That First Loss!

I call it breaks of the game! Every team went through that same kind of experience. The goal tending call turned things around but I am not bitter about it. The important thing was that we played good and honest basketball. That game was never meant to be ours! We will be better next time around. 

Coach Norman drew a perfect plan and the players executed it very well, it’s just unfortunate that the ball went in and out of the rim allowing the Alaska Aces to escape with a two-point victory and blemished the perfect record of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters. I have to give credits to the Aces for giving the fans a good game, this team is going to be a tough team to beat especially now that their super rookie is playing consistently. 

Jimmy Alapag led the team with his 17 points and played a crucial role during their third quarter rally allowing them to take the lead going into the final canto. They had the lead for the most part of the fourth quarter only to bow down in the last two minutes of the game. That final shot of JVee Casio against the extended arms of Kelly Williams ended the winning streak of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters. 

On a positive note, five other players from the team scored in twin digits. It means that there’s no particular player who will carry the load in their every game. Anybody can explode at any given time and they are showing that they play as a team. 

Their next game will be this coming November 07 at 7:30PM against Petron Blaze Boosters in Smart Araneta Coliseum. It’s going to be another exciting game as both teams coming from a tough loss. Petron would want to bounce back after an embarrassing loss against Air21 Express.

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On A Hot Winning Streak

Everybody knows that Jayson Castro is now the face of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters. He brings excitement and quickness to the team whenever he is on the court. He is just so quick that it is hard for his opponents to keep him in check. He’s instrumental in all of their 5 wins, however, he injured his hand during their last game against the Barako Bull Energy Cola as a result he did not suit up during their game against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Negros Occidental. 

A lot of people said that Talk ‘N Text’s offense is so different without Jayson Castro and I do have to agree. There’s no quickness in their offense, it’s as if their dribble-drive game is just not there. True that Jayson is an important piece of the team but basketball is not just a one man show, it’s a team sport and even without their reliable scorer, the team was able to notch their 6th win in as many games. 

The team didn’t really have a perfect offensive night as they struggled to make some baskets. Their free throws weren’t there either. Larry Fonacier, a known steady free throw shooter missed a lot of free throws including the last two that left a small hope for the Rain or Shine to tie the game. Good thing they were able to make a good defensive stop on JR Quiñahan in the next possession. 

Both teams struggled all night, I am not sure if it’s the defense or just the fact that they were playing in a different venue. Jeff Chan, the league leading scorer only scored 4 points in his 28 minutes of play. Jervy Cruz made up for the lack luster performance of their top scorer by scoring 14 points along with 12 boards. Jimmy Alapag led all scorers with his 15 points and 7 assists. 

Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters next opponent is the Alaska Aces this coming November 02, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Game time is 7:30PM. The Aces are also on a hot winning streak thanks to their super rookie Calvin Abueva.

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Five and Counting!

To an avid fan, it is such a joy to see your favorite team leading in the standings in the early stages of the Philippine Cup. Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, the defending champions is looking for a 3 peat for them to keep the Jun Bernadino trophy for good. Looking at their win-loss record right now, the goal is just within reach. It looks like the guys are very comfortable with the new system of their new head coach because they haven’t lost a single game since the opening of the conference. 

They just notched their fifth straight win last night at the expense of the Barako Bull Energy Cola. It was a low scoring ball game with both teams trying to limit their opponent’s offensive weapons with their suffocating defense. Norman Black known as a defense oriented mentor wanted his troop to be known not just as a good offensive but a good defensive team as well and they just showed it last night. 

The game was tied at 77 when Jayson Castro hit a crucial three point shot off the pass of Jimmy Alapag, the shot was the final basket. The texters then applied a good and honest defense throughout the remainder of the game. Even though he injured his left hand early in the first period, Jay Castro led the scoring load of the team with 15 points. Larry Fonacier and Ali Peek were also in double digit scoring 13 and 10 points apiece. 

Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters next assignment is the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, who’s also on winning streak after a come from behind win against the San Mig Coffee Mixers. The game will be played at Victorias City, Negros Occidental this coming October 27, 2012. Game time is 6:30 in the evening. 

TNT nation let’s keep the faith and hopefully we can make it to six in a row!

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First Game: No Problem

Even if I wanted to watch the first game of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters on TV, my work doesn’t allow me to do so. Game starts at 5:15PM but my off from work is not until 6PM, on top of that I need to travel approximately 30 minutes before reaching home. So I just watch the first half of the game through online streaming. What I don’t like about online streaming is that it keeps on buffering every now and then. Well anyways, here’s what I have observed from my beloved team in the PBA…

Right off the bat, the team did not have a problem getting the ball to the rim. The offense was there right from the first possession. All starting five players were able to contribute, enabling the team to put an early double digit lead. Their defense was also good as they were able to hold down the offense of the Meralco Bolts. That’s one of the best things about having the same line-up from the previous season because there’s no adjustments needed and players know each other very well.

Going into the second quarter, the team is still leading but Meralco Bolts is slowly picking up their offense. They were able to cut the lead down to 10 points at one point. That’s probably the last sequence I’ve seen from the game since I was already heading out of work. Good thing when I got home, I heard a good news from Mico Halili and Kenneth Duremdes (AKTV Center’s hosts) that Talk ‘N Text won via overtime.

Well it was quite a surprised that the game went to overtime considering that they were leading by as much as 16 points in the second quarter. Well, a win is still a win! So I’ll take that one. As what I have learned from the hosts, the Tropang Texters squandered a 24-point lead in the third quarter allowing the Meralco Bolts to send the game into overtime. Good thing though, Talk ‘N Text showed their championship poise during the extension period beating the retooled Meralco Bolts by only two points.

Jared Dillinger had an impressive night chipping in 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. He was not alone though as six other players from the team scored in double digits. Harvey Carey also became the 38th member of the 2000 defensive rebounds club. Jayson Castro handled the back court task since Jimmy Alapag was not able to play due to a calf injury. Interestingly, all players that Coach Nash fielded in were able to score. A total team effort, I must say!

Kudos to Coach Nash for the great game and first getting the first win as a PBA coach!

Let’s keep the faith!

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First Game High

Tomorrow marks the first game of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters in the 38th season of Philippine Basketball Association.  They will go against their sister team – Meralco Bolts. While the Bolts will parade new faces in their line-up, the Tropang Texters will be composed of the same players from last season. The team is the only team who didn’t change players during the off season though they lost the high flying Japeth Aguilar. Aguilar is currently in the United States trying to pursue his NBA dream.

Long time assistant coach Nash Racela will temporarily call the shots for the team while Norman Black is still coaching the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP. It is expected that Coach Norman will be able to join the team during their second or third game. Both Jimmy Alapag and Harvey Carey are chasing a career milestone. Jimmy needs three 3-point shots to become the fourth player in the PBA history to reach 1000 triples while Harvey is one defensive rebound shy to become a member in the 2000 defensive rebound club. 

As a team, they are looking to become the first team to win the Philippine Cup title in three straight seasons, with the team remained intact and the resume of Norman Black as a head coach, it is not too impossible to reach such goal. The team only needs to continue doing what they do best – dribble drive offense infuse with Coach Black’s style of coaching.  All the players were able to get the much needed rest after a grueling two seasons that saw the team won 3 championships and two runners up trophies.

Ranidel De Ocampo, Larry Fonacier and Jared Dillinger though didn’t get enough rest because they represented the country during the Jones Cup and FIBA. These competitions however allowed them to stay sharp and in good shape, hopefully all three of them will not be too tired as the Philippine Cup conference goes down the wire. They are all valuable to the team’s success.

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PBA 38th Season

Four more days and it’s the 38th season of the PBA! It’s just so different without basketball to watch on TV. Season 38 will finally open this coming September 30, 2012 with each team parading their muses, new jerseys, and newly acquired rookies. Opening ceremony will start at 4:30PM followed by the first game of the season – Global Port Batang Pier against crowd favorite The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

This is going to be the banner year for the Global Port Batang Pier team and PBA fans are excited to see how this team will compete with other teams. Gary David, the league leading scorer from the last season will still be the main man for the Batang Pier. He is joined by high flying forward Rey Guevarra who had a breakout conference in the recently concluded Governors Cup, former rookie of the year Rabeh Al-Hussaini and two-time MVP Willie Miller.

On the other hand, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel will parade their two talented rookies - Chris Ellis and Keith Jensen. Mark Caguioa will still be go-to guy of the team but with the addition of L.A Tenorio, the team is expected to be on top of the standings. The team will still have the services of Mike Cortez, Rudy Hatfield and JJ Helterbrand. Allein Maliksi and Dylan Ababou are there also to provide scoring for the team.

With each team beefing up their lineup during the offseason, there’s no doubt that the upcoming PBA season will be more exciting to watch.

As for my favorite team - the Tropang Text Tropang Texters, I am glad that I will still be seeing the same lineup except for Japeth Aguilar since he is no longer part of the team. Coach Norman Black will now call the shots and I am really hoping that they have a wonderful season!

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PBA Rookie Draft 2012

August 19, 2012 was the big day for all PBA aspirants. It was the day whether they will be able to fulfill their dreams or not. Fifty-eight rookies were anxiously waiting for their names to be called by one of the PBA ball clubs. Among the 58 aspirants, only 39 players were drafted leaving 19 players empty handed.

June Mar Fajardo was the star of night by being drafted as first pick overall by no less than the Petron Blaze Boosters. He was joined by Alex Mallari who was drafted third overall. Calvin Abueva was drafted second overall by the Alaska Aces followed by Cliff Hodge who was drafted fourth overall by the Meralco Bolts. I was a bit surprised when the Bolts did not choose Chris Tiu given the fact that Chris is a former Smart Gilas standout which was funded by Manny Pangilinan who also owns the Meralco Bolts.

Barako Bull chose Aldrech Ramos as the fifth overall while Chris Ellis was drafted by Ginebra San Miguel as sixth overall. Then finally, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters drafted Chris Tiu as the seventh overall pick. Keith Jensen of Ginebra San Miguel and Vic Manuel and Jason Deutchmann of Global Port Batang Pier were picked eight, ninth, and tenth respectively.

It was a bit of a crazy night for Sean Anthony who got traded to BMeg and finally to Barako Bull for Aldrech Ramos. To make it clear, Sean Anthony was a former player of Powerade Tigers who is now known as the Global Port Batang Pier. BMeg Llmados got Sean Anthony and Global Port got the ninth pick of BMeg. Then fifteen minutes later, BMeg traded Sean Anthony to Barako Bull to get Aldrech Ramos.

As for the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, they did not have a first round pick. They chose Jaypee Belencion as the 20th overall pick and Jason Escueta as the 30th overall pick. They only got two rookies in their line-up. Present during the draft day were Jayson Castro and Pamboy Raymundo.

Season 38th will start this coming September 30, 2012 and it’s going to be another exciting season for the premier league of the country because of the addition highly competitive players.

For complete list of rookie draft result, you can check out 2012 PBA Draft Result

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37th PBA Leo Awards Winners

Its just so different watching PBA finals without Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in it. They were strutting their stuff last year against the Petron Blaze Boosters to try to chase that rare grand slam feat. They were so close to bringing home the Governor's Cup trophy only to falter in Game 7. It was such a heartbreaking loss for the team because I know they fought really hard to win the series it was just not meant to be. 

Now I am watching the series of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and B-Meg Llamados. I really wish that it is Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters against either one of the teams that I am watching but nonetheless both teams are deserving to be in the finals. I am actually rooting for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to win the series because they really prepared for it and I think the franchise have been waiting for their very first championship trophy for so long now. 

It was also around this time last year that Jimmy Alapag got his very first Most Valuable Player award. I was very happy for him because I know he works really hard to get to where he is right now and is one of the main factors why his team is so doing so well. He is truly a leader and a great play maker. Ali Peek, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, and Ryan Reyes also got an award from last year's Leo Awards. 

This year's Leo Awards also includes several Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters winners. Kelly Williams, Jayson Castro are member of 2nd Mythical Team while Ranidel De Ocampo is a member of the 1st Mythical Team. Ryan Reyes for the second consecutive year is a member of the All Defensive team. Larry Fonacier was nominated in the Sportsmanship category but the award was given to Jvee Casio of the Powerade Tigers. Paul Lee won the Rookie of the Year while Jeff Chan bagged the Most Improved Player. However, the night belongs to Mark Caguioa after winning the Most Valuable Player award. He finally took home his first MVP throphy after 11 long years of waiting. I am not really a fan of Mark Caguioa but he truly deserves it. 

For the complete list of 37th Leo Awards winners: 

All Defensive Team: 

Guard Ryan Reyes 

Guard Jireh Ibanes 

Forward Arwind Santos 

Forward Marc Pingris 

Center Doug Kramer 

2nd Mythical Team: 

Guard Paul Lee 

Guard Jayson Castro 

Forward Jeff Chan 

Forward Kelly Williams 

Center Sonny Thoss 

1st Mythical Team: 

Guard Mark Caguioa 

Guard Gary David 

Forward James Yap 

Forward Arwind Santos 

Center Ranidel De Ocampo 

Sportsmanship Award – JVee Casio (Powerade Tigers) 

Most Improved Player – Jeff Chan (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters) 

Defensive Player of the Year – Marc Pingris (BMeg Llamados) 

Rookie of the Year – Paul Lee (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters) 

Most Valuable Player – Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra Kings)

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What An Amazing Run

It was tough seeing my team lose their game last night. I was not prepared to see them end their season just like that. I thought they will be able to chase their 6^th straight finals appearance but I was wrong. They fell short in the last few seconds of the game. It was a tough game for them; they practically bled for every point. None of them were able to have fiery touch maybe because it was not meant to be.

The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters finished the Governor’s Cup in fourth place, two places down from last year where they finished second behind the Petron Blaze Boosters. I know they gave their best effort to try to stay alive for another game but it was just not really for them. They had the chance to steal the game but Paul Harris made a crucial turnover and in the ensuing play Willy Wilson just threw the ball up in the air until the time expires and right then and there their amazing run ended.

It was the last game of Chot Reyes as the coach of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters. It would have been really be nice to give him another championship ring before he will relinquish his coaching duties to Coach Norman Black. Well, their amazing run may have ended last night but they will also start a new beginning next season. They will come up strong, prepared, and most all healthy to defend their All Filipino crown. Coach Norman Black is an experienced coach having won several championships and I am sure he will continue the winning tradition of the team at his helm.

The team’s early exit will allow all players to finally have that much needed rest to heal their banged up and bruised bodies. The likes of Ranidel De Ocampo, Jared Dillinger, Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag, Harvey Carey, Kelly Williams, and Ryan Reyes will be able to recuperate well from their injuries suffered during the season. 

I have so many reasons to be excited when the next season starts because I am sure Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters will display a brand new style of play. The fact that I have not seen how Coach Norman Black steer the Ateneo Blue Eagles to three straight championships in the UAAP is enough for me to get excited next season. I can’t wait to see how he will handle the team and the new role of each player will portray when he will start calling the shots for them and most of all I want to see if he will be able to continue the winning tradition of the franchise.

They may have signed off for now but definitely they will be back in full signal come next season and they will start chasing again that ever elusive grand slam. There will be a lot of exciting things to come and all of them will be up for the challenge.

Keep the faith! Don’t stop believing!

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Jimmy "The Mighty Mouse" Alapag Interview

From the time that he was drafted 10th overall pick by the Talk ‘N Text in 2003, I have been a fan of Jimmy Alapag. With his impressive debut in the Philippine basketball scene, he eventually won Rookie of the Year that year beating out the first overall pick Mike Cortez and his team mate fourth overall pick Harvey Carey for the award. His on-court partnership with former MVP Asi Taulava slowly changed the fate of the struggling Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals. The two of them made beautiful music together on the floor. Their tandem was probably one of the best and strongest the PBA had every seen for years.

Over the years, his game has been moving one notch higher, a testament to that is his MVP plum last year. Though he has been in the league for 9 years now, Jimmy Alapag still remains one of the deadliest point guards in the PBA. He is deadly in the 3-point line and can score too in the shaded lane. 

Though one of the smallest guys in the PBA today, he has a huge heart when it comes to playing basketball. His leadership on and off the court has made Talk N’ Text a dominant team in the PBA today.

Video credit to talkntexttv

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On A Hot Winning Streak

After losing to Rain or Shine in their last elimination game and dropping their first semi finals game against BMeg Llamados, the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters are now again back to winning streak. The team is currently on a three game winning streak after beating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters yesterday.

For the second straight games, Paul Harris delivered the goods for the team. He scored 34 points and had 16 rebounds to help the Texters get back at the Elasto Painters. Ranidel De Ocampo continued to shoot well from the floor scattering 17 points, 14 of which he scored in the first half. Though he was limited to 3 points in the second half, it was his lone field goal in the second half that broke the deadlock and from there the Talk ‘N Text did not look back.

Jimmy Alapag scored one of the most crucial baskets of the game against Paul Lee while Kelly Williams and Ali Peek did their job in defending Jamelle Cornley who made a crucial turnover that killed the hope of the Elasto Painters to make an upset.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters made a decisive run in the third quarter thanks to the 3-point shooting of Beau Belga, JR Quiñahan, and Jeffrei Chan. By the end of the third quarter they were only down by a single point after being down by a dozen of points going in to the second half. The Texters however refuses to roll over and allow the E-Painters to make a repeat of their first meeting. Peek and Williams provided the much needed stops and the likes of Jayson Castro and Larry Fonacier provided the team with some scoring.

It was not a good night for Jayson Castro though but still made some key baskets going into the crucial stage of the game. He turned the over few times and his shots weren’t falling in. A competitive player that he is, he will definitely make some adjustments going into their next game against the crowd darling Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings.

Come Wednesday is another do or die game for the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters. This situation is not really new to them, they’ve been in this kind of situation many times before and surely they know what to do because you can under estimate the heart of a champion!

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First Semifinals Defeat

Paul Harris made a history by scoring the first basket in the newly constructed MOA Arena and Jimmy Alapag was the first one to hit a 3-point shot but B-Meg became the first team to win in what could be the newest home of many basketball tournaments here in the country.

It was another tough loss for the team who showed a lot of intensity in the first half but can’t seem to maintain the momentum going into the second half. B-Meg were playing minus their superstar James Yap, he was suffering from back spasm and was in an out in the first half. He did not play the entire second half. It was the perfect time for the Talk ‘N Text to capitalize on the undermanned opponent but they were not able to get the job done. They were still leading going into the last quarter but B-Meg’s Yancy De Ocampo and Rafi Reavis stepped up and helped their team notched a victory.

Paul Harris, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williamns, and Jimmy Alapag finished with atleast 10 points each but they can’t seem to find their baskets going into the crucial stage of the game. I have to give credit to the other team’s defense because they really made it hard for the Tropang Texter’s to hit a shot from the shaded lane. The three-point shooting of the team was also limited as they couldn’t seem to get a basket from beyond the arc.

It was also tough night for Ranidel De Ocampo. He couldn’t get his shots and to make things worst he had 6 stitches for a cut he suffered after colliding with Marc Pingris’ head in the third quarter. Paul Harris was also shaken up after the elbow of Pingris hit the back of his head during a rebound play. It was a very physical game and referees were allowing the players to play hard. They were also non calls from both teams.

The Talk ‘N Text is up against the Meralco Bolts this coming Wednesday. They lost to the Bolts in their very first elimination game and the Texters are raring to get even and get a win to still remain in contention for the Governor’s Cup trophy.

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Rising Higher by Kelly Williams

Kelly Williams is now a certified author! He just released his first book called “Rising Higher”. It was officially launched last June 28, 2012 at the Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street. The event was attended by his team mates and other personalities. Kelly is not only an athlete but an inspiration to many after all.

I am excited to grab one copy when it hits store here in Davao. You can follow the official account of Rising Higher.

Good news to those who wants to grab a copy of Rising Higher! The book can now be ordered online! Here's how you can get one!

Just send your Name, Contact Number, and Shipping Address to risinghigher@imcolorinc.com and the RH team will reply for the payment information. You only need to Php 50 for the shipping fee. RH team will deliver anywhere from the Philippines.

Don't forget to grab a copy. Read on and be inspired!

Photo credits goes to the owner

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Semifinals: Here We Go

It has been a while since the last time I wrote a blog post. I am just a little busy with my work lately. I wanted to write but I can’t seem to put my thoughts into writing.

Well, it’s just proper to get my thoughts going because it is semi finals time. I am just so happy right now to see Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters made it to the next round. After being at the bottom of the standings, they came out strong and winning four consecutive games, just enough to get them to the second round.

I have already prepared myself for the early exit of my team but I know they will not go down without a fight. Their two weeks respite is a key factor why they had a four game winning streak. The guys were able to rest their tired and aching body. The return of Jayson Castro also provided good results to the team. He instantly made his presence felt by scoring big in their games against B-Meg, Ginebra, and Barako Bull. Special mention also to Larry Fonacier for being a steady scorer and his defense really improved a lot. Though they lost to Rain or Shine for last game in the elimination, still the Tropang Texters are slowly getting back to their championship form.

They will open their semifinal game on July 07 against the B-Meg Llamados at the newly constructed Mall of Asia Arena. It is expected that B-Meg will try to bounce back after they were defeated during their only meeting in the elimination game. Talk ‘N Text will definitely continue to get better and try to win as many games as possible to secure third consecutive trip to the Finals for this season. Though they are still missing the services of Jared Dillinger and Harvey Carey, guys like Aaron Aban and Japeth Aguilar are giving solid minutes and good performance. Ryan Reyes and Aaron Aban will alternate in guarding James Yap while Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Larry Fonacier will man the back court offense of the team. Kelly Williams, Ali Peek, Ranidel De Ocampo, and Paul Harris will be there to rebound, defend, and score too.

Whatever the outcome in the second round, I will be forever a solid fan of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.

Win or Lose! I am still a fanatic!

Keep the faith! Go #TNTnation

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Finally A Second Win!

The two weeks rest proved to be a good one for the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters as they notched their second win in five games in the Governor’s Cup. Talk ‘N Text crashed the semi-finals hopes of the Alaska Aces as they gave them their sixth loss in seven games. 

Playing with sense of urgency, Paul Harris was all business right after the tip. He needs to put up an impressive game to keep his spot as the import of the Tropang Texters. Anthony Johnson is in town practicing with the Texters in case Paul Harris fails to deliver the goods for the team. Harris is not about to give up his spot, scattering 25 points together with 17 rebounds and was eventually the player of the game. 

Jayson Castro was finally back from ankle injuries and made the crucial shot just when the Aces threaten to make an upset. He was still finding his rhythm after being sidelined for several weeks. It was actually Ranidel De Ocampo's 3-point shot that put the game away and Jayson just put the final dagger to the Aces. Jimmy Alapag did not have a productive night scoring only 2 points but he did a good job finding his team mates. Japeth Aguilar and Aaron Aban were a huge help in defending their opponents. On the other hand, Larry Fonacier was on target all night long, hitting his shots from all over the court. 

It was almost a disastrous finish for the Talk ‘N Text. They were leading by as many as 18 points in the early going of the second half and they maintained a double digits lead going in to the fourth quarter but they allowed the Aces to crawl back before the two crucial baskets of Ranidel De Ocampo and Jayson Castro. 

The team is still missing the services of Ryan Reyes and Jared Dillinger. Their next game is on June 20 against Barako Bull, another tough assignment for them but if they will continue to play as a team and all of them will continue to step up, they can win games!

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Backs Against The Wall

With their convincing win against the Petron Blaze Boosters, Talk ‘N Text has a lot of momentum going on however they failed to sustain that momentum when they lost to Powerade Tigers last June 03, 2012.

With their backs against the wall; the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters needs to win all of their remaining games to avoid early elimination.  It’s easier said than done! Their remaining games are all up against strong teams.  The teams next game will be this coming June in Tubod Lanao Del Norte against the Alaska Aces (they have the same win-loss record); both teams are coming off with a loss from their previous game so it should be expected that both teams will try to bounce back.

For the last five conferences, Talk ‘N Text had always been at the top of the standings and seeing them sitting at the bottom standing right now, it just feels awkward. I guess fatigue is slowly taking its toll on all players.  Having been in the finals for the last five conferences, they played the most games as compared to the rest of the teams in the PBA today.

The team is blessed with a 13-day rest before going to their next game. This should allow the Tropang Texters to rest their tired and aching body while for other players recuperate from their nagging injuries. This long period of rest however might somehow affect the players negatively; their offense might become rusty and out of synch. The effects of their two weeks rest still remains to be seen.

Jayson Castro and Harvey Carey will still be out while Ryan Reyes and Jared Dillinger are doubtful. Jared Dillinger started the game against the Powerade Tigers, unfortunately he pulled his hamstring very early in the first quarter and did not return to the game. Paul Harris, Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel De Ocampo, and Larry Fonacier tried to carry the load but without their best defensive player, they just couldn’t stop Gary David from scoring at will in the third quarter.

Talk ‘N Text controlled the game in the first half, holding Gary David to only 11 points (most of his points are from the free throw line). Then came the second half and the Tigers just pulled ahead thank to the hot scoring of Gary David in the third quarter from there the Tigers never looked back. It was another tough loss for the Talk ‘N Text

As they always say “It’s not over until it’s over”. Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters will live to fight another day!

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In An Unfamiliar Territory

Even with the return of Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, and Ryan Reyes still Talk ‘N Text failed to notch their first win in the Governor’s Cup. Air21’s offense and defense was simply too much for the Tropang Texters to handle. Zach Graham contributed 38 points for his team and other locals for Air21 also stepped up enabling them to beat the powerhouse Talk ‘N Text. 

From the start of the first quarter all the way to the fourth quarter, the Express controlled the tempo not allowing Talk N’ Text to take the driver seat. The only lead the Tropang Texters had was when they scored the first two points of the game and after that it was Air21 all throughout the ball game. Out of frustration, Chot Reyes slammed his board on the floor during one of their huddles. 

After the loss, Talk ‘N Text are now 0-2 joining Powerade Tigers at the bottom of the standings. They are the only teams who are yet to get their first win off the tournament. This will be the first time of the Tropang Texters to be in this situation after three years. They’ve never lost two straight games in the last 5 to 6 conferences. The last time they had a poor start was against with Petron Blaze Booster during their semifinals match in the last Philippine Cup which they became the eventual champion after beating the Powerade Tigers in five games. Curiously, both Talk ‘N Text and Powerade are only the two teams who are currently win less. 

With the ability of Talk ‘N Text to find light in adverse situations, it is only a matter of time before they can get their groove back. Once they get that first win, I know they will build on that momentum and start their winning ways again. Their next game should be a must win game because of the very tough and short elimination games. If they want to give Chot Reyes a graceful exit they must start to bring back their old form. 

They are up against a very powerful team this coming Wednesday. They will be facing a complete and healthy team in Petron Blaze Boosters. The Boosters are currently undefeated and their spirits are high because Jay Washington, one of their main scorers is slowly getting his groove back. It is going to be another game tough for Talk ‘N Text and they must find a way to get that first win.

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First Game First Loss

With all the injuries hounding the camp of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, they were defeated by their sister team in their first game in the season ending tourney.  The team appeared to be in control in the early going of first quarter leading by as many as 11 points only to squander it in the second quarter. The Meralco Bolts just took advantage of the depleted line up of Talk ‘N Text by owning the next two quarters. It was the first time that the Bolts were able to beat the Talk ‘N Text since they entered the league.

Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams, Harvey Carey, and Jimmy Alapag were absent due to some nagging injuries and family health issues. Good thing though these players will be joining the team sooner than later. Their presence is really needed since the team is up ahead with a tough schedule plus the fact that the Governor’s Cup has a very tough format too.

Without Jimmy Alapag, the team just couldn’t handle the ball very well. They gave up at least 15 turnovers and their offense was somehow in disarray. There were just too many steals by the Bolts.  They were also out-rebounded by their opponent. Nonetheless, Talk ‘N Text did show a good fight and I know that they will make some adjustments and will be better in their next game which will be this coming Saturday.

On the lighter side of the story, after missing 42 games due to an ACL injury – Aaron Aban return to the team and was immediately inserted in the starting line up. He scored 13 points in his very first game after the injury. Paul Harris was always a reliable scorer; he leads the team in scoring with 32 points but was clearly tired in the last minutes of the 4th quarter missing key shots and free throws. Talk ‘N Text is still missing the A-game of Japeth Aguilar which failed to score a single point but he had some good blocks in the early part of the game though. I can’t wait to see him show his basketball skills in the coming games.

Their next assignment is Air21 Express this coming Saturday. I am sure that they will come out stronger and this loss will serves as their motivation! Let’s go Tropa!

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Haters Gonna Hate

It is but natural that there are people who love to bash other people. In the case of Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, they seem to get sizeable amount of bashers. I don’t get it why a lot of people love to hate and mock them. Yes, they are not the perfect team. They have few players who are sometimes arrogant and love to play physical. Guess what! They are not the only team who has players like that.

Their coach is being criticized for whatever emotions he will pour during the game. His being criticized for they way he coaches his players. His every action seems to be watched closely by critics and those who are claiming to know the game very well. Their owner is being bad-mouthed more often than any other owner in the league. The players are being labeled as arrogant and all other negative things.

Every time they are winning, people are quick to judge that MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) paid the referees. Don’t be ridiculous people! They are very capable of winning just like any other team in the PBA! Through the years, the management was able to form a very formidable team. A team consists of players who know how to win games. Players that are highly talented but they are willing to sacrifice their individual skills for the good of the whole team. They wouldn't be able to reach the finals for the 5th straight times if they are not capable of playing great basketball.

When the ball club inked Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes, a lot of people are saying that they are being greedy because they are getting the best players of the league. Have they forgotten that SMC actually has three teams and that they have most of the best players in the PBA today? What about Petron Blaze Boosters? What do you call their recent move to acquire Marcio Lassiter? Isn’t that greediness on their part? If you take a look at the line up of Petron Blaze Boosters now, all of their players can be a starter!

Haters of the team find it so easy to taunt the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters to the point that they getting way out of line. They find it amusing whenever they can insult any member of the ball club. Win or lose, these so-called haters never run out criticism for the whole organization. Why can’t they just focus on supporting their own team? Why can’t they save their harsh comments to themselves? Well, I guess that’s part of the game.

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Governor's Cup Video Promotion

PBA's third conference also known as the Governor's Cup will kick off this coming May 20 at the Smart Araneta coliseum.

All 10 teams will again battle it out for the right to take home the Governor's Cup trophy. It will be an import laden tourney but this time around a height limit was imposed to all imports. Imports should not be taller than 6 feet and 4 inches.

Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters hired again the services of Paul Harris, the same import who gave them the Commissioner's Cup trophy last year. He was also named Best Import during that time.

Before all the actions in the court, the PBA gave the fans three interesting video promotions for the upcoming tourney.

The first video featured Air21 Express' Ren Ren Ritualo and Petron Blaze Boosters' Alex Cabagnot. The second video featured Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters' Ali Peek and Alaska Aces' Cyrus Baguio. The last video featured Meralco Bolts' Asi Taulava and Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters' Jayson Castro.

Videos coutesy of interAKTV

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Ryan "The Energizer" Reyes Interview

I watched this video about a few months ago and I find him really cute when speaking Tagalog. I am happy that he is actually trying to speak the native language of the country.

Ryan Reyes was picked third overall by the Sta Lucia Realtors during the 2007 rookie draft and winning over Joe DeVance and Samigue Eman for the Rookie of the Year award.

Honestly, I never really had an idea that Ryan was already making a lot of impact in Sta Lucia during his rookie years. I don't even know that he's already playing in the PBA. During the time that he entered the PBA, I was not that active in watching games because of my work. I had no idea that he played a pivotal role for his former team's championship in the 2007-2008 season. 

Talk 'N Text acquired Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams in 2010 in what would be one of the most controversial trades in the PBA history. He instantly made an impact in the team's defensive side. His usual role is to defend the opponent's go to guy and more often than not he's successful in forcing the opponent to make ugly shots. Not only he is good in defense, he can also score anytime he wants to.

To prove his defensive prowess, during the Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Championship against the Powerade Tigers, Ryan had 10 steals. He was just all over the court trying to force a turn over. He was just amazing during the third quarter of that game. 

Here's a full story of his great defensive effort of that game that  helped the Talk 'N Text grab the Philippine Cup trophy. Defensive demon: Ryan Reyes’ dominance goes beyond steals record

Video courtesy of takntexttv

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That Heartbreaking Loss

May 06, 2012, game 7 of the Commissioner's Cup between two heavyweights and equally talented teams in the PBA - the Bmeg Llamados and the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. My heart was beating so fast and my hands were shaking during the dying seconds. In my mind, Talk 'N Text is on its way to defending their Commissioner's Cup trophy and their hopes for a grand slam this season is within reach. I was already jumping up and down until that last second call by the referee and all of a sudden the joy turned to anxiety. 

Denzel Bowles made his crucial two free throws and they needed five more minutes to decide who's the winner. Before that crucial seconds, Donnell Harvey already was out of the game and I just knew that my team will be in a lot of danger because there was nobody to defend Bowles.

I watched Denzel Bowles wrecking havoc, one shot after the other and I watched my team slowly sinking. I watched Jimmy Alapag being carried out of the court due to cramps. I witnessed Ryan Reyes screaming in pain after a bad fall. Jayson Castro fell on the floor and Ali Peek fouling out. Those were too much of a scene for me to watch. I did not finish the game because it will only make cry.

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Under The New Name

In 2001, the team was then again renamed to Talk 'N Text Phone Pals after Piltel became a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MNVO) in 2000.

Then in 2003, the team drafted two Filipino – American players namely Harvey Carey (3rd overall pick) and Jimmy Alapag (10th overall pick), the latter was with the RP national pool in 2002. Asi Taulava also returned to the team after getting the approval of the Department of Justice. Even with the addition of the two rookies and the returned of their formidable center, the team still struggled early in the All Filipino tournament that prompted their then foreign coach to leave. Joel Banal took over the coaching duties and things started to fall into place for them. They finally had their first ever championship trophy. After the 2003 season, Asi Taulava was named of Most Valuable Player while partner Jimmly Alapag won the Rookie of the Year.

Over the years, the team faced several controversies and made some major changes within the team. Asi Taulava was traded and a new coach was hired. This move was made to improve the team performance in the league.

The team had a final change of name in 2008, this time calling it Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. They have also acquired fresh talents in names of Jared Dillinger and Jayson Castro. They also participated in a very controversial deal that would send Sta Lucia’s top players Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes to the team.

After struggling for so many years, the team finally found its perfect roster. Having won 3 championships in their 5 straight finals appearances, the team is making a dynasty in the Philippine Basketball Association!

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The Entry of Mobiline Phone Pals

Pepsi Hotshots, this was the first name of the Talk n Text Tropang Texters. Luis F. Lorenzo Sr. of Pepsi Philippines first owned the team that also had several name changes. 7-Up Bottlers and Pepsi Mega Bottlers were the other names of the team. It was granted an expansion franchise prior to the 1990 PBA season.

Then in 1996, Pilipino Telephone Corporation acquired the franchise and the team's name was again changed to Mobiline Cellulars and eventually to Mobiline Phone Pals. 

In 1997, the franchise got the first overall pick from the Pop Cola bottlers and they chose Andrew John Seigle. They also drafted the likes of Patrick Fran and Tony Boy Espinosa. They inked former rookie of the year Jeffrey Cariaso via a trade from Alaska. Getting a championship seemed to be an elusive dream for the team as they kept on failing short. Then it was during the 1998 Philippine Centennial Cup that the team finally won a championship despite the absence of two top players, AJ Siegle and Jeffrey Cariason which were both loaned to the Philippine team. However, the Centennial Cup was just a special tournament and their title was not considered as an official championship.

After the team failed to advance to the finals for next succeeding conferences, the team acquired the Fil-Tongan Asi Taulava. The had a solid start but still failed to advance past the quarterfinals. Then came the issue of Taulava's eligibility that eventually saw the big guy being deported. The team had major changes in their line-up including the acquisition of veterans like Jerry Codinera and Vic Pablo. The team also had several changes in the coaching staff hoping that their standings would be better. Still, the fate of the team remained the same.

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For The Love Of The Game

My love for basketball can be traced all the way back to my pre-teen years. My sister and I were fond of collecting NBA cards back then. Our favorite NBA player before was Grant Hill, we would spend most of our savings buying anything about him. I remember, I even had a huge poster of him courtesy of Sprite. We would always watch NBA games on TV and we witnessed how Michael Jordan ruled the most famous sports in the world.

I grew up in a neighborhood where boys outnumbered the girls. So I would be playing with the boys most of the time since I don't really like girly games. One of my childhood friends has a brother who is into basketball a lot and that's where I started to love the game. I always go with him whenever he's playing in our basketball  court.

Then I began playing the sport with my guy friends. We would play even under the heat of the sun. What made me hooked to it even more was the fact that I defeated them most of the time. Back then, I spent most of my afternoon playing or watching street basketball.

When I was already in high school, my mother would not allow me to play anymore because girls are not supposed to be playing that kind of sport. So to keep me from missing my favorite sport, I made sure that I will be able to watch NBA games whenever I can. When Grant Hill's career was slowing down and  with the retirement of Michael Jordan, the NBA for me was getting less exciting. So my addiction to PBA started!

Again, my sister and I were huge fans of Purefoods and it's captain ball Alvin Patrimonio. They were under the name of Coney Island that time. We would shout our lungs out in every game. We were so crazy back then with Alvin Patrimonio and the gang. We're the happiest sisters in the world every time they win a championship.

Then came the entry of Mobiline Phone Pals. I just knew that this will be the new team that I will be rooting for.

To be continued.....

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