One win away from payback!

The Finals of the 2012 Philippine Collegiate Champions League tipped off today at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City, the Finals this year features two teams who battled in the UAAP Finals this year. The UST Growling Tigers and the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

For the Growling Tigers, it was a shot for redemption as they enter the PCCL Finals for the first time in the history of the tournament and going up against the team they lost to in the UAAP Finals, the Blue Eagles who aim to continue their long dominance in Philippine collegiate basketball.

However in Game 1 of the Finals today, the Growling Tigers drew first blood as they defeated the Blue Eagles 82-76. 

The Growling Tigers were led by Kevin Ferrer who scored 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 9-9 shooting from inside the arc including a dunk which threw me out my seat with joy. It was a balanced scoring effort for the Tigers as many players Melo Afuang, Karim Abdul, Jeric Teng, Aljon Mariano, Clark Bautista (who came in at the arena from UST in the 3rd quarter) and Jeric Fortuna (who was riddled with foul trouble) all contributed to the victory. The Tigers also played without head coach Pido Jarencio who was out with the german measles and is questionable for Game 2 on Thursday. Assistant coach Estong Ballesteros called the shots for the Tigers in Jarencio's absence.

The Tigers are now up 1-0 in the best of three finals series and can win their first PCCL Championship in Game 2 on Thursday, 4pm once again at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City and will be on live telecast on Studio 23. Prior to the game, the FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws will face off against the San Beda Red Cubs at 2pm.

"Gusto naming bumawi, ito yung payback namin." - Kevin Ferrer

Box score:
UST (82) - Ferrer 18, Abdul 12, Teng 12, Mariano 11, Afuang 10, Fortuna 9, Daquioag 4, Vigil 2, Pe 2, Bautista 2

Ateneo (76) - Buenafe 15, Tiongson 13, Slaughter 12, Gonzaga 12, Ravena 11, Salva 8, Elorde 3, Golla 2, Pessumal 0, Chua 0, Porter 0, Capacio 0


Meanwhile, the San Beda Red Lions finish third in the PCCL for the second straight season as they defeated the Southwestern U Cobras 64-56 , Kyle Pascual and Art dela Cruz led the Red Lions with 14 and 12 points respectively while limiting SWU's "King Cobra" Ben Mbala to 16 points after scoring a PCCL-record 41 points in their game against UST.

Now the Tigers are one win away from exacting revenge against the team that broke the hearts of the Thomasian community last month in the UAAP. The entire Thomasian community as shown all-year long will be there to give their prayers and show their support for these players. I can feel it, we all can feel it! The time is now! Why not wait for next year when it can be done now! and the PCCL championship will be a way to cap off the collegiate careers of "The Captain" Jeric Fortuna and Melo Afuang. I'm really hoping, it all ends on Thursday.

"Well I could not write a full breakdown of the game, because I started watching the game in the second half. My apologies for that."

KEEP CALM and PAYBACK will be SERVED on THURSDAY!
Go USTe! One for UST! Viva Santo Tomas!
K-Smoove

Here we go again! España vs Katipunan Round 2!

Photo ©Spin.ph

More than a month after these two teams battled it out for the UAAP championship. Two proud institutions will meet once again. This time to determine the one true National Champion. It's UST vs Ateneo, España vs Katipunan, Gold vs Blue, Growling Tigers vs Blue Eagles Round 2!

These two teams are no strangers in the Finals of basketball, as these two teams met in the UAAP Finals this year where the Blue Eagles swept the Growling Tigers to win their fifth straight UAAP title which is the second longest championship streak in UAAP history behind the streak set by the UE Red Warriors in the 1960s behind legendary coach Baby Dalupan of seven consecutive championships (1965-1971).

More than a month later their legendary duel in the UAAP, these two teams will meet again, this time in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League. The road for these two teams to get to this point of the tournament were different.

The Growling Tigers began the tournament in the Luzon-Metro Manila regionals where they faced off against the runner-ups of the NCAA and their sister school, the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights who played without their father and son tandem of Coach Louie Alas who resigned after their defeat in the NCAA Finals against the San Beda Red Lion and Kevin Alas who is the main man for the Knights. Despite these absences, the Knights were able to push the Tigers to the limit, however the Tigers escaped with a 78-73 victory to advance to the Luzon-Metro Manila regional finals where the faced off against the UAAP's Adamson Soaring Falcons who had gone through a long road to the Finals competing in the Metro Manila qualifiers defeating the JRU Heavy Bombers, La Finns Scholastica Lionhearts, De La Salle Green Archers, and the defending PCCL champions the San Sebastian Golden Stags to advance to the Luzon-Metro Manila regional finals. The Tigers blew out the Falcons 88-64 to win the Luzon-Metro Manila regional finals and advance to the Final Four.

In the Final Four the Growling Tigers finished with a 2-1 record where they defeated the Ateneo Blue Eagles (76-66) and the NCAA Champions San Beda Red Lions (63-60), but lost in overtime against the CESAFI Champions Southwestern University Cobras (91-93). Nevertheless, the Tigers advanced to the PCCL Finals for the first time in history.

Meanwhile for the UAAP Champions the Ateneo Blue Eagles, they advanced into the PCCL Final Four automatically. However, the Blue Eagles are not coached by champion coach Norman Black as they have interim coach Gabby Severino calling the shots in the PCCL. The Eagles lost their opening assignment against the Growling Tigers (66-76), but were able to bounce back as they rout both the Cobras (96-78) and the Red Lions (66-49) to finish at 2-1 and advance to the PCCL Finals for the sixth time in the ten year history of the tournament.

So here is the schedule for the PCCL Finals between UST and Ateneo:

Game 1: November 27, 4:00 pm
Game 2: November 29, 4:00 pm
Game 3: November 30, 4:00 pm
All games will be played at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan
All games will be shown on Studio 23

Other PCCL games include:
Battle for Third: San Beda Red Lions vs Southwestern U Cobras
November 27, 2:00 pm
Ilog Pasig Benefit Game: FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws vs San Beda Red Cubs
November 29, 2:00 pm

With both teams having intact lineups from their UAAP title run, it will be an emotional series for players who will play their final games in their respective teams like Jeric Fortuna and Melo Afuang for the Growling Tigers as well as Greg Slaughter, Nico Salva, Oping Sumalinog, Justin Chua and Tonino Gonzaga.

It will also be a preview of what's to come in the next UAAP season as the Tigers will feature a near intact lineup with Karim Abdul, Jeric Teng, Aljon Mariano, Clark Bautista, Kevin Ferrer, and Kim Lo to name a few. While the Eagles will be led by Kiefer Ravena and backed up with players like Juami Tiongson, Ryan Buenafe, Nico Elorde, Von Pessumal to name a few.

For the Growling Tigers, they want redemption for their loss in the UAAP Finals against the Blue Eagles and win their very first National Championship.

As for the Blue Eagles, they want to establish their dominance and claim themselves as the most dominant collegiate basketball team in the country.

Evey one knows who I'm rooting for, and we want PAYBACK! for the loss against the Blue Eagles in the UAAP. It will be another exciting Finals series in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.

Go USTe! One for UST! Viva Santo Tomas!
Fueled for UST! Bring home the crown!
K-Smoove

Tight race in the West. Heat retake control atop the East. Kevin Love returns in Minnesota.

We are now four weeks into the new NBA season, plenty of things have happened since. Now here are some of the highlights of Week 4 of the 2012-13 NBA season.

 Three teams, fighting atop the West.

Photos ©ph.nba.com

On top of the Western Conference Standings, it has been a three-way race featuring teams that are no strangers to lead the conference. Sitting on top the West at the moment are the Memphis Grizzlies who are at 9-2 and holding on with the best record in the NBA. Then they are followed by the San Antonio Spurs who are at 10-3, and in third are the reigining West Champions Oklahoma City Thunder who are at 10-4. Other teams in the mix in the West include the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. 12 of the 15 teams out West have more than 6 wins so far this season, which makes the conference more unpredictable on who will end up with playoff berths. Once again, the West has been proven as a wild, wild conference in the NBA.

Heat retake control atop the East.

Photo ©NBA/Heat.com

The Miami Heat have silently retaken control on top of the Eastern Conference Standings, after then leaders the New York Knicks suffered back-to-back defeats in Texas against both the Mavericks and Rockets to fall at 8-3 in the standings as compared to the Heat who are at 10-3. For the Heat, they have been doing it with their usual protagonists in tow with their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. James, the reigning Season and Finals MVP is averaging 26.2 points which is tied for 4th best in the NBA alongside Rockets guard James Harden, as well as 8.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1 block per game on 53% shooting from the field and 43% shooting from three point range. Bosh is averaging 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per outing on 56% field goal shooting. Wade is averaging 18.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per outing on 47% field goal shooting. The Heat have also been getting help from players like Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole to name a few. With most of the pieces from their title run last season intact, the Heat are well poised to defend the title this season.

Kevin Love returns in Minnesota.

Photo ©NBA.com

After sitting out the a month with an injury, the Minnesota Timberwolves got a boost with the return of their all-star foward Kevin Love. Love, a member of the gold medal winning US team in the 2012 London Olympics returned to action in their game last Thursday (Wednesday Minneapolis time) against the Denver Nuggets where he made his presence felt scoring a double-double 34 points and 14 rebounds. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves lost the game 101-94 against the Nuggets. As well as losing the next two games against the Trail Blazers in Portland and the Warriors in Oakland, despite Love scoring double-double outings in both games. It has been an unfortunate start to the season for the Timberwolves as they have suffered injuries to players like Love, and recently players like Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger. Now with Love back in the fold, we'll see if these men from the north regain their groove and contend for a playoff berth in the West.

Meanwhile last week, LeBron James of the Miami Heat has won his 2nd Eastern Conference Player of the Week award. While out West, a third winner of the Western Conference Player of the Week this season has been named in Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here are how things look in the NBA as of today.

Western Conference:
1. Grizzlies (9-2), 2. Spurs (10-3), 3. Thunder (10-4), 4. Clippers (8-5), 5. Warriors (8-6), 6. Nuggets (7-6), 7. Jazz (7-7), 8. Mavericks (7-7), 9. Trail Blazers (6-6), 10. Lakers (7-7), 11. Suns (6-7), 12. Rockets (6-7), 13. Timberwolves (5-8), 14. Kings (4-9), 15. Hornets (3-8)

Eastern Conference:
1. Heat (10-3), 2. Knicks (8-3), 3. Hawks (8-4), 4. Bucks (6-5), 5. Nets (7-4), 6. Bobcats (7-5), 7. 76ers (7-6), 8. Celtics (7-6), 9. Bulls (6-6), 10. Pacers (6-8), 11. Magic (5-7), 12. Pistons (3-10), 13. Raptors (3-10), 14. Cavaliers (3-10), 15. Wizards (0-10)

So we got a few teams who have garnered 10 wins this season, the race has been tightly contested out West where a win can give a big boost in the standings, while a loss can be costly. Meanwhile out East, the Atlanta Hawks have silently gone up the ladder and are now in third behind the Heat and the Knicks. While the Charlotte Bobcats have already matched their win total last season 12 games in to the new season showing signs of significant improvement from last season where they finished 7-56 which was the worst finish by any team in NBA history. While the Washington Wizards have yet to pick up their first win of the season after 10 games.

Stay tuned, as a new edition of my NBA weekly blog comes out next week.

K-Smoove