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.

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.

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