Barangay Ginebra Kings

[photographer]

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  KINGS REIGN OVER E-PAINTERS IN DUBAI FACEOFF

Published on February 25, 2012

 

DUBAI – Duke Crews led Rain or Shine to a mighty comeback from a 13-point deficit in the homestretch but had a big mental lapse in the closing seconds, allowing Barangay Ginebra to escape with an 89-88 squeaker in the closing game of the PBA Dubai series at the Al-Shabab Sports Club here Friday. Crews dished out his most productive performance as a Rain or Shine import, collecting 28 points and 20 rebounds, but threw away his effort by forgetting to call a timeout after collaring the offensive carom following a missed shot by Mike Cortez with five seconds left in the clock. In a previous timeout, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao's instruction was clear – sue for time once they get possession. The Elasto Painters, however, didn't follow the order, instead running a transition play that they failed to complete, allowing the Kings to nail a second win in three starts in the mid-season Commissioner's Cup. Getting an outlet pass from Crews, Gabe Norwood himself didn't call a timeout, missing a desperation shot off Jayjay Helterbrand in the dying seconds to the delight of the predominantly pro-Ginebra crowd in the jampacked playing venue. "It's far from a good win but we take it. We have a long 10-hour flight home. At least, we're flying home happy," said Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen. "Breaks of the game. Di naka timeout si Duke Crews. Yung kay Gabe naman, di na pwedeng pigilin dahil fastbreak na," rued Rain or Shine assistant coach Caloy Garcia. Splitting their two games here, the Elasto Painters are going home Sunday with a 1-3 win-loss record. Mark Caguioa topscored for Ginebra with 19 points, including a crucial five-point binge giving the Kings their 13-point spread at 87-74 with 4:57 left to play. The Elasto Painters, however, refused to give up, going to Crews, Jeff Chan and Paul Lee as they rallied to within two at 87-89 with 43.4 ticks left. A dribbling error by Kerby Raymundo in the next play opened the opportunity for Rain or Shine to tie. The Elasto Painters, however, failed to capitalize with Crews splitting two free throws in the last 28.3 seconds and later forgetting to call a timeout. Chris Alexander struggled for only 14 points but Jayjay Helterbrand, Mike Cortez and Kerby Ramundo also produced double-digit outputs for the Kings. Helterbrand fired four three-pointers, including a buzzer-beater pushing Ginebra on top, 42-40, at the half. The 2009 MVP winner finished with 18 points. The Kings took their first double-digit spread at 56-45 on a 14-5 opening run in the final half but the Elasto Painters retaliated with an 8-0 roll to quickly get back into the game. (SB)

Edited February 25, 2012 by photographer

[junix]

Another so so game from Chris Alexander 2 more games maybe to re evaluate if Ginebra will try to keep him or look for other replacement.

 

14 points?...maybe a so-so performance on the offensive end but how did he fare on defense?

[Kazekage.Gaara]

Alexander replaced.

 

MANILA, Philippines - With import Chris Alexander unable to dominate like he used to, NBA veteran Jackson Vroman will instead take on the cudgels as the man in the middle for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. The 6-10, 230-pound California-born star, who became a Lebanese naturalized citizen to play at the 2009 FIBA-Asia and 2010 FIBA World Championships, is scheduled to arrive in Manila this morning.

 

Vroman, 30, would’ve flown in earlier but according to his agent, lost his passport and had to apply for a replacement. Alexander has played three games for the Kings, averaging 14 points and 20.1 rebounds this season. Each of the three contests was close with Ginebra beating Petron, 84-82 and Rain Or Shine, 89-88 and losing a 76-74 decision to Alaska. Against the Aces, Alexander shot 3-of-7 from the field and 1-of-4 from the line in 42 minutes. In the squeaker over the Painters in Dubai last Friday, Alexander fouled out with two minutes to go and was hardly a factor.

 

Alexander, 31, led Ginebra to its last title in the 2007-08 Fiesta Conference. His form today is a far cry from how he creamed the opposition four years ago. He was reportedly informed of Vroman’s arrival yesterday. Vroman was in the wish list of at least two other PBA clubs looking for an import switch.

 

What makes Vroman a potential game changer is his versatility as a Dirk Nowitzki play-alike with the interior presence of a Dennis Rodman. His Iowa State coach Wayne Morgan once described him as “a more offensively talented version of Rodman.” As a senior at Iowa State (the same school where Alexander played) in 2003-04, Vroman averaged 13.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while hitting .564 from the floor and .507 from the stripe. He finished his two-year Iowa State stay ranked No. 2 in field goal percentage and No. 9 in blocked shots in the all-time standings.

 

Vroman, whose father Brett played at UCLA and the Utah Jazz in the NBA, was picked on the second round by the Chicago Bulls in the 2004 draft. He suited up for Phoenix and New Orleans in four NBA seasons, averaging 3.3 points in 87 career outings. As an NBA rookie with the Suns in 2004-05, he registered career highs of 17 points against San Antonio and 13 rebounds against Charlotte. From the NBA, Vroman barnstormed Europe where his father played 12 years as an import. He saw action in Spain and Lithuania before taking his sneakers to Asia where his basketball odyssey brought him to Iran, Lebanon, South Korea and China.

 

In May 2009, Vroman accepted Lebanese citizenship to play in the FIBA-Asia and FIBA World Championships. He towed Lebanon to the Final Four of the FIBA-Asia Championships in Tianjin, China, in 2009, averaging 17.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in eight contests. At the World Championships, Vroman hit at a 14.8 clip in five outings. Vroman also had a stint as an import with the Iranian club Mahram which he led to the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup titles in 2009 and 2010, averaging 24 points and 8.5 rebounds in 14 total games.

 

Known as a free spirit, Vroman attended five high schools. He used to cut high school classes in Utah and ride a bus to take him to a downtown gym to play basketball. After his parents divorced, his mother sent him and sister Lauren from Alaska to Utah to live with their father when he was in Grade 8. His father is now a counselor of juveniles in Salt Lake City and Lauren became the bass guitarist for the punk rock band Lithium.

 

At Iowa State, Vroman survived an unstable family environment to live his dream as a basketball star. He dyed his hair an assortment of colors like yellow, blue, maroon and black and was arrested for drunk driving and marijuana possession. “They were really hard things to go through at the time but I’m fortunate to go through them in college,” he recalled quoted by writer Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The campus struggles toughened Vroman for the life ahead and strengthened his resolve to be the best basketball player he can be.

 

Coro once remarked that Vroman is a poor man’s version of Oklahoma City Thunder’s Nick Collison, “expending relentless energy on the court and a dynamic personality off it.”

 

Ginebra’s next game is against Powerade at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Sunday so Vroman has a week to acclimatize before seeing action in his PBA debut.

[Agent_mulder]

Ganda pala ang laban ng Ginebra at ros, buti na lang lumamang sila ng double digit which is enough to hold off ros, the breaks of the game also went their way as Crews and Norwood was unable to call a time-out. Ganda ng laro ni Kerby, pati import ng ros nahirapan sa kanya sa shaded area.

 

 

With regards sa replacement ni Chris Alexander with Vroman, sayang si Alexander para sa akin, maaring so-so ang performaance n'ya esp. sa scoring pero 'yung shot-blocking at intimidation factor na binibigay n'ya para Ginebra is something else, the locals of Ginebra can score and Alexander provides the rebounding.

[brun0magtangol]

What makes Vroman a potential game changer is his versatility as a Dirk Nowitzki play-alike with the interior presence of a Dennis Rodman. His Iowa State coach Wayne Morgan once described him as “a more offensively talented version of Rodman.” As a senior at Iowa State (the same school where Alexander played) in 2003-04, Vroman averaged 13.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while hitting .564 from the floor and .507 from the stripe. He finished his two-year Iowa State stay ranked No. 2 in field goal percentage and No. 9 in blocked shots in the all-time standings.

 

ill take "a more offensively talented version of Rodman" persona anytime over a "Dirk Nowitzki play-alike"

 

GoodLuck... add Hatfield and it's mayhem on the defensive and rebounding end of the court for the Gins....

 

"Ginsanity" bwehehehe

[wendy testicleger]

Ginuman na!

[Agent_mulder]

ill take "a more offensively talented version of Rodman" persona anytime over a "Dirk Nowitzki play-alike"

 

GoodLuck... add Hatfield and it's mayhem on the defensive and rebounding end of the court for the Gins....

 

"Ginsanity" bwehehehe

 

Para sa akin kung scoring lang the locals can take care of it, ang lakas ng locals ng Ginebra ngayon and they can make an attempt to the basket to their heart's content while Alexander takes care of the boards. Hopefully, si Vroman can also bring that to them. Alexander also intimidates the opposing players and/or makes them change their shots.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Agent_mulder

[cool_kojie]

May injury ba yung yung 2 Ricos? Parang three gamaes na and I never saw them played a single minute. Mas Naglalaro pa si Mamaril. How about Maliksi hes a good swing man plus may height pa. Sayang yung talent. Rico V. Played great last conference. Mas nabibigyan pa ng break si Mamaril. I dont get it. Unless may injury ha.

[Kazekage.Gaara]

If it's really Jackson Vroman then good for Ginebra. He's a good post player and a good defender. Sya yung bumabantay kay Yi Jianlian sa FIBA and he was effective in defending Yi Jianlian.

 

It's good news then.

 

May injury ba yung yung 2 Ricos? Parang three gamaes na and I never saw them played a single minute. Mas Naglalaro pa si Mamaril. How about Maliksi hes a good swing man plus may height pa. Sayang yung talent. Rico V. Played great last conference. Mas nabibigyan pa ng break si Mamaril. I dont get it. Unless may injury ha.

 

Maliksi is out for the conference due to surgery to his injury. Ang alam ko about the 2 Ricos, si Maierhoffer eh undergoing rehabs pa din. Ewan ko lang kay EVill.

[buwitre1781]

Ganda pala ang laban ng Ginebra at ros, buti na lang lumamang sila ng double digit which is enough to hold off ros, the breaks of the game also went their way as Crews and Norwood was unable to call a time-out. Ganda ng laro ni Kerby, pati import ng ros nahirapan sa kanya sa shaded area.

 

 

With regards sa replacement ni Chris Alexander with Vroman, sayang si Alexander para sa akin, maaring so-so ang performaance n'ya esp. sa scoring pero 'yung shot-blocking at intimidation factor na binibigay n'ya para Ginebra is something else, the locals of Ginebra can score and Alexander provides the rebounding.

 

mentality kasi sa atin kapag sinabing import it has to be someone who will socre 30+. kaya for me one of the ebst import si redfield kasi kahit hindi siya umiscore andaming bagay na kaya niyang icontribute sa team. ginebre is looking for a big man who can rebound and defend te middle thats what alexander has been doing.. prang ung import ngaun ng powerade it was still david who was scoring big time for them pero ung import nila was what they are looking for a reliable center. pero vroman might be interesting because of his credentials lets wait and see..

[brun0magtangol]

i think, they need an import who can be an inside option....

 

CA has been giving them the rebounds and blocks pero, limited kasi talaga offensive moves nya... Come playoffs where the opposing teams can easily make adjustments... dehado...since short lang ang elims... making a replacement later could be more fatal...

[CharlesOngSy]

Yung Ginebra win sa Cubao masyadong crucial. Hirapan sila talaga.

[Archdevil]

CA used to be really good during his first stint with the Gins. However, during the current conference, he is being outperformed by the present crop of imports. Sad to say but Ginebra won't go far with CA around. It's a gamble to have Vroman. Let's wait and see.

[CharlesOngSy]

Mukhang mahirapan tayo sa Tnt next time.

[SaintPeter5858]

If they win next game then they'll have more chances for the championship