KING JAMES STANDS TALLEST AT START OF RP CUP

Player of the Week October 14 to 21

THERE may be rules changes that have affected the teams’ plays in the ongoing Smart PBA Philippine Cup, but there’s one constant thing: Those who are quick to adjust will surely stand out.

Like 2005-06 Philippine Cup titlist Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, which has charged to a pristine 2-0 win-loss record for a share of the early lead with Magnolia, and former MVP James Yap, who was adjudged the season’s first Smart-Accel Player of the Week for the period Oct. 14-21 by the PBA Press Corps.

Yap averaged 26.5 points in Purefoods’ 96-89 and 112-97 victories over Sta. Lucia Realty and Talk ‘N Text, respectively, earning for him the scribes’ nod over the likes of Magnolia’s Danny Seigle and Alaska’s Willie Miller.

Seigle averaged 23.0 points for the Beverage Masters while Miller, the reigning MVP, led all scorers with a 34.0 clip, but the Aces are among the early tailenders with a 0-2 start.

No such bind for Purefoods and mainly because of Yap, who seemed to be picking up from where he left off after ending the 2006-07 season with back-to-back 40-point games against Welcoat and Coca-Cola.

Yap also had to overcome a brief period of adjustment to the new rules being implemented this season that allow for more physicality in the games.

Truth be told, the usually placid 2006 MVP almost blew his top after being engaged by Realtor Norman Gonzales in a physical and mental war in their league debut last Wednesday.

“Ang lagi kasi niyang sinasabi, babanatan niya raw ako. Sabi ko naman, ‘E, di banatan mo,’” related Yap. "First time kong napikon sa laro. Pero sino ang hindi, kung babanatan ka?

“Ang dami ko ngang tama. Buti na lang naka-padding ako,” he added, lifting a hem of his shorts to reveal his protected groin area.

It was to be expected he would be the focus of such games.

Yap already had 17 of his total 29 points in the opening quarter, the most by any player in a period since Red Bull’s Mike Hrabak had the same output in the first quarter of a111-112 loss to TNT in Game Five of their Fiesta Conference semifinals last June 29.

Against the Phone Pals in Dumaguete last Saturday, Yap finished with 24 points, highlighted by a three-pointer and a lay-up that sparked a decisive third-quarter romp that had Purefoods breaking away from a 53-all standoff.

PUREFOODS POWERS PAST MAGNOLIA FOR SOLO LEAD

James Yap, rookie Lanete star as Giants remain only unbeaten team (october 26, 2007)

Purefoods Tender Juicy has beaten two giants, thus, emerging the biggest giant at least in the first two weeks of the 2007-08 PBA campaign.

James Yap and the gang came charging back from an early 17-point deficit and upended Magnolia, 93-90, to take the solo lead in the Smart Philippine Cup Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

"Our initial goal was to win two of our first three games. We over-hit the goal but we’re far from the final destination we want to be. We’ve made just little steps. We don’t want just small steps, we want big leaps," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

"If we’re to be the best, we have to be beat the best teams out there. We’ve beaten two of the preseason favorites. So we’re living up to our names as Giants after three games," added Gregorio, whose charges have pulled the rug from under top contenders Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals and the Magnolia Beverage Masters.

Purefoods remained the lone unbeaten team in the league with a 3-0 win-loss card, counting Sta. Lucia Realty among its victims.

Yap scored 13 of his 25 points in the final canto, sustaining the firepower sparked by rookie Chico Lanete in the third period as the Giants survived a 14-31 deficit early on to hand the Beverage Masters their first defeat in three starts.

The Giants were still staring at a double-digit deficit at 70-80 with seven minutes left to play when Yap fuelled a 20-5 blitzkrieg to stem the tide in their favor.

The 2006 MVP winner himself clinched the win with two free throws, making it 93-90 with 1.7 ticks left.

"It’s a good test. We passed it through perseverance," said Gregorio on their pulsating victory in the match marked by two technical fouls and the ejection of ace guard Roger Yap.

Roger Yap (no relation to James) was ejected midway through the second period as he hit LA Tenorio on the ribcage, sending the Magnolia guard on the floor writhing in pain.

It was a highly emotional match that also had Gregorio and Magnolia assistant coach Aboy Castro having an altercation on the way to the dugout at the half.

James Yap, the former MVP, also had eight rebounds and one assist on top of his game-high 25 points. Lanete added 16 points with 12 coming in the third period, his best game in his young pro career.

Lordy Tugade made 23 to pace the Beverage Masters who also drew double-digit outputs from Rico Villanueva, Danny Seigle, Danny Ildefonso and Dondon Hontiveros.

Magnolia gave up so much rebounds but shot well from the field to take the half at 17-36.

The Beverage Masters were hotter in the first period, shooting 69% from the field and jumping the gun on the Giants to enjoy a 31-14 spread going into the second quarter.

Magnolia dominated the opening half, though badly beaten, 17-36, in the battle off the boards. (NC)


The scores:

Purefoods 93 – Yap 25, Lanete 16, Simon 13, Raymundo 11, Salvador 10, Pingris 6, Adducul 5, Yap R. 4, Yee 2, Larong 1, Sanz 0, Cablay 0.

Magnolia 90 – Tugade 23, Villanueva R. 16, Seigle 12, Ildefonso 12, Hontiveros 11, Tenorio 6, Racela 6, Wilson 4, Eman 0, Fonacier 0, Calaguio 0.

Quarterscores: 14-31, 32-45, 66-69, 93-90

source: pba.com.ph

Animo La Salle!

From suspension to champion.

After a year of absence, La Salle, unexpectedly, regained its throne in the 70th UAAP Senior Men’s basketball tournament last October 7, 2007.

The De La Salle University Green Archers has done the improbable in a best-of-three championship series by completing a two-game sweep – a 73-64 win in Game two – over the University of the East Red Warriors at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Archers, armed with a one-game advantage, used the free throw territory as its main course particularly in the fourth quarter, supplied long-time mentor Franz Pumaren his fifth UAAP title since 1998.

The Green Archers now have seven overall UAAP titles since joining the league in 1986.

“I won several championships in the past but it is bittersweet for me because I know now how it feels to beat your brother,” said Pumaren, also a Quezon City councilor. “If I can share half of our trophy, I can give it to UE because they also deserve it.”

“Cholo (Villanueva) is terrific, especially in the last three games including our playoff game against Ateneo while you should also give credit to TY (Tang),” he said. “Our championship experience did it for us.”

“They could have been playing now in the commercial leagues but they decided to stay with us, it’s so priceless to win a championship.”

University of the East, with a 14-0 record going into this series, performed fairly well in the defensive end but had 21 turnovers – including two in the final three minutes – that cost them the run for the title.

The Red Warriors also gave up 28 fouls, giving the Green Archers the opportunity to register 27-of-36 shots from the foul line. La Salle committed 18 fouls and UE only recorded 5-of-14 attempts from the free throw line.

UE committed a season-high 31 turnovers to drop Game one via a single point, 64-63.

After racing to a 15-11 lead in the first period, La Salle’s big man Rico Maierhofer and Peejay Barua merged for 14 points in the second quarter to ignite the Green Archers’ blistering 19-12 burst and earned their biggest lead by halftime, 34-23.

The Red Warriors tried as many times to trim down the gap in the 3rd quarter. With Kelvin Gregorio, Paul Lee and Mark Borboran at the helm, the Red Warriors were very close trailing by 1, 33-34 after 4 1/2 minutes of play in the 3rd. UE again had another run courtesy of Elmer Espiritu and Jorel Canizares for a 3-point deficit, 43-46, with 1:16 minutes to go. But the Green Archers had an answer to every UE rally.

In the final quarter, when Mark Borboran drained a long trey at the left flank to come closer at 51-52 with 8:31 minutes remaining, La Salle countered with a 9-4 run initiated by Casio’s triple and baskets from Villanueva and Tang to stretch back the lead, 61-55, with 5:21 minutes left in regulation.

UE’s combo guard Paul Lee scored two straight baskets to keep everything in striking distance, 59-61, with 2:05 minutes left in the last quarter. But Tang and Casio had their eyes focused on the prize anew and extended the edge, 66-59, with 51 seconds left.

From there, the Red Warriors lost control and could do nothing. La Salle’s gallery was celebrating chanting the Animo cheer.

Joseph Casio, who had 14 points (15 points in the 2nd half) shared the Finals MVP honors with Cholo Villanueva contributing 17 points for La Salle.

Maierhofer had 11 points – nine from the charity stripe – and grabbed 11 boards. While TY Tang had 8 points.

Borboran and Lee made 12 points each for UE, while Kelvin Gregorio added 11 points.

Individual Scores:

DLSU (73) – Casio 17, Villanueva 14, Maierhofer 11, Tang 8, Co 6, Barua 6, Malabes 5, Cua 2, Mangahas 2, Walsham 2, Atkins 0, Ferdinand 0.

UE (64) – Borboran 12, Lee 12, Gregorio 11, Cañizares 8, Martinez 8, Arellano 5, Espiritu 5, Fampulme 3, Lingganay 0, Bandaying 0, Llagas 0, Thiele 0.

Quarter Scores: 15-11; 34-23; 52-45; 73-64