Photo by Jan Dizon, NCAA.

I did not see this coming at all. Neither did you, and if you say you did, you’re lying.

Continue reading "Ato Agustin, coaching genius.Or: how San Sebastian learned to stop worrying and love the (atom) bomb"

Ateneo bucked a strong start and a late rally by De La Salle, pulling the game out in a crazy overtime affair, 76-72. The Blue Eagles overcame a gangbuster start by the Green Archers anchored on Joshua Webb, as the long-armed forwards of La Salle wreaked havoc on the passing lanes. Timely hits by former MVP Rabeh Al-Husseini and veteran guard Bryan Revilla Eric Salamat kept the Eagles within striking distance, even as the first half ended with the Archers leading 40-32.

Continue reading "Ateneo untangles De La Salle’s web, escapes with a Yellow Sunday victory"

Dear Ateneo and La Salle fans,

I applaud the gesture of officials, students, and alumni of both schools to wear yellow to this Sunday’s game between the Blue Eagles and Green Archers to honor the memory of former President Corazon Aquino. As a basketball fan with no love lost for either team – and as a Filipino who cares deeply for his country – I was excited by the prospect and am looking forward to seeing the Araneta Coliseum in a sea of yellow this weekend. For a country torn apart by petty things (i.e. basketball rivalries), it represents a grand gesture not just from Ateneo and La Salle, but from the whole sports community in the country. In fact, I have encouraged my brother, a student at Ateneo (sorry, the Ateneo) who gets endless (brotherly) crap from me about his UPCAT performance, to go wear yellow and make sure all his friends going to the game does so as well.

Continue reading "An open letter to Ateneo and La Salle fans: Don't be a bunch of douchebags this Sunday"

I root for the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP, but my UAAP fandom actually predates my allegiance to Maroons basketball. I started watching UAAP basketball in the early ‘90s, and I began rooting for La Salle, starring Jun Limpot, Johnedel Cardel, and Tonyboy Espinosa, against the FEU Tamaraws led by Victor Pablo and Johnny Abarrientos. (I was young and stupid, I know, but Limpot was awesome back then, and this was before he turned into the Pinoy basketball antichrist; also, Espinosa was right up there with Johnny A. before all his injuries.)

A few years later, I was on the other side of the fence, whooping it up with Henry Ong’s three-pointers that made Jason Webb cry, Bal David’s clutch free throws before Elmer Lago missed those layups, and Edwin Bacani’s ballsy outside bombs.

Continue reading "The UAAP opening weekend, starring Kirk Long as Brüno and Mark Barroca on high-def"

The economic downturn is affecting everyone, and it has hit local amateur commercial basketball particularly hard. The Philippine Basketball League, the traditional breeding ground for Philippine basketball's rising stars, beginning their new tournament while reeling from the departure of two members (Burger King and Toyota Otis), are down to five teams.

It makes sense. Unlike the PBA, the PBL is truly borne out of love: companies pay teams to play in near-empty arenas and there is next to no one watching on television.

This is Fire Quinito's primer for each team, with a different twist: a profile of each team owner. Who are they, and what do they do? And why the hell are they still in the PBL?

Danding Cojuangco and his Magnolia Purewater Wizards is next.

Continue reading "PBL Preview: Danding Cojuangco and the Magnolia Purewater Wizards"