PBA suspends Nabong, Pingris, Devance over brawl

source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Chito Salud ordered the suspension of several San Mig Coffee and GlobalPort players involved in a brawl last Wednesday night.

The PBA reviewed the all-out fistfight between players of San Mig Coffee - GlobalPort during the game last September 4.

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FIBA: Smart Gilas impresses Cone, Toroman

source: philstar.com

Coaches Tim Cone and Rajko Toroman have seen and observed Gilas Pilipinas in practice, and liked what they saw.

“I attended a couple of Gilas practices. (I’m) Really impressed by the intensity, chemistry and togetherness of the team,” said Cone on his Twitter account.

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VIDEO: Gilas Pilipinas: The Road to FIBA Asia (Episode 1)

Watch the 1st episode of our Team Gilas Pilipinas documentaries!

Video credit: youtube.com/PLDTHome

PBA’s anti-flopping measures not targeted at Alaska star Calvin Abueva

source: interaksyon.com

Members of the PBA’s competition committee denied that the anti-flopping measures they recommended target specific players, particularly Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva.

“Nope,” was Air 21 coach Franz Pumaren’s reply when asked about the issue.

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PBA: Floppers face fines under new PBA guidelines

source: abs-cbnnews.com

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is beginning to take notice of “flopping” such that it decided to take action by adopting new rules.

Under the new guidelines to be reviewed by PBA commissioner Chito Salud, floppers will be subject to penalties, starting with a P5,000 fine which goes up with every similar offense.

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PBA: Sonny Thoss out of Gilas lineup

source: Waylon Galvez, tempo.com.ph

Alaska’s Sonny Thoss is not joining Gilas Pilipinas in New Zealand and may have lost the chance to be named to the 12-man roster for the FIBA Asia championship.

Thoss, who failed to join the squad in Lithuania, is set to leave for the United States with Alaska Milk next week as part of their reward for winning the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

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PBA: Abanilla is new Petron Coach

source: tempo.com.ph

After weeks of speculations, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) finally named Gee Abanilla as head coach of the Petron Blaze Boosters, replacing Olsen Racela.

This was confirmed by no less than SMC basketball operations chief Robert Non yesterday as the giant food and drink conglomerate hopes to have a better campaign in the coming Governors’ Salle University. They will be joined by current assistant Art dela Cruz, as well as (from Petron) Ato Agustin and Jorge Gallent, and UE’s Boycie Zamar.

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PBA: Alaska's Alas offered coaching job by rival SMC group

source: Snow Badua, spin.ph

THE major reorganization of the coaching staff of the three ballclubs under the giant San Miguel Corp. umbrella is set to lure one coach from a rival team.

His name? Alaska assistant coach Louie Alas.

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Alaska wins uneventful Game 1 of PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

What was expected to be a feisty battle turned into a one sided-match as the Alaska Aces dismantled the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 87-70, at the start of their best-of-five championship series of the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum, last night.

The outcome was the most lopsided opening game of a championship series since Talk ‘N Text defeated Ginebra, 102-83, in the Finals of the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup.

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Alaska seen as finals favorite, but crowd, hunger big factors for Ginebra

source: interaksyon.com/interaktv

Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio said Alaska is the favorite to win the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown but it’s hard to count Barangay Ginebra San Miguel out because of what the Gin Kings have gone through in the tournament.

“Very interesting series. New faces in the finals. Tough call and hard to predict,” Gregorio told InterAKTV when asked about his thoughts on the best-of-five championship series.

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No hype needed: Alaska, Ginebra meet in finals after 16 years

source: By Nelson Beltran, philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines – As the league commissioner says, this is a championship series that needs no hype.

The storyline is thick – the drama dripping -- as Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk face off in an intriguing showdown for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown beginning Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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Petron Blaze continues to search for replacement import following ban on Balkman

source: Calvin D. Cordova | newsinfo.inquirer.net

The Petron Blaze Boosters have yet to find a replacement for Renaldo Balkman, who was recently meted a lifetime from the PBA and fined P250,000 for his outburst in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game against Alaska last Friday.

“Petron has no import replacement yet. Events happened so fast, no one prepared for or expected this situation,” said Noli Eala, sports director of San Miguel Corp., in a post on his Twitter account.

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Japeth center of attraction in duel vs TnT

source: Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star) | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Talk n Text meets former player Japeth Aguilar for the first time on the hard court as the Tropang Texters tangle with the Globalport Batang Pier with both teams out to improve their position behind pacesetting Alaska Milk in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Texters will see if Aguilar has really improved as Talk n Text and Globalport battle at 5:15 p.m. preceding the 7:30 p.m. tiff between the Petron Blaze Boosters and the Meralco Bolts.

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Petron Blaze eyes 3rd straight victory

source: Jeric Lopez | manilastandardtoday.com

With Petron Blaze finally playing at a high level, coach Olsen Racela now wants his team to establish the consistency he’s been longing for.

The Blaze Boosters shoot for their third straight win in the 2013 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup today.

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Warriors, Rising Suns forge title showdown

source: The Philippine Star | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - NLEX overcame John Villarias’ 25-point explosion and Jose Rizal University’s gutsy stand to eke out an 87-85 decision while Cagayan Valley foiled Blackwater, 80-68, to forge a title showdown in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Kevin Alas scored all but two of his 19 points in the second half but the Road Warriors needed to toughen up on defense at endgame with Kirk Long foiling Villarias’ three-point attempt at the buzzer to escape with the victory in their sudden death for the second finals slot.

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Alaska outsteadies Barako 77-73 to remain unbeaten

source: GRACE B. CASTILLO | arabnews.com

Alaska survived another close contest last night and remained unbeaten, while Barangay Ginebra still couldn’t get anything from its import in another game and saw its woes extend.

The Aces got the goods from their core in the waning minutes and nipped Barako Bull in a battle of PBA Commissioner’s Cup leaders, 77-73 as Alaska extended its winning streak to three outings at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

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Best-of-seven duels begin: PBA Final 4 seen as holiday sizzlers

source: The Philippine Star | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Christmas comes a week early to diehard PBA fans as the best of the league that survived gut-wrecnhing eliminations are expected to clash in a pair of explosive showdowns in the Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

On one side, Talk n Text pursues its drive for a third straight Philippine Cup crown against an Alaska Milk squad aching to gain winning identity with its young, promising roster at 5:15 p.m.

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San Mig Coffee, TNT survive scares to barge into PBA semifinals

source: Jay R. Gotera, Saudi Gazette | saudigazette.com.sa

MANILA — Their victory came after a scare.

The Talk N Text Tropang Texters and the San Mig Coffee Mixers both had to go through the eye of the needle Thursday before recording separate victories in the quarterfinals of the 2012-2013 Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Since Talk N Text and San Mig Coffee both enjoy the twice-to-beat incentive for finishing first and second respectively in the elimination rounds, they immediately advance into the semifinals beginning next week.

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ALASKA TAKES GAME 1

source: SB | pba.inquirer.net

Alaska Milk managed things well even with Calvin Abueva limited to playing 15 minutes due to fouls, smothering Meralco, 90-84, Wednesday night to move within a win of a first PBA Final Four in two years.

Cyrus Baguio dished out his usual game and Gabby Espinas and Tony dela Cruz ably filled in for Abueva as the Aces sustained the heat of their three-game closing romp in the elims, gaining the decisive head start in their short Philippine Cup best-of-three quarterfinals showdown with the Bolts.

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Rain or Shine blasts Ginebra in QF opener

source: Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star) | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Rain or Shine, twice dealt a stinging loss by Barangay Ginebra in the elimination round, made sure there wouldn’t be a third time last night, dominating the Kings for an 82-65 triumph in the opener of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-three quarterfinals showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elasto Painters erased the stigma of their loss the last time out where they blew a 17-point bulge, fashioning out the emphatic victory that sent them to the threshold of the all-Filipino Final Four.

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