Chris Pacana

After what JayJay Helterbrand had mentioned in Game 7 that he (Chris Pacana) should have another contract with Barangay Ginebra Kings (BGK), a questions pops in my mind. 'Will BGK renew his contract?' 'Would other teams offer him contracts?' 'Would you like Chris to stay in BGK?'

For those questions, I can only answer one, the title of this post. And that would be 'YES'. I definitely wanted Chris to stay in BGK. It was in BGK that he had given the playing minutes and exposure for him to show-off what he got. But, if ever he would stay in BGK, will he be given the same quality playing minutes come JayJay is back on shape? *shrug shoulders* I really don't know. I do hope that he would stay in BGK AND be given the same exposure as he got in the finals. Hope to see more of him next conference even though JayJay and Paul Artadi are back in shape.

How about you? What's your point of view? Vote in the poll. And don't forget to leave a comment. ;)

For those who missed the awarding ceremony of the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference, here you go. There's not much that I can say. All I know is, of all the awards one can get, it was always the runner-up who takes his trophy with a frown.

It was so nice hearing the song 'We Are The Champions' by the 'Queen'. It was even more nicer since the song was for the Barangay Ginebra Kings (BGK).

Eric Menk and Ronald Tubid had been awarded as the Finals MVP. Tubid had been so emotional. And I believe all BGK fans would have wanted to shed a tear as well. It was an unbelievable classic win for the BGK.

Paul Artadi, 2nd PBA Title, 'Puso lang talaga nagpapatakbo ng team na 'to'.

Eric Menk, 21 pts, 14 rebs, 7/14 GF, 'I found my honey out there...'

Alex Crisano, 1st PBA Title, 'I still can't feel it right now, I was just amazed. Dream come true'.


Chris Pacana, 1st PBA Title, 'We're the number one team right now'.

Billy Mamaril, 3rd PBA Title, '... never say die, Ginebra win again the championship'.

JayJay Helterbrand, 4th PBA Title, 'We're all soldiers...He (Chris Pacana) needs to get another contract...'. And a kiss for Chris Pacana. *jealous*

Raffy Reavis, 'Only the USA Dream Team can stop us from winning'.

From PBA Online
Click to enlarge

We Are The Champions - Queen Music Code




Coach Bo Perasol, before the Finals started, told that it would be Air21 vs The Philippines in the 2007-2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference Championship. If this is so, I believe The Philippines slept last night and woke up today very happy, for BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS (BGK) ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE 2007-2008 SMART PBA FIESTA CONFERNCE.

I can't really explain the happiness the championship had brought not only to me, but to my BGK JAMSHIPS as well. Kinda funny that we all end up emotional. It's as if that in all the BGK Players had been through, the BGK JAMSHIPS are there as well.

I remember in my previous post, I leave a question on "Who really deserved this championship? Is it Air21, who, from the start of the eliminations landed the top spot. Or is it BGK who travel its way from the bottom?" And I believe, it was really BGK who deserved the championship crown. As what everybody says, they played purely by HEART.

Almost everyone had been injured. In the eliminations, Mark Caguioa had been injured. Before the eliminations ended, Ronald Tubid had been injured. At the start of the Finals, JayJay Helterbrand and Paul Artadi had been injured. Game 7, Junthy Valenzuela had been injured. All of the star players had suffered injuries. But with their NEVER SAY DIE SPIRIT, they managed to dig in their bench, reached the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and finally, the CHAMPIONSHIP.

BGK lost Ronald Tubid since the last game of the eliminations. BGK surely missed his classic defense. But Chris Pacana and Junthy Valenzuela stepped up to fill in Tubid's loss. In Game 4 of Finals, losing JayJay could mean nightmare to BGK, but Tubid's comeback had been a surprise for Air21. This then had given him the personal achievement of being Eric Menk's co-Finals MVP.

JayJay, the Best Player of the Conference was not able to play in the Finals since Game 2, 3rd Quarter. Paul Artadi, even though hurting from a pulled hamstring in Game 1 of Finals, uses his pure heart to fill in JayJay's place. He mentioned touching words such as "kaya nga kami nasa ginebra kasi never say die ang puso namin" and what about "PUSO LANG TALAGA ANG NAGPAPATAKBO NG TEAM NA 'TO" It's as if those words are enough to win the championship.

Junthy Valenzuela absorbed the never say die spirit of BGK. Game 6, he shed a tear as he was ejected from the game, being called for his 2nd Technical Foul. Game 7, nobody knows that his knees are hurting, not until he cried for pain. And then, everyone knew that his knees are all wrapped up. But his desire to win the game is much greater than the pain in his knees. No wonder why BGK JAMSHIPS' Meriel got too emotional with this one.

Eric Menk, no wonder, he is hailed Finals MVP. The Finals series is his come back. More particularly, Game 7. Ranidel de Ocampo nor Kramer cannot stop 'Major Pain'. Can't wait for the All Filipino, the MVP Eric Menk is back!!!

Chris Alexander, 'The Greatest'. The Best Import. I was so speechless. I knew you also have the heart of the champion. You even told everyone "I just can't go home without winning this one" BGK fans will surely miss you. Hope to see you next Fiesta Conference.

And what about Mark 'The Spark' Caguioa. He promised this championship. And in the dying minutes of the game, he uses his heart above all the pain he's feeling in his knees, both knees. He really can't make the basket due to his injury, but his heart helped him grab rebounds in the crucial moments of the championship. You can see in his face that he is aching, but you can feel in his heart that he wanted to win the championshiop. *sniff*

Of course, I won't forget Chris Pacana. After all the doubts many had in you. I salute you for the confidence you had. The steals against Air21's star player, Gary David shows that you don't have any first time jitters. Although a point guard you never hesitated in rebounding the ball. And a never say die attitude defense from Air21's fastbreak is in you. You just stand there against Gary David, or Homer Se, or Arwind Santos, establish your position, raise both hands, then the opponent can't get the basket. Makes me admire you more. *blush*

We started at the bottom, now we're on top of the world. CONGRATULATIONS BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS!!! WE ARE THE CHAMPION!!!

Credits: DJ Rbjslimm

Man it was the toughest series ever for the Barangay Ginebra Kings. The team's leading scorer and Most Outstanding Player of the conference was out due to an injury that he sustained during Game 2 of finals. And to make it worse, his other half & partner in crime known as The Spark was also hurting, same goes with their center Eric Menk, and the 2 guards that made a huge impact during the finals, Chris Pacana and Paul Artadi who reminds me of Bal David. He's more like the second coming of one of the finest point guards of the franchise which represents the team using the number "1".

Being in the finals made the team realize that stepping up big time will definitely define if the team has matured since most of their players are new and young. Man I was really impressed when Artadi and Pacana's game improved, what they did for their team was big and it helped the team a lot since their marquee players were down because of injuries. Coach Jong Uichico who used to be the Top Dawg of the Green Archers and San Miguel franchise was a coaching genius. He basically lived up to the expectations given to him by Ginebra management and what a way for him to capitalize on the opportunity.

7'1 Chris Alexander was a force in the middle, even funny man and energetic Alex Crisano made his presence felt, from Raffy Reavis to Billy Mamaril, my school mate and batch mate Sunday Salvacion, to Junthy Valenzuela, everyone basically stepped up to the challenge. When Jayjay Helterbrand got injured, I'm like "that's it! end of the road for them" But the players responded pretty well, astig sobra! I was actually at work during game 7 but I made it sure I get to watch it (talking about time management) hehehehe! Ibang klase ginawa ng Ginebra this conference, ibang klase talaga.

Mark was definitely right when he said "we might even reach the finals and be the champions" and he was damn right about that. So I'm pretty sure all the naysayers are now thinking like paano kaya nila nagawa yun? When The Spark made that statement, the team was 0-5 man! no wins and 5 loss, and now they are the champs!

Big Ups to Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings man! Big ups to the entire team. And to Chris Alexander, Thank you for helping the Barangay bagged their 8th championship. Astig ka Chris! And if I were to use one word on how I can describe how the Gin Kings did it, there's definitely one word that fits the bill for the Barangay.

Phenomenal!

Nuff Said.

Who is Chris Pacana? I really don't know Chris Pacana until I was able to watch him play with Barangay Ginebra Kings (BGK), wearing Jersey Number 22. I believe the first time I saw him in the hard court, he made a 3 pointer that equally impresses me as his looks does. I usually admire point guards. Thus, Chris Pacana captured my admiration.

If you would dig in to my blog, my first post was JayJay Helterbrand - Second Best? I revealed there that I don't usually go for the best. I believe Mark Caguioa (MC) is the star player of BGK, so I really go for JayJay. But, as I become an active member of PBA-Online, I found out that MC and JayJay are crowd favorites. JayJay may be the second best in BGK players, but he is the best point guard in the league. So, who could be my second best? Paul Artadi or Chris Pacana? I know many would be picking Artadi instead of Pacana. Well, it is Chris Pacana for me.

I felt sad knowing that some BGK fans are blinded by the flaws of Chris Pacana. Hence, I decided to create this blog to showcase his talent. And hopefully open up the minds of those detractors.

I don't know really of a point guard who can block. I'm sorry but I'm not that kinda PBA fanatic to watch all the games. I'm just a BGK Fanatic. It really amazed me the way he blocked someone from Alaska during their last game of the eliminations. Just recently, Game 6 of the Finals, he had blocked someone from Air21. I saw that it was a clean block. But the referees called for a foul. *sigh*

I absolutely agree that Chris Pacana is not as fast as JayJay. But he compensates his speed with his defensive skills. Game 1 of the Finals, he was commended for limiting Gary David's scoring, the opponents' best scorer for the locals at least. He may not be an offensive threat for Air21. But his defensive stop against David should really be appreciated.

I was not able to watch Game 2, but my BGK JAMSHIPS informed me how great Chris Pacana's game was. The first 6 points of BGK all came from Chris Pacana. He somewhat revenge sweetly on Coach Bo Perasol's statement 'Hwag nyo ng masyadong bantayan si Pacana, hindi naman si JayJay yan'.

Chris Pacana can block, and he can rebound as well. Guess what? In Game 3, he was the second highest rebounder for BGK, next to Cris Alexander 'The Greatest'. He tallied a total of 10 big rebounds. A great job for a point guard. Want more stats? He's the series leader in steals as of Game 3. He tallied a total of 7 steals in the first three games.

Everyone knows that in Game 4, Chris Pacana is a revelation. He is Artadi's co-best player of the game (BPG). He tallied 14 big points in 17 minutes of playing time. And for those who judged him right away, sarcastically believing that it was his first BPG, you are wrong. He had been hailed BPG twice when he was still in Coca-Cola Tigers.

In Game 6, when BGK is trying to catch up with a 16 point deficit, it was one of Chris Pacana's steal that turned on the spark. Game 6 was a close fight in the pay off period. But Chris Pacana's fearless drive towards the basket made Air21's hope to finish the series die. It was the game's Gatorade Game Turning Point.

Chris Pacana might have committed mistakes, makes wrong decisions, and makes bad shots. But hey, everyone does. Even Michael Jordan, I believe, does commit mistakes. So what's the point putting blame on him? BGK doesn't reach Game 7 merely because of a single player. They reached Game 7 as a TEAM. Someone covered someone else's flaws and shortcomings. Everyone commits mistakes, but there always someone who would step up and clean the mess. CHRIS PACANA might have brought some mess. But he was able to clean his own mess, and even clean someone else's.

Game 1, Game 4, Game 6.. CHRIS PACANA showed his talent.. Game 1, Game 4, Game 6... BGK won the battle..

GO CHRIS PACANA!!! TRUE BGK FANS ARE COUNTING ON YOU!!!

Thanks to swooshgoddess15 for the picture.
Chris Pacana

Credits: Vladimir Eduarte

We want Game 7!

Malinaw ang mensahe ng fans ng Ginebra sa Araneta Coliseum kagabi. Hindi sila binigo ng Kings na nabuhay sa kanilang tatak na never-say-die matapos maghabol mula sa pagkakabaon ng 16 puntos ay bumalikwas para itakas ang Game 6, 80-72.

Ibinato na lang ng maaaring ipukol, hindi pumayag ang Ginebra na magbagsakan na ang mga ubeng lobo ng Air21 Express.

Sa pangunguna ng PBA career-high na 37 points, 20 nang maghabol sila sa third quarter, ni import Chris Alexander na may hinablot pang 24 rebounds, hinatak ng Ginebra ang do-or-die Game 7 sa Miyerkules sa Big Dome rin para desis­yunan na ang maghahari sa 2007-08 SMART PBA Fiesta Conference.

Si Eric Menk lang ang naka-double figures sa Gin Kings sa kinamadang 10 points, pero sapat na para sa panalo.

Minarkahan ni Chris Alexander ng Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ang pangatlong panalo ng Kings matapos bulilyasuhin sa Game Six ang Air21 at tumabla sa Express sa 2008 Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference Finals sa Big Dome kagabi. (John Paulino)

“It was an epic game, we got back because of the spirit of Bgy. Ginebra, never-say-die, the energy and spirit,” ani coach Jong Uichico. “Walking wounded na kami but the heart is still there. That’s the main thing that’s keeping us in the series.”

Sa unang isa at kalaha­ting quarter, puro ungol ang 18,043 gate attendance ng Big Dome na nagbayad ng kabuuang P2.5-million dahil sa sunud-sunod na errors ng crowd-favorite team Bgy. Ginebra.

Nagsimula ang se­cond period na 0-of-6 ang Kings mula sa field kaya lumayo ng hanggang 33-17 ang Express. Pero biglang nabuhay ang crowd nang magpakawala ng 12-4 run ang Bgy. Ginebra sa hu­ling apat na minuto kaya papasok ng halftime ay nakadikit na sa 37-34.

Sa third, bahagyang lumayo ulit ang Air21 sa 55-48 pagkatapos ng back-to-back steals ni Wynne Arboleda na naging dahilan din para maging pang-18 player na nakasalikwat ng 500 steals.

Pero hindi pa sumusuko ang Kings, tinapos nila ang huling tatlong minuto ng third sa isang pasabog na 13-0 run kaya papasok ng fourth ay biglang abante na sa 61-55.
Lamang ang Gins sa 70-66, napilayan nang husto ang hukbo ni Express coach Bo Perasol nang makuha ni Steven Thomas ang pang-lima at pang-anim na foul sa loob lang ng halos isang minuto, pareho pang kay Eric Menk, kaya sa huling 4:53 ng laro ay all-Filipino na ang Air21.

Sa huling 1:50, bahagyang nakalayo ang Kings sa 74-69 nang pumasok ang dalawang foul shots ni Chris Alexander pagkatapos ng double-technical fouls kina Gary David at Junthy Valenzuela. Pinalabas ng court si Valenzuela dahil ikalawang technical na niya ang tawag.

Papasok ng huling minuto, nawala sa Gins ang bola pero agad din nila itong nabawi at nang maipasok ni Chris Pacana ang dalawang free throws ay lumayo na sila sa 78-71.

Lumapit sa anim ang Expres pagkatapos ng dalawang foul shots ni Egay Billones pero pasok din ang dalawang tira ni Mark Caguioa sa charity line 34.6 seconds na lang para sa 80-72 na tuluyang nagselyo sa laro.

“It’s going to be a battle on Wednesday,” paniniguro ni coach Jong.

Brgy Ginebra Kings vs Air21 Express
Araneta Coliseum
Final Score: 80 - 75

This part shows one of Chris Pacana's interception of a pass from Steve Thomas to Arwind Santos (5:25 mark in the video). One of Chris Pacana's contribution when Barangay Ginebra Kings (BGK) is catching up from a 14 point deficit, starting the game 14-0 in favor of Air21.

Note from the author: I'm sorry, I thought I had downloaded the complete video of the game. I just recently found out that the video lasts for about 30minutes. Will be searching for the video, but I can't promise that I could find one.

Credits: NewsFlash.org

SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson - Another banner crowd is expected to jam the Araneta Coliseum tonight as Barangay Ginebra and Air21 slug it out in Game 4 of their best-of-7 duel for the PBA Fiesta Conference crown.

Over 16,000 fans trooped to the Big Dome for Games 1 and 3 so the trend is clear for a big throng to show up for what could be the turning point in the series. Game 2 was played at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Express leads, 2-1, and Ginebra’s back is against the wall. If Air21 takes Game 4, it’ll be the Express’ third victory in a row, meaning to salvage the title, the Kings must defy the odds in winning three straight to clinch in Game 7 – a tall order for the crowd favorites.

No doubt about it, Ginebra is in a must-win situation tonight. A win will knot the series count at 2-all and send it back to square one – a refreshing thought for coach Joseph Uichico who could use the extra days of rest for his tired charges. A loss will push Ginebra to the brink of elimination because crawling out of a 1-3 hole is next to impossible.

After handily winning Game 1 behind Chris Alexander’s 18 points and 25 rebounds, Ginebra hasn’t been the same. Point guard Jay-Jay Helterbrand hurt his hamstring in the third period of Game 2 as Air21 capitalized on his no-show to hammer out a convincing 124-90 rout. Then, in Game 3 last Sunday, Ginebra kept it close and showed the way in the first three periods only to collapse down the stretch in yielding a 97-87 verdict without Helterbrand in uniform.

* * *

Air21 coach Bo Perasol exploited Ginebra’s lack of depth in the backcourt and used a three-guard combination in Gary David, Niño Canaleta and Arwind Santos to finish off the Kings in a fiery fourth quarter surge. With Helterbrand and Ronald Tubid out of commission, Uichico tried to slow down the pace using a big lineup. The trick of keeping the scores low nearly paid off except in the closing minutes, it was evident the Express had more air in reserve than Ginebra.

It was Canaleta who made the difference in the payoff period as he buried four triples off Ginebra’s crumbling defensive rotation. Because Steve Thomas repeatedly scored in Alexander’s face, the Kings gambled on double-teaming the Air21 import, leaving Canaleta unmarked.

But all is not lost for Ginebra. The good news for Uichico is Junthy Valenzuela, a playoff veteran, has still to explode in the series. He scored 12 points in Game 1 but was limited to only two in Game 2 and seven in Game 3. Then, there is Eric Menk’s reemergence as an inside threat. Menk hit a conference-high 17 points in Game 3. If he keeps it up, it’ll be easier for Alexander to operate down low. Alexander will enjoy a field day sweeping the offensive glass on the weak side whenever Menk misses.

How Uichico adjusts his starting lineup is crucial. In Game 3, he started Paul Artadi at point guard, Mark Caguioa at offguard, Valenzuela at small forward, Menk at power forward and Alexander at center. In Game 4, he could start Chris Pacana at point guard, Caguioa at offguard, Sunday Salvacion at small forward, Rafi Reavis or Billy Mamaril at power forward and Alexander at center. That way, Pacana can establish Ginebra’s defense early with Valenzuela coming off the bench as his reliever.

* * *

When the going gets rough, Valenzuela could play point guard alongside Caguioa with Artadi and Menk leading the second unit charge. It’s important that Ginebra has a strong core of relievers to keep fresh legs on the court because Air21 thrives in transition. Artadi’s spark will provide continuity for Ginebra while Menk will fuel the Kings’ power attack.

The key for Ginebra is Alexander’s aggressiveness. If he performs like he did in Game 1, there’s no way Thomas can outplay him. Alexander, however, is more effective when there is motion in Ginebra’s offense. Giving the ball to Alexander and expecting him to inch his way close to the hole for scoring position won’t get it done because Air21 isn’t about to allow him the space to move in.

Air21 dominated the boards, 63-49, in Game 3. Still, Ginebra was in the thick of things until Canaleta erupted in the fourth period. The Kings learned a bitter lesson last Sunday – you don’t win a game by controlling the first three periods.

Uichico is no stranger to adversity. He knows what’s at stake. He understands his predicament. It’s almost a do-or-die situation for Ginebra. Win or lose, the Kings will fight until the bitter end because that’s their legacy to the fans – they’re the never-say-die team.

Postscript. The PBA’s average paid attendance this conference is 6,405 and should increase as the finals extends. Average sales per game is P482,611.19 as of last Friday. Sources said the league overshot its revenue target of P22 million by P2 million at the end of the eliminations. The overall conference target is P28 million which has probably been surpassed by now, what with the burgeoning ticket sales in the wildcard series, quarterfinals, semifinals and so far in the finals. No wonder commissioner Sonny Barrios has been grinning ear to ear lately. He’s got every reason to be pleased with the league’s performance in his first full conference as permanent commissioner.

Brgy Ginebra Kings vs Air21 Express
Araneta Coliseum
Final Score: 90 - 77

Note from the author: Sorry I was having problems cropping the videos, I was suppose to be featuring the 1st Quarter in this first video, but the audio and the video seem to not match every time I crop it. More videos to come.. Keep watching..


As promised, here's the video of the 1st Quarter. Sorry for the watermark, my video converter/trimmer is only an evaluation copy.


3rd Quarter, 4:40 remaining, 58-49 in favor of BGK, Chris Pacana checked in for Paul Artadi. Fresh from the bench, Pacana completed his steal with a layup. And another layup against 4 Air21 defenders (back to back basket for Pacana).

MANILA, Philippines – Chris Alexander dropped 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and Ginebra got what it needed from players normally relegated to the backstage in a 90-77 win over Air21 in Game 4 Wednesday, tying the Smart-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference Finals at 2-2 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Outworked by Steven Thomas in Game 3 Sunday, Alexander returned to even things up with his Air21 counterpart as the Gin Kings held the Express to their lowest output over the last two seasons.

The lowest output the Express had before this one was an 87-73 loss to Coca-Cola on May 28, 2006 in a playoff for the outright quarterfinals berth, and the loss ended Air21’s run of 93 straight games where it scored at least 80 points.

Ginebra survived the absence of Jay-Jay Helterbrand this time and Mark Caguioa’s poor shooting form. The Best Player of the Conference missed his second straight Finals match after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2, while Caguioa only shot 5-of-14 from the floor to finish with 13 points.

But Chris Pacana had 14 points, Paul Artadi contributed 13, Junthy Valenzuela scattered nine and Ronald Tubid came back from a dislocated left ankle injury last July 4 without even having a single practice game.

“I really appreciated the guys because they played even though some of them were hurting," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. “That’s the Ginebra spirit.

“But we only evened the series. It will all depend now on how healthy we are come Friday."

The Gin Kings limited the Express from making runs in the second half, and they succeeded this time in holding down Air21’s usually reliable three-point shooting.

Air21 only converted 4 of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc for a horrible 17.4 percent clip.

Thomas led the Express with 19 points and 16 rebounds, but the franchise seeking its first ever PBA title only got 14 points from Gary David, who shot 4-of-12 from the field, some of them forced shots.

Nino Canaleta, hero for Air21 in Game 3, was even held scoreless. – GMANews.TV

From http://www.pba-online.net/forum/index.php/topic,71.90.html
By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, hampered by the absence of Ronald Tubid and burdened with a hamstring injury to spitfire Paul Artadi in Wednesday’s opening game against Air 21 Express, said he’ll try to find a way to keep their 13-game winning streak going.

This, as Uichico and the Gin Kings eye a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of what promises to be an exciting, freewheeling best-of-seven series in the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference on Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Uichico will know during the pre-game round robin whether Artadi could somehow recover well enough to see action in Game 2. Uichico said Artadi “looked good and moved well” at practice and will be strapped for the game. Uichico said “if he feels good we’ll [let him] play.”

In Game 1, Artadi crashed on the floor in pain after scoring on a fast-break lay-up.

The Ginebra coach gave credit to Air 21 which came back strong after the loss of Artadi. The Express almost caught up even due to Artadi being sidelined.

Uichico said luck was on their side.

The Gin Kings mentor gave credit to Mark Caguioa's remarkable play and determination to win.

He also credited Chris Pacana for the defensive job he did on Air 21 shooting star Gary David who exploded only in the end game.

The Ginebra coach said he faces a major problem in mismatches which Air 21 can exploit.

“We are so short and have mismatches all over the place,” he said.

At the same time he lamented the absence of Tubid who is still recovering from a bad ankle injury. Tubid suited up in Game 1 but is unlikely to see action in the finals.

Mark Caguioa had once promised, "We'll go to the championship". And
now, here we are at his promised series.

It was Game 1 of the Fiesta Conference Championship, Air21 Express vs the Philippines, I mean, vs the Barangay Ginebra Kings (BGK). It was Air21's first finals appearance. It was BGK's moment to extend their win streak to 13, JayJay Helterbrand's (the leagues' best point guard, 4th in MVP race) jersey number.

1st Quarter start was owned by Air21, they had 10-0 run against BGK. Arboleda and David had their 3 points each. Forcing Coach Jong Uichico to call a time out. Hmm.. Probably Air21 is really hungry for a championship, maybe BGK had been overconfident. After the time out, BGK renewed their energy and focus. Back to back points from Mamaril and a drive from Valenzuela. Enough to rattle Air21, making David called for an offensive foul against Artadi, make it two. Caguioa and Helterbrand is not at their best that Quarter. But, BGK is playing as a team. Valenzuela carried BGK on his shoulders, enough to close the game to 17-12 in favor of Air21. Not to forget Alexander 'The Greater'. He made the points, the rebounds, the dunks, and the blocks. The player that gives that boost of energy is Artadi. He is now confident making 3 point shots, and he made 1 this Quarter. He made a fastbreak layup from his own steal. Unluckily, he got injured, and he wasn't able to come back to the game. End of 1st Quarter, 25-19 in favor of BGK. It's as if Air21 is lacking enough energy to sustain their game.

2nd Quarter, Caguioa showed why he is leading the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) race. And the seem to be missing JayJay from the 3 point arc made himself visible in his drive through the basket. He definitely is 'The Fast v.2.0'. Arboleda just can't guard him. Every player contributed for BGK: Reavis, Pacana, and Salvacion. Would like to highlight Chris Pacana, he had 4 points on the 2nd Quarter. 2 points coming from Helterbrand's assist and 2 points coming from a tip in of Alexander's miss. He got his 6th point in the 3rd Quarter by making a fearless drive in the paint. The next big thing in PBA's point guards. :)

3rd Quarter, JayJay finally clutched in a 3 pointer, but, it was his last 3 pointer for the game. Although he seemed not to get baskets from his perimiter shots, he earned points from his layups by leaving his guard way behind. Many says it was Thomas who would grab the Best Import. Well, think again, if I'm not mistaken, it was 3 or 4 times that Alexander had blocked Thomas. Caguioa's one-on-one move against Santos reminds me of my blog entry, No One Can Stop Ginebra When There's Helterbrand And Caguioa. No one, not even Santos. He even boasted when he was fould by David, "utak lang 'yan" (in sign language).

4th Quarter, Air21 made their run. An attempt to win the game from behind. David and Santos launching and making their 3 point shots, Se, Billones, and De Ocampo earning points, making it 92-84, with less than 5 minutes remaining. They even have it as close as 96-90, with only last 2 minutes in the pay off period. But Alexander won't let things happen for Air21. He's an all around player, the 'Best Import'. It was fun ending the game 105-96, BGK extending their win streak to 13. Best Player of the Game is Caguioa with 22pts (7 in the 4th Q), 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.

But, what's nice about BGK is their deep bench players, and they really played as a team. When someone can't make the basket, someone would step up to keep the BGK alive. Tubid, injured in the last game of the eliminations, is a big lost to BGK's defense. But Pacana stepped up to fill Tubid's loss, and a lot more. When BGK's star players are having their 'off night', Artadi and Valenzuela willingly stepped up to win the game. The energy they induced enabled the 'off night' to turn into 'on night'. It was just "Barangay Ginebra Kings At Its Best, 13 Win Streak!".

by Waylon Galvez

Both coaches – Jong Uichico of Barangay Ginebra and Bo Perasol of Air21 – consider Game 1 of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup Finals as crucial, a gauge on how the best-of-seven series would develop.

The Kings and the Express, of course, are eyeing a strong start and action, as predicted, will be fast-paced with the two contending teams relying on their run-and-gun attack.

How they would start depend on their respective starting units.

During the elimination phase, Ginebra and Air21 experimented with their starting fives, and during the course of their campaigns until the semifinal round both teams found the right formula.

A strong start–more or less–translates to a win and draw first blood in this championship showdown that is why having a solid "starters" is very important for Uichico and Perasol.

Here is a close look on the possible starting units of both teams and who will come off the bench:

Point Guard

Chris Pacana (Ginebra)

Elimination: 10.1 mins, 1.3 pts, 2.1 rbs, 0.9 assts, 0.5 stls, 0.0 blks

Semifinals: 16.3 mins, 3.8 pts, 2.8 rbs, 1.5 assts, 0.0 stls, 0.0 blks

Wynne Arboleda (Air21)

Elimination: 32.8 mins, 10.6 pts, 4.1 rbs, 4.3 assts, 1.6 stls, 0.2 blks

Semifinals: 35.8 mins, 9.3 pts, 3.8 rbs, 5.7 assts, 1.7 stls, 0.0 blks

This match up, man-for-man, is actually a no-contest. Arboleda is in his eighth year in the league while Pacana is only a sophomore. But putting Pacana as starter helped Uichico with his backcourt rotation. Paul Artadi comes off the bench to give the Kings the spark. The third man on this rotation is rookie Macky Escalona. Helterbrand can actually play point during crucial times when he plays alongside Mark Caguioa and Valenzuela. Arboleda, of course, has been Perasol’s top playmaker with the likes of rookie Marvin Cruz and veteran Egay Billones playing back-up roles. This position has been the strength of Ginebra in its 12-game winning streak.

Advantage: Ginebra

Shooting Guard

Jayjay Helterbrand (Ginebra)

Elimination: 37.2 mins, 19.0 pts, 4.1 rbs, 6.1 assts, 1.0 stls, 0.0 blks

Semifinals: 33.0 mins, 18.3 pts, 3.8 rbs, 8.0 assts, 0.3 stls, 0.0 blks

Gary David (Air21)

Elimination: 24.8 mins, 14.1 pts, 1.9 rbs, 1.3 assts, 0.4 stls, 0.0 blks

Semifinals: 34.2 mins, 20.7 pts, 3.3 rbs, 1.8 assts, 0.5 stls, 0.0 blks

It’s a battle between a multi-faceted guard in Helterbrand against one of the rising sharpshooters in the league in David. Helterbrand, of course, has the experience playing in big stage like this, but David has shown during the course of Air21’s campaign this conference that he has the ability to compete against the best. Helterbrand share minutes with Caguioa, or jump to the point guard spot and allow his buddy to stay in the game and terrorize the offense with his scoring ability. Valenzuela is another player who can play the position. As for the Express, they enjoy the height advantage in this spot with players like Arwind Santos, an MVP contender, Nino Canaleta and rookie JC Intal providing support to counter the Kings’ quickness.

Advantage: Even

Small Forward

Junthy Valenzuela (Ginebra)

Elimination: 29.7 mins, 8.7 pts, 3.4 rbs, 3.1 assts, 0.7 stls, 0.3 blks

Semifinals: 28.0 mins, 9.3 pts, 6.0 rbs, 1.0 assts, 1.8 stls, 0.3 blks

Ranidel de Ocampo (Air21)

Elimination: 32.9 mins, 10.8 pts, 5.4 rbs, 2.8 assts, 0.4 stls, 0.2 blks

Semifinals: 34.2 mins, 13.2 pts, 7.8 rbs, 1.7 assts, 0.5 stls, 0.5 blks

It’s actually a mismatch between the 6-foot-2 Valenzuela against the 6-foot-6 De Ocampo. But an eighth-year veteran like Valenzuela knows how to work his way around the perimeter even during his days with Red Bull. Traded to the Kings early in the conference, his addition gave Uichico’s wingman rotation versatility with Sunday Salvacion. Ronald Tubid could have been another contributor but he’s still recovering from an ankle injury. Again for the Express, from big, they can play small with this position but still keep pace with the Kings by tapping off the bench Santos, Canaleta, Intal and Gaby Espinas.

Advantage: Air21

Power Forward

Billy Mamaril (Ginebra)

Elimination: 21.8 mins, 4.6 pts, 4.0 rbs, 0.6 assts, 0.3 stls, 0.7 blks

Semifinals: 11.3 mins, 2.3 pts, 2.5 rbs, 0.8 assts, 0.5 stls, 0.3 blks

Homer Se (Air21)

Elimination: 21.8 mins, 8.1 pts, 6.8 rbs, 1.1 assts, 0.6 stls, 0.6 blks

Semifinals: 27.3 mins, 13.8 pts, 6.8 rbs, 1.3 assts, 0.3 stls, 0.5 blks

Se has proved his detractors this conference about his basketball skills. Although there were times he was labeled as a troublemaker, Perasol has been successful in developing the one-time San Sebastian stalwart as one of his team’s assets. However, Se, and those who will come off the bench like Earvin Sotto and Espinas, will have to deal with players who have championship experience like Billy Mamaril, one-time MVP Eric Menk, Rafi Reavis and Alex Crisano.

Advantage: Ginebra

Center

Chris Alexander (Ginebra)

Elimination: 42.3 mins, 20.5 pts, 22.5 rbs, 2.2 assts, 0.5 stls, 3.0 blks

Semifinals: 40.5 mins, 15.5 pts, 17.5 rbs, 2.3 assts, 0.3 stls, 4.0 blks

Steven Thomas (Air21)

Elimination: 41.6 mins, 23.4 pts, 16.6 rbs, 3.9 assts, 0.8 stls, 1.6 blks

Semifinals: 40.8 mins, 13.0 pts, 15.0 rbs, 3.2 assts, 1.6 stls, 2.0 blks

Since Alexander’s arrival, Ginebra has improved to 16-3 highlighted by a franchise-best 12-game winning streak. He has 20-20 outputs during the elimination round with 20.5 points and a league-best 22.5 rebound. Alexander also owns the league-best 3.0 shot blocks per game average. Although his numbers dipped a bit in the semifinals, he was able to contain fellow 7-footer Aam Parada of Red Bull. Now Alexander will face a smaller but hardworking Air21 import in 6-foot-8 Steven Thomas. It’s going to be a test for both players, particularly for Thomas as he is expected to limit the production of Alexander. The fact that both imports have been successful is leading their respective teams to the Finals that it’s going to be an exciting battle between two reinforcements contending for the Best Import award.

Advantage: Ginebra

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20080806131747.html