#PBA2015 MATCH PREVIEW: BATANG PIER vs BATANG PERYA

Warning: Undefined variable $nocontent in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 236

Warning: Undefined variable $iscovid in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 239

Warning: Undefined variable $FEAT_STORIES in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 685

Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, bool given in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 688

Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 730

The GlobalPort Batang Pier were one of the hard-luck teams of the previous conference, but a couple of additions and the surging play of both Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle should prop them pretty well in the Commish Cup.

Kia, meanwhile, has gone through a big change, renaming itself into the Carnival and adding the tallest player in the league thus far, Puerto Rican big man Peter John Ramos. Whether this new moniker and gigantic import will both yield positives, though, is still up in the air.

Needless to say, both teams want to start the second conference on a bright note, so getting that early win is definitely important.

Here are some of the key personnel and things to watch in this match:

1. ROMEO OH ROMEO

Terrence Romeo is still a long way from being in the conversation for league MVP, but he’s definitely in the conversation for one of the league’s best scorers. In the Philippine Cup, he led GlobalPort in scoring and was second among all PBA guards behind NLEX’s Mac Cardona. With so much attention on the big men for the Commish Cup, expect Romeo to be even more potent on the offensive end.

Philippine Cup stats: 15.5ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.3apg, 1.5 triples per game.

2. RAMPAGING ROOKIE

Another guy to watch out for in GlobalPort is leading Rookie of the Year candidate, Stanley Pringle. Pringle amazed a lot of fans in the previous conference by proving to be more like a veteran than a rookie. He was hardly fazed by the level of competition and physicality, and was consistently among the league’s best point guards. It’ll be very interesting to see what he can bring to the table now that much taller imports will be used.

Philippine Cup stats: 15.0ppg, 6.6rpg, 4.9apg, 1.9spg, 1.3 triples per game, 37.5 3pt%.

3. BYE ALEX, BYE SOL, HELLO DENOK

Before the previous conference ended, GlobalPort was involved in a whirling dervish of transactions that sent high-performing PG Alex Cabagnot to San Miguel in exchange for Sol Mercado, who only played one game for GLO before being shipped as well, this time to Barako Bull Energy in exchange for Denok Miranda. It’s a dizzying sequence of events, but worked out well for Cabagnot, who helped SMB cop the Philippine Cup title, while Mercado sits mired in perennial cellar-dweller Barako Bull’s stable. Miranda, for his part, gets a chance to play alongside maybe the most dangerous scoring guard tandem in the league. How he fits in is a big question mark, but his solid numbers from last conference give reason to be optimistic.

What GLO gave up:

Alex Cabagnot (10 games with GLO): 15.3ppg, 7.4rpg, 5.0apg, 1.1spg, 2.5 triples per game, 38.5 3pt%.

Sol Mercado (1 game for GLO): 9pts, 4rebs, 3asts, 1stl, 50.0 FG%.

What GLO got:

Denok Miranda: 12.9ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.9apg, 1.1 triples per game.

4. IMPORT WATCH: CJ LESLIE

GLO’s import is former North Carolina State Wolfpack big man CJ Lesie. Leslie is 6’9 and last played for the Anyang KGC in the Korean Basketball League. He is just 23 years old, so he should have no trouble getting up and down court. He is a pretty good rebounder and scorer around the basket, but he also takes the occasional three-point shot. He went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft and has played for the Erie Bayhawks and Idaho Stampede in the NBA D-League. His numbers with Anyang aren’t very impressive, so we’ll see if he can be an impact player for the Batang Pier, which is among the league’s smallest teams. In Korea, he mainly came off the bench for fellow import Leon Williams and Korean national team player Oh Se-Keun.

Stats with Anyang KGC (KBL – 18 games): 8.9ppg, 5.3rpg, 44.4 FG%, 71.4 FT%, 14.5mpg.

5. IMPORT WATCH: PETER JOHN RAMOS

On the other end, Leslie will have to contend with 7’3 Puerto Rican giant Peter John Ramos. Ramos is a mainstay of the PUR national team, last playing in the 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, but he has also bounced around several pro leagues across the world, with stints in Spain, China, and South Korea. He gives Kia something they didn’t have in the previous conference, which is a LOT OF SIZE. He is the tallest player in the league right now, and it should be very interesting to see if he can throw his weight around and be dominant for the talent-hungry Carnival. His size and low post game will definitely provide problems for opponents, but his quickness, mobility, and athleticism are very much in question. He has also been criticized for sometimes losing focus in games.

Stats with Guayama (Puerto Rican league – 40 games): 13.0ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.0bpg, 53.2 FG%

6. SENOR CERVANTES

It won’t be any surprise if Kia continues to lean on Reil Cervantes for much of the scoring. The former FEU forward was a revelation in the Philippine Cup, leading the team in points and finishing second overall in points per game. He’ll probably get fewer touches close to the basket because of Ramos’s presence, but the former Tamaraw should still be able to put up the points with his midrange game.

Philippine Cup stats: 16.6ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.6apg, 1.2 triples per game, 37.1 3pt%.

7. GREEN ARCHER COMBO

Other guys who had flashes of brilliance for Kia in the previous conference were former collegiate teammates LA Revilla and Hyram Bagatsing. Revilla was one of the most dependable Sorento players last conference, while Bagatsing, though coming in late to the party, scored in double-digits in both games he played. He also impressed from beyond the arc, shooting 60% overall so far. If these two former Green Archers can do damage in the backcourt and on the perimeter, then that should make things more manageable for Ramos and Cervantes up front.

La Revilla stats (10 games): 9.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 3.2apg, 1.0spg, 31.6 3pt%, 47.6 FG%.

Hyram Bagatsing stats (2 games): 10.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.5spg, 60.0 3pt%, 56.2 FG%.

8. EXCITING ELIUD

One man who was tagged to be talented enough to help carry Kia is Eliud Poligrates. The Cebuano playground legend has shown quite a few times that he can be more than just a flashy slasher. In fact, he scored 11 points and had 4 assists and 2 steals in his debut for Kia last conference. If he can be consistent with that kind of production, then the Carnival may be able to make a lot of noise in the Commish Cup.

Stats in the Philippine Cup: 6.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 3.5apg, 1.0spg.

9. PREVIOUS MEETING: CLOSE CALL

In the previous and only meeting so far this season between these two teams, the GlobalPort Batang Pier prevailed, 84-79, but it was by no means an easy win. Kia actually led in that game and was firmly in control after the first two quarters, leading 47-36 at the break, but GlobalPort, thanks to the heroics of Ronjay Buenafer and Anthony Semerad, rallied in the second half to avoid the upset axe. In that game, GlobalPort used its dominance in rebounding to offset their awful FG shooting. That probably won’t happen in this game, though, since I don’t think any Batang Pier is strong enough to really stop import Peter John Ramos.

Last game against each other:

Rebounding: 54-43, +11 for GLO

Assists: 18-13, +5 for Kia

FG%: Kia – 43.8%, GLO – 35.8%

GLO Leaders

Ronjay Buenafe – 19pts, 4 triples

Stanley Pringle – 13pts, 8rebs, 6asts, 2stls

Anthony Semerad – 12pts, 4rebs

KIA Leaders

Hans Thiele – 19pts, 8rebs

Reil Cervantes – 15pts, 6rebs, 3asts, 2blks, 1stl.

Warning: Undefined array key "TESTPAGE" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 254

Warning: Undefined array key "fb" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 280

Warning: Undefined variable $thinq in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 318

Warning: Undefined variable $var_sports_vlurb in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 328

Warning: Undefined variable $mindanaoQuake2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 442

Warning: Undefined variable $showSolicit_batanes in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 459

Warning: Undefined variable $seagames in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 475

Warning: Undefined variable $tokyoOlympics2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 481

Warning: Undefined variable $help_taal in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 490

Warning: Undefined variable $help_ompong in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 525

Warning: Undefined variable $elections_2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 538

Warning: Undefined variable $typhoon_2018_redirect in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 543

Warning: Undefined variable $ncov2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 555

Warning: Undefined variable $tyhoon2020_marthon in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 578

Warning: Undefined variable $dotnet23 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 585

Warning: Undefined variable $suicide in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 595

Warning: Undefined variable $yearend2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 600

Warning: Undefined array key "inqplus_test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 609

Warning: Undefined array key "newreadnext" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 664

View comments

TAGS:

Warning: Undefined variable $bc_tag in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 1239

For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

Warning: Undefined array key "ss2_test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 1418