The PBA served up festive basketball over the holidays
A festive atmosphere dominates the long Christmas Season in the Philippines and, for several years, PBA basketball has been a big part of the holiday plans for many fans, especially the younger ones who take advantage of the Christmas vacation to watch the PBA double-headers without having to worry about homework or getting up for school the next day. With all PBA games after December 17, 2013 held at the Mall of Asia Arena (Araneta Coliseum was preparing, then staging, another edition of Disney on Ice), fans were focused on getting to one venue to catch the action.
I was heavily involved in the PBA holiday calendar as I was scheduled to cover games on December 20, 21, 22, 27 and 28 2013, and little did I know that I would be gifted along the way with such great treats appropriate to the season.
On the 20th, my partner was The Dean, Quinito Henson. Talk ‘N Text, one of the top teams, played Barako Bull, one of the teams at the bottom. A lopsided matchup? It sure looked like it, but I had previously said that Barako would give all other teams a tough time, and this game was no different. TNT led by 23 in the first half, but Barako stormed back in the second and gave TNT all it could handle and would not go away without a fight. Just when it looked like TNT would finally clinch the game in regulation, Willie Miller set his feet and hit a three to tie the game up and send it to overtime! In OT, despite Mick Pennisi hitting back-to-back threes to keep Barako apace with TNT, Ranidel de Ocampo hit a clutch three of his own, and Miller missed all three free throws after getting fouled beyond the arc, and TNT went on to win, 87-80. Jayson Castro was Best Player of the Game.
Just one day later, Quinito and I covered then-unbeaten Petron Blaze against Rain or Shine. ROS is always tough and the thought of facing the number one team seemed to increase the Elastopainters’ collective aggressiveness. After trailing by 15 early, ROS kept pace the rest of the way, despite having difficulty containing Petron giant June Mar Fajardo. When Fajardo got into foul trouble, and eventually fouled out, ROS’ undersized frontline took advantage. Jervy Cruz, in particular, was a constant threat throughout the game. Petron’s Alex Cabagnot missed a halfcourt heave that could have won it in regulation, and with the miss, Quinito and I found ourselves doing a second overtime game in as many days. ROS grabbed the early lead in OT and held on to win, 99-95. We chose Cruz as Best Player.
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On the 23rd, just two days to Christmas, new daddy Dominic Uy and I were on board to call Air21 against Talk ‘N Text. With players like Joseph Yeo, Niño Canaleta, Asi Taulava and Mark Cardona, I always believe the Express can challenge every time if their stars click at the same time. TNT, however, was all business in this game as practically everyone Coach Norman Black put into the game contributed. Making a huge impact was Jai Reyes, who got generous playing time due to the absence of Jimmy Alapag, as he hit on three three-pointers en route to 15 points and set the tone in the second quarter, where TNT seized control and went all the way to win, despite Taulava’s 23 points and 11 rebounds. Castro and de Ocampo scored more than he did, but Reyes earned Best Player honors.
Heading into a few days’ rest, I got a call late in the afternoon of the 24th and learned that my co-PBA anchorman, Magoo Marjon, was in sickbay and could not cover the first game on Christmas Day. I had to pinch-hit and, despite having to rearrange a busy schedule, trooped to the MOA Arena in the horrendous traffic of vehicles and people, to do my first-ever Christmas Day game assignment, Global Port versus Air 21. Most fans were talking about the second game, Ginebra-Petron, which would be the battle for solo first place, and not many took notice of the first, which I was to cover with Eric Reyes.
Anyone who says he predicted this would be the better game of the day is a liar, but this GlobalPort and Air21 match-up is easily one of the best games of the Philippine Cup so far, as each team threw hay-maker after hay-maker, with neither team giving an inch. For the third time in four games, I covered another overtime game! Sol Mercado was brilliant for the Batang Pier (35 points), but the Express was propelled by several players, most notably Yeo (19 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds), Cardona (28 points) and Taulava (28 points, 13 rebounds) and went on to win in the extra period, 109-103. It was a tough choice as Cardona and Taulava made clutch shots, but Yeo emerged as Best Player for his all-around brilliance. This game truly upstaged the second one, as Fajardo was injured and did not play for Petron, and Ginebra dominated to deal the Boosters their second straight loss.
On the 27th, I was taken back in time as my partner was the man called “Dr. J”, long-time PBA analyst Andy Jao. I watched and listened to him cover PBA games as a boy in the 1980s and felt honored to be paired with him for what I thought was an interesting match-up between teams that look very similar to each other, with physical frontcourt players and talented guards, despite the disparity in won-loss records: Rain or Shine and Barako Bull. Again, the game was a good one. Barako, determined to get the victory, stayed close, but could not contain one of the best shooters in the league today, Jeff Chan, who came out shooting and hardly missed, scoring 19 points in the first half, and ending up with 34, including the game winner, his seventh three-pointer, with under ten seconds remaining. Barako lost the ball on a Gabe Norwood swipe and ROS won, 99-95. The TV crew thought it would go to overtime again, which would have been my fourth OT game in a week, but the exciting game indeed ended in regulation. Chan was the obvious Best Player awardee.
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Capping off my six-game holiday season PBA run was a strange game between TNT and Petron on the 28th of December. Jolly Escobar and I were expecting it to be a tough match-up, particularly since TNT was on a roll, having won three straight, and Petron had suffered back-to-back losses and surely wanted to get back on the winning track. Larry Fonacier started out much like Chan the night before, hitting most of his attempts in the first half, including multiple three-pointers, and TNT raced to a double-digit lead early. Petron trimmed the deficit to just seven at the half as its shooters slowly got their groove going. While TNT ruled the first half, Petron came out in the second half and thoroughly clamped down on defense, while Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Arwind Santos and Cabagnot scored almost at will, as the tides turned. Petron led in double figures for most of the second half and snapped its losing streak, winning going away, 105-91. Lassiter carried his baby during the Best Player interview.
It was an awesome week of basketball coverage for me, as I teamed with former PBA players and college basketball standouts, and two of the “grand old men” (with all due respect) of PBA basketball commentary, for some outstanding, down-to-the-wire games, with splendid performances from several players. My week even included a chance to see Ginebra big men Jay-R Reyes and Japeth Aguilar hit a three-pointer each on the way to beating Meralco at the buzzer prior to the TNT-Petron matchup. Meralco’s 5-point lead was obliterated by the big men’s threes, which sent the Barangay into a frenzy, in one of the most spectacular come-from-behind wins in PBA history.
The production and technical crews that handle the PBA TV coverage ended the 2013 coverage with a party after the last doubleheader of the year on December 29. I was there to eat and drink in celebration with the men and women behind the scenes, those whom the audience does not get to see, but who are the best at what they do and who sacrifice even on holidays to bring the public an outstanding coverage of each PBA game. Gilas Pilipinas Coach Chot Reyes, Sports 5 Head, was there to add to the merriment and express his thanks to all those on the coverage team. Everyone was enjoying and each one deserved it.
2013 was a banner year for the PBA and as the games continue in 2014, we should all be excited for more great games starring the finest ball players in the land.
You can follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieC.
