#Rodney Brondial

[youblogzz]

San Miguel beats NorthPort to bounce back in PBA On Tour

San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz. –PBA IMAGES San Miguel Beer shook off repeated rallies of NorthPort to take an 87-75 victory in the PBA On Tour on Saturday in Caloocan City. Four players scored in double figures as the Beermen won inside Caloocan Sports Complex after dropping their On Tour opener against the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Jericho Cruz scored 22 points while Rodney Brondial had 18…

[championmindsethq]

On August 12, San Miguel beat Meralco 89-78 in PBA Game 5

The San Miguel Beermen and the Meralco Bolts played a pivotal game in the best-of-7 semifinals of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup on August 12 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. A strong third quarter helped the San Miguel Beermen beat the Meralco Bolts 89-78.

The Beermen took a commanding 3-2 series lead thanks to CJ Perez's game-high 25 points (9/17 FG, 2/6 3PT, 5/8 FT), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. Jericho Cruz performed admirably. His stat line included 17 points, 4 boards, 2 steals, and 1 helper. June Mar Fajardo recorded a double-double (12 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal) in 35 minutes of action.

Watch on PBA GAME Sunday, August 14, at 4:30 p.m., is Game 6

SAN Miguel is one win away from returning to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals after defeating Meralco 89-78 in Game 5 on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Despite trailing 44-41 at halftime, Jericho Cruz and CJ Perez helped the Beermen regain the lead in the third quarter.

Cruz and Perez scored nine points each during that time period. The Bolts staged a furious comeback, but Rodney Brondial made a game-saving stop.

With a 3-2 series lead, San Miguel is one win away from completing the first all-Filipino finals since 2019.

Beermen coach Leo Austria said, "The third quarter was the most important," after his team won by shooting 55% from the field and holding Meralco to 28%. If you're looking to make some bets on the PBA, be sure to check out the PBA betting guide to get some expert advice and insights.

"The problem was that we never switched up our defensive strategy and kept running the same plays," the coach admitted.

Perez led his team in scoring, rebounding, and assisting with 25 points, 9 boards, and 5 dimes. After falling behind by four points early in the third quarter, San Miguel rallied behind Cruz's 17 points to go on a 13-0 run and take a 59-50 lead.

Chris Newsome and Aaron Black led a fourth-quarter comeback for the Bolts. With 3:08 remaining, they were only down 78-76 after Allein Maliksi made his fourth and final three-pointer.

However, Brondial contributed all five of his points during a 9-0 run that gave San Miguel the lead again (87-76).

For the Bolts, Newsome's 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists were tops, but he also committed 7 turnovers.

PBA Game 5 Score Highlights

89 SAN MIGUEL – Perez 25 (9reb 5ast 2blk), Cruz 17 (4reb 2stl), Fajardo 12 (15reb 4ast 2blk), Enciso 10 (5stl 2reb 2ast), Tautuaa 9 (3reb), Manuel 6 (3reb), Brondial 5 (7reb), Lassiter 5, Ross 0 (2reb), Herndon 0.

78 MERALCO : Newsome 24, Maliksi 12, Hodge 11, Quinto 11, Almazan 8, Black 6, Pascual 3, Banchero 2, Hugnatan 2, Baclao 0, Jose 0.

Quarters: 25-22, 41-44, 67-56, and 89-78.

[nedilynndominique]

2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup (04/22/17)

Star Hotshots vs Blackwater Elite

San Miguel Beermen vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters

On April 20 (Thursday), kuya, Layne, and Jenny woke me up at 2:30 am and surprised me with 5 VIP tickets to watch San Miguel Beermen play on Saturday!!! I didn’t fall asleep until 5:30 am, and I was so excited that I made banners and my fans of my favorite players (Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Charles Rhodes, Arwind Santos, and Alex Cabagnot).

On April 22, we left at 12:30, met Layne’s iPhone 6s seller to get her phone, and then went to MOA Arena. I was wearing a black dress, black tights, a red flannel, and my boots. Upon entering, we found out that I couldn’t bring my banner inside :( 

G1: Di po yan pwede dalhin sa loob.

Me: Pinaghirapan ko pa naman ‘to :(((

G1: Sayang, parehas pa naman tayo ng team!

G2: Bakit 5-0 nakalagay?

Me: Kasi alam kong mananalo sila ngayon :)) (and I shared some laughs with the guards even if I was a bit heartbroken that I couldn’t bring my banner with me)

They told me to just claim the banner later, and then we bought some drinks from Starbucks before entering. I didn’t realize that we will be sitting right beside the players and in front of the ring!

The first game was Hotshots vs Blackwater and I got my pictures with Jio Jalalon and Rodney Brondial (note: mama went to Rodney’s seat and the bouncer tried to stop her HAHA)!

(update on April 24, morning) I tagged Jio Jalalon on IG when I posted this and he untagged himself from the photo :((( And when I looked at his tagged photos, he didn’t untag himself from the other fans’ photos with him. :/

 I also saw Roi Sumang because Blackwater sat beside us. And Layne and I cheered for Star still, while Jenny and mama cheered for Blackwater out of respect which I totally understand, I just like Star Hotshots’ players better. What I didn’t like was how Allein Maliksi played dirty, and I kind of idolized him less because of that. It was so fun because the camera man suddenly came in front of us and shot a video of us during the timeout and then he left saying “mamaya na lang” and he came back again pero nahiya na ko. Haha. And then when the cheerleaders came out and gave out shirts, mama asked for one but the guy that accompanied the girls shook his hand, signaling that they had none left. When they went and gave out shirts again, the guy nonchalantly threw a blue shirt my way. And all but one of the shirts that they gave away were white shirts so it definitely made me feel special ♥

During the break before the second half, Layne, Jenny, and I decided to go to the restroom, and when we got back, we saw Junemar Fajardo heading to the dressing room/backstage. We quickly asked to have a picture with him :) 

So, Star Hotshots won by only a few points. And after the game, we asked to have pictures with KG Canaleta (even though I was cheering for the other team, he was a really great player!) and Mike Di Gregorio (he was also a great player but I think he’s new. He liked my post on IG, and commented on mama’s post :)) 

I WAS SOOOO HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT SMB WILL BE SITTING ON OUR SIDE!! And when they came out, I immediately moved to take pictures while waiting for Marcio. I didn’t see him, and was so disappointed only to learn that while I was taking a selfie with the players, he LOOKED AT ME! (as told by Jenny and Layne) and they thought I took a selfie with him, but I either moved too early or too late to see it! Anyway, I brought my sticks up and cheered for the guys, and I saw Marcio look at me 3 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then Layne saw him look at me another time but I wasn’t holding my stick up and was talking to Jenny. Huhuhuhu. But I was just so happy that he noticed me. It was a smart move that I had my stick of their faces with me ♥ Afterwards, when Junemar was dribbling in front of us, I put up my stick with his face on it and Layne and I cheered him on, he LOOKED UP, SAW THE STICK, AND SMILED!!!! I was so happy that I made THEM happy with those sticks. ♥♥♥

I saw the other players at the bench look at me as I cheered, I hope that I didn’t distract them too much, but I just really wanted to support them! Also, during the timeouts, a different camera man saw me with these sticks and he did a double take, I smiled sheepishly (being a tiny bit embarrassed), and he pointed the camera at me. Hahahaha. Too bad no one was able to take a video or a picture of us live, because they cut the timeouts and halftimes from their Youtube videos when we re-watched it :(

During the halftime period, some players went to practice for a bit, and then Marcio went out of the backstage and lingered by the benches for a while. I took this as my cue to approach him and ask for a picture. 

Me: Can I please take a picture with you? 

He nodded and we snapped a picture, and then Jenny tells him that it WAS MY BIRTHDAY and he greets me a “Happy Birthday” with a small smile on his face. So this was probably a something that he normally does, but I was sooo kilig. And to know that it was only ME who had the opportunity to ask him for a picture made me more kilig than ever!!!

I cannot stop myself from smiling and reminiscing this moment!!!! My day was complete. After that, we saw Arwind beside our seats, and he was taking pictures with the fans from the patron seats, so I went and ask him for a picture as well, and he agreed :)

During the 2nd half, we just cheered them on, saying “you’re doing great, Rhodes!!” and “okay lang yan!” whenever Junemar or Gabby Espinas missed a freethrow. I want to reassure them as much as possible and just cheer them on. I was of course cheering louder for Marcio, but I was trying to be discrete about it so that I wouldn’t come off weirder than I already was. My team  won against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Marcio was able to shoot a 3-pointer right at the last second!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy, kunwari para sakin yun- birthday ko naman e! Norwood felt disrespected, but I understand why Marcio did it- they had to get great scores!

Final Score: SMB 111 - 98 ROS

Charles Rhodes: 26 Pts, 6 Rebs, 2 Asts, 1 Blk. Gabby Espinas: 15 Pts, 8 Rebs, 4 Asts, 2 Stls. Arwind Santos: 13 Pts, 2 Rebs, 2 Asts Alex Cabagnot: 14 Pts, 8 Rebs, 7 Asts, 2 Stls. (5-11 FG, 3-5 3pt) JunMar Fajardo: 14 Pts, 8 Rebs, 1 Ast. Marcio Lassiter: 12 Pts, 3 Rebs, 2 Asts, 2 Stls, 1 Blk. (2-6 3pt) Chris Ross: 10 Pts, 6 Rebs, 5 Asts, 2 Stls, 1 Blk. Yancy De Ocampo: 5 Pts, 3 Rebs, 2 Asts. Brian Heruela: 2 Pts, 2 Asts

Today on April 24, we found out that RR Garcia will be traded off with TNT’s Matt Ganuelas-Rosser. I was happy to see him play for the last time, even if it was for only a few minutes.

After the game, all the players except for Rhodes, Ross, and Espinas quickly left the court, so I was able to ask the three guys to take a picture with me, thanks to my VIP pass. Hehe. Rhodes was extremely kind (he walked off of the court once because he was being called out by a lady referee, but he was really nice), Ross was so accommodating and went to the other side of the court to take pictures with his fans (the bouncer escorted him, but when he went our way, he still agreed to take a picture with us ♥), and same with Espinas- a bouncer was escorting him already but he still agreed to take a picture with me (even if mama was recording a video and had to do it all over again hehe). This was definitely the BEST GIFT I HAVE EVER RECEIVED AND IT IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One thing I did notice was that Alex Cabagnot isn’t really as approachable as i thought he would be. He was one of the first guys to come out and practice, and when I tried to take a picture with him, he acted as if he didn’t hear me. :( His fans would call his name, and he wouldn’t even look or smile at them. It was really sad because he’s a very smiley guy, but then he wouldn’t even spare us a glance or a tiny smile. But giving him the benefit of the doubt, he could just be very concentrated on his game and just wanted to focus. I’m just happy that Super Marcio and the Kraken noticed me because they’re my favorite players! :) Also, I made friends with the father and son that sat beside me HAHA. And I was able to see James Yan, Jeff Chan, and Chris Tiu play for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters! James was really good. :)

That’s my thumb HAHA

I’m grateful that I experienced my first PBA experience the way that I did. It was truly and honestly the best birthday ever! And I surely want to watch more of their games in the future- lalo na kung sa VIP ulit uupo! Marcio Lassiter and Junemar Fajardo, and the rest of the SMB team may not remember me, but I will forever and always remember their passion, their appreciation, and their kindness. :)  

[unbiasedph]

Familiarity with Austria working wonders as Brondial continues to impress for San Miguel

Familiarity with Austria working wonders as Brondial continues to impress for San Miguel

Rodney Brondial turns in another impressive outing as San Miguel crushes Meralco by 24 points in Game 1 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals Read Full News @ Rappler

[trilotechcorp]

New Post has been published on PBA-Live

New Post has been published on https://pba-live.com/the-alaska-hangs-on-as-beat-up-san-miguel-closes-pocket-competition-winless/

The Alaska hangs on as beat up San Miguel closes pocket competition winless

SAN Miguel’s energetic run missed the mark late as Alaska pulled off a 81-79 win Friday, in a game where Terrence Romeo endured a correct lower leg injury.

The destruction left the safeguarding champions winless in the Phoenix Super Basketball Tournament at Upper Deck Gym in Pasig.

Alex Cabagnot’s three at the ringer neglected to locate the base of the net as the Aces got away with a dirty success and maintain a strategic distance from a 14-point emergency.

Gold country lost grasp of a 62-48 making a beeline for the result time frame as Chris Ross’ three with 20.3 seconds chop the shortfall down to one, 79-78.

Vic Manuel gave the Aces somewhat of a breathing room with 17.1 ticks left, yet Cabagnot split from the line to make it a 81-79 issue with 12.5 seconds remaining.

The Beermen had the option to make one final guarded stand, driving Manuel to turn the ball over with nine seconds left, yet Cabagnot neglected to complete his courageous demonstration with his missed victor late.

Manuel featured for Alaska with 12 focuses, eight bounce back, three helps, and two takes, while Robbie Herndon sizzled with 19 focuses, 14 coming in the Aces’ bursting second from last quarter, over eight sheets, five takes, and three dimes.

Rodney Brondial included a twofold of 14 focuses and 17 bounce back, as JVee Casio had 12 in the success.

[dpinoycosmonaut]

DPINOYCOSMONAUT’S WISH LIST FOR THE MAGNOLIA HOTSHOTS IN 2020

By DPinoyCosmonaut / January 5, 2020

(Photo was originally posted in the facebook page of Forever Purefoods Fanatics Group, credits to the original owner of this photo)

          The Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok ended their 2018-2019 PBA campaign on a sour note after failing to defend the Governors’ Cup title they won last season, losing to the Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters in the quarterfinals.  

          This was a sad ending for the Hotshots who started the season on fire, almost ending sister team San Miguel Beer’s domination of the Philippine Cup in seven games.  In the Commissioner’s Cup, many expected Magnolia to make a deep run for the title, but import woes hounded the team for it to eventually bow to sister team Giñebra San Miguel in the quarters.

           While 2019 was filled with heartbreaks for Magnolia’s legion of fans, there were still some glimmers of joy and hope during the year.  The return of Jean Marc Pingris to competitive play after a long layoff due to injury gave fans something to cheer for as the concept of “puso” and “laban” returned to the team.  Paul Lee’s and Mark Barroca’s selection to the FIBA World Cup brought honors to the team as well while the trade for Chris Banchero of the Alaska Aces in exchange for Rodney Brondial and Robbie Herndon, while surprising, was viewed as a positive development for the Hotshots.  And one may say the same thing about the addition of Jackson Corpuz from Columbian Dyip for Aldrech Ramos, whom coach Chito Victolero allowed to languish on the bench.

           Will the start of a new decade bring more success to this fancied Purefoods franchise?  Will 2020 prove to be a memorable year for the Pambansang Manok?  Here is DPinoyCosmonaut’s wish list for the Magnolia Hotshots in the coming season:

           Christian Standhardinger.  It is no secret that Magnolia is just one dependable big man away from challenging the mighty Beermen for the Philippine Cup title.  If rumors are true (and we really hope they are!), having Standhardinger on the team will surely complete the Hotshots who already have a ridiculously strong backcourt in Barroca, Jio Jalalon, Banchero and Lee.  The 6-foot-8 Standhardinger can also guarantee the team’s future at the frontline with Rafi Reavis and Pingris in the twilight of their careers.  An Ian Sangalang-Christian Standhardinger combo will also allow for Magnolia’s own version of a twin towers, or, if need be, a trade for Standhardinger for Sangalang straight up could still work in the Hotshots’ favor, as long as a dependable frontcourt partner is there for the Fil-German, who averaged 16.6 points and 9.3 rebounds as a rookie last year, certainly no trifling numbers.

           Additional offensive plays.  The Hotshots are already known for their vaunted defense and credit goes to the head coach, Victolero, and his coaching staff.  However, the team may need to add more offensive plays designed not only for Lee, Barroca or Sangalang, but one that will also allow Banchero, Jalalon, Corpuz and even Rome de la Rosa to grow, consistently shine, and add the much-needed firepower for Magnolia.  This will also make the Hotshots less predictable with their offense and make them harder for other teams to defend. 

           More playing time for old reliables.  By more playing time we mean 10-12 minutes per game for veterans PJ Simon, Pingris and Reavis, most of whom, if not all, may be playing in their last season.  These old reliables, especially Simon, still got game to show and can certainly contribute to Magnolia’s cause.  A well-balanced player rotation is certainly good for any team and this will guarantee less physical stress and an overload on injury-prone players like Lee.  Fans will surely be happy if they see PJ, Rafi and Marc still actively contributing to the team.

           Scout and sign good and dependable imports.  Import woes continue to hound Magnolia in conferences with a reinforcement, making fans question who are responsible for scouting imports for the Hotshots and wonder how come the reinforcements being signed are not as formidable as that of their sister teams.  In the coming season, Magnolia should look for imports that will truly fit the system and fill the need of the team.  Someone who is younger, stronger, multi-faceted and with a good, hard-working attitude would certainly fill the bill for such an import.  If SMB can get Chris McCullough, TNT can sign NBA-caliber players like Terrence Jones and KJ McDaniels, and NorthPort can hire Michael Qualls, why can’t the Hotshots get an import who can prove equal to them?

           Finally, that Magnolia board representative Rene Pardo and team manager Alvin Patrimonio are able to better chart the Hotshots’ fortunes.  We are aware, of course, that SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua has the final say in any transaction affecting the three SMC teams, including the Beermen and the Gin Kings.  That being said, we believe that if Pardo and Patrimonio are given greater autonomy in charting the Hotshots' affairs, there’s no reason to believe that Magnolia won’t regain its status as one of the league’s truly elite teams. Pardo, after all, oversaw the Hotshots’ rise to being just the fifth team in PBA history to achieve the rare grand slam, while Alvin, for all his shy personality to this point, previously held the record for most league MVP awards (four) with Ramon Fernandez before June Mar Fajardo won a fifth MVP trophy last year.  So who can question the duo’s basketball savvy?  Certainly nobody!

           Happy new year, everyone!

[hotshotslafam]

Banchero acquired in trade The Hotshots made a deal during the Governors’ Cup, acquiring Chris Banchero from Alaska for Rodney Brondial and Robbie Herndon. Magnolia wasn’t done making trades as the Hotshots also upgraded their frontcourt when they got Jackson Corpuz last December in exchange of Aldrech Ramos. Hotshots fall short in Governors’ Cup title defense With Romeo Travis returning as import, Magnolia looked to make it two titles in a row in the Governors’ Cup. But the Hotshots could only come up with a sixth-place finish in the elimination round with a 6-5 record after the team suffered a three-game losing streak including a match where Travis didn’t play due to a sprained ankle. Magnolia’s season ended in disappointment as the Hotshots lost in the quarterfinals to TNT, 98-97, after losing an 18-point lead with Bobby Ray Parks scoring the game-winning shot to break the hearts of their opponent. Part 2 https://www.instagram.com/p/B65opcgDOnH/?igshid=a6msv3kp2abg

[dribolopdapipol]

Star torches Phoenix in Game 1

PBA IMAGES Star got its groove in the second half to pound Phoenix, 114-83, in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinals duel in the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.  The Hotshots displayed their mastery of the Fuel Masters with their reserves leading a third quarter surge for a 82-63 lead. Star’s first five picked it up from there, extending the lead to as high as 37, 110-73, with a Rodney Brondial putback with 1:55 remaining. Paul Lee showed the way for the Hotshots with 22 points on 5-of-8 shooting from threes on top of four rebounds and four assists. Ian Sangalang added 17 markers and four boards, while Justin Melton chipped in 12 points as Star extended its winning run to five. Marc Pingris did damage on the defensive end with 10 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists. “We were frustrated in the first half when (Matthew) Wright was getting hot, so that affected our defense. At halftime, we said that we have to start on our defense and focus on the little things and that’s exactly what we did. We started on defense and it’s all about our defense,” said Star coach Chito Victolero. The victory wasn’t as dominating as the Hotshots’ 123-79 dismantling of the Fuel Masters last December 10, but it was vital as it moved them a win away from a trip to the semifinals Matthew Wright scored 19 points while guard Karl Dehesa got 10 points in his debut for Phoenix. Game 2 is on Monday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The scores: STAR 114 – Lee 22, Sangalang 17, Melton 12, Maliksi 11, Pingris 10, Ramos 9, Jalalon 9, Reavis 7, Javier 4, Barroca 4, Dela Rosa 3, De Leon 2, Abundo 2, Brondial 2. PHOENIX 83 – Wright 19, Baguio 12, Dehesa 10, Intal 9, Kramer 9, Borboran 7, Alolino 8, Caperal 3, Enciso 2, Torres 2, W. Wilson 2, Hayes 0, Lanete 0. Quarters: 22-15, 45-52, 82-64, 114-83. The post Star torches Phoenix in Game 1 appeared first on Philippine Basketball Association. http://j.mp/2l8uqPo

[mriasascha]

12 - 19 - 13 (Super fangirl meets Super love)

Actually, I don't know where to start. Like, this is probably one of the most important day for me this year. Who gets to meet their Idol/ Crush/ Love in person? Specially when that one is a well-known basketball player.

Super super Salamat for that day kuya Rodney. You didn't let us down. Those smiles you gave us during the game. Well, yeah I was super kinikilig I can't even look at you straight in the eyes. I was just staring at you every time you had your back turned at me. You don't know how happy you made me feel, as well as the girls. You really are the best Kuya Rods. I will be forever grateful for having you in my life. You gave color to my fading world. To be honest, I didn't know how to react around you. I didn't want to annoy you but I guess the fangirl in me still came out.

Surely, I had so many questions to ask you but I forgot all of them because I was too busy admiring you. You're too adorable for me to handle. I just can't get enough of you. I may sound cheesy but I mean it. Super nakaka-inlove ka talaga Kuya Rodney and it's not just because of your looks pero dahil din sa personality mo. I wish ma-attain mo na yung happiness na hinahanap mo and if nahanap mo na I wish all the best for you. Please stay kind and friendly. Hihihihi. If only I could wash away the pain for you then I would. I just wish all the best for you. I promise to support you in every step of the way. Hanggang sa susunod muli! Hoping to see you soon.

Thank you so much for everything and God bless <3 :)

[chiinaabananaa-blog]

ADU na ko dahil sakanya!! hahah. CHarot! :)

[trilotechcorp]

New Post has been published on PBA-Live

New Post has been published on https://pba-live.com/uytengsu-likes-what-he-sees-from-rejigged-youth-loaded-aces/

Uytengsu likes what he sees from rejigged, youth-loaded Aces

Only from time to time does a group proprietor drop by to watch an ordinary PBA game. What more on the off chance that it is a preseason adjust coordinate.

Be that as it may, you must offer it to Alaska Milk Corp. administrator Wilfred S. Uytengsu for organizing the Aces in spite of his feverish calendar by expressly visiting the group during its check up game against San Miguel Beer on Friday at The Upper Deck rec center in Ortigas.

Uytengsu sat adjacent to group senator and head supervisor Richard Bachmann close to the Alaska seat and remained on for the total of the game to watch the Aces endure a coarse endgame remain by the Beermen to win, 81-79.

The Frozen North wound up with a 2-1 record to wrap sprinter up behind undefeated NLEX at the finish of the week-long, four-group preseason games named the Phoenix Super Basketball Tournament.

The triumph carried a grin to Uytengsu’s face particularly since he hasn’t minded the Aces generally.

He credited the Beermen for giving the Aces a decent battle not far off regardless of the nonattendance of harmed five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, and Terrence Romeo passing on the whole second half subsequent to enduring a sprained lower leg.

The Alaska official clearly loved what he saw considering the group missed the administrations of enormous men Abu Tratter and veteran Sonny Thoss.

The nearness of youthful, newcomers like Robbie Herndon, Rodney Brondial, Mike Digregorio, and youngster Barkley Ebona gives Uytengsu idealism about the group’s battle for the PBA’s 45th season.

Uytengsu really came before to similarly watch the principal game among NLEX and Phoenix, which the Road Warriors won, 104-97, for a breadth of the competition.

Uytengsu was in like manner intrigued with the manner in which the Road Warriors played notwithstanding not having Gilas Pilipinas stalwarts Poy Erram and Kiefer Ravena also asJericho Cruz who is with the Guam national group.

Uytengsu however still has a great deal of trust in the group’s all-Filipino crusade.

[dpinoycosmonaut]

CAN HOTSHOTS BEAT BEERMEN?

by Bert A. Ramirez / April 30, 2018

The Beermen and the Hotshots are shown with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial with the championship trophy during the press conference before the finals.  (Photo from Inquirer.net)

               The Magnolia Hotshots arranged a second straight confrontation in the Philippine Cup finals with four-time defending champion San Miguel Beer after outlasting Rain or Shine 63-60 in a knock-down, grind-out Game 7 that required extra time in their semifinal battle last Sunday, and the question among the team’s fans is, can the Hotshots beat their powerhouse rival Beermen?

               Just a year ago, the Beermen gave up the opening game to their counterparts, but then went on to win the next four games to close out the Hotshots and capture their fourth consecutive Philippine Cup title as they served notice of the superiority of their local talent.  Yet, the Beermen have further stocked up on that talent, having brought in their controversial top pick in 2017, Fil-German Christian Standhardinger, who was still under contract in the ASEAN Basketball League in last year’s Philippine Cup, and having traded for Terrence Romeo, a three-time scoring champion, last December.

               So how can a team like Magnolia, which has practically the same lineup as the team that lost to the Beermen last year, expect to do battle and win against this stacked squad?  SMB coach Leo Austria, for one, believes that this Magnolia club is better than last year’s, if only for the first championship it won under Chito Victolero in last year’s Governors’ Cup.

               “They gained a lot of experience and by winning a championship last conference, it could help a lot for their cause,” Austria said.  “They just refuse to lose and it was very evident in their last game when they were down 17 and were still able to show that they can come back.  Maybe it’s because of their added experience.”

               Austria, of course, was referring to that Game 7 against the Elasto Painters, where the Hotshots trailed by as many as 17 points in the third quarter 39-22 while also setting two dubious records, tying the lowest playoff output in a half after falling behind 27-21, and also setting the all-time mark for lowest output for three quarters after being down 44-37 going into the final period.

               But just as they’ve shown from the start of the conference, the Hotshots would not give up, forcing overtime as Aldrech Ramos and Ian Sangalang, who scored all his team-leading 11 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, anchored a rally that tied it up at 55 at the end of regulation.

               Then, Rafi Reavis clinched it for Magnolia by grabbing two crucial offensive rebounds and scoring three of his team’s last four points, including a floater that made it 61-58 with barely a minute left as the 6-foot-8 center, the oldest player on the Magnolia roster at 41, finished with a game-high 20 rebounds to go with eight points.

               "I would like to thank my players.  I'm so proud of them.  I love the grit, I love the resiliency, I love the effort, the energy.  They don't give up.  I don’t know how we were able to come back in this game.  It’s all God’s will.  And we’re thankful,” said Victolero after the cliffhanger even as he cited the challenges his team had to overcome in the tournament.  

               True enough, the Hotshots went through a lot of adversities in this conference.  They lost their first three games and fell to 1-4 at one point, and they had to win five of their last six games just to make the quarterfinals as the sixth seed with a 6-5 record.  Then, matched up against arch-rival Giñebra in the quarterfinals, they came on the verge of elimination by losing the first game before bouncing back to win the next two and eliminating the Gin Kings in three games.

               In the semifinals, the Hotshots again fell 0-2 down against Rain or Shine and former franchise star James Yap before taking the next three contests to go up 3-2, but then got blown out in Game 6 to be forced into a winner-take-all match.

               However, their clinching victory over the Elasto Painters, which did not come without a tinge of controversy like the three-point shot by Rome de la Rosa that the league later found out should not have been counted and given Magnolia a 53-50 lead near the end of regulation, was proof that this bunch has matured even more from the team that faced San Miguel last year.

               “I think we matured as a team.  Last conference we won a championship and that was really big for us.  The experience, the maturity of this group,” said Victolero, who is now in his third year with the club and has steered the Hotshots to three semifinal appearances in his first year and to three more finals stints, including this one, after that. 

               Now faced with the monumental task of unseating the team with admittedly the most potent All-Filipino lineup, Chito said they would be banking on the experience they got in this conference while overcoming the odds in this upcoming matchup with the Beermen.

               But would that be enough?  The Beermen are one of the few teams that can match up with the Hotshots’ potent backcourt, which fuels Magnolia’s attack and defensive moxie.  Aside from Romeo, the Beermen count with such seasoned backcourt performers as Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Von Pessumal and Marcio Lassiter.  Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon, Justin Melton, Rome de la Rosa, Robbie Herndon and P.J. Simon, if he’s used, will surely find that rotation a tough bunch to match up with, particularly when its three-point shooting is on.

               But it is in the frontcourt that the Hotshots might find the Beermen overpowering, regardless of the heroics Reavis is still capable of dishing out or the talent that Sangalang and Ramos has or the hustle that Rodney Brondial and Kyle Pascual can offer.  June Mar Fajardo and Standhardinger alone represent what is possibly the most formidable frontcourt duo in the league, with either one capable of starting for any club in the league.  And the Beermen can further parade such guys as former league MVP Arwind Santos, Kelly Nabong, Yancy de Ocampo and Billy Mamaril to man the frontcourt.

               How the Hotshots can contain the 6-11 Fajardo, the unprecedented league MVP for the last five years, will determine whether Magnolia can make this series competitive, much less turn it into its favor to give it a chance of scoring a monumental upset. Victolero, who is a defense-minded coach, will have to devise a way of doing that if the Hotshots are to have a chance of beating the Beermen.

               While pundits have written the Hotshots off, and SMB is admittedly the superior team on paper, the Hotshots would have none of that.

               “Nothing is impossible.  The mighty San Miguel Beermen are there and they are resting but we are not backing down.  We are underdogs against them but we have been underdogs all tournament long.  It’s nothing new to us.  We will find ways to win,” Victolero declared.  “Of course, ‘yung buong team ng San Miguel is the biggest concern eh.  It’s not always June Mar, but the whole team.  Alex, Chris, Christian, everybody.  The maturity of this team is kumbaga grabe na ‘yung samahan nila eh.  Kami ngayon pa lang kami nag-start, but I’m very excited also sa nangyayari sa team namin.  As long as maganda ‘yung chemistry namin we have a chance.”

               “May chance ako to get the Philippine Cup (championship), ang mahirap lang San Miguel ‘yung kalaban namin,” Lee, whose three titles don’t include a Philippine Cup championship, said.  “We’re still underdogs.  Ibibigay lang namin ‘yung 100 percent namin every game.  ‘Yun lang naman yung pinag-uusapan namin everyday.  Ibigay lang namin lahat and kung ano man ‘yung magiging result magiging happy kami dun.”

               Of course, Lee has to be better against SMB than he was against ROS in the semifinals, where he was up and down and shot just 33 percent from the floor while averaging 12.4 points and 3.1 assists, and he knows nothing short of a performance reminiscent of his quarterfinal play against Giñebra will do it for Magnolia.  

               “Ibibigay lang namin ‘yang magandang laban. Kailangan lang namin dumikit every time, and kung sa dulo may chance kami i-grab lang namin,” the six-foot guard said.  That, in the end, might be the only way the Hotshots can pull this one off.

[hotshotslafam]

Magnolia rips Phoenix to rekindle hope for twice-to-beat spot by REUBEN TERRADO ROMEO Travis scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Magnolia won its second straight game at the expense of Phoenix Pulse, 97-81, on Wednesday night in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome. Ian Sangalang added 17 points, and Paul Lee had 15 points as the old reliables kept the Hotshotsafloat days after the trade that sent Robbie Herndon and Rodney Brondial to Alaska in exchange for Chris Banchero. The Hotshots firmed up their hold of sixth place with a 5-4 card, but just a game behind fourth ranked San Miguel (6-3). The top four teams at the end of the eliminations will get twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. Banchero played 22 minutes in his Magnolia debut and finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists. “It’s all about our defense. ‘Yun naman sinasabi ko everytime na may game kami. We need to lower the score and meet our goal which is 90 points and below,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero. "I’m very happy and very proud of my players dahil ‘yung depensa, pinaghandaan namin ‘yan," he added. Travis scored 16 points right in the first half to help the Hotshots post the biggest lead of the game, 28-12. Magnolia's lead stayed at 75-62 as Lee, Banchero, and Rome Dela Rosa combined for 18 of the team’s 28 points in the fourth quarter. Alonzo Gee's 24 points weren't enough to save the Fuel Masters from slumping to 2-7 and tying Rain or Shine for 10th place in the standings. Reposted by LaFamilia https://www.instagram.com/p/B4jgPqwD7bS/?igshid=19iqbzt6oee76

[nichiiiii]

the reason why i made a twitter account.

i have a crush on this basketball player on our school, which is Rodney Brondial. sabi kasi ng classmates ko active daw sya sa twitter. so i made a twitter account. first year first sem, i am on my second year now. and now i'm not active on twitter, haha. i don't have a crush on him anymore. haha.