Back In The Finals!

After disposing of Talk n Text in 4 games in their semifinal series, Ginebra is back in the Finals of the 2017 Governor's Cup.

It was still fresh in my mind and of course to all the minds of the barangay that buzzer beating shot of Justin Brownlee in last year's Governor's Cup. With all that cell phone lights illuminating the Smart Araneta Coliseum, everybody watched as Brownlee's 3-pointer went swish to end Ginebra's 8-year title drought. The celebrations on and off the court followed. Who would ever forget that emotional scene when Mark and Jayjay went and hugged Coach Tim? That moment when they were teary eyed while being interviewed.

Ginebra somehow had an axe to grind against Talk n Text who defeated them in the Commissioner's Cup 3-1 as well. And now that loss was avenged after they eliminated the Ka-Tropa.

The road to the Finals was not easy for Ginebra. They ended the eliminations with a 29-point loss to Talk n Text. They finished the eliminations with an 8-3 record and entered the playoffs as the #3 seed with a twice to beat advantage against their Grand Slam seeking sister team San Miguel. Fortunately, Ginebra did not need another game as they easily dispatched SMB thereby ending the team's Grand Slam bid.

Fast forward to the Finals. Meralco is aching to get back at Ginebra for their heartache last year. Reigning Best Import Allen Durham will surely want to finish his "unfinished business" and give the Bolts their first title. Jared Dillinger is also aching to play after he missed last season due to injury.

But if there one thing going for Ginebra-- it would be Greg Slaughter who also missed his team's championship run last year as he was also injured. The Kings would be out to prove that winning the title last year was no fluke.

Coach Tim Cone is the winningest coach in the league and he has had many achievements in the past. He would want to add another title with Ginebra to his trophy collection. Coach Norman Black would not want to be outdone. He himself has several titles in his coaching resume.

So looking forward to this Finals series. Ginebra is looking for back-to-back while the Bolts want to win their first title.  Brace yourselves for a tough Best-of-7 series.

A Better And Stronger Kings

Once again our beloved Ginebra bows out of contention in the 2015 Philippine Cup losing to Global Port 84-83 in a controversial manner. Although the non-call could have changed the outcome of the ball game, there is no point in crying over spilled milk. It is unlikely that the result would be overturned.

In fairness to Global Port, they played their hearts out and deserved the victory. Ginebra had its chances in regulation. If not for the missed free throws, the Kings would have been the one to advance against Alaska. But it was not meant to be. Still there is a lot of hope in the future for the league's crowd darling. The record alone showed much improvement compared to the past conferences. Whereas Ginebra had losing records in the past, this time around they had a winning record at 7-4. They finished the elimination round in a flurry winning 3 straight games to finish no. 4 entering the quarterfinals.

Let us bear in mind that Coach Tim Cone himself did not guarantee instant success. The team was still a work in progress and yet they had a decent 7-4 win-loss record. Just imagine what could have happened if the Kings has already mastered the triangle? They were one step away from a semis stint right on Coach Tim's first conference with the team.

Throughout the conference, Coach Tim slowly assembled the team that he wanted. First, he got Nico Salva and then traded away Mac Barracael for Joe deVance. Next, he picked up sweet shooting Jervy Cruz. With the next conference scheduled in February, the Kings will have enough time to perfect the triangle and boost their offense. With a little fine tuning and perhaps some additional pieces, it will not take long for Ginebra to become a championship contender once again.

And so for now let us forget about that painful loss and move on knowing that our beloved team will much stronger come Commissioner's Cup.

Last Hoorah For Mr. Fast

One of the most celebrated tandems in the Philippine Basketall Association is breaking up this season. Jayjay Helterbrand announced before the start of the season that he will be retiring. It can be recalled that the 2009 MVP already planned to retire as early as 2011 but he deferred the plan to have another run for one last championship. But it looks like Jayjay is firm on his retirement plans this year.

His shot of winning another title on his last year is bright now that Tim Cone, the winningest coach in the league, is at the helm of Ginebra. Winner of four championships, a fifth title has remained elusive for Helterbrand since 2008, the last time they won a championship.

Anthony Helterbrand came over from the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. He played one game for the Batangas Blades before hooking up with Ginebra in March 2000. He came in as a direct hire as a backup for Bal David and to eventually take over as starting point guard.

Jayjay rose to prominence in the year 2001 when he partnered with then rookie Mark Caguioa. Their explosive backcourt partnership earned them the monicker "Bandanna Brothers" because of the headbands they wore. Eventually they became "The Fast" and "The Furious." That year, Caguioa won Rookie of the Year honors and the two established themselves as one of the deadliest backcourt partners in the league.

In 2004, Jayjay came back to the PBA after a one-year hiatus. He was instrumental in Ginebra's back-to-back titles that year and in 2005 earning him the Comeback Player of the Year award. Five years later, he won the highest individual award-- the Most Valuable Player.

Injuries have slowed down Jayjay over the years. From career high numbers of 18.11 ppg, 6.51  apg, 4.71 rpg during his MVP years, Mr. Fast saw his averages dip in the next few years. Las year, he logged career low numbers of just 2.8 ppg, 1.7 apg, and 1.6 rpg. He also saw limited minutes just 12 mpg from 36 minutes during his heydays.

Age is catching up with Helterbrand. Now 38 years old, Father time is beckoning him. With the influx of younger and quicker players to the team, Jayjay has lost his spot in the rotation. But mind you, the man individually known as "Helter Skelter" can still deliver when called upon. Who can ever forget the 13 points he delivered in Game 1 of their do-or-die series with Rain or Shine during the 2013 Commissioner's Cup? What about his buzzer beating shot against Petron over the outstretched arms of Nick Fazekas?

So it will be the Last Ride for Jayjay Helterbrand and the "Fast and Furious: tandem. With Coach Tim Cone taking over the reins, Jayjay has three more chances to finally win another one before drawing down the curtains on his PBA career.

Will Cone Magic Finally End Ginebra's Drought?

Just last week, I wrote about rumors connecting Tim Cone to a potential transfer to Barangay Ginebra. Well, it is now official. The Tim Cone magic makes its way to the barangay.

The news did not auger well for Purefoods fans. The man who gave them a Grandslam is heading over to its sister team. So shocked were the Purefoods diehards that they even trooped to Twitter and pleaded to Ramon S. Ang to stop the transfer. But the SMC executive would have none of that.

For us, Ginebra fans, this is indeed a huge development. The winningest coach in the league is now the head coach of the most popular team in the PBA. It gives us a ray of hope that finally we have a coach who can bring back our team to the Promised Land. The task of ending Ginebra's 8 year title drought now falls into the hands of Tim Cone.

But just like the other coaches before him, there is pressure on Tim Cone to deliver on the task at hand. Ginebra has been known to sack its coaches when they do not deliver results. You can tell that to Frankie Lim, who just one conference ago was chosen to end the drought. Unfortunately, he did not last long as well.

Before we go on and make pronouncements that Ginebra is going to be champions next season, let us remember that it will not happen overnight. Ramon Ang and Tim Cone himself was quick to temper fans' expectations. Transforming a team that has not won a championship in the last 8 years into a title contender will take some time.

First of all, Tim Cone needs to build on the foundation of that contender team. Ginebra possesses perhaps the most talent laden players in the league led by its Twin Tower combination of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar. Coach Tim will have to work on and bring out the potential of these players in order to achieve his goal. That alone is not an easy task.

It is expected that Coach Tim will reintroduce the players to the vaunted triangle offense. The very same system that won for Alaska and Purefoods Grandslam titles. The system is nothing new for the Kings having used it during the time of Jeffrey Cariaso. Again this is where a question may arise. Why bring back a system that did not previously work?

There is a huge difference between the triangle that Coach Jeff instilled and the system that Coach Tim will bring. Now, Ginebra will be learning from the master himself. Second, Coach Tim will have the whole off season to let the players master the system. Something that Coach Jeff did not have as he only had the conference break to teach the system to Ginebra players.

Transforming the team into a champion team will not come right away. With Purefoods, it took Coach Tim two conferences to win his first title with the team. What more with a struggling Ginebra team? But once the team gets used to the triangle, they will be tough to beat.

And so we await next season with a lot of excitement and anticipation. Finally, we have a coach who has the skills and ability to finally put an end to the title drought of our beloved Ginebra. Coach Tim will do everything to achieve that goal. As for us fans, we need to be patient because with Coach Tim as our coach, we could finally be seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

On Coach Tim Cone Joining The Barangay

For the past week, rumors has been swirling around that Ginebra is changing its coach yet again. The man at the center of the talks is multi-titled coach Tim Cone. Initially, my reaction was shock and disbelief. It was unlikely for Tim to leave Purefoods after the success he had with the team culminated by his second Grand Slam as a coach. 

Then I came across this tweet:

FireNathanielsz @FireNathanielsz
IF my source is correct, Cone to Ginebra is true. Just need a greenlight from RSA. Big IF though

Then reality struck me. Is it really true? The winningest coach in the PBA and owner of two Grand Slams with two different teams will replace Frankie Lim as head coach of Ginebra for next season. Different news articles from various sources further fueled this rumor. 

In one of the articles, Coach Tim himself said "I serve at the pleasure of Mr. Ramon Ang. Whatever direction he takes me, I will follow"  which all the more confirmed the likelihood of the transfer. Soon this news was all over the social media in both Twitter and Facebook. According to the rumor, Coach Tim moves to Ginebra while Jason Webb will take over the Hotshots. 

Although there is still no confirmation until Tuesday, this is a huge development for Barangay Ginebra. The Maestro himself as head coach of the most popular team. He brings his success to a franchise that has been without a title for 8 years. More importantly, Tim Cone is someone who can bring out the full potential of the Twin Towers of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar. 

But then there are some questions that need to be answered: "Will they thrive in the triangle offense?" They have tried this already when Jeffrey Cariaso became their coach. After only one conference, Jeff was booted out as he reportedly had some disagreements with some of the players. But if there is one coach who knows how to deflate ego, it is Coach Tim Cone. 

Coach Tim has the number of Barangay Ginebra. He has a 17 - 9 record against the most popular team. Can the Ginebra players bury the hatchet and work harmoniously with Cone? For the sake of winning another championship, they need to and they must. 

For the meantime, we are all in a wait and see attitude as to where this new development will take Ginebra if it does materialize. 

What's Next For The Kings?

Once again, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel makes an early exit suffering a come from behind loss to the Alaska Aces. After leading by as much as 16 points, the Aces clawed their way back to Ginebra 114-108. Another season to forget for the team and another season of heartache for its legions of fans.

At the start of the Governor's Cup, Coach Frankie started on the wrong foot on his first conference. He lost the Twin Towers for the first few games of the conference so he needed to make another adjustment. Reinforcement Orlando Johnson looked promising in his first few games. He scored 50 points in his debut game then 46 in the next. He eventually faltered and his game dipped considerably.

Immediately after the loss, social media was bombarded by Ginebra fans showing different emotions. As usual, basketball experts emerged saying different reasons for the early debacle of Ginebra. Poor coach Frankie Lim got the ire of most of the fans just like what happened to Jeffrey Cariaso and Ato Agustin. So let's see what really happened to Ginebra this season. 

Seven years without a title. That is the main contention of fans. Despite having the Twin Towers of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar and a deep supporting cast as well, the Kings have not managed to get past the quarterfinals. Their best showing so far is a semifinal appearance in Slaughter's rookie season. Since then Ginebra has finished below the Top 4. 

Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa are the only remnants of Ginebra's last champion team. The rest are relatively new to the team. From there, you can say that chemistry is already a problem. The rest of the team was acquired either through trades or from the draft. All those wheeling and dealing, however, has turned the Kings into a championship contender. 

However, despite having a formidable lineup Ginebra still remained without a title. Another factor that perhaps had a major  impact on Ginebra still failing to win a title is their constant coaching change. Since Ginebra's last Finals appearance under Alfrancis Chua, the Kings have three coaching changes already. they had Ato Agustin, Jeffrey Cariaso, and Frankie Lim taking the reins over the team in the last four conferences only. It is hard to build chemistry when you keep on changing coach. 

And so the waiting game continues. For Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa, their quest for one more championship before they finally up their sleeves continues. For Greg Slaughter, his first title in the PBA continues to remain elusive. Same goes for the other players. 

Coach Frankie Lim has got a lot of work to do in the off season if he wants to end Ginebra's title woes. There is also the coming rookie draft to look forward to. Management needs to find the missing piece that will complete the line-up that will finally give the Kings their ninth championship. Expect more wheeling and dealing as Coach Frankie finds the right mix that will finally bag that elusive title for the league's most popular team. 

One thing is for sure though. All eyes will be on Ginebra. What changes will be made in the team? Who will be in or out? Will we have a new coach yet again? 

Back From The Grave

Japeth For Threeeee Bang!!!!!!!!!

Once again, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel did it again. Given up for dead for the entire conference, the Kings march on to the playoffs-- their 25th consecutive appearance. It had been a roller coaster ride for the league's most popular team and nobody expected them to advance to the next round especially with the way they lose games.

For Ginebra fans, it was one of the seasons you'd rather forget. Three coaching changes in one season speaks of the struggles that the Kings are experiencing. As I watched the NLEX game, I was not kind of hoping that Ginebra would survive this one. The die-hard fan in me says "Don't give up on your team. They need you now" fueled whatever hope I had of them advancing to the next stage.

As the 4th quarter began, shades of Ginebra's "never-say die" spirit began showing up. NLEX was relentless in trying to end Ginebra's season but the Kings refused to wilt. With LA Tenorio and the two imports leading the charge, Ginebra slowly found their way back to the game. And then it happened as I braced myself for an additional 5 minutes, Japeth Aguilar squared himself up for the three. I could not believe it Ginebra has won. Japeth did it again. He has scored game winning treys on the MVP teams.

And so Ginebra is in the playoffs. It will now be their 25th straight playoff appearance. But once again they will be facing insurmountable odds. As the eight seeded team, they face a twice-to-beat disadvantage against the top seeded Alaska Aces. A familiar situation for Ginebra but one they had overcome before. In 1991, they were also seeded eight and were facing an Asi-Taulava led Mobiline but the heroics of Bal David and the then Gordon's Gin allowed them to topple the top seeds. Ginebra faced the same situation again in 2013 when they were seeded 7th and battled the 2nd seeded Rain or Shine. But with Vernon Macklin leading the comeback, the Kings survived and marched on to the Finals against Alaska.

So if there is one team which can pull off the improbable, it's Barangay Ginebra. They are not known as a "never-say-die" team for nothing. It is just a matter of digging down deep into their reserves. Ginebra is a team loaded with talent and hopefully those talents will prevail and overcome another huge obstacle in their quest to finally ending their title drought.

Ka-Barangay Ka Ba? Anong Klaseng Ginebra Fan Ka?

Well, here we go again. Despite the new coach and a prolific import, our beloved Ginebra is once again lurking at the bottom of the standings. And at times like these, different kinds of Ginebra fans are emerging. The questioning and blaming game begins. What is really bugging Ginebra? Is it really the coach or the players? Let us take a closer look.

The Analyst Fan

"Greg is too soft. Japeth needs to shape up. Retire Caguioa and Helterbrand. Trade LA."

I pity the players. "Bawal ang matalo" kasi ikaw ang sisisihin. Daig pa nila ang coach. Why don't we do it this way? Kayo ang maglaro at sila ang fans. Tapos kayo ang sisishin pag natatalo ang Ginebra. Maybe you will realize how hard it is to be out there playing for the fans who will only blame you in the end game. Or better yet apply as the new Ginebra coach? Maybe you are the one who can end the drought for Ginebra.

The Balimbing Fan

As an active member of Ginebra pages, I get to encounter different responses from fans after a Ginebra loss. "Lilipat na ako ng ibang team nakakasawa na." "Nangagamoy Bora na naman." "Talo na naman." Who's forcing you to cheer for Ginebra anyway? These fans claim to be "die-hard" Ginebra fans since they were young. If you are, why switch team? From the word itself "die hard," one who will stick with the team win or lose. We live in a free world and you are free to choose which team to support. If you cannot support the team during their struggles then don't support them when they are winning. Mas lalo lang kayong masasabihang balimbing or bandwagon.

The Die-Hard Fan

These are the fans who will truly stick it out with Ginebra no matter what. Sila yung makikipagtalo sa mga pages to defend their team. They are the ones who will still troop to the venues and shout "Ginebra! Ginebra! Ginebra!" whenever the team is rallying to overhaul a huge deficit. These fans would not be ashamed to say "Bawi na lang next game or next conference." These fans would continue to hope that Ginebra's glory days would return.

The Governor's Cup is not yet over and there is still a chance. The situation is nothing new for Ginebra. If they advance, then the whole barangay will be happy. If not, then they can always bounce back.

So let me end this article with a familiar song:

Pag Natatalo ang Ginebra
Gary Granada

Sinusundan ko ang bawat laro 
Ng koponan kong naghihingalo 
Sa bawat bolang binibitaw 
'Di mapigilang mapapasigaw 

Kahit hindi relihiyoso 
Naaalala ko ang mga santo 
O San Miguel, Santa Lucia 
Sana manalo ang Ginebra 

Sa Coliseum at Astrodome 
Nakikisiksikan hanggang bubong 
Nang-aalaska, nanggugulo 
'Pag nagfi-free throw ang katalo 

Ang barangay ay nagdiriwang 
Half-time ay kinse ang aming lamang 
Cameraman, huwag mo lang kukunan 
Si senador at congressman 

Pagbigyan n'yo na ako 
Paminsan-minsan lang ito 
Gumaang ang nabibigatang puso 
Pagbigyan n'yo na ako 
Sa munting hilig kong ito 
Kung hindi baka mag-away pa tayo 

Nang second half ay mag-umpisa 
Puro palpak ang tira nila 
Offensive foul si Noli Locsin 
At si Gayoso na-traveling 

Sa kakaibang shorts ni Jaworski 
Ay ipinasok ang sarili 
Kalagitnaan ng fourth quarter 
Tabla ang score, 88-all 

Drive ni Pido ay nasupalpal 
Defense nila na-technical 
Parang gumuho ang aking daigdig 
Nang maagawan si Bal David 

Nang bumusina ng last two minutes 
Three points ni Hizon ay nagmintis 
Kunsumisyon ay nagpatong-patong 
Graduate si Marlou at si Ong 

Pagbigyan n'yo na ako 
Paminsan-minsan lang ito 
Gumaang ang nabibigatang puso 
Pagbigyan n'yo na ako 
Kahit na kahit paano 
Sumaya nang bahagya itong mundo 

Twenty-four seconds, lamang ng lima 
Ang kalaban, bola pa nila 
Dumidilim ang aking paningin 
Ang tenga ko ay nagpapanting 

Bumabalik sa aking isip 
Ang nakaaway ko noong Grade 6 
Parang gusto ko nang magkagiyera 
'Pag natatalo ang Ginebra 

Galit ako sa mga pasista 
Galit ako sa imperyalista 
Feel na feel kong maging aktibista 
'Pag natatalo ang Ginebra  

Is Frankie Lim The Answer For Ginebra?

And that elusive ninth crown remains elusive for the PBA's most popular team. Once again, the hearts of the team's die-hard and most endearing fans gets broken. Tears are once again shed. The waiting game continues for the Barangay Ginebra die-hards. 

In this year's Commissioner Cup, the Gin Kings could only manage an 8th place finish eventually bowing out to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the quarterfinals. The team's recent failure has once again fueled heated debates between its die hard fans and its haters as well. Prized center Greg Slaughter himself could not hide his frustration to the recent debacle of his team. He was the only shining light during Ginebra's game against the Painters. 

Hoping to finally change Ginebra's fortune, management once again implemented another coaching change by sacking Coach Ato Agustin and replacing him with former player and San Beda Red Lions' coach Frankie Lim. He becomes the third coach of Ginebra in the last five conferences. As a player and coach he is a proven winner. But can he bring that winning attitude to a Ginebra team loaded with stars up and down the order?

Frankie Lim was a proven winner in his days as coach of the San Beda Red Lions. He led to the team to the NCAA title in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. In 2009, the Lions also played in the Finals but got swept by San Sebastian. In 2010, he steered the Lions to a perfect 18-0 season winning 16 games in the eliminations and two in the Finals. As San Beda's coach, he had a 70 - 8 record. 

Frankie Lim is just what the doctor ordered for Ginebra. He also thrives in the "run-and-gun" system which Ginebra is known for all these years. He is a known disciplinarian and strict when it comes to basketball. Something which is very similar to Sonny Jaworski when he was still the coach of Ginebra. As a player, Frankie Lim also showed his "never-say-die" attitude not giving up until the final buzzer sounds. 

Upon taking over as coach, Frankie Lim immediately went to work. First, he shipped seldom used players Dylan Ababou and James Forrester to Barako for the latter's 2015 first round pick. Next, he traded away enforcer Billy Mamaril for a former Red Lion in Dave Marcelo. His being a disciplinarian was seen in the way he handles practice-- rigorous and intense. Twitter feeds from known basketball analysts often post pictures of players huffing and puffing after practice. 

So are we finally seeing happy days for Ginebra in the next conferences? Practice is different from the actual games. Ginebra fanatics are hoping that indeed "good things" will come for Ginebra under its new coach. The Kings have advanced to the playoffs for 24 straight conferences since their last title. However, they could only manage two Finals appearance. With Coach Frankie Lim at the helm, we are all hoping that that Ginebra will finally bag that championship which has eluded them for the past seven years. 

The Prize Of Being A Ginebra Fran

Final Score : Talk n Text 83 Ginebra 67

And so as it is. Barangay Ginebra falls short again of their quest to capture their 9th crown. Like the hundreds or even thousands of Ginebra fans, I was disheartened seeing my beloved team beaten black and blue by the Texters. Like them also, I can hear myself saying these words again : "BAWI NA LANG NEXT CONFERENCE!"

As a Ginebra fan, it can be easy to loose heart and give up on the team because of their numerous failures. We used to be called "die hard' fans because of the passion and support we give to Ginebra. But as years went by, the number of these so-called "die-hard" fans have dwindled. Who can blame them? 17 conferences without a title. That's tough for a fan.

As expected, all over the social media you can see trash talking between Ginebra fans and their so-called haters. From being "die-hards," fans of other teams have now labelled us as KANGKONATICS (referring to fans of a team who has always fallen short of winning a championship). It makes me want to think : Is this the prize of being a Ginebra fan? Being branded as one.

Ginebra fans are one of the most passionate in the league. You see them trooping to the venues to watch the game. Whenever there is a Ginebra game, expect it to be a sellout. For this reason, Ginebra owns some of the records in terms of crowd attendance. Even though the team is falling behind big, Ginebra fans would stay in the venue anticipating a comeback. It is this "never say die" spirit of the Kings that has endeared them to their throngs of fans.

I have been a Ginebra fan since the days of Robert Jaworski. I have been a witness to their ups and downs. I don't watch them live on the venue but whenever I watch them on television, I can't help but admire the way they hustle and grab the loose balls, I cheer for every  buzzer beaters that they make, and of course celebrate with them whenever they win championships. Futility is nothing new to them. Ginebra is a team with a history of coming back from the grave. Who can forget the acrobatic Rudy Distrito shot that brought Ginebra from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship against Shell? How about winning 4 straight games against San Miguel to win the All-Filipino championship? It only goes to show that Ginebra can come back.

Some people say that the Ginebra of today is different from the old. They are playing a different game since the Jaworski days. Others claim that you do not see the "never say die" spirit in the Ginebra team of today. Unlike before, you do not see them dive for loose balls, hustle all over the court, and others. I guess this is the reason some die-hard Ginebra fans have decided to throw their support to other teams. Others, on the other hand, have opted to go for a "wait and see" attitude.

Yes, the number of die-hard Ginebra fans are numbered. I for myself have been asked "Why Ginebra?" There are other teams out there. Why cheer for a team that cannot win a championship? Honestly speaking, I really do not know why. I could have followed the other fans who have already switched their allegiance to another team or chose to remain silent. But then again, I did not.

But one thing is for sure. While there are those fans who have already given up on Ginebra, there are still a multitude who believes that the time will come when the Kings will rise to the throne again and win a title. It is this ray of hope that makes them hold on to their passion and support for Ginebra. As one fan commented in one fan page, there is no such thing as FOREVER.

Yes, die-hard Ginebra fans are a dying breed but there are still a lot of them who will defend the team at all cost. Their passion has not waned and will continue to fire up. Ginebra is Ginebra. They are not the most popular team in the PBA for nothing. Die-hard fans will keep supporting the team. They will keep on waiting until that 9th crown is won.

But for now they will have to endure the constant bashing and trash talking of fans from other teams. Call them Kangkonatics as long as you want. Call Ginebra as Boracay champs as long as you want. These fans will never quit and surrender in supporting Barangay Ginebra. I guess this is the prize they have to pay for supporting a team as popular as Ginebra.

And The Quest Continues

And the 9th title remains elusive for my beloved Barangay Ginebra!

After disposing of Global Port in the first phase of the quarterfinals, Barangay Ginebra dropped an 83-67 loss to Talk n Text in the second phase of the quarterfinals. A win could have put them into a semifinal encounter with sister team San Miguel. But it was not meant to be. The Texters showed their championship poise denying a Sister Act and prolonging Ginebra's quest for its 9th title and ending its six-year title drought. It's now 17 straight conferences without a championship.

As usual, there were different reactions here and there. Demand for coaching change. Trades and others. and the blaming game begins.

When Ginebra drafted Greg Slaughter last year, fans had high hopes that Ginebra would finally end their title drought. The Kings also had Japeth Aguilar that time giving them perhaps the tallest frontline in the league if you add Jay-R Reyes and Billy Mamaril to the mix.

Line-up wise, Ginebra has one of the deepest and most talented bench. With guys like Mac Barracael, Chris Ellis, Joseph Yeo, LA Tenorio, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Mark Caguioa, the Kings had the material to win a championship.

With the injection of Coach Jeffrey  Cariaso, Ginebra switched to the triangle offense, a winning system not only in the PBA but also in the NBA. This system gave the Chicago Bulls, Alaska, and San Mig Coffee multiple championships. Ginebra is a team loaded with wing players and a 7-footer who, experts say, is the perfect anchor for the triangle.

With a talented roster and a winning system, I believe that there is one more thing missing for Barangay Ginebra to finally win its 9th title and that is CHEMISTRY. Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Billy Mamaril are the only remnants of the team that won for Ginebra its last title in 2008. This is an entirely new team, a young one at that.  You cannot build chemistry if players keep coming and going. You need to keep the roster intact to work on that.

With Ginebra eliminated already, Coach Jeff has more time to perfect the new system he wants to instill in the team as well as work on building the chemistry. The next conference does not start until January 27. So until then GOODBYE GINEBRA and see you again next conference.

Through The Eye of the Needle

Once again. Ginebra is through the playoffs. After another fine start at the beginning of the season, the Kings went sputtering again in the homestretch of the eliminations. If not for their huge win against the Aces, Ginebra would have been in a deeper hole. Luckily, they find themselves with a twice-to-beat advantage in the first round of the playoffs against Global Port Batang Pier.

One win is all the Gins need to advance to the next stage of the quarterfinals where they will be facing the Talk n Text Tropang Texters. Ginebra defeated the Texters in the opening game of the season but it will be a different game this time around. Aside from that, the Texters ended the eliminations with a bang beating the Aces and the Beermen in succession to finish as the fourth seed.

So it looks like Ginebra is going to have to do it the hard way once again. It's the King's 23rd consecutive playoffs appearance. If I am not mistaken, they have beaten the record of the legendary Crispa Redmanizers in terms of playoff appearances. Throughout that streak, they have made it to the Finals only once during the 2013 Commissioner's Cup where they were swept by the Alaska Aces. During that year, they had to endure two do-or-die games. The most memorable one was when they climbed from a twice-to-beat disadvantage against Rain or Shine.

The road to their 9th title is indeed going to be tough for Ginebra. Should they manage to hurdle both the Batang Pier and the Texters, standing in their way is sister team San Miguel Beer, who is the conference top seed. San Miguel themselves is hungry for a title after years of futility. So if that series should happen, it's really going to be a war.

But if there is one team who can overcome tremendous odds, it's Barangay Ginebra. Millions of fans have been witnesses to numerous come back wins by the Kings. Who would ever forget the acrobatic shot of Rudy Distrito in 1991 that sealed the comeback win of Ginebra? How about the fight back of Barangay Ginebra in 2001 against San Miguel? Down 0-2 in the series, the gritty crew of the Kings led by Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and Eric Menk stormed through the next four games to win the series 4-2.

Another Season of Disappointment

With the addition of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar to the Ginebra fold, fans had high hopes that the PBA's most popular team would finally end their title drought. At first, it looked like it would finally come true as Ginebra rolled into the top of the standings during the eliminations of the Philippine Cup but there run was cut short by eventual champions San Mig Coffee Mixers in the semifinals.

They were not so lucky during the Commissioner's Cup when import woes hounded the team. Original import choice Leon Rodgers proved just a hype and was sent his pink slip before the playoffs. Then NBA veteran Josh Powell played only one game as he got a call from the Houston Rockets. Finally, former Best Import Gabe Freeman reinforced the team come playoffs but he was checked by Talk n Text and could not lead Ginebra past the Texters.

In the Governor's Cup, they hired former player Jeff Cariaso as head coach and added Olsen Racela as well. Known as Tim Cone's long-time assistant, fans expected a switch to the triangle which Cariaso is very familiar with, They also took in college standout Zaccheus Mason as their import. Adjusting to a new coach and system, the Kings entered the playoffs with a 5-4 record and as the 6th seed to face the Aces in the quarterfinals. Facing a twice-to-beat disadvantage, Ginebra roared to a 9-0 lead in the 1st quarter but Alaska slowly crept their way back and took away that advantage. Compounding the King's woes was the injury to Mason in the 2nd quarter. Eventually, the Kings lost and bowed out of contention but not without giving the Aces a huge scare.

And so that ninth crown remains elusive for Ginebra. Despite having the tallest frontline in the league and  a deep bench from top to bottom, the Kings once again finished the season empty handed. Like the previous season, Ginebra fans are once again left hoping that Ginebra will become champions again. With a proven effective system in place and a winner of a coach in Jeffrey Cariaso plus a few tweaks here and there, the disappointments will finally come to an end and Ginebra will be back on top again.

See you next season Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. We are hoping for the best and that you will once again be a champion.

A Bright Future Ahead

The set is stage. Game 7 Manila Classico. Ginebra vs. San Mig Coffee. Mark Caguioa vs. James Yap. Undoubtedly the two most popular teams in the PBA going for all the marbles. What else can fans ask for? More so it was the first Game 7 between the two teams. Throw down all the stats because it was going to be a war. The gate attendance said it all - 24,883, the biggest crowd in league history.

But what fans expected to be a slugfest turned into a rout. The experience of the San Mig Coffee Mixers paid off in the end.Playing in their second straight semifinals, San Mig emerged victorious getting the right to face its nemesis Rain or Shine. Inexperience showed in the faces of the Kings. Only Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Billy Mamaril had playoff experience. Mark tried to carry his team on his shoulders but it was too much of a burden in the end game.The usually steady LA Tenorio wilted to the pressure. Greg Slaughter who was a dominant figure during the series was checked.

Things are looking bright for Ginebra though. Greg Slaughter, the no, 1 pick in the last draft, can be the dominant big man that Ginebra has been missing since losing Marlou Aquino and Eric Menk. Four double doubles during the series and four 20 points game. That's what you call  dominance. And this is just his first conference. He has an able partner in Japeth Aguilar who dominated the eliminations with nearly 20 points a game but faded in the San Mig series. Imagine what could have happened if Japeth had gotten his usual numbers? Together, the Twin Towers will be the cornerstone of Ginebra's future.

LA Tenorio, the Iron Man of the PBA,Gilas stlawart, and Jones Cup MVP, was absent in Game 7. But we all know what he can do. I can still remember his buzzer beaters against Ginebra. He can still do that. I know he will bounce back. Ginebra will be his team once MC47 retires. Mark Caguioa proved his critics wrong when he single handedly almost carried Ginebra on his shoulders. Vintage MC47 in Game 7. He proved to everyone that he still got game. Truly, he is the "heart" of the Ginebra franchise.

Yes, Ginebra may have lost but the admiration of their fans will continue to grow stronger. They may have failed to enter the Finals and contend for the crown but their resurgence in the eliminations as well as in the playoffs are signs of things to come for the Kings. Their quest for their elusive 9th crown continues. One thing is for sure: we, their fans,will be there with them when they reclaim their lost glory.

At The Top of the Mountain

Barangay Ginebra ends the elimination round against defending champion Talk n Text. With an 11-2 record, the Kings enter the playoff phase as the top seed and a twice-to-beat advantage against the 8th seeded team either Global Port or Alaska.The last time Ginebra ended the eliminations as no. 1 in 2006,they went on to win the championship.

The current line-up of Ginebra is worth comparing to the 2006 All-Filipino line-up that won the Kings its last All-Filipino crown. Anchoring the back court of Ginebra that time was Johnny Abarrientos whom the Kings got from Coca Cola together with Billy Mamaril, Rudy Hatfield, and Rafi Reavis. The Fast and The Furious tandem of Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa was playing their best years. Eric Menk was unstoppable inside the paint. The line-up also included gunners like Ronald Tubid, Sunday Salvacion, and Mark Macapagal.

That 2006 line-up of Ginebra emerged as no. 1 during the eliminations. They went on to beat Talk n Text 3-2 in the semis and faced a strong San Miguel side which had Olsen Racela, Danny Seigle, and Danny Ildefonso and Chot Reyes as their coach. The Beermen stormed to a 2-0 advantage in the series but Ginebra came back to win the next four games to win the series 4-2 becoming the fifth team to come back from such deficit. Jayjay Helterbrand was adjudged Finals MVP and Mark Caguioa was Best Player of the Conference.

The 2014 roster of Ginebra is deep up and down the order. Anchoring the front line are the Twin Towers of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar along with Billy Mamaril, Jayar Reyes, and Brian Faundo. It also includes Chris Ellis and Mac Barracael. Tbe backcourt consists of veterans Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand plus LA Tenorio as the anchors. Coming off the bench are Josh Urbiztondo, Emman Monfort, and rookie James Forrester.

Clearly, the impact of Greg Slaughter was immediately felt. With Japeth churning in BPC-like numbers and with Jay-R Reyes coming off the bench, the Kings have a solid frontline. LA Tenorio leads the league in assists and has effectively controlled the offense of the Kings. Mark Caguioa may no longer be as effective as he was but he remains the "Spark" of the team in terms of leadership.

The current line-up has beaten all the teams in the league accounting for only 2 defeats. But their battle is not yet won. Their ultimate goal is to finally nail their 9th title which has eluded them for six years already.

Kings On A Roll

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ended the eliminations at the top of the standings after beating then leader Petron Blaze Boosters. When was the last time Ginebra emerged as the no. 1 team after the eliminations? Getting Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar seems to be paying off for the Kings. The Twin Tower combination of Ginebra have continuously logged in double-double numbers game in game out. With the two manning the middle, Ginebra has rolled to five straight wins since absorbing their only loss at the hands of the Bolts.

Aside from Greg and Japeth, Ginebra is also getting consistent contributions from Mac Barracael and Chris Ellis. Josh Urbiztondo is also starting to get his game back. Eman Monfort has been a revelation as well. He may not be scoring but his hustle reminds me so much of Rudy Hatfield. Not to mention the team's veteran unit of Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa. Jay-R Reyes has also delivered solid numbers for the Kings.

Ginebra fans have been used to seeing their team struggling in the early rounds and make a late run in the latter rounds. At the start of the new season, Ginebra seems to have made a significant change-- steamrolling their opponents and finding their way at the top of the mountain. A few more wins and they will move to the next round. Here is hoping that they sustain their strong run in the eliminations and take that momentum all the way to the Finals.

Off To A Great Start

Three games done and Ginebra is still unbeaten. After dominating the Mixers and the Elasto Painters, Ginebra had a huge scare before vintage Caguioa delivered at crunch time against the rookies of Global Port to go 3-0.

It has been the strongest start of Ginebra in years. I have been used to seeing them drop one game after the other in the early goings of a conference before coming back strong in the homestretch. Certainly a good sign for the team aching to end their six-year title drought. 

Getting Japeth in a trade last year was the start of it all. Drafting Slaughter was the second step. Now Ginebra has a potent Twin Tower combination similar to the Aquino-Feihl tandem of the 90's. The only difference is that Greg and Japeth are more mobile than Marlou and EJ. 

With two big men manning the middle, the likes of LA Tenorio, Mark Caguioa, Chris Ellis,and Jayjay Helterbrand is now more confident to take outside shots or drive to the lane knowing that there will be someone who will pick up the rebound. 

So far so good as far as Slaughter is concerned. Contrary to criticisms that he is slow and will not thrive in the run and gun offense of Ginebra, the 7-foot former Blue Eagle has wrecked havoc on both offense and defense. Three games in he has churned in double-double games game in and game out. In three games, he has averaged 15 points, 13 rebounds,and 2 blocks per outing. 

Japeth has also delivered consistent numbers for the Kings. He has shined both offensively and defensively. He is truly comfortable playing the power forward spot. Mark and LA has delivered their usual numbers. There are other guys who will provide the points whenever they are fielded in. 

Fans are looking up in the standings for a change after the first three games. Hoping that this is finally the year when the Kings finally reclaim their throne. 

Pinning Their Hopes On Greg

Fans expectation went sky high during draft day when Barangay Ginebra drafted 7 foot Gilas stalwart Greg Slaughter. For years, the man in the middle has been the problem of Ginebra ever since the departure of Eric Menk and Marlou Aquino. Since then, there had been a huge gaping hole in Ginebra's interior defense. Without a legitimate center, opponents have made mince meat of their defense. 

Ginebra had made moves to fill up that hole in the middle. Last year, they took in the likes of Yousef Taha and Kerby Raymundo. Due to lack of playing time, Taha did not fulfill that requirement and was traded for Japeth Aguilar. At 6'9", it seems that he would finally be the one to fill up that requirement. But he was injured and Ginebra was not able to make it to the later rounds. 

Coming in to Draft Day, fans became excited on the prospect of having a 7 footer playing for their beloved team. First of all, a 7 footer comes once in a blue moon. The last time Ginebra had one was during the 90's with EJ Feihl. Also, Slaughter had good credentials prior to his awaited entry into the pro leagues. A champion player in college and in the D-League, it seems that Greg would finally be the so-called "savior" for Ginebra. 

And so it happened. The 7-foot Gilas player is now officially a ka-Barangay. With his entry, Ginebra's throngs of die hard fans finally have a reason to hope that the team's title drought would finally be quenched. Marlou Aquino gave Ginebra a championship and won Rookie of the Year. Eric Menk gave the barangay a championship and became MVP. Will Slaughter follow suit and end Ginebra's six year title drought? Fans are hoping that he would. 

Deja Vu For Barangay Ginebra

I have seen this image over and over again so I think I know how this will end. With a 1-3 record, Barangay Ginebra is once again down at the bottom of the standings. This is not unfamiliar territory for the Kings. In fact, they have been through these kind of situations several times before. What happened? They manage to find a way to get out of the bottom.

Just last conference, Ginebra went on a 0-4 start. This was due to a bad choice of import. So people started to write off the Kings for that conference. Even us Ginebra fans went to the point of doubting whether or not the team can still recover from their predicament. Enter Vernon Macklin.

Vernon Macklin saved Ginebra's campaign for that conference. After losing his opening game, V-Mack then powered the Kings to six straight wins. There was feasting and merrymaking all over social networks and forums. But just as fans were on a high, the Kings stumbled to three straight losses. What made matters worst was they they ended up as the number 7 seed with a twice-to-win disadvantage.

Gauged against Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals, the Kings relied on the time machine brought by Jayjay Helterbrand in Game 1 and the nerves of steel of Macklin in Game 2 to do the unthinkable-- come back from a twice-to-beat disadvantage. They went on to beat Talk n Text 3-2 in the semifinals but was swept by the Aces in the Finals.

Fast forward to the Governor's Cup, Barangay Ginebra is back in the same predicament. Already without big man Kerby Raymundo, Ginebra also lost new acquisition Japeth Aguilar to strained MCL which will sideline him for about 4 weeks.

The current conference is just a single round affair so every win is important. With just 5 games remaining in their schedule, Barangay Ginebra needs to once again summon their "never say die" spirit to bounce back. Without a big man, teamwork will be the key to boosting Ginebra's chances for this conference. They have done it before and I believe they can do it again.

Letting Go Of The Kid

In what will go down as the "most shocking news" since the retirement of Rudy Hatfield, Barangay Ginebra is parting ways with Kerby Raymundo, one of the major pieces in its Finals run last conference. The news was all over social media networks like Facebook and Twitter and was met by mixed reactions. After all, every Ginebra fan remember the big contribution the former Letran Knight had last conference.

As it is, Kerby would be Air 21 bound for shooting big man James Sena and the Express' 2014 first round pick. The former JRU Bomber comes as a bonus but it is the latter that got Ginebra "agreeing in principle" to the proposed trade. The 2014 draft would have talents like Bobby Ray Parks, Cris Banchero, Stanley Pringle, Kevin Alas, or even Kiefer Ravena.

What saddened Ginebra faithfuls is the fact that Kerby's real potential has returned. I mean everyone knows how he made life miserable for the big men of Rain or Shine in their quarterfinal showdown as well as in their semifinals encounter with Talk n Text.

I guess the trigger that made management agree to trading Kerby is the arrival of Japeth Aguilar. Both play the same position but the advantage of Japeth is he is 6'9" yet very athletic. Aside from that, Kerby is injured while Japeth is coming off a very successful stint with the national team. In addition, Ginebra is also planning to reactivate Eric Menk from the inactive list which makes trading Kerby justifiable.

But apparently the Kerby trade does not end there. After being released to Air 21, the Express will release The Kid to the Bolts along with Mike Cortez for Mark Cardona and the rights to Asi Taulava. Everyone knows that Ginebra management salivates at the thought of having The Rock in their lineup. The opportunity knocked via Kerby Raymundo.

Although it is still up for the approval of Commissioner Chito Salud, it is more likely that Kerby will no longer be wearing the Ginebra uniform when he returns from injury. Like every Ginebra fan, I am deeply saddened with his departure but that's basketball. So thank you Kerby and good luck.