Category: Basketball

Weep? No, says Yayoy, as UC attempts a sweep

Never before in the 10-year-old history of the Cebu Schools Association Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) has a team come from 0-2 down in the finals to win. Not in 2001 when the league started. Not last year when the University of Cebu (UC) won the basketball collegiate crown for the first time. Not when UV — the University of the Visayas — won for the first nine seasons of the CESAFI.

Yayoy Alcoseba will change history beginning today.

“One game at a time,” said Alcoseba. “Before we can think of a full comeback, we’ll have to win today. That’s our goal. We can only think about winning a second and a third game if we win today.”

Raul Alcoseba is not acknowledged as the most successful coach — possibly of any sport ever in Cebu — for nothing. He’s won for M. Lhuillier a thousand times. He’s won for Balls. For Cebu Doctors a long while back. For ML Kwarta Padala. For many more teams and schools in the past decades.

Can Yayoy do it again with Southwestern University? Today? Win Game 3 against the behemoth named June Mar Fajardo? And win again in Game 4? Then once more in Game 5? This is impossible. It seems inconceivable. But the most trusted man of Michel Lhuillier has always been challenged by the most challenging of events.

Today’s Game 3 is such a challenge. “In the first two games of the finals,” Yayoy said, “we almost won. In Game 1, we had a chance. In Game 2, we had another chance but lost in overtime.”

That’s true. It’s not like SWU has been clobbered by UC. In last Monday’s Game 2, they should have won. With 160 seconds left in the ballgame, his SWU Cobras led the Webmasters, 73-70. They had ball possession. A two-pointer would have given them an insurmountable five-point advantage.

But, no. They made mistake after mistake. Justin Aboude was called for traveling. In their next possession, they were called for a 24-second violation. Inexperience. That’s what Yayoy calls it.

“UC has been in the finals three straight years,” he said. “In their first finals, they lost to UV. Last year, they won it. This season, they’re in the finals again. It shows. They have composure in the end.”

SWU has to play like they’ve got no tomorrow. Which is true. If, tonight at 6:45, when the two teams clash at the Cebu Coliseum, SWU once more loses, that’s it. There’s no tomorrow. They have to give it everything they’ve got — plus, plus.

“It’s the first time our players are in the finals,” said Yayoy. “We’ve had chances. We just can’t close out the games.”

Fajardo? The nearly-seven-foot-tall center who will surely be in the PBA soon?

“We cannot stop Fajardo,” he said. “What we need to do is to stop the three guards of UC. In Game 2, each of the three guards scored double-figures. We can’t win if that happens again. We have to stop that.”

The Cebu City Councilor, who’s been coaching the M. Lhuillier team for 25 years now, has never been 0-2 down. In fact, quite interesting to report it, the veteran coach has never, ever before been part of a three-out-of-five series.

“The CESAFI series is unique,” Yayoy said. “If you study the other leagues, they’re all either a two-out-of-three or a best-of-seven series. The NBA and the PBA are best-of-seven; the UAAP, NCAA and Liga are all best-of-three. It’s only the CESAFI that’s best-of-five.”

So, Yayoy has never been in this situation before. Never been 0-2 down. Never been with a youthful team in a three-out-of-five scenario.

Maybe, just maybe, if his Cobras win tonight… and, miraculously, again the next game… they might win it all. Won’t that be for the storybooks? Like CEC’s fairytale championship win last season? Amazing, if it happens.

But for Mr. Fajardo and his Team UC, that will be a tall, tall, giant, giant order.

A chat with Donnie Nietes and Greg Slaughter

We spoke in Ilonggo. “Ari ko diri sang September 16 pa (I’ve been here since Sept. 16),” said world champion Donnie Nietes, when we talked late yesterday afternoon.

He arrived in Bacolod City early. “Para maka plastar gid (So I’ll be prepared),” he said.

Speaking from the mobile phone of his trainer, Edmund Villamor, he sounded upbeat. “100 percent ready na ko,” said Donnie, who spoke while at the Hotel Pavilion in Bacolod. Donnie mentioned that he had been training rigorously at both the Guanzon Stable and the One On One Gym.

This Saturday’s WBO light flyweight world championship bout against Mexican invader Ramon Garcia Hirales will be Nietes’ second major battle inside the La Salle Bacolod Gymnasium.

ATENEO CHAMP. Also late yesterday, I talked to a man who, physically, is the opposite of Nietes. Because while the ALA boxer is diminutive and weighs less than 108 lbs., Greg Slaughter is a towering giant.

Stand them side-by-side and you can’t find a more interesting pair. Nietes stands 5-foot-3; Slaugher is a 7-footer. That’s a 21-inch height difference.

Mr. Slaughter did his slaughtering last Saturday, winning the championship. It’s the turn of Mr. Nietes this Saturday to win his championship.

How did you celebrate? I asked Greg. Soft-spoken and humble, he said that he and his teammates went to the Church of the Gesu. “We heard mass to give thanks,” said Greg. “Several of those graduating from our team spoke.”

Did you give a speech? “No I did not.”

When I called yesterday, Greg had just gotten home from class. “School’s still going on for two weeks,” he said. Their big celebration after Ateneo De Manila University won its fourth straight UAAP title will be this Saturday during a giant bonfire party, an Ateneo tradition.

“It’s always sweet to be a champion,” Greg added. “Every time you win, from my wins in UV to this one here in Ateneo, it feels good.”

I reminded Greg that, since he arrived in the Philippines, each year he’s played college basketball, he’s been a champ. Next season? “I don’t know,” said Greg. He still has one more season with Ateneo and, most-likely, will be back.

How about the PBA? “Haven’t really thought about it yet. Exam week is coming up so that’s my focus now.”

The good news for Cebuanos? Greg will take a weekend vacation here. “I want to visit Cebu, to go back,” he said. “I’ll be there this October.”

DONNIE. Back to “The City of Smiles” for this weekend’s Bacolod spectacle, I also spoke to ALA Promotions’ Chad Cañares.

“Donnie’s opponent is arriving at 5:30 this afternoon,” he said yesterday. “The people here in Bacolod are excited. Ticket outlets are doing well. Many are asking for the VIP tickets.”

Their schedule is packed. Today is the media day for Ramon Garcia Hirales at the SM City Bacolod. Tomorrow, it’s the public workout of the fighters, also at SM. On Thursday, it’s the official press conference. On Friday, it’s the weigh-in, again at the SM City. The judges arrive on Thursday; the referee, on Friday.

As to the Pay-Per-View (PPV) here in Cebu, Chad announced that, because of the huge demand, that instead of SM City’s Cinema 1 (which seats 800), the venue is moved to Cinema 7, with a seating capacity of 1,200.

PINK OCTOBER. This Sunday, it’s the yearly Pink October Run to be held at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu. Distances are 10K, 5K and 3K.

Me’anne Alcordo Solomon, one of Cebu’s most vibrant of Rotarians, is helping organize many of this month’s activities. To join the run and the many other activities, visit Active Zone of Ayala Center.

As the Pink October organizers would say, “Remember: Early Detection Saves Lives… Early Detection Saves Money… Early Detection Is The Cure!”

The Manny Pacquiao of Philippine business

The MVPs of sports: Monico Puentevalla, Manny P. and Manny P.

Manny makes the world go round. Or, as we’ve been taught since pre-school: “Money makes the world go round.” In Philippine business and in Philippine sports, it’s the former statement: Manny does make the earth revolve. The two Mannys I’m referring to are: Pangilinan and Pacquiao.

MannyPa. Manny Pangilinan is the MVP of our country’s world of commerce. Pitted against billionaires named Lucio, Henry, Aboitiz, Zobel, E. Razon, Gokongwei, Andrew Tan, and Cojuangco, the MVP of them all is MVP.

He may not be the richest. He did not inherit a 175-year-old company named “Ayala.” He’s not even married and doesn’t have children. But, if you make a survey among CEOs and ask who, among their fellow chieftains, is the most aggressive industrialist in today’s corporate setting, the answer is obvious: MannyPa.

He is either the chairman or the president of these giant companies: PLDT, Meralco, ABC/TV5, San Beda College (Board of Trustees), Smart Communications, Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Piltel, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp…. and many, Manny more.

I write about him because of his involvement in sports. Again, compared to a long-time heavyweight in sports like, for example, Danding Cojuangco of San Miguel Corporation, nobody has done more for our nation than Manny Pangilinan.

He rebuilt Ateneo. They’re the three-time UAAP champions. And, with Kiefer and Greg, they’re expected to slaughter all opposition this school year.

He patronized the San Beda Red Lions. It was at San Beda where he studied his elementary and high school. In return, he’s helped their basketball program. The result? The Red Lions are the 2010-11 champions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. This means that, in both the UAAP and NCAA, the twin teams that MVP supported are the champions.

Smart man? In the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), he owns two teams: the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters and the Meralco Bolts. Talk ‘N Text have won the 2010-2011 Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup.

The Smart Gilas squad? Of course, based on their first name, “Smart,” it’s clear who sponsors our Philippine amateur team. MVP leads the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. In boxing, he also leads the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP). His long-term goal: to produce the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal. In taekwondo, MVP also bolsters their national program.

And, if all this success within our Philippine shores were not enough, Manny P. attempted a deal that’s never been accomplished by any Filipino, ever: The purchase of an NBA team. MVP lobbied to buy the Sacramento Kings. “I have to admit, the idea is very titillating,” he said. “It’s a great tribute to the country… Whether we do it or not, it’s a great idea for a Filipino group to own an NBA team.”

The plan was for MVP to pay as much as $260 million for a majority stake in the Kings. This whopping figure (about P10 billion in Php Pesos) would have been funded, according to reports, by “his personal capacity.” Unfortunately, it appears that the deal won’t push through. But, whether it’s next season or three years from now, expect MVP, now 65 years old, to pursue that NBA dream.

Well, here we are this weekend of July 23 and 24. On the topic of the NBA, if MVP cannot purchase a team, he might as well bring their best players to our shores. Lucky for Manila but unlucky for us taga-probinsya, MVP has invited MVPs Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose. Also in Manila are Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Derek Fisher and many more are here.

Last night, the NBA selection played the PBA All-Stars. Today, at 1 p.m., Kobe and Co. will face Chris Tiu and the Smart Gilas national squad. Yesterday’s game was shown live on (where else), the IBC 13 (TV5) network of Mr. Pangilinan, while today’s game will be shown delayed at 5:30 p.m.

The venue? No longer called Araneta Coliseum, it’s recently been renamed to… “Smart Araneta Coliseum.”

Smart, aggressive, sports-obsessive… what a Most Valuable Pinoy.

Hapit! Mandaue’s Landmasters/RDAK scares Smart Gilas

Marcus Douthit is 6’11”. Japeth Aguilar stands 6-foot-9. Together, side by side, standing on the parquet floor with their arms outstretched like wingspans of two Airbus A380s, they’re unstoppable.

I watched them play last Thursday. Inside the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex, the Philippine team called the “Smart-Gilas Pilipinas” faced Cebu’s latest phenomenon, the Mandaue-Landmasters/RDAK squad.

We beat them. Hapit. Almost. With 3 minutes, 18 seconds left in the 4th quarter, our locals led the nationals, 64-61. This was after Mandaue’s latest recruit, Vic Manuel, did the unthinkable against the Gilas giants: In a fast-break, with two hands gripping the ball, Manuel vaulted up on air and slam-dunked. Yes! Mandaue slam-dunked Gilas.

I arrived at the gymnasium during the start of the 3rd quarter. Of the gym’s 5,000-seating capacity, the venue was 70 percent full.

We did not lead all the way. Earlier, Gilas led by as much as 16 points when the score was 37-21. They dominated. Like they did the night before in Cebu Coliseum, against the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala, when the Cebu Niños suffered a humbling 89-62 loss. That’s a 27-point margin.

Not in Mandaue City. I was seated between the two most influential VIPs in the coliseum that night: to my left sat Joe Soberano, the CEO of Cebu Landmasters, Inc. and the owner of the team; to my right was the Vice Mayor of Mandaue, Glenn Bercede. With them cheering from the front lines, Mandaue was invigorated. They played inspired basketball.

VM Glenn Bercede

With 92 seconds left in the ballgame, the score was 68-66. Gilas led. Then, as the seconds inched forward, the score read 72-70. Only 22 seconds were left. Imagine, our Landmasters/RDAK lineup had a good chance to tie—or possibly defeat—the much-heralded PHL team?

UPSET! Can you picture the headline-grabbing news that this will generate, nationwide? ‘PINAS LOSES TO M’DAUE!

And though this wasn’t a tournament, still, a game is a game. Nobody wants to lose. Not even in an exhibition contest.

With 15 seconds left in the final quarter, the score was 73-72. We had a terrific chance. When Gilas made a two-pointer to make it 75-72, we owned ball possession. A three-point shot to make it 75-all would have ended the game. Exhibition matches don’t extend to Overtime.

Mandaue did a trick shot. One player (I could not recall who), who was to do the inbounds pass, could not find an open man so he did a crazy yet effective ploy: he bounced the ball off the opponent’s back, caught it, then the ball was in play. He then passed it to his teammate. Smart play against Smart!

But, in the end, the 75-75 “dream score” would not happen: the Landmasters turned-over the ball in their last possession and Gilas scored one last time.

Final score: 77-72. (Had two-time MVP Mark Magsumbol played, many from the crowd, including Caecent, believed we’d have won.)

Despite the loss, VM Glenn Bercede was all-smiles. Looking fit and lean (he plays basketball, up to this day, at least twice a week), the top sportsman/ official is not only a huge basketball follower, he helps Landmasters/RDAK in all ways that he can. Two other ecstatic fans were Atty. Lito Pascual, the sports chieftain of Mandaue, and Rere King, the owner of RDAK.

Landmasters/RDAK is a three-time Liga Pilipinas weekly/leg champion. In this SMC Liga Pilipinas Conference V (fifth season), the first three legs were won not by Manny Pacquiao’s GenSan-MP Warriors… but by Jose Soberano’s group.

In the recent fourth leg, though, they lost to Misamis Oriental Meteors, the eventual champion. It all ends in the “Super Leg,” the Grand Championship, at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City starting this Tuesday, from July 12 to 17.

Too bad Cebu won’t be hosting the Super Leg. It would have given us home-court advantage. Still, with a 12-4 win-loss record in the past four weeks, and a performance last Thursday that had Gilas’ Chris Tiu in difficulty (he was blocked), let’s hope for a super win in the Super Leg.

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Categorized as Basketball

Greg Slaughter: From UV to Gilas to Ateneo

“I’m doing good,” said Greg Slaughter, yesterday. “Just getting ready for the season.”

“The season,” of course, refers to the UAAP Season 74 that opens this July 9. Greg was “pirated” from the University of the Visayas by Ateneo de Manila University. This happened last year.

Are all your documents OK? I asked. “Well, they haven’t officially released the decision,” he said. “But I think I’ll be all right.”

Greg moved to Manila in 2010. But, after arriving at the Quezon City campus of ADMU, he could not wear the Blue Eagles uniform because of the one-year-residency ruling. He waited. For the meantime, he donned the Smart Gilas jersey.

This UAAP season, Greg and his Ateneo coach, Norman Black, whom I spoke to over the phone two weeks ago, are excited.

After winning three CESAFI trophies from 2007 to 2009 here in Cebu, Greg’s shift from UV’s green garb to Ateneo’s blue motif will mean one giant move for this giant: Ateneo will win Consecutive Title No. 4.

“I miss Cebu,” Greg said. “But I’ve had no time to visit. Been busy with Gilas and the PBA. And, after that, with the Ateneo training camp. Our team flew to Las Vegas. I’ve also been busy with school.”

Is Ateneo difficult? “It’s pretty tough,” said the only player in CESAFI history to have won the season MVP, the All-Star MVP, and the Finals MVP in the same season (2008). “School is tough but they help us. I’ve got tutors.”

Finally, I asked Greg, given all the good nutrition that they provide in Manila, if he’s grown even taller. (I once asked him, “When you fully stretch your arms, how near are you from the basketball ring?” His reply: “My fingers are about 8 inches away. I can tap the backboard and grip the middle of the net while standing!”)

Greg’s answer: “I’ve reached the limit. I’m 7 feet tall.”

With that height, Ateneo will stand tall this year while their enemies will have a tall, tall order.

At the 2009 Cebu Sports Awards; from left, Raffy Uytiepo, Jun Migallen, John P., Manny, Greg, Jingo Quijano and Raffy Osumo

Past articles I wrote about Greg:

As Greg slaughters, UV marches to No. 8 this ‘08

Greg Slaughter: Q & A with the triple MVP

The ‘Tim Duncan’ of Cebu basketball speaks

With UV’s 9th prize, Eddiegul is on Cloud 9

MARIA. Ms. Sharapova is blonde, tantalizing, long-legged at 6-foot-1; she adorns the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and is the world’s richest female athlete. The sports giant Nike just paid her $70 million for an eight-year deal to wear The Swoosh. She earns $25 million total, through sponsorships, every 12 months.

Sharapova is the prettiest face and the sexiest body in sports. That’s according to me, to Mike, to you, and to Sasha Vujacic, whom Maria will soon marry.

What makes Ms. MS so appealing? Everything. Her face glimmers. Her three Grand Slam singles trophies radiate. Her seductive photos adorn Google. Her mini-skirt flutters open. Her aggressive backhands obliterate women. Her shrieks echo in Centre Court.

Maria has won Wimbledon before. This was in 2004 when, as a 17-year-old, she surfaced as the winner in a “Beauty versus the Be(a)st” contest against Serena Williams. Sadly, since that surprise moment seven years back, Maria has never won the London major title again.

Until this Saturday. Against unknowns Sabine Lisicki, Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka, we know the result. Three are not glamorous; one is. And the prettiest wins. It’s about time. The last time that Sharapova won a major was the Australian Open in 2008. Since then, she’s been plagued by a chronic shoulder injury.

Helped by the losses of the Williams’ sisters and of No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniaki, the path has been made easier for the California-based netter who moved from her native Siberia, Russia to Florida at the age of seven.

ROTARY. Like Pres. Noynoy Aquino, I celebrate my one year as president of the Rotary Club of Cebu West today, June 30. But, unlike P-Noy, whose term extends for 60 more months, I step down by midnight. Starting tomorrow, July 1, a new leader will guide our club—one of the oldest-running in the country, at 49 years old. Our new chief is Lenton Beltran. To all of Cebu’s outgoing Rotary officers… smile. You deserve it. To District Governor Ted Locson: Congratulations! And, to our incoming RCCW president, Lenton, enjoy the fabulous ride on the Rotary wheel!

Dear Dads: Give Presence not Presents

Dad (center, standing) with the family during Jana’s graduation

Dad with the first Filipino on Mt. Everest, Leo Oracion, and my daughter Jana

Of all the blessings that the Lord has gifted me and my three brothers (Michael, Randy, Charlie) and one sister (Mary Cheryl Anne), the most important was giving us extraordinary parents. My mom, Maria Elena “Allen,” and my dad, Manuel “Bunny,” were always there for us.

My dad taught me about sports. He biked, pedaling a “racer” (road-bike). He jogged. He walloped that pelota racket. He exchanged tennis volleys with Monico Puentevella at the Negros Occidental Tennis Association (NOTA) courts in Bacolod City.

He showed me the importance of a daily sweat. He lived it. He practiced the age-old adage: “A healthy body equals a healthy mind.”

Bunny Pages played basketball. No, he wasn’t in the PBA. That was his younger brother, Ray, who wore the Crispa Redmanizers jersey. My dad joined the Bacolod Professionals (BAPRO), a gathering of executives and businessmen—all united by the same love of sport as Moses Malone and Paul Westhphal. This was in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. As the eldest child, I’d tag along. A tall, 6-footer forward, my dad scored 23+ points, his jump-shot from the side was unstoppable, like George Gervin’s.

My brother Charlie and I played basketball. We joined the La Salle Bacolod varsity team.

One of my life’s most unforgettable moments was in our Intramurals. Facing a team in the Finals composed of the best in our Grade 7 batch, our underdog team fought. It came down to the last few seconds. I was fouled. Make both free throws and we win the championship; miss one attempt and we lose. The La Salle Gymnasium was packed. Cheering engulfed the indoor arena. At 13 years old, it was unbearable pressure.

Swish. Swish. We won.

The reason for all this? My dad. He recognized early-on our passion for basketball and he built, right at our backyard in Mountain View Subdivision, a half-court so that all-afternoon-long, after school, we’d dribble and practice lay-ups. Each night, after Charlie and I would rush to finish our homework, we’d turn on the spotlights and play until our elbows ached and our necks stiffened.

Thanks to the green-painted basketball court, our skills improved. Our La Salle elementary team won the overall championship in Bacolod. I was the point guard and was adjudged the MVP.

I cite this example because it’s true. It’s personal. And, now as a father to my 12-year-old daughter Jana, I look back at what my dad did and apply the many learnings I’ve accumulated.

My dad and mom were always there. Always. Always. Always. Always. In basketball contests, tennis matches, declamation performances, PTA meetings—in anything and everything that had to do with their most-loved possessions, their children… they were present.

Be present. Remember that presence is more essential than gifts. Children spell love. . . T-I-M-E. Above all things, our life here on earth will be measured by how much time we spent with our children. I believe in this mathematical formula: the amount of time you spend with your children is commensurate to how good your children will become. Trust me on this. That’s what I’ve experienced with my own parents.

More time + attention = Better children.

Sports? Above all things, this is one activity where you and your child will bond best. Sport means playing. And don’t children love to play? Find the game that your child enjoys. Jog together. Swim. The more time you and your child spend playing, the healthier you become; the healthier your relationship.

To my dad… I love you. Thanks to your childhood present—that basketball court—and to your presence. Happy Father’s Day!

Me and dad in Seoul, Korea

During the Davis Cup with Treat Huey and Cecil Mamiit

Joe Soberano leads the Cebu Landmasters

ROTARY: RC Cebu President Joe Soberano (third from left) during the turn-over ceremony of the Gift of Life Project of Rotary; (from left) Jun Ferreros, Romy Dy Pico, Dr. Potenciano Larrazabal, Jr, John Pages, Dr. Peter Mancao and Oscar Tuason

Last weekend, no Cebuano was happier than the president of the Rotary Club of Cebu and the CEO of Cebu Landmasters…. Jose Soberano. His basketball team, Cebu Landmasters/RDAK, beat a squad that’s invincible, M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala — not once but two times in the SMC Liga Pilipinas Conference V.

In last Friday’s elimination game, Soberano’s team, which bannered Mandaue City, bested Lhuillier, 78-68. Then, 24 hours later, in the finals, they duplicated the feat against the reigning national champs, 66-49.

“That was a rare feat,” said Soberano. “Nobody can just blow-out the winningest basketball ball-club of the country (outside of the PBA) for two consecutive games. It was unbelievable but it did happen which proved the maxim that the ball is indeed round. I wish we can win more often and I am sure that the great Lhuillier team will not take this sitting down.”

Ever gracious and humble in both victory and defeat, Joe Soberano deserves a Cebu Coliseum-packed thunderous applause.

Dr. Yayoy’s prognosis? It’s Miami vs. L.A.

Every year, I consult a doctor. His specialization isn’t centered on Internal Medicine, osteoporosis or Dentistry. It’s centered on Centers. On point guards, 3-point shots and the NBA Play-offs. Each year, I consult Dr. Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba. He’s a Cebu City Councilor, now on his third term. He’s the M. Lhuillier coach. He’s the most famous and successful guru on dribbling and rebounding outside Manila. To me, he’s the best — including the PBA.

He’s a doctor. He screens patients (players), analyses their defects, he corrects, supplies medicine (more weight-training?) and ensures that they’re robust. Like a true physician. Plus, he owns a degree that none of is will ever achieve: Doctorate on Basketology. (Shouldn’t UC or UV confer such a title on Dr. Alcoseba?)

The Coach with Freddie Roach

“Between the NBA’s Eastern and Western conferences, I prefer the East,” the coaching wizard explained by phone from his City Hall office yesterday morning. “The Lakers lost in Game One. Same with the Spurs. These are upset victories by the New Orleans Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies. Los Angeles and San Antonio no longer have the home-court advantage. At this level of game, in the playoffs, you cannot afford to take any seed for-granted. You have to concentrate all the time. Everybody has to be 100 percent.”

The Lakers were dismal in their 109-100 defeat. “I watched that game,” said Yayoy. “They had no defense. No intensity.” Aiming for their third straight NBA crown, the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers, said Alcoseba, will have difficulty winning No. 3 in a row. “The hardest thing is a three-peat,” he said. “It’s mental. I’ve been in such situations with many teams before. It’s so difficult to maintain the intensity, that level, after winning two straight titles. Sometimes, the edge is gone. It’s mental. At times, a team becomes complacent. Or overconfident, mo-kompyansa. With Game 2 against the Hornets, that’s a must-win for L.A. One more loss and they’re down 0-2.”

If that happens and the Lakers proceed to lose to New Orleans, it will be one of the biggest upsets in playoff history. “The Hornets is the No. 8 seed,” said Yayoy. “They were not even expected to be in the playoffs. They had, what, a 1-7 start to the regular season? Still, I expect Kobe and his team to defeat the Hornets.”

San Antonio Spurs? They’re the No.1 seed in the West, right? “Yes, they are,” he said. “But they lost (101-98 loss to Memphis) because Manu Ginobili, who averages nearly 20 a game, did not play Game One. I’m sure when he returns, the Spurs, who are the top-seeds, will bounce back.”

For the Western Division, the doctor predicts the two first-game losers, L.A. and San Antonio, to make it to the second round. But his prediction on the finalists? “I think the Lakers and the Oklahoma Thunder will be in the Western finals.”

In the East, Yayoy prefers Youth versus Experience. “I don’t see Boston, with their three older players — Garnett, Pierce and Allen — making it to the conference finals.” In fact, it was only minutes before we spoke that I checked the results via the internet: Boston escaped with an 87-85 victory against the New York Knicks when Ray Allen made a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left.

“It’s Miami vs. Chicago in the East,” predicted Yayoy. As for Chicago, one player stands out: Derrick Rose. “He will be the MVP. He has everything. He owns double-double numbers. He scores (averaging 25 points per game) and assists (7.7 APG). He hits big shots in crucial moments. He’s a clutch player. Hands-down, he’s the NBA’s MVP.”

The Bulls or the Heat? “I’d choose Miami. The three — LeBron, Wade and Bosh — will be too strong. In the end, the Finals, it will go down to the contest that everybody wants to see: Heat vs. Lakers.”

A self-confessed Lakers fan who correctly predicted the wins of L.A. the past two seasons, does Dr. Alcoseba anticipate the same result in 2011? “The Lakers will have a hard time. As I said, a three-peat is extremely difficult. I think LeBron will prevail over Kobe.”

From San Miguel Beer to Petron? Why?

Last Friday, on board Cebu Pacific and flying to Manila, there was turbulence in the air. My head shook. My face frowned. My mind trembled. It was hard to believe. No, the sky was clear and the wind did not howl–the jolt came from the Philippine Daily Inquirer article I was reading.

Ronnie Nathanielsz wrote a stellar column last Friday entitled, “Big risk – why the name change?” Born in Sri Lanka, Nathanielsz has since resided in Manila for many decades now. He’s an icon in sports media: in print, in boxing, in TV, in tennis, basketball…

“While we recognize the inherent right of San Miguel Corp. to change the name of its San Miguel Beer team in the Philippine Basketball Association to Petron, we are certainly baffled over the name change,” wrote Nathanielsz in the very first paragraph.

Starting next season, the SMB franchise has requested the PBA Board of Governors to change its name to Petron. There’ll no longer be San Miguel in the PBA. Why this perplexing move when the words “San Miguel Beermen” are not only the most famous but also the most historical?–leaves SMB loyalists baffled.

“To millions across the nation who love the sport of basketball with a passion,” Nathanielsz continued, “San Miguel Beer was—and will always remain—a team they could identify with through the years as the flagship representative of San Miguel Corp. It was inherently Filipino and carried the San Miguel Beer name with remarkable distinction. To change the name to Petron and to expect the same dedicated following is a tremendous risk that the corporation is taking.”
Ronnie has a point. Although SMB has a losing record in today’s PBA second conference (one win/four losses), this short-term negativity has nothing to do with its positive, winning name. San Miguel to Petron?

“Simply put, there is absolutely no synergy between beer and gasoline,” added Nathanielsz. (Well, Ron, there are indeed similarities: Gasoline fuels the Toyotas, Hyundais and Mazdas; Beer fuels the body.)

Studying further this issue in a few more websites, I noticed that this appears to be a purely business-driven decision. Phoenix Fuel, a Petron competitor, has purchased the Barako Bull franchise and wants to enter the PBA. This move by SMB (which owns a major stake in Petron) to change its PBA name to the oil giant will disallow Phoenix from joining the oldest professional basketball league in Asia. Why? Because the PBA rules, if I understood them well, state that no direct competitor of an existing team be allowed to join the league.

But Ronnie counters this analogy. “Surely Petron cannot consider Phoenix a competitor in the accepted sense of the word because it is basically a small player in the Visayas and Mindanao regions,” he said. “What is even more perplexing is the effort to keep out Phoenix when the firm, to its credit, has invested in the PBA by sponsoring the out-of-town games which serve as one of the major boosts to the acceptance of the pro league in the provinces.”

Truly, this is an unusual move by Danding Cojuangco, Jr., Ramon Ang and San Miguel Brewery, Inc. Digging further into history (thanks to Wikipedia), the SMB franchise has been in existence since 1975. This was when the Philippine Basketball Association started. This was 36 years ago. In all, SMB holds the record for the most number of league titles at 18. To delete “San Miguel” from the pro league is bewildering. It’s like saying the L.A. Lakers will quit the NBA or the Celtics will change its name to the Boston Green Horns. It’s implausible. San Miguel is Pinoy basketball.

“We believe that with San Miguel Corp.’s right to rename its team, it comes with the need to exercise responsibility in relation to the millions of fans of the San Miguel Beer basketball team,” said Nathanielsz. “The Beermen have a storied history and San Miguel Beer epitomizes a Filipino product of unmatched quality. We will grieve to see it removed from our cherished PBA memories.”

I’ll drink to that.

Kobe, cold in the Heat, shoots for more

Mr. Bryant faced Mr. James last Thursday. It was a meeting of two MVPs: Kobe had won the award in 2008 while LeBron snatched the Most Valuable Player trophy the past two seasons. On an eight-game winning streak in the city where the Wild Card Gym resides, the Lakers team was on a roll. Miami? They had lost steam. They lost five games in a row. But, when the two squads played three nights ago, it was LBJ who beat KB. The score: Miami, 94; L.A., 88.

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“By snapping a five-game losing streak and completing a two-game sweep of the defending champions,” wrote one of my favorite NBA analysts, Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports, “the Heat reminded everyone — and most importantly themselves —they can compete with the elite when the Big Three get a little help from their soldiers.”

Miami did not win the NBA title. Not yet. Or, in the eyes of cynics, they won’t. Not in 2011. And, one victory doesn’t epitomize the whole season. They’re still in third place in the Eastern Conference. Against the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls (the top two), they’re a combined 0-6. Still, a win is a triumph–especially against the two-time defending champions.

“Had Miami lost Thursday night,” said Whitlock, “the Big Three were toast. There would be no reason to take them seriously the rest of the year.”

True. Last week was a Crisis Scenario. They had lost five straight. Calls for coach Erik Spoelstra to resign—again; in an echo we’ve heard many times before–resurfaced. Miami felt the heat. They were pressured. “A loss Thursday night would’ve destroyed the Heat mentally and emotionally,” added Whitlock. “It would’ve been a repeat of the Chicago game, complete with postgame tears.”

But, against LA, they responded positively. The game was close. With five minutes left to play, the score was 80-all. Then, after Kobe sank two three-pointers, it was 88-88. Two minutes were left. Then, Kobe–the NBA’s best closer–closed the door on himself. He failed miserably. Kobe attempted another 3-point shot. Wade blocked it. Down four points with 20 seconds remaining, he made another attempt. This time, 29-feet away. Again, he missed. In all, he was 8-for-21 and, in the crucial second half, was 2-for-11.

Kobe failed. But do you know how he responded? Over an hour after the Miami-L.A. game had finished, he came back on court and shot hundreds of jumpers.

“Bryant wanted the workout, wanted the chance to cleanse himself of missed shots and missed opportunities in the final minutes,” wrote Adrian Wojnarowski for Yahoo! Sports. “Mostly, he wanted James and Wade to understand the lengths they’ll need to go to take his title away. ‘This is my job,’ Bryant would say 2½ hours after the game, slumped in a chair courtside. ‘This is what you’re supposed to do …’”

Here’s the Wojnarowski narration: “All those Heat stars breathed a sigh, packed up and left American Airlines Arena. Bryant marched back onto the floor at 10:45 p.m. and started sweating again. Three Heat ball boys fed him passes, and Bryant marched to every corner of the floor and lofted his shots. Security staff and other Heat officials stood befuddled, unsure what to do. One security worker insisted he had never witnessed this in his eight years on the job. The Lakers were gone and Bryant was still dripping sweat on the Heat logo.

“Sometimes, players will do this in their own arena, but never on the road. This was a spectacle and no accident. Bryant’s still the player they’re chasing because he’s the MVP of the back-to-back NBA champions. Bryant knows these Heat will get it together and become a problem for everyone in the Eastern Conference. Wherever James and Wade had gone late Thursday, Bryant clearly wanted word to reach them: He won’t accept losing to the Heat. Not on Christmas, not on Thursday night and not in June.

“Hours later, when asked about his motivation in a text message, Bryant responded with the words of Achilles: ‘I want what all men want. I just want it more.’”