tonito Gonzaga, and Von Pessumal. FEU’s guards are more offensive minded and can easily take over the game while Ateneo has a steady scorer in Ravena but more defensive guards on their team.

Advantage: FEU

Big Men:

The 3-time defending champions can field in the likes of Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva, Bacon Austria, Justin Chua, Frank Golla, JP Erram, and Oping Sumalinog. For FEU, they have Aldrech Ramos, Russell Escoto, Carl Bryan Cruz, John Foronda, JR Cawaling*, Pipo Noundou*, and Christian Sentchu*. Ateneo has a big advantage down low because they are the taller team and second, FEU is hurt big time. Ateneo’s big men are more offensive minded compared to the defensive mindset the Tamaraws bigs have.

Advantage: Ateneo

Bench Play:

To me both benches are polar opposites. FEU’s bench often provides offensive firepower but on the contrary, Ateneo’s bench is a more defensive minded unit. When the game or championship is hanging on the balance, which bench prevails?

Advantage: Even

Coaching:

Both coaches from both teams are great coaches. Coach Norman Black has won 10 PBA Titles in the PBA including a rare grand slam plus his 3 UAAP championships. On the other hand, Bert Flores steered FEU to its last championship in 2005. Not taking anything away from Coach Bert, Coach Norman is a true preacher of the game. He has won in all levels and he is able to motivate players excellently and even with all the championships, they still remain hardworkers and continue to play their brand of basketball.

Advantage: Ateneo

Defense:

Ateneo is the league’s best defensive team but FEU has pushed all the right buttons if defeating the Adamson Falcons in the Final Four, twice, considering that Adamson is one of the best teams, if not the best UAAP team in executing in the halfcourt. Defense can’t be judged on a series of games but its how you play the whole season and Ateneo has done that which led them to the best record in the season.

Advantage: Ateneo

Championship Experience:

No questions asked.

Advantage: Ateneo

Heart and Desire:

It all boils down to which team wants it more. Numbers and statistics are all forgotten in games such as these. It’s your heart and determination that makes you prevail in championship games. The game of basketball is played with many dependent variables but the only constant variable in the game is how much effort you give.

Advantage: To be decided by the winner of the series. (EVEN)

Prediction:

            From the many things I’ve written and explained above, it looks like the Blue Eagles are going to win their fourth championship in a row but not without a fight. FEU is playing with everything to lose since it will lose many key players next year due to graduation. I expect an exciting championship game showcasing both teams’ strengths. Ateneo will win Game 1 because of their championship experience but FEU will come back and steal Game 2. In the all important and deciding Game 3, both teams will give a good fight but Ateneo will prevail. The Finals MVP will be a toss-up between Greg Slaughter and the Phenom, Kiefer Ravena. 

Photo Credits: fabilioh.com and uaapsports.com

Game Analysis: Xavier vs San Beda Championship Game

To me, numbers do not matter in games such as these. You can throw away all the statistics and just focus on one thing, heart. Championship games are decided by great players and teams who rise up to the occasion and play their hearts out even giving more than 100% even if its mathematically impossible. 

With Xavier's win today, it successfully defends its title and now for the first time in history are back-to-back champions in this prestigious tournament sponsored by Milo. Yes, a win is a win but as Coach Owen would always say, "the last day you learn is the day you die." Let us critique that game and see how well did the Stallions fare and how much do they have to improve. 

1. Height Advantage 

The Stallions did a good job in capitalizing their height advantage. They had numerous offensive rebounds which led to many second chance points and opportunities. Their height also anchored their numerous zone defenses with San Beda's players as it intimated them even before they attacked the ring. Their centers and forwards also were able to block numerous shots but sadly were called for too many ticky-tacky fouls in my opinion. 

2. Free Throws 

Last game, Xavier missed 21 free throws. Today, I honestly don't know. I didn't bother to take down stats of those because it was difficult and I wanted to personally enjoy the game and the championship atmosphere. Xavier definitely shot better than the Red Cubs and that is what distanced them from their opponents. 

3. FATE 

The championship was really for Xavier to lose. San Beda had countless opportunities to tie or even take the lead at the foul line but they couldn't make the baskets when it was necessary. Jarrell Lim would have to be regarded as the Savior as he nailed every conceivable shot from every conceivable angle when they needed it the most. That my friends is what a MVP is about! As the Essence of Winning suggests, we can win with a dominant performance from one player but without God's divine hand, I don't think we can do so. It was really our game to lose! 

4. Too many forced shots. Control the tempo. 

As mentioned above, Xavier had a big size advantage when it came down low. San Beda's players were only leveled to the shoulders of our own big men but I don't understand why we still force up difficult shots. Yes, by nature Xavier is really a run-and-gun team scoring most of their points from fastbreak opportunities but against a fast team like San Beda, you can't run all the time against them. Organized chaos, is what we need. We know when we should run and we should also know when it is the time to set and rely on our improving halfcourt game. 

5. Who is the alpha dog? 

Every player by nature wants to take over the game but at times he can't do it alone. You need to understand who to give the ball to when you need points. Coach Owen's system allows players to shoot open shots given at their own range but for one to be great you must know when to give the limelight to others. You should have shame when you continue to throw up bricks. Pass the ball, help in other aspects of the game! You should not be too centered on scoring especially in games like this! Team comes first! 

I hope the Stallions can have a deeper run in the Nationals and bag the championship with 15 strong! You have a long way to go guys but its a great start! Congratulations! You have successfully defended the crown and protected our house! 

Xavier Repeats as NCR Champs Trounces San Beda, 73-65

Xavier School, with its relentless and unforgiving variety of defenses, defeated last season's runners-up, San Beda, en route to their second NCR Passerelle championship in the last two years with a 73-65 victory. 

San Beda drew first blood as they drained a three pointer followed by RP Youth U-16 mainstay Andre Caracut's twinner. Afterwards, Xavier made up for lost time by going on a 9-4 run with baskets from Jonathan Yu, Tyler Tio, and Jarrell Lim with his 3-point play tying the game at 9-all with 5:17 left in the quarter. Xavier had numerous offensive rebounds because of their height advantage which allowed them to get extra cracks at the basket. Xavier had its first lead of the game at 10-9 with 4:46 remaining with a split from the free throw line from Jarrell Lim but Lim's scoring outburst does not stop there. He goes on a personal 9-2 run including the fore mentioned free throw and gives them an 18-11 advantage. Xavier's defense was at its finest despite all their 4 team fouls from that quarter coming from Jonathan Yu. The quarter ended on a 4-0 run by Xavier with baskets from Tio and Lim who scored 16 points in that quarter giving them a 22-11 edge at the quarter break. 

The pace of the game changed dramatically as the run-and-gun feel of the game turned into a halfcourt slugfest for both teams. Xavier started the quarter with back-to-back turnovers. Xavier had difficulty in executing their offense and nobody wanted to shoot the ball. John Guntang was a beast for San Beda scoring 8 points in the quarter to further help their cause. Guntang single-handedly matched the scoring output from Xavier in that quarter. Both teams did not take advantage of their opponents since Xavier was at penalty with 6:47 left and the Red Cubs with 3:50 remaining in the quarter with numerous splits and missed free throws. Changgi Hong struggled immensely from the field missing on numerous short stabs but Jefferson Tan made 2 crucial baskets to end the quarter with the Stallions still up by 4, 30-26. 

The third quarter unit of Coach Owen Oliva, who have been his best performing quarter for their two past two games, started with a man-to-man defense but quickly switched back to their zone defense to match-up with San Beda's quickness. Martin Sy nailed the first basket of the quarter, the first two of his six points in the quarter, with an inside stab to give the Stallions a 6-point lead. San Beda slowly but surely clawed their way in back to the game with the free throw line due to numerous ticky-tacky fouls on Xavier. Xavier's 6'6 center and RP Youth U-16 mainstay Isaac Go was held to a single point because of their tenacious defense. This did not affect him in the defense end as he swatted away 2 shots and altering many in the process. San Beda had their first taste of the lead ever since the early parts of the game with 1:15 left in the quarter with the score favoring them, 41-40. The quarter ended with exchanges from both sides and after the dust settled, the score favored the Red Cubs, 45-43. 

As the fourth quarter started, with their championship hopes hanging in the balance, the young Tyler Tio nailed a pivotal 3-pointer to start the quarter giving the Stallions a 46-45 lead. This would be the turning point of the game and momentum switched back to the side of the Stallions. Jarrell Lim again went on a scoring outburst scoring 20 points in this pivotal quarter, finishing with a season-high of 36 points, with able support from Anton Lapez who scored 5 big points in the quarter. Lim, who was named Passerelle Most Valuable Player, made shots from both inside and out as he toyed with the San Beda defense and leading the Stallions to their second Passerelle title in 2 years with a 73-65 victory. 

Xavier would be playing in the National Finals as it represents the NCR and goes up against the other champion schools from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Prediction: Passerelle Finals

In my first public prediction on a big game, let us test my skills.

I have never publicly displayed anything such as that. I wanna feel like Paul the Octopus in predicting games except that mine has a definite number, numbers in this case. 

I forsee Xavier winning this one in a close hard fought game. San Beda is going to lead but not more than 7 points. Xavier is going to trail the 1st quarter but will slowly catch-up by the end of the third with a plus-minus 2 advantage/disadvantage. Once the 4th quarter begins and Xavier fields in its best possible 5, San Beda has no chance except that turnovers and the referees are going to bail the Red Cubs out and the final outcome is going to be decided by free throws. 

Thoughts Away From The Game: My First SOP

People often think that charity work or outreach programs are done only by people who either do it to reduce their taxes to pay to the government and older people who want to give back to the community as part of community service. We teenagers aged between 14-16 can make a difference to less fortunate people through the Saturday Outreach Program, more commonly known as SOP. 

After 2 consecutive absences due to basketball games, today I finally had my chance to interact with the victims of human trafficking from the Visayan Forum. Today, we didn't go to their Antipolo safehouse but rather we went to a subdivision beside it, Beverly Hills if I'm not mistaken (by the way, our Coach and one of our assistant coaches live there) and treated them to a day filled with sports. Our day started with some teambuilding games courtesy of Mr. Aragon. These games tried to strengthen the bond between the Xavier students and the girls from the Visayan Forum. These games needed communication from both sides for it to be successful. 

I noticed that the girls were more open and active. Based from what I have heard from the previous SOPs, they were very shy and were very hard to persuade to join the different activities but through sports, it bridged the cap between both sides. You could see the joy and excitement in the eyes and the way these girls reacted. Its good to be able to give them joy and happiness as they have been through a lot. It is good to know that we can and we were used as instruments by God to show his love and reach out to these victims. 

The second part of our SOP was a Sports Clinic. There were 4 different sports that the girls could choose from namely basketball, volleyball, badminton, and frisbee. I was assigned to handle the basketball clinic. I just showed them some of the basic fundamentals such as passing, dribbling, and shooting. To me, I didn't accomplish a lot since we only had one rubber basketball plus the net on the ring was very small thus I had to keep jumping to get the ball. 

Through this exercise, I could see how sports, namely basketball, bridges the gap between people who don't even know each other. Very similar to the Basketball Without Borders Asia program I joined in Singapore last year, it showed me that basketball is a universal sport enjoyed by many. Different genders, ages, backgrounds enjoy shooting the ball in the hoop, hearing the bounce of the ball, and the swish of the net. 

I find importance, personal satisfaction, and joy with this program. As my CLE teacher Mr. Chris King De la Cruz would say, "tungkulin ko maging makipag-kapwa tao." God has blessed me with a loving family, an opportunity to study in a good school, the company of good friends, my talents, and countless blessings. Giving up 3 hours of my Saturday for Him since as the Bible says, whatever you do unto others, you do unto me, is just peanuts to what he does for us. He is there 24/7 guiding us and returning the favor is no biggie. I hope I have the opportunity to be able to have more activities such as these and to hopefully attain the nirvana state of goodness.

A Man on a Mission, trying to help the community.

Other notes:

 Please eat before you go to your SOP. You don't want to barf on the way back. LOL.  

Schedule of Games (September 17-25) EDITED

Sunday (September 17, 2011)

Passerelle: San Beda Red Cubs vs Xavier Stallions - FINALS

Time: 10:00 AM 

Venue: St. Pedro Poveda College Gym  

Sunday (September 17, 2011) 

Fr. Martin's: St. Jude Catholic School vs Xavier School 

Time: 3:00 PM 

Venue: San Beda College - Mendiola 

Tuesday (September 19, 2011) 

Fr. Martin's: San Beda Red Cubs vs Xavier School 

Time: 6:00 PM 

Venue: San Beda College - Mendiola

Saturday (September 24, 2011)
PRADA: La Salle Greenhills vs Xavier School
Time: 09:45 AM
Venue: Jacinto Tiu Competition Court

Sunday (September 25, 2011)
Fr. Martin's: UST vs Xavier School
Time: 10:30 AM
Venue: San Beda College - Mendiola 

Photo of the Day: September 16, 2011

Its been quite a while since I posted a photo in this supposed daily segment.

In light of the Xavier Passerelle team's championship game this Sunday, I'll just share several pictures of the greatest day in my life!

Jubilation fills the entire air. The crowd, the drums, and the pressure are things that I'd miss. Cherish these moments as they might never happen again. Play your best and let Him do the rest! 

The Essence of Winning - Part 2

Win no. 3: Lady Luck Saves The Day 

Bilog ang bola, a common Filipino adage suggests. It literally means the basketball is round but as we try to read between the lines, it tries to give us both a positive and negative message. The ball can either roll in for you or twist and turn out. At times, the ball always finds its way on the bottom of the net but there are also times wherein we shoot bricks for what me and my friends like to call a clank-fest.

There have been games wherein teams shoot themselves in the gut and miss every conceivable shot that is makable but what keeps them in the game? Is it their hustle in the other departments? Is it that their opponents are not capitalizing on the opportunity? No sir, most of the time its Lady Luck doing wonders.

One of the greatest games of Tracy McGrady, once my favorite player before all the injuries, is the one wherein he scored 13 points in 33 seconds for a Houston win. That seems impossible. First, they were down 10 with 56.2 seconds remaining in the game. Second, they were up against a legitimate contender in the San Antonio Spurs who coincidentally were the NBA Champions that very season.

McGrady all of a sudden went off and with the Spurs shooting bricks in the free throw line, the Rockets managed to escape with a win. Why can't we attribute that win to win no. 1 wherein the superstar takes over? One, McGrady struggled before that. Second, who in the hell would score 13 points in 33 seconds and steal the game from a championship contender? Lastly, who would alter the free throws of the Spurs? Yes you guessed it, Lady Luck!

Win no. 4: All Cylinders Clicking 

This would have to be the best way to win a certain basketball game or team sport in general. Let us quote from several people from the Book of Basketball on their thoughts about this.

Russell: "By design and by talent the Celtics were a team of specialists, and like a team of specialists in any field, our performance depended on individual excellence and how well we worked together. None of us had to strain to understand that we had to complement each other's specialties; it was simply a fact, and we all tried to figure out ways to make our combination more effective... the Celtics played together because we knew it was the best way to win."

Bradley: "A team championship exposes the limits of self-reliance, selfishness and irresponsibility. One man alone can't make it happen; in fact, the contrary is true: a single man can prevent it from happening. The success of the group assures the success of the individual, but not the other way around. Yet this team is an inept model, for even as people marvel at its unselfishness and skill involved, they disagree on how it is achieved and who is the most instrumental. The human closeness of a basketball team cannot be reconstructed on a larger scale."

Russell: "Star players have an enormous responsibility beyond their statistics-the responsibility to pick their team up and carry it. You have to do this to win championships-and to be ready to do it when you'd rather be a thousand other places. You have to say and do the things that make your opponents play worse and your teammates play better. I always thought that the most important measure of how good a game I'd played was how much better I'd make my teammates play."

Bradley: "I believe that basketball, when a certain level of unselfish team play is realized, can serve as a kind of metaphor for ultimate cooperation. It is a sport where success, as symbolized by the championship, requires that the dictates of the community prevail over selfish personal impulses. An exceptional player is simply one point on a five-pointed star. Statistics-such as points, rebounds, or assists per game-can never explain the remarkable interaction that takes place on a successful pro team."

From The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons 

So what does Bill Russell and Bill Bradley try to say, they say that team comes first before themselves. The MVP award is just a consolation prize behind the championship. Statistics don't matter when one tries to attain winning. The nirvana state of winning cannot be attained by one person alone even if at times it does. As a saying goes, "There is no I in team but there is I in win."

When all cylinders click, it is very difficult to stop a team. You won't know who to stop because any person can go off at any moment. Primary examples of these would have to be the the Celtics dynasty, '70 Knicks, and the '04 Pistons. Yes these teams had an alpha dog, a star player, but these superstars were selfless and always thought of the welfare of the team first.

Watch out for Part 3...

The Essence of Winning - Part 1

"Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy."

-Ben Hogan 

Winning is a psychological state we athletes cherish and strive for. May it be a blowout or a hard fought championship game. As one famous athlete once said, its a habit. Winning cannot be achieved when one doesn't first and foremost believe in himself and the capabilities of his team. 

To me, there are 4 different kinds of "wins"; for team sports that is. 

Win no. 1: The Superstar Takes Over

In every given team, there is what Bill Simmons calls, an Alpha Dog. The Alpha Dog is the superstar of the team. The guy everyone wants to play with because he eases the game with his skills. He is the one you look for when you need a basket. He is also the one the opposing team wants to stop from dominating the game. 

There are games wherein the superstar takes over. The day when he goes off. Throw one man, two men, the entire frontline, the whole team, he is U-N-S-T-O-P-P-A-B-L-E ! One memorable game that I witnessed someone took over and changed the entire complexion of the game is Game 5 of the 2007 Conference Finals where a young LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a pivotal win after scoring 25 of the last 29 points of the Cavs. The "Bad Boys" had no way of stopping the young LeBron. 

When a superstar takes over a game, he goes beyond his limits. He defies the odds and his team notches a W! 

Win no. 2: Robin steals the show. 

When Batman, the Alpha Dog, struggles horribly from the field, is all hope lost? Not necessarily since  a role player, to whom we can refer to as Robin, will and can steal the show. Superstars or people in general have to accept the fact that we are far from perfect. We can't make all the shots even if we consistently put time in the gym to develop. At times, pressure takes over but its not an excuse we can use. This doesn't necessarily have to be when the star player struggles. This can also be used when a reserve player makes and takes a clutch shot and changes the complexion of the game. 

During the 1976 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns were playing in what I consider to be one of the best NBA Finals games ever. Its Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 with both teams winning both games away from home. It was a very controversial game with too many things to write about. You can just look at it in Wikipedia for crying out loud. With foul trouble and fatigue sidelining their players, a barely used Glenn McDonald rose to the occasion and scored 6 of the last 10 points of the Celtics leading them to a pivotal Game 5 win. 

That game of Glenn McDonald was the most famous in his short career. After that game, he disappeared mysteriously from the game leaving with a bang! 

That game of Glenn McDonald gives hope to all other players. ( I don't want to the term bench warmer, I find it too derogatory) You are not expected to produce 20-30 points but if you can, why not. You are placed there to give your niche; may it be rebounding, defense, hustle, energy. All hope is not lost when you don't play but when you do, you have to give it your all. 

That basically sums up half of the kinds of wins in my opinion. Watch out for Part 2 whenever I post next. 

What Should Be The Criteria For A MVP

In light of the debate on whether or not Greg Slaughter of Ateneo should have been named MVP instead of National U's Ray Ray Parks since the later's team didn't make it to the Final 4, let us take into consideration on the definition of the Most Valuable Player award. 

For this topic, let us consult the Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, in his book, The Book of Basketball. 

"Question no. 1: If you replaced each MVP candidate with a decent player at his position for the entire season, what would be the hypothetical effect on his team's records?"

If Greg Slaughter were to be replaced with a Alinko Mbah, Ateneo's record of 13-1, will definitely drop but not too much since in Slaughter's "absence", we expect Nico Salva and Kiefer Ravena to carry more of the scoring. (We could have included Ryan Buenafe if he had not left the team) Justin Chua will man the middle more for the team but still come of the bench. Chua will have more touches and continue to thrive under Coach Norman's system. Ateneo will still have one of those twice to beat slots in the Final 4 but with a chance of sliding to #2. 

If Ray Ray Parks were to be replaced with Joseph Marata, minus of course the slashing and athletic ability, NU would be way below the their current standing. Parks not only gives NU a legitimate scoring option but he is versatile enough to help in the other departments. Ray Ray also has the ability to create shots for himself and his teammates thus making NU a much more deadly team. If Marata were there in NU, we expect Emmanuel Mbe's numbers to go up but it won't make much of a difference and NU will remain in the lower part of the standings, just like last year. 

"Question no. 2: In a giant pickup game with every NBA player available and two knowledgeable fans forced to pick five-man teams, with their lives depending on the game's outcome, who would be the first player picked based on how everyone played that season". 

We have to give credit where credit is due and Slaughter played a magnificently for the Blue Eagles but sadly played below my expectations. I expected Slaughter to churn a near double-double every game. I expected around a 20-9 with 2-3 blocks. Hey, he's 7 feet with international experience with the Smart Gilas National Team and he should be heads and shoulders above the rest, not just in height but also skill. Slaughter at times was a beast just like in their first game against Adamson where he single-handedly led the Blue Eagles to victory but at times, you just shake your head in disappointment when he doesn't dominate the game. 

On the other hand, Ray Ray never seems to disappoint me. I'd be lying if I said that since he technically lost 2 games for NU, the one against UE where he missed the free throw and the putback, and the game against FEU where he just didn't want to take it strong to the rack despite scoring over 30+ points before the second overtime. More often that not, Ray Ray will torch the opposition with 20+ points, 8 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and blocks. He's a stat sheet stuffer and you would want him if your life depended on it. You would want a player who can give you a lot of everything rather than a player on who you are uncertain with their production. 

"Question no. 3: Ten years from now, who will be the first player from that season who pops into your head." 

This season would have to be one of the best, if not the best, in recent memory for the UAAP. You would remember a lot, the strong rookie class, the close games, the surprises etc. You would most likely remember three players, in no particular order, Kiefer "The Phenom" Ravena, Greg Slaughter, and Ray Ray Parks. 

Ravena will be most remembered as "The Phenom" who played like a savvy 5-year veteran and not a rookie. You would remember Greg Slaughter as the 7'0 who consistently forced the opposition to double team him and his "thunderous dunks". As for Parks, you would remember him as the guy who nailed the behind-the-back no look shot in his final game. 

To me, Parks had more impact this season than Slaughter. Slaughter relied on his height to dominate the paint and make opponents shake their head but Ray Ray dazzled his foes with moves. You couldn't stop him since he could drive to the rack or nail his silky smooth jumper. 

"Question no. 4: If you're explaining your MVP pick to someone who has a favorite player in the race-a player you didn't pick-will he at least say something like, "Yeah, I don't like it, but I can see how you arrived at your choice". 

To me this would be the most difficult point to prove since biases and binaries exists in this world. One could say that Greg Slaughter deserved it since Ateneo had the better record but as you ponder, Ray Ray almost single-handedly led NU to the Final Four despite having an off year from Emmanuel Mbe, no consistent play from their Point Guard and no legitimate back-up scorer. Now tell me, whose more valuable. 

This can be all open to interpretation but as we use Simmons's guidelines, we can see that Parks really emerges as the Most Valuable Player. Yes I know his team didn't qualify for the Final Four and to this very day we use Statistical Points to determine the MVP but he exemplifies on what the word valuable means. Without Ray Ray, NU will probably be in the 7th in the standings with only UE and UP behind them and with his play. 

Haters can continue to hate but its just my interpretation, just live with it. 

Ray Ray Parks, Simply Amazing

One of the greatest shots I've ever seen and I have seen a lot. #justsaying #nuffsaid

One Year Anniversary: 09.12.10

A year ago on this very day, on the brink of losing the championship because of my bad play, I looked up in the sky and talked to God. "Thy will be done", the words I uttered patiently while warming my behind on the bench. I am thankful that Coach Owen gave me another chance in overtime to play despite my horrendous game. At first, I felt embarrassed since I felt I let my team down and but coming to think of it, its God's way of giving me vindication and redemption. 

After nailing to those two shots, it felt like the weight on my shoulders just disappeared as I run down the court with my arms spread out wide just like the Jet. Time running down, the anxiety, the hardships and the fatigue all gone, and once the buzzer sounded, its the greatest feeling in the world. That feeling is can't be described with any verb or adjective. 

To this day, that is my most memorable game. Even if I played atrociously in the start, it goes to show that God truly has a purpose for us. Its not how we start but how we finish. All those hours spent in the basketball court running suicides, all the time spent shooting free throws, all the sweat and tears are just distant memories of our past. For the entire year, we were champions. 

How has that game changed my perception of life? It has motivated me to become a better basketball person and a better student in school. Although I don't seem like a honest nerd who studies day and night, I do my best, hopefully. It has challenged me to be more positive. As a great emperor once said, "This too shall pass". Lastly, it has deepen my faith on God. "Challenges are what makes life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful", Joshua J. Marine once said. God has a plan and purpose for each and every one of us. We just have to seek his guidance and its His will that will be done. 

A message for the Passerelle boys who will play in arguably the biggest game of their lives. Just think positive and play your game. Don't let the crowd rattle you. You have to play the game with ice in your veins and be calm. Lastly, seek the guidance from above and it is through him all of us succeed! 

La Salle Greenhills - Xavier School - Passerelle Semi-Finals Box Score

Xavier Escapes Pesky LSGH in Passerelle Semis

The clock ticking down, with the ball in his hands, Alaska Jr-NBA Youth Ambassador looks at clock as it winds down. He goes to his dominant side brushes away a defender and goes up for a floater and banks it in giving Xavier a 2-point lead with 13 seconds left in the game and leads Xavier to a 59-57 victory against the tough La Salle Greenhills squad.

The game started of slowly for the Stallions as it couldn’t buy a basket from the field and the charity stripe. Both teams threw the ball away countless of times, which made the coaches of both sides furious. Changgi Hong tried to carry the load of the Stallions scoring 7 of his 9 points in the 1^st canto. La Salle capitalized on the Stallions gambling man-to-man pressure, which led to numerous easy under goal stabs. At the end of the 1^st quarter buzzer, the score was 11-18 in favor the men in green.

The 2^nd quarter troops of Head Coach Owen Oliva again started poorly from the field but it managed to dictate the tempo of the game forcing numerous turnovers from the Green Archers. As the quarter passed, La Salle managed to find a way to break Xavier’s daunting man-to-man defense and a variety of their zone presses to go up 23-16 until Alaska – Jr. NBA Ambassador Jarrell Lim single-handedly took over the game scoring relentlessly to keep the Stallions at bay. At the end of the quarter it was just down to a 2 point lead for the Green Archers, 29-27.

During the 3^rd quarter, Xavier capitalized on its height advantage and scored on numerous second chance attempts to even the score at 36 all on Anton Lapez’s 3-point play conversion. As all things looked bright for the Stallions, RP Youth U-16 mainstay Isaac Go was called for 3 fouls in the first 5 minutes alone giving La Salle numerous chances to take the ball out and set their offense. As the Stallions still continued to clank baskets, their aggressiveness merited them numerous free throws but they didn’t take advantage of it.

During payoff period, the Stallions went on a relentless attack anchored by their defense. As they took their first lead of the game at 46-45, both sides exchanged baskets until Jarrell Lim hit the game-winner with 13 ticks remaining. La Salle tried to win the game but their 3-point attempt clanked off the back iron and the Stallions will advance to next week’s Finals for the third time in the last four years.

Lim ended up with a game-high 19 points on 6/9 shooting from the field (1/1 3PTs) and 6/9 from the charity stripe. Following him was Changgi Hong with 9, Isaac Go with 8 points plus a game-high 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Anton Lapez and Tonito Puyat had 6 points apiece.

The Stallions will get a chance to defend their Passerelle crown next week against the winner of the Claret and San Beda game in the Poveda Gym.

The Scores:

Xavier 59: Lim 19, Hong 9, Go 8, Lapez 6, Puyat 6, Sy 3, Yu 3, Tio 2,  Ejercito 2, Ong 1, Gemzontan 0, A. Tan 0, J. Tan 0, Chuacuco 0, Yeung 0.

Quarter Scores: 11-17, 27-29, 43-45, 59-57. 

I Will Protect This House

In light of tomorrow's Passerelle game, a motivational video for all the players.

#ProtectThisHouse #DefendTheCrown

The Nike Mag - Preview

Schedule of Games (September 10 and 11)

Game: PCC vs Xavier - PRADA Juniors
Time: 9:45 AM
Venue: Jacinto Tiu Competition Court
Date: September 10, 2011 (SATURDAY)

Game: Claret vs Xavier - PAYA Juniors
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: High School Gym
Date: September 10, 2011 (SATURDAY)

Game: LSGH vs Xavier - Passerelle Semi-finals
Time: 1:00 PM
Venue: High School Gym Cement Court 1
Date: September 11, 2011 (SUNDAY)

The BEST Game of the Summer

Since the NBA Lockout is far from being fixed, some of the greatest players on the planet are strutting their stuff in some of the different summer leagues around the United States. Several of the more notable summer leagues that players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, John Wall, Brandon Jennings, Josh Selby, among many others are the Drew League and the Goodman League. 

But what happens when you make both of these leagues compete against each other in a basketball game? All hell breaks lose making this arguably the BEST game of the summer. 

The videos pretty much speak for itself. 

Xavier Trounces Tiger Cubs in Passerelle Quarters

With the championship hopes of Xavier in the balance, Isaac Go grabs his own miss, goes up strong and makes a putback. That basket was the turning point of the game when Xavier, after trailing as much as 8 points tied the game and never looked back as it trounced a pesky UST squad, 58-44.

Xavier’s 1^st quarter unit drew first blood after a split from the charity stripe by Jacob Ejercito and afterwards, they couldn’t seem to buy a basket both inside and outside. The Tiger Cubs, despite committing numerous turnovers, managed to score and break the Stallions daunting man-to-man press and even a variety of its zone presses.

During the 2^nd quarter, the Golden Stallions tried to capitalize on UST’s 4-man team since one of the players was injured but Alaska Jr. NBA Youth Ambassador Jarrell Lim struggled immensely as he just arrived from Hong Kong the morning of the game. This did not stop him from contributing, as he became a facilitator finishing with a game-high, 5 assists. Freshman Center Aldrich Tan was the recipient of most of Lim’s passes and was a revelation inside the paint scoring a game-high 15 points in an impressive 7 of 10 shooting from the field.  Despite the lack of players on the opposing side and the Lim-Tan inside-out combination, the Tiger Cubs still led 21-28 in halftime.

After an encouraging message from Head Coach Owen Oliva during the short halftime break, the shock troopers of Coach O responded with a 15-0 run to start the quarter and finally grab their first taste of the lead ever since the opening tip. RP Youth U-16 mainstay, Isaac Go was a beast on both ends of the court as he finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds, and a game-high 4 blocks despite staying on the opposite end of the court for most of the game. Point Guard Anton Lapez controlled the tempo of the game finding his teammates for quality shots but when it was necessary, he was willing to score, finishing with 8 points. The Stallions limited UST to just 4 points in this quarter and their defense changed the complexion of the game.

The final canto was a slugfest with both teams exchanging baskets and verbal jabs. The Stallions didn’t allow their UST counterparts to tick them off their game and they continued the relentless attack.

The Stallions continue their defense of the Passerelle crown as they will take on most probably La Salle Greenhills next week in the Semi-Finals. Bad blood is expected from both teams as La Salle eliminated Xavier two of the last three years and Xavier demolished the Green Archers last year en-route to their second Passerelle crown in 4 years.