Petron coach Ato Agustin has some strong words on rival coach Chot Reyes of Talk n Text. This video was taken after the Boosters defeated the Texters to clinch the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday.

source: Philstar

AFTER LEADING THE Petron Blaze Boosters to the 2011 PBA Governors’ Cup title, Arwind Santos is finally getting recognition for a career that had somehow always seemed mired in runner-up finishes and consolation prizes.

Fittingly enough, the biggest victory of Santos’ career came against the man who seemingly was always one step ahead of him: Kelly Williams.

The relationship of the two players goes way back. Santos and Williams were teammates as semi-pros in 2005, playing for the Magnolia Ice Cream Wizards in the Philippine Basketball League.

The two joined the PBA at the same time, in 2006. Both were touted as possible first overall selections and future franchise players.

They had plenty of similarities. Both were athletic forwards who played hard-nosed defense, grabbed plenty of rebounds, and could hit three-pointers in a pinch. Santos, a two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player and three-time UAAP champion, was the most decorated local player in the draft. But the Filipino-American Williams, who was discovered in the US by coach Chot Reyes and recruited into Philippine national team, was seen as the prospect that no one could pass up.

The top pick that year was held by the Sta Lucia Realtors, a franchise that held true to a philosophy of employing only pure Filipino players. They had resisted the Fil-Am movement for years, and several observers thought that it would open the door for Santos to be selected before Williams.

Surprisingly, the Realtors went back on their long-standing philosophy and chose Williams, while Santos was selected second overall by the Air 21 Express.

Williams was No. 1. Santos was No. 2. It wouldn’t be the last time in their PBA careers that it would happen.

THE DECISION TO DRAFT Kelly Williams paid instant dividends for Sta. Lucia. The high-flying forward turned the Realtors into must-see TV with his athleticism, while stuffing the stat sheet with 17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks in his rookie season.

In the Philippine Cup, Williams and the Realtors came face to face against Santos and the Air 21 Express for a spot in the quarterfinals. Sta. Lucia came out on top in the first playoff duel between the two rivals; at the end of the season, Williams was named the Rookie of the Year.

Santos was, again, No. 2.

BY THEIR SECOND SEASON IN THE PBA, both Kelly Williams and Arwind Santos had already blossomed into full-fledged superstars. The 2007-08 Philippine Cup saw Santos and Williams finishing first and second, respectively, in statistical points. The Best Player of the Conference plum came down to a choice between the two men.

Despite trailing in stats, Williams edged Santos for the award. It was mostly due to the success of his team, which entered the finals and upset a powerhouse Purefoods squad in seven games to win the Philippine Cup. It was just the second title in Sta. Lucia franchise history, and the first in an all-Filipino conference.

Santos and Air 21, for their part, would find their own success the very next conference. Behind import Steve Thomas, the Express barged into the Fiesta Cup finals against Barangay Ginebra.

But the Express fell short in the deciding game 7 to finish as runners-up, which still remains the best result of an Air 21 team in franchise history.

At the end of the year, Williams and Santos found themselves the obvious choices for the league’s top honor, the MVP award.

Both players had all the qualifications of an MVP. Williams averaged 18.2 points (4th in the PBA), 10.2 rebounds (2nd), 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks. Santos put up similarly impressive numbers with 16.5 points (8th), 9.5 rebounds (4th), 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals (8th) and 1.4 blocks (2nd). Both enjoyed deep runs into the playoffs as well, helping their teams enter the PBA finals that year.

Williams again emerged victorious, taking home the MVP trophy after garnering 2,762 votes over Santos’ 1,775. Santos did not go home empty-handed though, as he was named Defensive Player of the Year.

But the title under his belt sealed the MVP win for Williams, who forged for himself a reputation as a warrior and a winner. Such was not the case for Santos, who failed to lead his team to a championship.

THE NEXT TWO YEARS saw major career developments for Kelly Williams and Arwind Santos. As has become the norm in the PBA, the two superstars who plied their trade for smaller franchises eventually moved to the big-money teams.

In 2009, Santos was traded by the Express to the San Miguel Beermen, the winningest franchise in PBA history. The Beermen were coming off the franchise’s 18th championship when they picked up Santos, essentially replacing key player Marc Pingris in the roster. In SMB, Santos was forced to share the load with several other stars like Jay Washington, Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle and later, Alex Cabagnot and Rabeh Al-Hussaini.

Williams saw a major move of his own, as he was acquired, alongside teammate Ryan Reyes, by the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters shortly after he recovered from a bout with thrombocytopenia, a blood disorder that kept him sidelined for months. At Talk ‘N Text, Williams was joining a team full of stars with Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel De Ocampo, Harvey Carey, and Jason Castro.

Joining two of the most-talent laden teams meant that it was only a matter of time between Williams and Santos faced each other in the finals. And that encounter finally happened in the 2010-11 Philippine Cup.

The result was familiar. Williams took home another trophy, while Arwind Santos nursed another heartbreak.

FEW PEOPLE THOUGHT that Arwind Santos and his team, which had been renamed the Petron Blaze Boosters, would make it to the 2011 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals. After all, the team finished last in the previous conference, the Commissioner’s Cup, after a trade that saw the Beermen ship longtime ace Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros, Dorian Peña and Paul Artadi for the first three picks of the 2011 PBA Draft, Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

Worse, the Boosters’ lineup was crippled by injuries, with Washington, Al-Hussaini, Joseph Yeo, and Lordy Tugade all missing a major chunk of the action.

But it was Santos’ superhuman effort that towed the Boosters to the finals, providing 17.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks.

And when the Petron Blaze Boosters entered the championship round, lined up on the other end was Kelly Williams and his Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, who were seeking a rare Grand Slam.

But for Santos, more than frustrating the Tropang Texters’ historic bid, it was another opportunity for redemption. A chance to exorcise all his demons.

BEFORE THAT, HOWEVER, there was more heartbreak for Santos, who had been favored to win the league’s MVP award after previously finishing second in the race twice. Santos was runner-up yet again, this time to Williams’ teammate Jimmy Alapag, who won the award thanks to overwhelming support from media voters.

In game 4, shortly after the MVP award was handed out, Santos played like a man on a mission. After averaging 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in the first three games, Santos upped his production to 18.8 points and 14.5 rebounds for the final four games of the series. His field goal and free throw percentages shot up significantly, from 37.8 percent to 52.6 percent and 57.1 percent to 90.9 percent, respectively. He also averaged 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks for the series.

In contrast, Williams averaged 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds for Talk ‘N Text — pedestrian numbers for a dominant player.

Santos dominated the series by being absolutely everywhere, chasing down loose balls, making jumpers, blocking shots and grabbing rebounds away from Williams and the rest of the Tropang Texters frontline. When the dust cleared, the Boosters had won the epic series, and Santos was named MVP of the finals. He finally got to take home not one, but two trophies.

It was just the first win for Santos in his storied rivalry with Williams. But taking away the Grand Slam from Williams and his team must have been particularly sweet for Santos.

Williams, after all, had been the Moby Dick to Arwind Santos’ Captain Ahab. Williams was the man Santos had to beat — or die trying — to finally find redemption.

And with Santos’ victory over his friend and rival, redemption is finally his.

source: Mikkel Bolante - InterAKTV

“It was painful, pero ganun talaga ang game 7 — 50/50. It depends on who gets hot at the right time. Obviously it wasn’t us,” Reyes said, adding that injuries and fatigue finally caught up with his team.

“I still thought we had a good chance until Jason [Castro] went down with that ankle injury early in the third quarter. That, coupled with Ryan [Reyes]‘ pulled hamstring, were too much for us to overcome. No excuses, though, Petron played hard and really wanted it, and they got it. Di ko na makuhang magalit sa players ko. It was our 65th game in 10 months, our 19th finals game. Wala na talagang mapiga. They tried their best. Kinapos lang talaga.

Remember, except for Ali [Peek], this was our players’ first experience playing in three conferences [in a single season].”

With the loss, Talk ‘N Text became only the second team in PBA history to fail to win a Grand Slam after making it to the finals of the third conference. Other teams had won the first two conferences of the season before sputtering in the third. But the only other team to advance to the finals in the season-ending conference and still lose a Grand Slam, apart from Talk ‘N Text, was Toyota during the league’s maiden season in 1975.

Reyes said, however, that Sunday’s loss won’t take anything away from what was the most successful season in Talk ‘N Text franchise history.

“Nakakahinayang not to get the Grand Slam. But then again, every other team in the league would have wanted to be in our place last Sunday night,” he said.

“What more can we ask? Unfortunately it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but it was a hell of a year.”

After winning the Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup earlier this season, and finishing second behind the Boosters in the Governors’ Cup, the Tropang Texters finished the year with a 47-18 record, or a 0.723 win average, the highest by any team in the league since Great Taste’s 0.736 (39-14) in 1984.

The 47 wins is also the most in a season by a team since Alaska had an all-time league-high 51 during its Grand Slam year in 1996.

Reyes said if there’s anything he learned from the game 7 loss, it is in not giving up going for the Grand Slam.

“Huwag magsawa,” he said. “Let’s go for it again. Let’s just try to make as many finals as we can. Better to dare mighty things and lose; then not dare at all. There is no dishonor in trying your best.”

Talk ‘N Text has actually not ran out of mountains to scale. There is the chance to become the first team in 27 years to successfully defend an all-Filipino title. Great Taste was the last team to accomplish the feat in 1985. And that is what’s on Reyes’ mind at the moment. He has even already pinpointed a looming obstacle before they can accomplish it.

“All our focus now is in defending our All-Filipino crown. But it won’t be easy. Five of our guys, [Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo, Larry Fonacier, and Japeth Aguilar], will be with SMART-Gilas [for the 2011 FIBA-Asia tournament], which will end on September 25. We will most probably open the All-Filipino with a 10-man roster because we need to give the five guys ample rest. Hindi sila sunog, tostado na,” he explained.

Reyes also reacted to Petron Blaze coach Ato Agustin’s statements against him after the finals. Reyes allegedly said that it was he who was responsible for the start of Agustin’s playing career in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League. Agustin took issue with the insinuation.

The Talk ‘N Text coach, however, said he doesn’t understand where Agustin’s animosity was coming from.

“I do not recall any instance I did him wrong. I will not stoop to his level by dignifying his post-game remarks, first time niya eh. Pagbigyan na natin,” he said.

“I will say though that I never said na ako ang kumuha sa kanya sa Pampanga. My exact statement was: as team manager of Fuji in the PABL, one of the players we signed to a P3000-a-month salary was an unknown from Pampanga, Ato Agustin. I never thought he owed me any utang na loob. Baka sya lang ang nag-iisip nun.”

The Talk ‘N Text-Petron Blaze Governors Cup Finals’ is over. But it seems the fireworks of a new rivalry in the league has just begun.

source: Fidel Mangonon III -interaksyon.com

A historic Grand slam or an upset to remember. Talk 'N Text and Petron try to complete their respective destinies Sunday night when they go at it one last time for the PBA Governors Cup championship.

A full-house crowd is expected at the Araneta Coliseum for the 7 p.m. encounter made possible by the Tropang Texters' convincing 104-78 win Friday night that leveled the best-of-seven title series at 3-3.

The 26-point rout easily put Talk 'N Text very much on track of fulfilling its date with history as it tries to become only the fifth team in the PBA's 36-year history to complete a sweep of all three conferences in a season.

Alaska was the last great squad to accomplish the feat in 1996.

Chot Reyes, the Tropang Texters' stylish and able mentor, said the title series is going to be 'won by heart.'

"That's the way it should be," he added.

The Tropang Texters did play with a lot of heart—and urgency—in that Game 6 win, torching the Blaze Boosters with 15 three-pointers that obviously knocked the wind out of their proud opponents.

Guard Jason Castro typified the team's resolve to win, coming off the bench and scoring 13 points in a four-minute span in the first quarter. He finished with 19 markers despite nursing an MCL injury.

"Masakit pero hindi ko na iniisip 'yung sakit, iniisip ko na lang 'yung game," said Castro, who remains doubtful for the deciding Game 7. "Ang importante makatulong sa team."

Petron coach Ato Agustin said the Blaze Boosters failed to contain Castro, the Tropang Texters' scorer leading in the Finals whose injury forced him to sit out Games 4 and 5.

"Hindi namin napigilan si Jason," Agustin said. "On top of that, outhustled and outworked kami."

Another factor that doomed the Boosters from ending the series outright was import Anthony Grundy's failure to light up the scoreboard the last time.

Averaging 21.6 points in the Finals, Grundy finished with only five points behind a 2-of-13 shooting.

"Wala kaming nakuha kay Grundy," Agustin said. "I just hope he recovers for the next game."

Still, all is not lost for Agustin and the Boosters to win a record 19th championship in franchise history and a chance to pull off one of the greatest upsets in PBA annals.

"We'll do our best," Agustin said. "Anyways last game na ito so kailangan ibigay at ibuhos na lahat. May chance pa kaming maka-tsamba." 





source: JVP -GMA News

Talk 'N Text may be the most successful team in the PBA's 36th season, but none among the Tropang Texters are among the contenders for the league's highest individual honor.

B-MEG's Joe Devance, Petron's Arwind Santos and Meralco's Sol Mercado are currently in a three-way fight for the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, the winner of which will be known on Sunday in Game 4 of the Petron-Talk 'N Text Governors Cup Finals.

Devance, acquired by the Llamados in the Jay-R Reyes trade before the opening of the season-ending conference, currently leads the statistical points (SP) race with 31.89 or just .80 SPs ahead of Santos, who is in close second and expected to claim the Best Player of the Conference award.

Mercado, taken by Meralco in a trade with Rain or Shine in exchange for Ronjay Buenafe, Beau Belga and Ronnie Matias before the Governors Cup, occupies the third spot with 29.41 SPs.

This page requires a higher version browser

Rounding up the top five of what could be the closest and wide-open MVP race is Petron's injured forward Jay Washington (28.25 SPs) and two-time winner James Yap of B-MEG (28.17 SPs).

For all the titles it won this season, no player from Talk 'N Text landed in the top five with 2006-07 season MVP Kelly Williams the Tropang Texters' best bet for the top honor at seventh place with 26.64 SPs. Jimmy Alapag, Williams' teammate, follows at eight with 25.28 SPs.

Both are expected to contend for the award owing to the Tropang Texters' successful title campaigns in the All-Filipino Conference and the Commissioner's Cup.

The fight for the Best Import award is a toss-up between Rain or Shine's Arizona Reid and Alaska's Jason Forte.

Reid leads Forte in race with 52.08 SPs compared to the 47.69 of the Aces' reinforcement.

With the winner expected to emerge out of the two, this marks the first time in the last 14 years that the Best Import winner will not be coming from the two teams currently playing in the Finals.

Larry Robinson was the last import to do the feat in 1997 for San Miguel, edging out Sean Chambers of Alaska.

Anthony Grundy of Petron (47.69) and Ginebra's Donald Sloan (40.43) are long shots for the award.

Members of the media, players and the PBA committee will vote for the winners.

Also to be named during the Annual Leo Prieto Awards night are the Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Mythical Team and Sportsmanship. 





source: JVP, GMA News

DANNY Ildefonso just reminded everybody about his rich championship experience.

Ildefonso hit two big shots down the stretch, including his first-ever buzzer-beater, to lift Petron Blaze to an 89-88 win over heavily-favored Talk N Text Sunday at the start of their PBA Governors Cup title duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sunday Salvacion scored a game-high 19 points and Anthony Grundy notched a first PBA career triple-double, but it was Ildefonso’s late-game heroics that helped the Boosters steal the opener of the best-of-seven series.

Ildefonso turned a steal into a fastbreak layup and, following an undergoal stab by Ryan Reyes, scored on a high-arcing baseline jumper that spelled the game difference.

“God na nag-shoot noon,” said the 34-year-old of his game-winner, his first in a league-most 16 finals with the team formerly known as San Miguel Beer which he won seven titles with in a career that started in 1998.

“Nagamit niya ang kanyang experience,” noted Petron coach Ato Agustin of Ildefonso. “He was
our leader inside the court at ipinakita niya iyon.”

The loss was a bitter one to swallow for Talk N Text, which led by as many as 15 points in the second period and had an 85-76 lead, going to the last 3:13 of the game.

Despite the win, however, Agustin maintained the Tropang Texters remain as the favorites going to Game 2 at the Mindanao Civic Center Gym in Tubod, Lanao de Norte.

“Underdog pa rin, kasi undermanned kami,” said Agustin. “Pero I think nakatulong kasi lahat nag-step up.”

The fact his charges did not give up despite the odds and the game deficits give Agustin something to look forward to, however.

“Almost everybody in-expect na 4-0 ang Talk N Text at parang pinagbigyan kami,” he said. “I hope they will continue na pagbigyan kami.”

Jimmy Alapag scored 18 points and had seven assists to lead Talk N Text, which has not lost
back-to-back games since Games 3 and 4 of the season-opening Philippine Cup finals to the same team.

Larry Fonacier came off the bench to add 16 points while the comebacking Ranidel de Ocampo chipped in 13 and Kelly Williams 10 and nine rebounds. But sorely missed was Scottie Reynolds’ usual production.

Reynolds was held down to only four points, a far cry from his five-game average of 21.4 ppg. He went 1-for-10 from the floor and he went to the stripe only off a baseline drive and Paolo Hubalde’s hard foul.

Grundy finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists and also had five steals.

The biggest steal of the game, however, belonged to Arwind Santos, whose double-team with Ildefonso on Fonacier led to the latter’s fastbreak layup and gave Petron the 87-86 edge, 17.4 ticks left.

The last play was not even designed with Ildefonso as the first option, but Grundy found him with a bounce pass after Ali Peek helped Jason Castro double the import.

In all, Talk N Text played a more organized game for the most part, but could not fully shake off Petron and went into the final period with a 74-67 spread, which proved to be too flimsy indeed.

Ildefonso himself started Petron’s final fightback by completing a three-point play and Santos made up for his struggles that limited him to just 12 points with a triple that made it 81-85 before Grundy strung up four free throws to make it an 85-86 game going to the last 22.7 seconds.

De Ocampo, who missed the entire semifinal round due to a broken nose suffered in practice, seemed to be making up for lost time by scattering 11 points and helping TNT take a 55-51 lead at the half.

Fonacier and Alapag also chipped in 10 points apiece, but the Texters still failed to capitalize on a five-minute Petron drought in the second period that had them leading by as much as 52-36.

Grundy was the spark and Salvacion the gunner during the Boosters’ comeback, with the former pulling off two of his four steals in the quarter and issuing two of his four assists and the latter scoring eight points during a 15-2 counter that had them pull within 51-53.

Helping to ease some of the tension gripping the fans was TNT’s Mark Yee, who saw action for only a minute in the second period and was promptly whistled for a foul after giving Grundy an impromptu prostate check.

The scores:

PETRON 89 - Salvacion 19, Grundy 17, Ildefonso 13, Santos 12, Miranda 12, Cabagnot 9, Pennisi 5, Duncil 2, Baclao 0, Hubalde 0.

TALK N' TEXT 88 - Alapag 18, Fonacier 16, De Ocampo 13, Williams 10, Reyes 8, Castro 7, Carey 6, Peek 6, Reynolds 4, Yee 0, Dillinger 0, Aban 0.

Quarters: 32-40, 51-55, 67-74, 89-88

source: PBA

Games Friday (Smart-Araneta Coliseum)

 5:30 p.m. — Petron Blaze vs Talk ’N Text

7:45 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs Ginebra

MANILA, Philippines — Talk ‘N Text has a chance to put away Petron Blaze and reduce the fight for the last finals berth between Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk on the final day of the semifinals of the PBA Governors’ Cup Friday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters clash with the Boosters in the opener of the regular doubleheader at 5:30 p.m.

A victory by TNT will eliminate the Boosters and enhance the chances of the Kings who battle Rain or Shine in the other game at 7:45 p.m.

The Aces finished their semifinal campaign with a 95-89 win over Rain or Shine Wednesday. They now await the results of Friday’s matches.

If Petron loses, the Kings can advance outright with a win over the Elasto Painters.

Victories by Petron and Ginebra will forge a TNT-Petron finals.

Alaska’s chances hinge on a Petron win and a Ginebra loss or victories by TNT and Rain or Shine.

Petron and Ginebra are tied with identical 7-5 records.

Already assured of a finals stint, TNT is determined to end the semifinals with a victory – their 10th in 13 games.

A three-way tie for second spot favors the Boosters who hold a superior quotient of 1.04 as compared to Alaska (1.02) and Ginebra (0.95).

Petron coach Ato Agustin knows what it takes to beat the Texters.

“We just have to go out and be aggressive both on offense and defense,” Agustin, who is eyeing his second championship stint in his third season, said. “Talk ’N Text is so quick in transition, so we have to speed back on defense, play them in a half court game.”

“We’ll do our part na manalo muna, bago kami magdasal na sana manalo din ang Ginebra,” added Agustin.

The Boosters defeated the Texters, 101-96, last July 9.

Petron is coming off a win opposite B-Meg, 97-92, Wednesday despite losing rookie center Rabeh Al-Hussaini to a knee injury. The 6-7 Al-Hussaini is out for the rest of the season after results showed he tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).

source: WAYLON GALVEZ -MB