The Finals might be done and we are now heading into a break, but SLAMRadioPH is not going to stop!

Aaron, Nikko, and Robi breakdown the Finals of the Commissioner’s Cup and look back at the entire Conference for all of the teams by comparing the team to a movie. It could be because of the movie plot or movie title. You guys can do the same in the comments section.

What to look out for in this episode:

1. Robi is a big fan of Filipino movies.
2. Which team was compared to a The Rock movie?
3. Which team earned the title of Gigli?
4. The Hangover was tagged onto what team?
5. “Masakit yung nangyari kay Aga, bro!” was said somewhere in this episode.

Enjoy, rate, review, and subscribe to SLAMRadioPH on iTunes!

The post SLAMRadioPH: Episode 18 – Sonny Thoss Ekis appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

The Finals might have ended in a sweep, but a few kicks were shining in the limelight. Congrats to the Alaska Aces!

Mark Caguioa in the Reebok Answer 1.

Jayjay Helterbrand in the Air Force Max 2013 “All-Star”.

It was Cyrus Baguio who stole the show. Besides winning the chip, he rocked the Air Jordan 11 “Concords” with the white unis and the Air Jordan 11 “Playoffs” with the red.

photos c/o Sports 5

The post Slam Sneaker Watch FINALS edition: The Fast, The Furious and Skyrus appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

It was complete domination in the fourth quarter of Game 3. It was clinical in the third quarter of Game 2. It was the statement sent in the first quarter of the series. Alaska was out to prove something. Or at least that is what it looked like when the bright lights of the Finals were shining down onto them.

It was as if each and every person on this roster, wait… Scratch that. Let’s try that again. It was as if each and every person in this organization had something to prove or disprove. Whether it was the whole Alaska team proving that they were better off without their previous mentor or disproving that a single beast can’t do beastly things in big games.

They all had a chip on their shoulders that needed to be filled.

Coach Luigi Trillo needed to prove that he was a damn good coach. Check that sentence again. He didn’t just want to show that he was at the same caliber of the Reyeses, or Cones, or Blacks of the world. He needed it. That’s what kept him going. He wanted to be in the same sentence as the best basketball minds in the country.

Trillo knew that he was this good ever since his days coaching the Adamson Falcons where he went winless. But now, the whole basketball community knows it as much as him.

There were doubts on him when he received the head coaching spot, which were based on his track record. But, the faith that was put into him by the management and the players was more than enough to keep pushing him towards his goal.

JVee Casio could’ve easily been named the Finals MVP, but that doesn’t matter to this soft-spoken young man. He knew that he wasn’t a one-hit wonder when Powerade reached the Finals last season. He knew that he was going to be back there real soon. And for a champion on almost every level that he has played in, he can finally hold a trophy in his very young PBA career.

For Cyrus Baguio and Sonny Thoss, it was about skill over personality. Two of the quietest, most professional players in the league. They have their game speak volumes for themselves. There are those that don’t think that that is enough. But just ask the Finals MVP whether or not his gentle giantness was not sufficient enough to win.

Dondon Hontiveros, Tony dela Cruz and Nic Belasco knew that they still have enough run in them for the title. They knew it deep within themselves. Their teammates knew it as well. A player that was traded away by the team that he served so many years. Another player that has stuck with a single organization for so long. And lastly, a player that was in his rookie season the last time that Ginebra and Alaska played each other in the Finals (which was a good while back). All three of these men now have another ring on their finger.

RJ Jazul, Gabby Espinas, and even Best Import, Robert Dozier, were all second fiddle in the league. When RJ was traded from Air 21 to Alaska for Eric Salamat, people were wondering what Trillo was doing. Now, we know better. Espinas was often looked at as if he would not do much in the PBA like his former teammate, Jayson Castro. Now, we know better. And Robert Dozier, who won the first ever Bobby Parks award, was not a big name coming in so people counted him out to the likes of Denzel Bowles and even Vernon Macklin. Now, we know better.

And then, there is The Beast, Calvin Abueva. I said that Calvin Abueva could not do Calvin Abueva things this conference because of the presence of an import. Now, I know better. I am not the only one that thought this. I am not alone in thinking that Calvin would have a hard time this time around. Granted, his stats were not as good nor as consistent as it was in the first conference, but you felt every point, heard every fall, sensed every time that this man-monster grabbed an offensive board. It wasn’t enough for him to walk away with the Best Player of the Conference award, but he came out for a title and not for a label.

This team had 14 elimination games and a hard fought playoffs to fill in that chip on their shoulder. They didn’t want to waste time just waiting for it to be filled. They went and got a chip of their own. A championship fits pretty well in that hole…for now.

The post The Alaska Aces and The (Champion) Chip on Their Shoulder appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

InterAKTV

WHAT THIS GAME MEANS:

For Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, it’s as simple as DO! or DIE! They’ve been dominated by a team that clearly is better than them and they haven’t shown any inkling of being able to find counters against Alaska’s D. Macklin and Caguioa have looked like shells of their former selves.

Will Chualay be able to pull another rabbit out of the hat? This is the game where they can show what it means to never say “die!”.

For Alaska, this game is about sustaining the same level of focus and dominance to finally clinch their first championship in three years.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR:

Alaska’s bench mob.

Whether it’s Abueva going berserk like the Tazmanian Devil, or Jazul and Hontiveros getting hot — ironically — from Caidic Country, or Gabby Espinas doing damage with his gravely underrated moves at the post, Alaska’s bench is peaking at the damn right time. They are averaging 43.0 ppg in the Finals and if they continue to wreak havoc in Game 3, chances are the balloons will fall tonight.

WHO TO WATCH OUT FOR:

Vernon Macklin.

You know what’s worse than Vernon Macklin averaging 12.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg in the first two games of the Finals? It’s the fact that he has only taken a total of 15 shot attempts in the series so far. That just confirms two things: (1) Alaska has done a very good job of taking him out of games and (2) he’s just not right, his leg, his knee, or whatever it is that’s bothering him is damaged goods.

More than Tenorio, Helterbrand, and Raymundo rediscovering their games, Macklin is the biggest reason why they got to the Finals; and is also the biggest reason why they’re down 0-2 and why they were spanked in the first two games. If Ginebra is to stay close in this game, Macklin’s leg, or knee, or whatever it is that’s bothering him has just got to be better. Coach Alfrancis Chua absolutely needs him to double his shot attempts, even if those attempts will be on weak legs.

Photos c/0 InterAksyon.com/

The post Game 3 Preview: Aces Try to Finish Off Ginebra appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

WHAT THIS GAME MEANS

If Alaska wins Game 2, BGSM is on the ropes. If Ginebra wins, then golly, it’s a series!

Remember how Manny Pacquiao staggered Juan Manuel Marquez in the first round of their first fight? That’s practically what Alaska did to the Barangay, and Ginebra wasn’t able to dodge the haymakers. The question now is, going into Game 2, will Coach Alfrancis Chua be able to make technically sound adjustments to recover from the shellacking they got in Game 1 the way JMM countered his way into a draw in that first fight? Will Ginebra display unbelievable resiliency and high adversity quotient the way JMM did?

Or will Alaska show again that they are a flat out better team?

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

BGSM’s ball movement, people movement, and fastbreak opportunities.

Ginebra got a good dose of Alaska’s elite defense last Wednesday — a defense that limits a staggering .89 points per possession (the Indiana Pacers, NBA’s best defensive team limits their opponents to .96 points per possession). And that dose was so strong that they literally didn’t have an answer for it.

If Ginebra wants to be more efficient against Alaska’s devastating close-outs and decision-making on defense, they have to counter with tons of ball movement and people movement. Quick passes from side-to-side and off-ball motion will get Alaska’s defenders off balance. The Aces’ D is too smart and too good for BGSM to just run basic in-and-out and pick and roll offenses.

Another good counter to a solid D would be getting to the other side of the court before the defense gets set. That means BGSM has to finish defensive possessions with good rebounding and then they should run at every opportunity and get easy baskets.

WHO TO WATCH OUT FOR

Ellis. Baracael. Urbiztondo.

These three  guard/forwards were very crucial in BGSM’s conquest of Talk ‘N Text in the semifinals. They gave the Barangay much needed depth with their contributions on offense as they combined for 25.3 points per game in that series.

Last Wednesday, Ellis, Baracael, and Urbiztondo were downright atrocious on offense, producing a combined 6 points. Yes, Ginebra’s guards haven’t seen blitz rotations on defense like they encountered against Alaska in Game 1, but they just have to do better. We already saw how deep Alaska can be with almost every role player contributing in the first game, now it’s time for BGSM to match that type of production.

Photos c/o InterAKTV

The post Game 2 Preview: Ginebra Aims to Recover From ‘Gulpe de Gulat’ By Alaska appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

I still believe Gilas won the dance off in Digos..

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Complete domination.

Right from the get go, Alaska proved to the Philippine basketball world that they wanted Game 1 of this series a whole lot more than Ginebra did. They were hungrier, they were readier, and they were just flat out better on the court. Coach Luigi Trillo had his boys foaming at the mouths with the thought of finally playing in the Finals together and it completely paid off.

Once the call outs were done and the anticipation for the first game of the series was finally underway, the Aces were all business on that court. Opening up the game with a 28-6 tally at the end of the first quarter, Alaska was just making everything that they were throwing up. Ginebra, on the other hand, was left with absolutely nothing dropping for them.

The more Alaska scored, the more Ginebra missed, it seemed as if the Kings were become tentative to even take a shot. The pesky defense and relentless rebounding lead to the Aces being nearly unstoppable while the other side seemed to be tired and shell shocked.

Here we are again. Having to fight back from a game that sent a message to the near 20,000 in attendance. Ginebra is down 1-0 in this series. But will this make BGSM even better? Mark Caguioa thinks so.

In an interview with InterAKTV, the reigning MVP said, “Mas gusto ko yung natatalo sa una.” He went on by adding, “I’ve been in the league the past 12 years, and mas magandang sa una ka natatalo because you have the sense of urgency to come back.”

Granted, this team has been here before. They have had their backs against that wall before and we all know that. But in a series with this extremely hungry Alaska team, will they have enough to do it again?

According to Caguioa, “Para saan pa at never-say-die kami?”

Could it have been an omen? Could it have been a sign of things to come? How did they get it off the lens?

Right at tip-off of the highly anticipated game, a huge bangaw flew right onto the lens of the main camera and caused widespread panic that we were all being attacked by giant flies! Or at least that was what I thought.

With almost 20,000 people in attendance and millions of people watching at home, even the flies wanted to be a part of this game.

Photos c/o InterAKTV

The post Alaska Goes on a Tear, Ginebra Goes Back to Scratch, and Bangaw Goes On-Cam appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

Peep this video from Ryan Goodson. This guy has some serious handles. Ryan also known as Stephen Curry’s skills coach, is in the country for some clinics. I encourage you to try what you see. No special effects were used. Also, Check out our exclusive 1 on 1 interview with him here.

The post Philippines Dribbling Freestyle by Ryan Goodson appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

SLAM goes 1-on-1 with the country’s top basketball superstars. Get to know their story, hustle, inspirations and passion both on and off the court.

For our very first installment, we take on Ginebra’s Court ‘Gineral’ LA Tenorio. Find out more about the 2012 Jones Cup MVP as he talks about then and now.

Also, check out our official YouTube channel: slamonlineph

The post VIDEO: SLAM 1-on-1: LA Tenorio (Part 1) appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.

Ito na ‘to. This is it.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the PBA Finals! It’s Alaska vs. Ginebra: The Best Team Since Game Zero vs. The Team That Fate Kissed.

I’m already salivating just by mentioning “Alaska vs. Ginebra”. That sounds as sexy as “Mudwrestling: Trish Stratus vs. Stacy Keibler”, and as crazy as “Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mankind” in a no holds barred match, yet it also sounds so technically appealing as “Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart”. But nay, the action you will see won’t be scripted. It will be as real as the Juan Manuel Marquez right straight that hit the whole country; the only thing though, instead of us getting depressed, I can already feel euphoria.

HOW THEY GOT HERE

The ALASKA ACES enter the PBA Finals…

1. After finishing the elimination round as the number one seed with 11 wins and 3 losses

2. After dispatching the overmatched Air 21 Express in the quarters in one game

3. After submitting an impressive series win against the San Mig Coffee Mixers – possibly the LA Lakers to their Detroit Pistons, or the Detroit Pistons to their Chicago Bulls, or the Boston Celtics to their LeBron James, or drug addiction to their Robert Downey Jr.

4. After winning eight out of their last nine.

Their path to the Finals is as simple as “The Best Team Since Game Zero Being Three Wins Away From Fulfilling Destiny”. That’s basically it. They have been the most consistent team and the most methodical. They’ve been the team with the strongest blueprint on how to win games.

For the BARANGAY GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL, their path to the PBA Finals wasn’t as simple as 1…2…3…4…If you could even plot how their conference went and you turn it into a graph, you’d come up with a line graph that would resemble a lifeline.

They open the conference by losing five out of their first six. Then they win six straight while dramatically losing Mark Caguioa in the middle of that euphoric run. Then they lose their last two elimination round games, crashing down to the 7th seed and casting considerable doubt against Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals. You guys know what happened next: Helterbrand was sinking jumpers circa 2009 and Kerby was swatting shots like he never did, and Coach Alfrancis got lots of little contributions from everybody else, while the team was still heavily leaning on Tenorio and Macklin. They beat the Elasto Painters and the Tropang Texters by banking on that formula that produced incomprehensible results.

How will the Commissioner’s Cup end? Are the Aces, finally exorcising their demons, really due for a championship? Or is Ginebra’s story, a story so full of fantasies that it can be remade into a primetime teleserye, too good, heck, too fantastic that it should have a “and they lived happily ever after” type of ending?

The post CommCup Finals Preview: Alaska Aces vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel appeared first on SLAMonline Philippines.