Will The Streak Continue Or Will It End?

After two straight wins, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel next faces the Alaska Aces. In their first meeting, the Aces blew the Kings off the court and won by 18 points. It was one of the worst defeats of Ginebra in this season so far. That loss also came at the heels of a 5-game winning streak by Alaska.

A win by Ginebra will give them their third straight win, making them one of the hottest teams in the league today. A loss, however, will cut their win streak to two. Which will it be this coming Sunday? Alaska is currently on a two-game losing streak heading into their match with Ginebra.

Looking back into the Talk n Text game made me realize what could have been for Ginebra had they played the same way in their previous matches. The run-and-gun game of the Kings worked like clock work. Coach Siot effectively mixed his rookies and his veterans. He made Coach Norman Black counter his strategies. Ginebra's outside game clicked right from the get go. More importantly, Ginebra's 3-guard combo did the damage for the Kings.

More than the trio of LA-JJ-MC, I think the player who made the biggest difference during that game was Rudy Hatfield. Missing in action in Ginebra's first seven games, the H-Bomb exploded for 12 points and 13 rebounds. More importantly, his intensity rubbed off to his teammates. This is the old Rudy Hatfield that we know and loved.

Moving forward to their game against the Aces, the Kings need to bring out their A-game once again. I am sure Calvin Abueva would want to redeem himself so our big guys would have to be ready for The Beast. Still hoping for a breakout game from LA Tenorio against his former team. More playing time for Yousef Taha. I think he can match up with The Boss pretty well.

So come this Sunday, I am hoping for an exciting match but praying that it will be in the favor of my beloved team.

A Boost In Confidence

Fresh from their victory against Global Port Batang Pier last Friday, Barangay Ginebra scored their second straight win against league leading Talk n Text Tropang Texters. The win enabled them to up their record to 4-5 and boost their chances of advancing to the next round.

Like many other Ginebra fanatics, I was also praying and hoping for a BGSM win. Aside from winning seven of their eight games so far, the Texters had one of the best coaches the league ever had in Norman Black. Likewise, TnT had a balanced line-up from top to bottom. We knew that Ginebra had to exert a huge effort in order to beat the mighty defending champions.

Everyone thought that it was going to be a walk in the park for Talk n Text especially with the way Ginebra played during their five-game losing streak. But what came to the game was a different Barangay Ginebra squad. What was predicted to be an easy win for the Texters did not come. Instead BGSM battled the defending champs toe to toe, shot for shot.

For the first time since their losing streak, Ginebra controlled the match. They defended Talk n Text well, outrebounded them, and showed a lot of energy and determination. It looked like BGSM came into the match well-prepared catching Norman Black and the rest of the Texters by surprise.

The game saw a hot-shooting LA Tenorio who had 13 points right in the first half. It also featured the awakening of the H-Bomb Rudy Hatfield who ended up with a double double output. What pleased me during the game was the return of the deadly combination of the two MVPs The Fast and The Furious JJ Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa. Even with a cut in his eyebrows, MC47 still led Ginebra to the victory. It was the veterans of Ginebra who did the damage.

Champions that they are, Talk n Text refused to die and even had a chance to send the game into overtime. There were instances when they had Ginebra on the ropes and even was even leading on several ocassions. Down by six, Larry Fonacier scored on a three-point basket to cut the lead down to three. The game became even more interesting when Labagala missed his two free throws. But the game was really meant for the Kings as Labagala himself picked up the loose ball with no time remaining.


What a huge difference that Global Port win made for the confidence of Ginebra. The 3-guard combo which was criticized during BGSM's losing streak worked wonders for them in their last two games. It seemed that JJ and MC47 had discovered the fountain of youth defying their age. Like in the game against Global Port, it was the triumvirate of JJ Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, and LA Tenorio that finished off the Texters. Joining the three is another veteran, Rudy Hatfield.

Oozing with confidence, the Kings go on a one week break before returning to the court against another top team the Alaska Aces. The Aces have lost their last two games and will be hard pressed to get back on the winning track. Here's hoping that Ginebra's new found confidence will steer them to another win.

Back From The Grave? Hopefully

Nice win by Barangay Ginebra against Global Port to finally end its five game losing streak. It was the second meeting of the two teams but unlike the first one, this was no blow out for the Kings. It was a down to the wire match.

The first half was quite ugly for Barangay Ginebra. Except for Mark Caguioa, it seemed that everyone had no desire to win. They resorted to too many one on one plays and lapsed into 17 turnovers which Global Port capitalized on. At the onset, Ginebra went down by 10 points right away.

Ginebra began their fight back in the second half. But Gary David's hands started blazing scoring all of his 27 points in that half. Things began falling Ginebra's way when the trio of Mark Caguioa, JJ Helterbrand, and LA Tenorio found their shooting touch from the outside and held off Global Port 71-69.

The game could have gone the other way if not for the error by Willie Miller. For us fans, a win is a win and gives us a huge sigh of relief. The losing streak ended at 5. It was Ginebra's first win in a month. I could not imagine the feeling if it was BGSM that lost. It would have been their sixth and would have put them in a much deeper hole.

Well Ginebra may have won but there is still a long way to go. Next stumbling blovk would be the mighty defending champions Talk n Text. It will not be an easy match as the Texters are leading the way so far.

As a fan, I am hoping that the Global Port win is the start of their journey to the Promised Land. Will they repeat the miracle of 2008 when they went 0-7 but still won the championship of that conference? Many doubt it because first there is no Cris Alexander and the current team has no dominant center. At this point, their confidence is still down and a win against the Texters could pump up their confidence level-- imagine beating the top team. But I believe that if they can manage to keep their Never Say Die spirit wavering, they can pull it through.

One game at a time. I believe that's the key. They should not look at their standings but simply play their game. They may be at the bottom right now but if there is one team who have emerged from this predicament, it would have to be Ginebra.

First Step Towards Change

"Cortez to Air 21, Taha to Ginebra." This was the headline that resounded over forums and Ginebra fan sites yesterday.

This development was both a sad and good news for the millions of Ginebra fanatics. Sad because Mike Cortez was such an integral part of the Ginebra rotation over the last couple of years. Who could not forget his triple double performance during the B-Meg-Ginebra knockout game. The Cool Cat ably manned the point guard position during the time of JJ's absence and partnered well with MC47. He also brought a lot of intangibles to the team. He will surely be missed.

On the other side, the acquisition of rookie Yousef Taha brings a welcome relief to the front court of the Kings. With only Billy Mamaril as its legitimate center, Kerby Raymundo was forced to play out of his comfort zone which is the power forward position. Taha is 6'7", young, energetic, and can bring a lot of hustle to Ginebra. More importantly, he will address the team's immediate need for a big man.

Now that management has finally addressed the lack of a big man, Barangay Ginebra fans are hoping that this would be the start of a resurgence for the team. The development is timely because it can make BGSM competitive with the other teams. With a 2-5 standing, Ginebra is languishing in the cellar and in danger of missing the playoffs, something which they have not experienced for a while.

The lack of big man is just one of the many problems hounding the team. Although this would add to the team chemistry issue, at least it would give the Kings something to look forward to. Now, management should focus on initiating perhaps the biggest change the team needs and that is a new system. The Ginebra roster is deep and talented but all these talents become wasted under the current system. Just ask the guys who have gone to other teams. Cortez becomes the latest sacrificial lamb and many more will follow unless the system is abolished.

So I say "Good luck and thank you Cool Cat." Hopefully, this would be the first of many other changes.

Fifth Straight Loss-- A Demand For A Change

Another blowout loss for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. This time against sister team San Mig Coffee Mixers. They now match their longest losing streak of 5 which they set in 2008. That same year they won 13 straight games on their way to winning the Fiesta Cup. As a fan, I am hoping that the feat would be repeated but then again come to think of it-- it won't as long as Coach Siot Tanquincen is at the helm.

I used to watch Ginebra games on television from start to finish but last night's game was an exception. Like all the other fans, it pains me to see my favorite team being badly beaten by their opponent. So I decided to switch channel rather than see the obvious-- my Kings being overmatched by their opponent. It was like watching a Seniors team playing a Midget squad in an interbarangay. Forgive me for the comparison but that was what I really felt.

It pains me to see the likes of Dylan Ababou and Jayjay Helterbrand risking their careers in order to give us fans our money's worth. What on earth was Coach Siot doing last night experimenting when the team has already lost four straight. I could not afford to see JDV posting up against Caguioa or Hatfield against Yancy de Ocampo. What kind of system is that? Why the hell will you keep on isolating MC47 or LA when the opponent already knows that play?

I am a die hard Ginebra fan and my loyalty would always be to them win or lose. I love the passion of the players especially during the Jaworski days. They would dive for the loose balls, play as a team, spin the ball around until there is an open man. I love their attitude of not giving up even if they are down by 20 or 30 points. That is what have endeared Ginebra to their millions of fans.

Yes, I understand there are new players on the team but there are also guys who have been with each other for as long as I can remember. These bunch of guys have won championships as a team so I say this is not just all about chemistry. Tbere is a problem within the system.

It's still possible for Ginebra to recover from this predicament. If there is one team who knows how to string up wins, it has to be Ginebra. But in order for those wins to come, change must be initiated. Not next conference or next season but NOW before it's too late.

As for me, I will continue to hold on and believe in Ginebra. They have been in this situation before and they have survived it. Somehow somewhere this streak will end.

A Must Win Against A Sister Team

Manila Classico all over again. For the first time this year, one of the hottest rivalries in the history of the PBA unfolds this Sunday. James Yap versus Mark Caguioa. Barangay Ginebra takes on the San Mig Coffee Mixers (formerly B-Meg Llamados).

When these two teams collide, one can always expect a battle. I always have the feeling that San Mig Coffee brings out the best in every Barangay Ginebra player and vice versa. The fact that they are sister teams makes the game more interesting. Yes, every time these two teams collide there is no sister team. The battle is always intense and physical.

More importantly, for Barangay Ginebra, this could be an indicator of where they are headed this conference. At 2-4, they can not afford to loose for a fifth straight time or else it could mean trouble for them. They a need to win to check their slide and get back in the groove of things.

A defeat, on the other hand, would create another huge outburst among the die hard Ginebra fans who are still clinging to their belief in the "Never Say Die" spirit which the team has been known for. I, for one, am hoping that the bleeding stops here.

In a way, these two teams are quite similar. They are loaded with guards, plays physical defense, and loves running from time to time.

So what are the keys to winning for Barangay Ginebra? First, I think they should play 48 minutes of quality basketball. The third quarter will be key because that is where Ginebra always loose their game. They should play as a team, win or loose as a team. Their offense is quite unpredictable if they pass the ball around and look for the open man. They should exploit mismatches (which I believe is in the wing spot)and force their opponent to turnovers.

Their defense must step up for their offense to click. In their lost games, Ginebra have not played great defense. They have some great defenders in the team (Maierhoffer, Wilson, Ababou, Mamaril). They should play with energy and bring back the heart in their game, a quality that has been conspiciously absent in their four losses.