Saturday, August 4, 2012

RR Garcia's Steps to Success

One of our most favorite point guards in the planet showing off. (Images are from google search, thank you to those who have unwittingly contributed to this.)


Chris Tiu joins PBA Draft - 2012

Good luck, Chris Tiu. Better late than never. If you don't make it, idiretso mo na ang pag-aartista.

"Chris Tiu beat the deadline for the 2012 PBA Rookie Draft yesterday to become one of the oldest amateur players in recent years to sign up for the pro league.

The 27-year-old Tiu, the former captain of the Smart Gilas national team, joins a marquee list of aspirants that includes Cebuano star June Mar Fajardo, NCAA Most Valuable Player Calvin Abueva and Filipino-American Cliff Hodge.

“I realized that God has given us talents for a reason,” said Tiu. “There’s a purpose for it and it should be used the correct way and it should be shared with others. I feel if I just leave basketball, it would be thrown away and put to waste. And I don’t want that.”

Tiu had hoped to continue donning the the national colors, but the Smart Gilas program was discontinued."

Read the full story here: Inquirer

Friday, August 3, 2012

July 28 recap: UST versus NU, Ateneo versus La Salle

Games played last July 28, 2012
Photo by Mark Cristino and ABS-CBN

First Game: UST Growling Tigers versus NU Bulldogs


The shortest guy on the court had the biggest basket of the game. The Bulldogs led for most of the match, but with under two minutes remaining, the Growling Tigers had a 7-0 run, capped by an undergoal stab and a free throw by 5'7 UST point guard Jeric Fortuna, helping UST to a win over NU, 77-71.

Fortuna emerged with the ball after UST's Kevin Ferrer missed a three-point shot, beating an assemblage of six-footers with his quickness, and gave the Tigers had a 75-69 lead with 1:05 remaining after converting his three-point play.

Bulldogs center Emmanuel Mbe was fouled on the next play, but was pulled out of the game after sustaining an injury. NU's backup center JT Rosario converted two free throws in Mbe's stead, to cut UST's lead to four, 75-71 with 58.9 seconds remaining.

UST then missed a chance to score, and Rosario got the rebound, but lost the ball out of bounds, 26.5 remaining. Tigers shooting guard Clark Bautista was fouled on the next play with NU in the penalty, and he sank both free throws to give UST a 77-71 lead with 25.4 seconds remaining.

Jeric Teng drives past
two NU defenders
On the last play of the game, Parks drove to the middle but failed to convert after getting through a mob on the perimeter and finding Abdul standing in front of him and the basket.

Jeric Teng led UST with his season-high 21 points, while collecting eight rebounds. He scored his first 15 points in the second quarter, and gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with his third three-pointer with 3:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Parks was brilliant on
both ends of the floor
Bobby Ray Parks had 25 points to lead all scorers, with twenty markers coming in the first half. He only managed one field goal in the second half though, a three-pointer with 2:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.

His offense sputtered in the last twenty minutes, but Parks defended well, highlighted by his monster block on Bautista in the second half. He's doing too much though; Parks is the first option on offense and is also the bulk of NU's transition defense.

First Game Scores:

UST 77—Teng 21, Abdul 11, Mariano 10, Fortuna 10, Ferrrer 8, Bautista 7, Afuang 6, Lo 4, Vigil 0, Pe 0, Daquioag 0.

NU 71—Parks 25, Mbe 13, Alolino 13, Javillonar 11,Villamor 5, Rosario 3, Ignacio 1, Roño 0, Neypes 0, Khobuntin 0, De Guzman 0, Betayene.
Quarters: 15-21, 36-41, 53-60, 77-71

Second Game: Ateneo Blue Eagles versus De La Salle Green Archers



The two LAs were back after missing a game, saving a much-hyped and ballyhooed meeting between two expensive schools from turning into a ho-hum affair, but even with Revilla and Dela Paz back for La Salle, Ateneo still won, 71-61.

The Blue Eagles blasted the Green Archers, 20-8 in the first quarter, and extended the lead to sixteen points, 26-10 early in the second, until LA Revilla exploded on offense, scoring ten in the quarter, the last points coming on a three that cut Ateneo's lead to six, 30-24.

Ateneo's big men then took over with five points to La Salle's two, ending the quarter up by nine points, 35-26, with Eagles center Greg Slaughter making a last-second put back layup. Ateneo guard Kiefer Ravena matched Revilla's first half output of 10 points.

Norbert Torres and Jeron Teng combined for fifteen points in the third quarter to lead a DLSU charge,  outscoring Ateneo, 24-18, to get within three, 53-50.

LA Revilla and one of his
daring drives to the basket
The fourth quarter was a thriller, featuring an entertaining flurry of exchanges, and La Salle still had a chance to win it, after Archer shooting guard Jed Manguera made a three-point shot with 2:24 remaining, Ateneo ahead, 64-60.

The Green Archers only managed a free throw after that though, and Blue Eagles veteran forward Nico Salva scored five of Ateneo's last seven points to give Ateneo the win.

Ateneo center Greg Slaughter led all scorers with 20 points, while LA Revilla had 16 points for La Salle.

Notes:

  • Ateneo failed to convert a three point shot in this game, while La Salle failed to hit a three in their previous game, versus FEU.
  • LA Revilla was bloody brilliant in the game with daredevil drives, slicing the vaunted Ateneo defense time after time.
  • Revilla and Dela Paz missed their previous match, which FEU won by only two points, 48-46. The two LAs combined for 23 points today.

Second Game
ATENEO 71—Slaughter 20, Salva 16, Ravena 16, Chua 6, Tiongson 4, Elorde 3, Buenafe 3, Pessumal 2, Erram 1, Sumalinog 0, Gonzaga 0.

LA SALLE 61—Revilla 16, Teng 13, N. Torres 11, Dela Paz 7, Manguera 6, Van Opstal 2, Andrada 2, Webb 2, Mendoza 1, Tampus 1, Paredes 0, Vosotros 0, T. Torres 0, Gotladera 0, Tallo 0.
Quarters: 20-8, 35-26, 53-50, 71-61