When it rains, it pours. After its perimeter scoring went dry as the Ilocos sand dunes against South Korea, the Team Pilipinas corps of snipers made it rain this afternoon, hitting 15 three-pointers against Chinese Taipei en route to a 77-70 victory. James Yap and Willie Miller led the way with 6 and 5 three-point baskets, respectively. Yap keyed a 3rd quarter run that allowed Team Pilipinas to take the lead after trailing for most of the game, while Miller’s last three-pointer with 20 seconds left in the game pushed the lead to 5 and sealed the deal for the Nationals.

Continue reading "Fiba-Asia Championships: Willie Thriller and Big Game James lift Team Pilipinas over Chinese Taipei"

South Korea made the Team Pilipinas snipers look like the Wonder Girls (*point-clap-clap-point-clap*) tonight as they held the Philippines to miserable shooting all game long. Willie Miller, Jayjay Helterbrand, James Yap, and Gabe Norwood threw up enough bricks to build a full house (heh), while Korea capitalized on missed rotations by the Philippine defense down the stretch en route to winning their third straight game in the competition.

Continue reading "Fiba-Asia Championships: Korea wants nobody, nobody but chu, hands Team Pilipinas its first loss"

I knew that Team Pilipinas was going to get their second win in the Fiba-Asia Championships sometime in the early in the second quarter. James Yap, who had surprisingly checked in a few minutes earlier but was still trying to find rhythm, received the ball near the top of the key. He went into the triple-threat stance, measured his defender, and went up for a looping three-point shot.

It hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

Continue reading "Fiba-Asia Championships: Team Pilipinas shoots down Japan, notches second win"

It wasn’t the best weekend for Powerade Team Pilipinas, as they ended the 31st William Jones Cup in embarrassing fashion. On Saturday, they managed to pull out a narrow 94-90 win over Chinese Taipei’s Team B, in a sloppy, turnover-filled contest reminiscent of badly played UAAP basketball (which, frankly, is like every other game). Then on Sunday, defending Asian champions Iran blew the Nationals off the court, building a 30-point lead in the first half en route to an 85-60 win.

Continue reading "Jones Cup weekend: Powerade Team Pilipinas ends campaign with a whimper"

GMA News reports that James Yap will miss the last two games of the Jones Cup to be with his wife, Kris Aquino, as they watch over his ailing mother-in-law, former President Corazon Aquino. Mrs. Aquino was apparently the biggest fan of James in the hardcourt.

Continue reading "Tying a yellow ribbon for Cory Aquino"

Ok, before going on with my report on Powerade Team Pilipinas-Korea game in the 31st William Jones Cup, which ended with a 83-80 loss for the Nationals, here’s a message to all Filipino basketball fans:

CHILL THE FUCK OUT.

SERIOUSLY.

Continue reading "Jones Cup day 6: Korean shooters make it rain in the clutch, down Powerade Team Pilipinas"

It’s back to the drawing board for Yeng Guiao and his troops, after perennial Asian powerhouse Lebanon handed Powerade Team Pilipinas their fourth loss in 5 games in the 31st William Jones Cup in Taipei, 95-83. NBA journeyman Jackson Vroman and veteran center Brian Beshara flustered the Philippines, scoring 24 and 29 points, respectively, including 38 of the team’s 50 points in the first half.

The twin tower combination came out firing in the first quarter, which ended with a 30-19 lead for Lebanon. The Nationals were kept at bay for most of the second quarter before James Yap strung together 7 quick points to end the half to cut the lead down to 8, 50-42.

Continue reading "Jones Cup day 5: Lebanon’s twin towers frustrate Powerade Team Pilipinas"

Powerade Team Pilipinas had another gangbuster start in the fourth game in the 31st William Jones Cup, but Japan survived the opening onslaught and held on for an 87-85 victory. The Nationals blitzed the Japanese early for a 27-15 lead at the end of the third quarter, but Japan capitalized on their turnovers to force a tight game the rest of the way.

Continue reading "Jones Cup day 4: Japan narrowly edges Powerade Team Pilipinas"

Powerade Team Pilipinas finally tasted victory in the 31st William Jones Cup in Taipei, turning the tables on Kazakhstan for a lopsided 85-67 victory. The team built on their momentum from the second half of the Chinese Taipei game, leading from start to finish against the Kazakhs.

It was the first time the Nationals opened with swagger and energy, and they flew up and down the court to take a 22-12 lead in the first quarter, flustering their tall but inexperienced opponents. Kazakhstan made a bit of headway to end the half, cutting the lead down to 7, but our boys blew the game wide open in the third quarter with their lethal zone defense.

Continue reading "Jones Cup day 3: Basketball learnings of Powerade Team Pilipinas for make benefit against glorious nation of Kazakhstan"

It wasn’t as bad as their performance in the opener, but Powerade Team Pilipinas suffered another setback in its second game in the 31st William Jones Cup in Taipei. The host’s Team A survived a second-half charge by our boys to come away with an 86-77 victory.

The Nationals’ shooting woes continued to haunt them at the start of the game, as the Taiwanese opened with a 12-0 run to begin the game and kept the Filipinos at bay for most of the first half. But Powerade Team Pilipinas caught fire in the second half, cutting the lead to three by the end of the third quarter.

Continue reading "Jones Cup day 2: Chinese Taipei’s Team A repulses Powerade Team Pilipinas rally"