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The Shot
By TITO S. TALAO THREE days since the Ginebra-Petron game and still I can’t get over the shot that Jayjay Helterbrand took and made at the buzzer to lift the Kings past the Blaze Boosters. I’ve seen quite a number of game winners in three decades of covering the Philippine Basketball Association Hail Mary shots, length-of-the-court heaves, acrobatic maneuvers, catch-and-shoot plays,...
No snub
by Tito S. Talao Manila, Philippines – ROBERT Non, the Barangay Ginebra governor, was in a foul mood Friday afternoon, furiously pulling at his filter cigarette half an hour before the opening game of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Big Dome. His brows knitted and his eyes glinting, Non bristled at the thought that he and fellow San Miguel Corporation team representatives – B-Meg’s Rene...
Lin
By Tito S. Talao Manila, Philippines – JEREMY Lin, the Taiwanese-American player who is now the toast of the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association, would have been a member of the Chinese Taipei national team which saw action in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship in Wuhan, China if not for a knee injury. And Rajko Toroman’s RP-Smart Gilas team would have gone head-to-head...
PBA: Decision time
by Tito S. Talao Manila, Philippines – “I will consider and evaluate the trade at the appropriate time.” That’s the text response of PBA Commissioner Chito Salud on the proposed swap that would send Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter to Petron Blaze for 2010 No. 1 draft pick Nonoy Baclao and forward Rey Guevarra. Not to preempt Commissioner Chito but his words don’t sound too promising to...
Toothless
By Tito S. Talao Manila, Philippines – ROAR, yes. Growl, yes. But what of the bite? What happens when a fang gets pulled out from a Tiger’s mouth? If reports are true that Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter, the other half of the Tigers’ gun-slinging tandem, is on his way to another ballclub, then some people will have a lot of explaining to do – especially to Gary David. David, Powerade’s...
Enough
Baguio City, Philippines – Reading reports of Floyd Mayweather talking so shabbily of Manny Pacquiao makes the blood boil even when its freezing up here in the City of Pines. Wrote Nick Giongco, the Bulletin’s boxing writer: “Floyd Mayweather has rejected Manny Pacquiao’s 50/50 sharing scheme for a proposed super showdown between the two superstars in May, leaving the fighting congressman...
Baguio
By Tito S. Talao Manila, Philippines – KUNG HEI FAT CHOI to everyone cel ebrating the Chinese New Year, dear friends especially! * * * BAGUIO CITY Thirty years ago, I had the opportunity as a cub reporter to visit this heavenly paradise up north to cover the National Inter-Secondary and InterCollegiate Basketball Championships at the University of Baguio gym. It was my first time here and...
Alex
by TITO S. TALAO Manila, Philippines – MAYBE I had watched Johnny Abarrientos too ardently in his heyday. But Alex Cabagnot’s demeanor after he made that huge three-point shot which won Game Three for Petron Blaze last Monday reminded me so much of the Flying A. Cabagnot’s reaction? Nothing. Zilch. Except for his roaming eyes which glowered like an owl’s, Cabagnot was stone-cold calm,...
Costly lesson
by TITO S. TALAO Manila, Philippines – IT was a lesson learned for rookie Paul Lee which Rain or Shine paid for dearly. But which Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao is willing to let pass. “He’s only a rookie; normal lang `yon,“ Guiao said during the post-game interview after Game Three, a 104-99 overtime defeat to the Powerade Tigers where Lee had a hand literally in bringing...
