B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados 2012 Commissioner's Cup Champions

The Best Import brings B-Meg to the promise land.

A 39 point 21 rebound output is what Denzel Bowles contributed to now the 2012 Commissioner's Cup Champions, B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados.

Finals MVP: James Yap

The scores:
B-MEG 90 – Bowles 39, Simon 14, Yap 12, Urbiztondo 11, Villanueva 5, De Ocampo 4, Devance 2, Pingris 2, Barroca 1, Intal 0, Reavis 0
Talk ‘N Text – Alapag 29, Harvey 16, Fonacier 11, Peek 10, Dillinger 8, Castro 5, De Ocampo 3, Reyes 2, Gamalinda 0, Williams 0, Carey 0

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Caguioa named BPC, Bowles hands-down choice for Best Import

Photo: PBA/Nuki Sabio

Denzel Bowles ran away as the choice for Best Import while Ginebra's Mark "The Spark" Caguioa beat Powerade's Gary David to get the Best Player of the Conference plum for this tournament, the Commissioner's Cup.

Caguioa gained the nod of the media, his fellow players and the PBA, accumulating 1,085 points as

against David’s 900. Cyrus Baguio finished third in the race with 556 points, followed by Marcio
Lassiter with 470 and LA Tenorio with 434.

(The official tabulation c/o the pbaologist)

David, despite his monster numbers has failed to bring the Tigers to the playoffs.

Having been told that the BPC winner is an automatic contender for the season-ending MVP honors, Mark expressed how much he wanted to play. He wanted another championship for his team, that the BPC honors are just for himself.

However, with his injury, Mark Caguioa might miss the rest of the season.

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A Tale of Two Coaching Geniuses

Photo: During the Finals Press Conference (INQUIRER)

The ongoing Finals series between B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados and Talk and Text Tropang Texters is not just about Denzel Bowles, Donell Harvey or even the locals like Jimmy Alapag, Peter June Simon, Marc Pingris or James Yap, It is also about their coaches: Tim Cone and Chot Reyes, who both come from a winning tradition and are poised to be champions.

Tim is no stranger to championship runs - He has been a Grandslam coach (Alaska in 1996) and has successfully catapulted his team then (Aces) for 13 championships ever since he started coaching in the country back in 1989. Now with B-Meg, he hopes to add more championships to his name, He has successfully imparted his basketball knowledge to his new boys, with the help of his former Alaska wards turned Assistant Coaches Jeffrey Cariaso and Johnny Abarrientos, but it would still be better if they win the championship -  far cry from where they were last conference, eliminated by Powerade Tigers during the first round of the Philippine Cup, which the Llamados has considered their inspiration to grow as a team.

Chot meanwhile is one of the greatest coaches in present PBA history. He has been to the finals for the past 5 conferences and has won 4 championships (they lost in the 2011 Governors Cup to the injury depleted Petron Blaze). He has a lot of wards that bring true to his coaching masterpiece, He has employed a discipline that even if Donell Harvey would have an off-night, his locals would step up and bring their import's performance on a higher level. Now on his second to the last conference as Tropa's Head Coach, his players would like to give their best and give Chot a championship or even two before their coach goes to the Smart Gilas 2 squad.

Whatever would happen, these two coaches are the epitomy of basketball IQ, and I salute them both, it's now a matter of will and desire to win 4 games, as par as coaching is concerned, both teams are absolute equal.

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Do or Die Sunday Matches: Winners go to the Semifinals, Saan Ka Kampihan Na?

After tying the series 1-1, Alaska and B-Meg would try to do a back-to-back while Meralco and Barako Bull would try to bounce buck for there is no more tomorrow come Easter as the winner of the Alaska vs. Barako series would play the Defending Champions, Talk and Text Tropang Texters while B-Meg and Meralco would slug it out to play crowd favorite, Ginebra.

Alaska vs. Barako:  Freeman vs. Parada, the tale of Veterans and the Warriors
Gabe Freeman has proven himself in his first game with Barako, but the local warriors of the Aces did it on Game 2. Will Gabe Freeman double his effort to bring Barako to the next stage along with Dorian Pena, Dynamite Danny Seigle and Willie Miller, or will L.A. Tenorio spark the Aces to go one step higher?

B-Meg vs. Meralco: Can James Yap do a Gary David on Meralco?
After bouncing back on Game 2, the Llamados has proven how hungry they are to go to the next level, even by ending up practicing on Good Friday. Meralco meanwhile want to go out of the playoffs slump they had by going to the finals. Will James Yap do what Gary David did to them last conference? Can Mark Cardona bounce back after being ejected last game?

On a Good Friday, the Llamados are practicing (photo courtesy of SMC Sports Director Noli Eala)


Find out on Sunday,  April 8 with the continuation of this series going down the wire.

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PBA Commissioner's Cup Format

Not sure of the Commissioner's Cup format?  CONDUCT AND RESOLUTION OF TIES

I CONDUCT

 A. ELIMINATION ROUND

The TEN (10) participating teams will play in a single round elimination. Each team will therefore
play nine (9) games.

The top two (2) teams at the end of the elimination round will advance to the Semifinals outright.
The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th placed teams will advance to the Quarterfinals.  The 7th to 10th placed
teams shall be eliminated. 

 B. QUARTERFINALS - FOUR (4) TEAMS:  Best-of-Three

The quarterfinal pairings are as follows: 

  QF1: Team 3 vs. Team 6
  QF2: Team 4 vs. Team 5 

Winners will advance to the semifinals.

 C. SEMIFINALS - FOUR (4) TEAMS: Best-of-Five

Making up the semifinals cast are the top two (2) teams at the end of the elimination round and the
two (2) winners in the quarterfinals.  The semifinal pairings are as follows:


  SF1: Team 1 vs.QF2 Winner
  SF2: Team 2 vs.QF1 Winner 
 
  Winners will advance to the Finals.

 D. FINALS - Best-of-Seven

The winners of the two (2) Best-of-Five Semifinal Series will play a Best-of-Seven Series to
determine the champion and first runner-up teams.

II RESOLUTION OF TIES

A. ELIMINATIONS – only the 2nd and 6th positions will be broken via play-off and there will only
be a single playoff for one position. All other rankings will be resolved via the PBA quotient. 
  
USING PBA QUOTIENT - ONLY THE SCORES  OF  THE GAMES OF THE TEAMS INVOLVED IN TIE(S) SHALL BE
CONSIDERED   --   DIVIDE   THE  TOTAL POINTS    SCORED    IN  FAVOR  BY  THE TOTAL  POINTS  SCORED
AGAINST.

If teams are still tied after using the PBA quotient, they shall go through the following order of
tie breakers until the tie(s) is(are) broken, which are as follows:

 i. Win-Loss record between the tied teams.
 ii. Via the quotient of all their games played in the Eliminations.
 iii. If still tied, toss of coin will determine placings.

1. In the event of a two (2) way tie for 2nd position, the two teams                                
              playoff: The winner takes 2nd position and advances to the Semifinals.

2. In the event of a three (3) way tie for 1st , 2nd and 3rd positions, the team with the superior
quotient automatically takes 1st spot. The two (2) teams with the inferior quotients playoff for the
2nd position. The winner takes 2nd position and advances to the Semifinals. The loser shall take 3rd
position and qualifies to the Quarterfinals.

3. In the event of a two (2) way tie for 6th position, the two teams playoff: The winner takes 6th
position and qualifies to the Quarterfinals.
 
4. In the event of a three (3) way tie for 5th, 6th and 7th positions, the team with the superior
quotient automatically takes 5th spot. The two (2) teams with the inferior quotients playoff for the
6th position. The winner takes 6th position and qualifies to the Quarterfinals. The loser shall be
eliminated.
 
5. Any other tie(s) that is(are) not specifically mentioned above shall be similarly  resolved  via
the PBA QUOTIENT and/or PLAYOFFS as the Commissioner may determine.

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Vroman joins practice of Ginebra, Alexander to San Miguel Beermen?

Ginebra fans reacted today when news surfaced that the team's import, Chris Alexander would be replaced.
Jackson Vroman, a Lebanese basketball player had flown in today to the country to join Ginebra as their new import. He played for the NBA for Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans (Oklahoma City) Hornets.

Check out Jackson Vroman's profile here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Vroman

A fan tweet:

Reports also said that Alexander is offered to play for San Miguel Beermen (ABL team).

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PBA Dubai Games Update

Rain or Shine winning over Barako Bull, 99-95. Dermarr Johnson of Barako Bull out on an injury (day-to-day)

Barangay Ginebra winning over a squeaker over Rain or Shine 89-88

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