ELECTRIFYING BOLTS, ZOOMING BOOSTERS
Meralco Bolts – Don’t look now, but they are moving up the ladder.
Three electrifying performances vaulted the Bolts back in the hunt – and they did it against powerhouse teams like Talk N Text, Alaska and Rain or Shine.
At 4-2, the Bolts are just two wins away from securing a seat in the top four that carries a twice-to-beat advantage.
Petron Blaze – The Boosters are zooming past the opposition and revving up for a spot in the top four.
They’re on top of the standings, winning five of six games and inching closer to where they want to be – up there where they’re guaranteed the twice-to-beat luxury.
The team has held its opponents below 85 points, testament that the Boosters are turning out to be not just a team loaded with firepower, but a squad doing the right things defensively.
Emman Monfort – The smallest guy in the PBA is continuing to make big waves in the Governors’ Cup.
He had a career-high 25 points in a win against the Barangay Ginebra Kings last week and the 5-foot-6 guard from Ateneo has defied the odds.
Monfort is not just earning the respect of everyone, but he has also provided hope for average Filipino players dreaming of playing in the big league.
John Wilson – There’s a better reason why the guy has found a spot in the Bolts’ lineup.
Not only did he provide the defense in the big guard spot while coming off the bench, the former Jose Rizal University stalwart has also produced quality minutes, scoring when needed.
In two of the three victories posted by the Bolts, Wilson emerged as the top local scorer.
James Yap – Struggling in the early goings, the San Mig Coffee deadshot is now beginning to get his rhythm.
The two-time MVP broke out of shooting slump and averaged 18 points per game in his team’s last two games, including a very impressive 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
Yap’s sniping will be needed more than ever as the Mixers will miss key players Joe Devance and Marc Pingris in their next couple of games.
Mark Caguioa – The Spark is back in his true element in his team’s last two games, averaging 18 points per game and providing the leadership for the Kings.
With a banged up team struggling to keep its chances alive, it would certainly take big games from the reigning MVP to give the Kings the much-needed lift.
MISSES
Joe Devance, Marc Pingris, Kelly Nabong, Marvin Hayes – Emotions flared during Wednesday’s game between San Mig Coffee and GlobalPort as Marc Pingris, Kelly Nabong, Joe Devance and Marvin Hayes were caught right in the center of the action.
A melee broke out with Pingris and Nabong exchanging punches. Both were slapped two-game suspensions and P60,000 fines each.
Devance, who was proven to be the initiator of the free-for-all, was assessed P30,000 for shoving Hayes that led to the succeeding ugly fight.
Hayes was fined P20,000 for second motion technical foul against Marqus Blakely that was deemed equivalent to a flagrant foul penalty 2
Rain or Shine’s Gilas boys – Once again, the three ROS players who played in the FIBA Asia Championships have yet to deliver.
They are struggling offensively with Jeff Chan, a renowned shooter during the World Cup qualifier, scoring only two points, making only just 1-of-8 shots from the field against Meralco last Friday.
Gabe Norwood, known for his defense more, but also a big contributor in offense, only had three points while Beau Belga, a reserve player in the Gilas Pilipinas line up only had five.
The three had also struggled in previous games as the Elasto Painters slipped to 3-3 record.
Talk N Text’s Gilas boys – It isn’t only the Rain or Shine Gilas boys who are being bugged by a spinning hangover from a successful FIBA Asia campaign.
Even the mainstays of the Talk N Text Tropang Texters who played for the national squad are having a hard time finding their range in the Governors’ Cup.
Larry Fonacier only had four points in their loss to Alaska last Friday, missing all three attempts from the field.
Understandably, Jimmy Alapag also struggled in his first game back, scoring only seven points in the losing effort, but Ryan Reyes, originally included in the national pool before being cut due to injury, was scoreless.
Wendell McKines – The Alaska import was the least productive among the Governors’ Cup reinforcements last week.
On September 3, he hit rock bottom, scoring only 13 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor despite playing 41 minutes. (RJ)
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