Collegiate Alumni in the 2012 PBA Draft

Now that the different PBA teams have drafted the top guns of the amateur leagues, it's time to look back at those mainly from the UAAP (and some of the NCAA), who made it and how they precisely carved their roads to the professional leagues.

Calvin Abueva (SSC-R Golden Stags, drafted by Alaska - 1st round 2nd pick)

The Beast lived up to his name not just by accidentally destroying the rim in The Arena a few weeks ago, but more importantly by his dominance in the NCAA. His athleticism and capacity to score from all sides of the court makes him the number one option for Alaska. Now that the Aces are not willing to give up L.A. Tenorio, the ace point guard would be happy to throw lobs and dish crazy passes at him.

Aldrech Ramos (FEU Tamaraws, drafted by Barako Bull - 1st round 5th pick, traded to B-Meg)

The Llamados (who will soon change their name to San Mig Coffee) hardly missed power forward Kerby Raymundo, who made his mark in the team through his ability to score both in and out of the paint. With Ramos, who distinguished himself in the UAAP by the same ability that Raymundo has, the team added extra offensive power, and with an All-Filipino conference coming in first thing in the season, Ramos can prove that he is PBA-material.

Chris Tiu (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Rain or Shine - 1st round 7th pick)

It was quite surprising that Barangay Ginebra opted to draft Chris Ellis over this court general, but it opened up a perfect opportunity for Coach Yeng Guiao, who immediately chose Tiu once the clock was in for the Elastopainters. This will be a win-win situation both for Rain Or Shine and Tiu, as the former will not have star sophomore Paul Lee for the All-Filipino Cup, an opportunity that the latter might take to show how he is ready for the PBA after much experience in the amateur and international leagues.

Yousef Taha (MIT Cardinals, drafted by Air 21 - 2nd round 1st pick)

Air 21 needs big men badly, considering that at this point, the young guns that they have to rely on are Magi Sison and Mark Isip, who have not been dominant in their respective careers. Perhaps with a 6-foot-8 figure, all he needs to practice is his body-banging and low post skills that Coach Franz Pumaren's team needs to relieve their backcourt from the pressure of carrying the team's burden.

Dave Marcelo (San Beda Red Lions, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round 2nd pick)

Consider this a big break for the former San Beda big man, as he gets the chance to fill in for the suspended Don Allado and play alongside former UAAP cagers Doug Kramer and Carlo Sharma. Marcelo can pound it in, shoot from the baseline, and haul down big rebounds, and his experience as a member of the Gilas Pilipinas team only polished his skills. With Marcelo in, expect Mick Pennisi court comedy to come out only (and hopefully) in garbage time.

Jewel Ponferrada (NU Bulldogs, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round 3rd pick)

In the pre-Parks days of the NU Bulldogs, Ponferada was the sole firepower, which enabled him to develop perimeter shooting and inside scoring to complement a rookie import by the name of Emmanuel Mbe. With Willie Miller still around, perhaps it would be time for Ponferrada to learn from him and slowly take over his role.

Lester Alvarez (Adamson Soaring Falcons) & Emman Monfort (Ateneo Blue Eagles) (drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round, 5th and 6th picks respectively)

Arguably the best graduating guards of UAAP Season 64, Alvarez and Monfort both bring steady perimeter defense, coupled with consistent 3-point shooting that force opponents to stretch their defenses. The big question is, will their height be of concern in the PBA (Imagine guarding Gabe Norwood)? In his Sinag Pilipinas stint, Monfort showed that his small figure can actually be an advantage, especially when he wants to zip by those taller defenders for quick layups and pull-ups. Alvarez, on the other hand, has shown what he can do as well in the UAAP while guarding taller two guards when he is inserted in the Falcons' lineup alongside Jerick Canada. Expect things to be interest for the Barako Bull frontcourt once Coach Junel Baculi decides on using both of them more frequently.

Woody Co (UP Maroons, drafted by Barako Bull - 2nd round, 8th pick)

This UP alumnus knows what it means to be both a role player and a star player, as he once led the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP, despite dismal records season after season, and won three championships with the NLEx Road Warriors, coming off the bench and scoring when it is needed. At most, Barako Bull will use him as a second or third-stringer, depending on how their two's or threes will produce.

Raphy Reyes (UE Red Warriors, drafted by Alaska - 2nd round, 9th pick)

The Aces have Tenorio, Cyrus Baguio, and R.J. Jazul, so there could be no way that Reyes, whose performance dwindled in his last year with the UE Red Warriors, would have some playing time. However, this may be a good opportunity for him to learn from this impressive guards.

Simon Atkins (De La Salle Green Archers, drafted by Air21 - 3rd round, 1st pick)

It's no wonder that Coach Franz Pumaren would opt to get those whom he coached during his long stint with the Green Archers, but one would wonder why he would pick a spot-up shooter when there are other available backcourt guys in the pool. Put this draft pick under the category "I picked him because I'm familiar with him," because anything more than that need proof.

Janus Lozada (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by Meralco - 3rd round, 4th pick)

In the UAAP Season 74, Lozada could have been the Falcons' biggest player, until one Alex Nuyles came out of nowhere and delivered them to their Final Four appearance. Unfortunately, his post-college career did nothing to show his real potential. And with a Bolts team that features Mac Cardona as the sole legitimate two guy who can score, there is room for growth for the Adamson alumnus.

Bacon Austria (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Rain or Shine, 3rd round, 7th pick)

Perimeter defense has been Austria's best asset as a Blue Eagle, and then his stint with the Cebuana Lhuiller Gems was a means for him to emerge as a legitimate offensive threat, able to shoot threes and make perimeter jumpers. Thus, being chosen to play for the Elastopainters would give the huge break that Austria needed, and he might need to get in shape to get used to the PBA (Beau Belga and JR Quinahan, here's the third member of Extra Rice, Inc.).

Jerick Canada (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by Ginebra, 3rd round 8th pick)

Canada is small, but he's quick, can defend, pass well, and shoot threes. Jayjay Helterbrand is on the verge of retiring, and the Gin Kings would need Canada's services in the second string. Plus, considering that no one has seen his improvement in the ABL and realized that he's a notch above other guards picked earlier, Ginebra is a draft winner in this regard.

Jumbo Escueta (Ateneo Blue Eagles, drafted by Talk 'N Text, 3rd round 10th pick)

The Tropang Texters have an athletic frontcourt, and what Jumbo Escueta can offer is physicality, the ability to bang bodies with burly frountcourt members of other squads despite his 6 foot 3 frame. Worried about minutes? Coach Norman Black has got something up his sleeve for his former center, so expect surprises to come its way in the All-Filipino Cup.

Kokoy Hermosisima (NU Bulldogs, drafted by Barako Bull 4th round, 4th pick)

At this point, not sure if the Energy Boosters are just trolling or they want to build an all-star UAAP cast.

Jan Colina (Adamson Soaring Falcons, drafted by GlobalPort, 4th round 6th pick)

Colina was one of those who had a great fourth season, but faltered in their last year of playing. Had he played a better fifth year, then the Soaring Falcons could have entered the Finals. With these left behind as he went for a short stint with the ABL, redemption would be a question as he enters a team chuck full of shooters.

Paul Zamar (UE Red Warriors, drafted by Ginebra, 4th round 8th pick)

Three-point shooters. Three point shooters everywhere, and we wonder where Zamar will play heavy minutes with Ginebra or not.

Credits to the internets for the images.

The Fifteenth Gold: SEA Games Men's Basketball Finals

Sinag Pilipinas 85, Thailand 57
Sinag Pilipinas grabs gold medal for Men's Basketball


-Both the Sinag Pilipinas team and its supporters would have wanted to fight with the home team just to make things a tad bit more challenging. However, the Thai team halted the Indonesians with a slim 65-62 victory over them, giving them another chance to face Sinag and hopefully snag a victory out of them. However, nothing much changed, as Sinag buried the Thais with a big 30-point win against them.

-Surprisingly, this last battle is not a high-scoring one, as the Sinag Pilipinas finished just with a double-digit score with a relatively lower 28 point victory. But then, the score is not a priority for a defense-oriented team that tightened its defense when needed. The best defensive combo in this game? It must be Greg Slaughter and Dave Marcelo manning the paint, denying any of the Thai players good shots from inside.

-Slaughter became the centerpiece of this magnificent gold-medal win, as he used his height advantage to score from the inside and, in turn, become a threat in the paint. Kiefer Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks served as his wingmen, ready to cut and find their spots once Slaughter is hounded by double and triple teams.

-Despite a few cold moments in the game, the offense still went well for Sinag Pilipinas. Parks, Ravena, Emman Monfort, RR Garcia and Chris Tiu dictated the pace of the game, as they continued to run and make big breaks for easy baskets. Likewise, the secondary breaks were well-executed, surprising the Thai defense with quick dribble drives and kick-outs to open jumpers.

-Much like the first Smart Gilas team, we see here the future of Philippine basketball in the next three or so years. Parks and Ravena, alongside other UAAP and NCAA players, might just earn a slot in what they dub as the Smart Gilas 2.0, and Coach Norman Black might move a notch up in terms of his coaching career (but the question is, How will he manage to still coach the Blue Eagles and at the same time be a part of the national team? This might be too much foresight, but this situation is possible).

The Scores:

Sinag Pilipinas 85 – Slaughter 16, Parks 15, Garcia 12, Ravena 10, Monfort 8, Tiu 6, Marcelo 6, Pascual 5, Hodge 5, Salva 2, Ellis 0.

Thailand 57 – Kaedum 17, Sangthong 11, Lertmalaiporn 11, kongkum 8, Apiromvilachai 6, Klahan 2, Ghogar 2, Jantuma 0, Kruatiwa 0.

Quarterscores: 21-17; 44-25; 61-42; 85-57

Credits to Interaktv for the box score, and the Sinag Pilipinas Facebook page for the image.

S74 Senior Salute: Emman Monfort

Small but terrible, and that is enough to describe the Pocket Rocket of the Blue Eagles who largely contributed in three of their four consecutive championship runs. Starting out as a third-string guard, Emman Monfort came in the court with energy, occasionally running plays but most of the time fulfills his role of finding open spots. But then, as a rookie, he was not given enough touches and opportunities to rise and shine in his rookie year.

Due to the overload of point guards during Season 71 (Jai Reyes, Chris Tiu, and not to mention team B coach Yuri Escueta), Monfort was relegated to Team Glory Be. However, this did not seem to become a moment of despair for him. Instead, he used this "free period" to get himself ready when the time comes for him to serve as the Coach's Hand when a win is needed.

Destiny put him back in the Blue Eagles' roster when big man Mike Baldos encountered academic problems which had him leaving the team. Coach Norman Black then summoned Monfort to fulfill his duties of playing the point when Jai Reyes rests in the bench. And that decision was something that the fans of the Blue Eagles are happy and thankful about. Monfort's reinstatement did a lot for the team, as he goes improving as the years passed by. From a spot up shooter, he elevated his game and eventually imbibed the team-oriented style of the Blue Eagles, becoming a pass first and shoot later guard.

When the ball is in his hands, he becomes a real threat to the opponent. He knows how to set up for his teammates and give them perfect passes to let them finish the play. And when the going gets tough, he knows how to find his spot from the outside or sneak past the big men of others team for easy lay ups. Seriously, who would forget his perimeter shooting and his three-point bombs, especially the last ones in the UAAP against FEU, the ones that really broke the hearts of the many Gold and Green supporters who hoped a big comeback? Who would forget those big rebounds despite his small five-something frame? And most of all, who would forget the clutch freebies he made against many teams in these past three years, delivering nothing but frowns from teams who got close to beating the Blue Eagles like the Adamson Falcons and the UE Red Warriors? Precisely the things that the Blue Eagles and their supporters will miss from Emman Monfort. Eventually, he lived up to his name, the Pocket Rocket, small and dangerous, and can explode when necessary.

Height would become a big challenge once he steps in the professional leagues, but time and again, small players have proven themselves in the PBA, and Monfort might get his chance to be among those who have done something big despite being small. But right now, he needs to focus on finding his niche in the amateur leagues as a member of the NLEx Road Warriors, playing alongside UAAP Season 73 MVP RR Garcia of the FEU Tamaraws.

Thank you, Emman Monfort. Continue to be big as you were in these last five years in the UAAP.

And here's Monfort calmly sinking his free throws against the Adamson University Falcons during their first round bird fight last Season 73.



Credits to Fabilioh.com for the pic, and ipeh in YouTube for the vide.