The high octane efficiency of Petron Blaze Boosters

Despite of all the issues regarding oil price hike, oil deregulation law, E-VAT on oil, Petron Blaze Boosters’ fans will separate this for the sake of basketball because there’s a reason to celebrate.

Why? Because, the Governor’s Cup Champions last season is scorching hot this 37th season of the PBA Philippine Cup. They are on the top of the standings with a commanding 2-0 won-loss card.
We all know it’s too early to celebrate because the PBA had just opened the season less than one week last October 2 only.

Coach Ato Agustin did a wonderful job last off-season by providing the “missing pieces” in the team with the likes of Chris Lutz, Dondon Hontiveros and Carlos Sharma.

Arwind Santos, when he is activated to “beast mode”, no one can stop him from delivering. In 2 games, he averaged 15 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. Alex Cabagnot, Petron’s court general, is averaging 19 points and 3.5 assists per game. Danny Ildefonso, who went double-double last game against Barako Bull, might be drinking from the “fountain of youth” and showing no signs of aging. The rookie sensation Chris Lutz, averaged 18 points in two games, with 6 steals against the Barako Bull.

Denok Miranda is also showing his FEU form this conference, playing with Cabagnot, they formed a deadly back-court tandem which dictates the fluidity of their offense as well as in their defense. Agustin discovered the duo of Cabagnot-Miranda during the Petron-Talk N Text showdown last season, and it is working well in the team’s system. Carlos Sharma is another revelation in this conference which is now armed with soft touch from the midrange.

Sophomores Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra, with less playing minutes, always deliver whenever they are in the court. I hope that Agustin will give them more playing time in order for them to build their self-confidence.

Game Face

With Dondon Hontiveros is out for 7 to 10 days because of his calf injury, Chris Lutz is enjoying more playing time (38 minutes in 2 games) in his absence. Also, Danny Ildefonso is averaging 33 minutes per game in 2 games. I hope Agustin give Lakay more minutes in the bench for him to fully recover his injury. He is needed more comes semis and Petron cannot afford to lose Lakay in that series, remember how he is valuable during the Governor’s Cup Championship when Jay Washington and Rabeh Al-Husseini is down with injuries.

Cabagnot’s maturity and decision-making seems to improve this conference. He is showing his play making skills during the game, taking shots at the right place at the right time and his composure in every opponent’s attempt to make a run and cut their lead.

Rob Reyes is set to play for the Boosters in their next game against Shopinas.Com Clickers, this will give the team additional muscle inside the paint. The 6’ 5” Reyes will give Lakay a breath of fresh air and to avoid injuries.

In their two games, we witnessed the chemistry and composure of Petron Blaze Boosters as well as the players’ motivation and hunger for championship. It’s too early to tell, but I can smell a “Talk N Text – Petron Blaze Booster III” this finals, and maybe this time, they will settle their unfinished business with an identical record of 1-1 for both teams.

Top 5 PBA 37th Season MVP Contenders

Last season, Jimmy Alapag bagged the 2010 PBA Most Valuable Player. He is the latest point guard who won the MVP plum since Jayjay Helterbrand in 2009.

With the opening of the 37th season of the PBA this October 2, all eyes are set to those players who will compete for the coveted award this 2011 and became on of the elite list of MVPs in the PBA history.

#5 Jason Castro (Talk N Text)

2010 Conference Ave: 11.87 PPG, 3.85 RPG, 4.11 APG

Some says that “The Blur” is the “other MVP” aside Jimmy Alapag. He is a two-time PBA Finals MVP in 2010, and possibly a grand slam winner of the Finals MVP if TNT beat the Petron Blazers in the Governor’s cup. He is a type of a player that “plays with heart and courage” every game.

#4 James Yap (BMEG)

2010 Conference Ave: 18.75 PPG, 4.30 RPG, 1.77 APG

“King James”, a two-time MVP, is seeking revenge for his team after the not so good performance of his team during the 36th season. The team is plagued with injuries, he still carried his team to the top of the standings but he cannot sustain it alone. With the entry of Tim Cone, expect James Yap to elevate his game and become the catalyst of the triangle offense.

#3 Solomon Mercado (Meralco)

2010 Conference Ave: 17.69 PPG, 4.97 RPG, 4.83 APG

“The Soul Train”’s campaign last season didn’t lived up to expectations, as their team is always at the bottom half of the standings. Expect Sol Mercado to lead the charge for the Meralco Bolts this season.

#2 Joe Devance (BMEG)

2010 Conference Ave: 16.48 PPG, 8.43 RPG, 3.55 APG

JDV’s transfer from Alaska to BMEG Llamados last season is one of the breaking news in the PBA. But, teaming up again with Tim Cone and his familiarity with the triangle system, JDV will again rule the every statistical category to win the MVP this season.

#1 Arwind Santos (Petron)

2010 Conference Ave: 15.29 PPG, 10.68 RPG, 1.25 BPG

The 2010 Governor’s Cup Best Player of the Conference, Finals MVP and Champion, “Spiderman” will be a force to reckon this season. After being “robbed” with the MVP last season (Thanks to the media votes), expect Arwind to dominate every conference this coming season.

Why Jay Washington and Arwind Santos can’t win championship together?

This fearless tandem of Jay Washington and Arwind Santos, both from San Miguel Beermen/Petron Blaze Boosters, is a very tough to beat, in terms of offense and defense.

Jay Washington was acquired by SMB in 2008 in exchange of its third pick in the PBA 2008 Draft, which is Jason Castro. Most of the fans said that the acquisition of Washington is the second coming of Danny Seigle, in which the latter is on his “twilight” of his career because of his injuries. With an impressive resume of being the Top pick in the PBA 2005 Draft, SMB fans expected a lot from him to bring back the “glory days” of SMB.

On the other hand, Arwind Santos, was acquired by SMB through a trade involving Air21 and Purefoods (now BMeg). They (SMB) shipped back Marc Pingris, the other 2008 Fiesta Conference Finals MVP (some analysts said), to Purefoods and gave Air21 Ken Bono and its 2010 first round pick. Some PBA insiders that Santos, before signing a deal with Air21 in 2006, is “already traded” to SMB after his contract expires.

With the tandem of the two best players in the league, and surrounded by the other stars like Hontiveros, Cabagnot, Ildefonso and Seigle, most of the sports-analysts and PBA fans (and even PBA coaches) pick SMB as the top team to beat in 2009 – 2010 season. When the 35^th season of the PBA kicked off, SMB got the semi-finals slot in both Philippine and Fiesta Conference. Both Washington and Santos averaged double figures in points and close to double digits in rebounding. And in the Fiesta Conference 2010, they met Alaska Aces for their finals showdown and the team lost. Jay Washington is the best player of the conference.

Promised to come back in the 36^th season, Washington and Santos brought back SMB to the Philippine Cup Finals versus Talk N Text, where Washington, publicly stated that he has still the animosity of being traded by Chot Reyes, the opponent’s head coach. But still, they lost to TNT in 6 games, for consolation prize, Washington was named as the Best Player of the Conference for the second time.

In the two finals stint by SMB in the finals (with Alaska and Talk N Text), where is Arwind Santos? Well, during that time, he is very busy throwing those three point shots every game and he feels like Allan Caidic or Reggie Miller in SMB jersey. Although both players averaging double figures, they can’t still find the right formula of getting the championships they wanted. And in the Commissioner’s Cup, SMB tasted their first elimination. After trading Seigle, Hontiveros, Pena and Artadi to Air21 to yet unknown rookies then, SMB failed and got eliminated.

With one conference left in the season, Petron Blaze Boosters, armed with youth and athlecism, Washington and Santos again promised to give Ato Agustin another championship run. When Washington got injured against Air21, and declared to be out of the rest of the conference, Santos solely shouldered the responsibilities of bringing back Petron to the finals. And the rest is history…

Arwind Santos is the Best Player of the Conference and the 2011 Governor’s Cup Finals MVP. Played like an import, averaging double-double in both points and rebounds, he deserved to be the MVP of the Finals.

To sum it up, Washington and SMB won Fiesta Cup 2009 without Arwind Santos, and Arwind Santos and Petron won the Governor’s Cup 2011 without Jay Washington. But when the two players played together and faced Alaska and Talk N Text in the finals, yet they are beaten out cold.

Maybe because one factor is they can both play similar positions and they don’t know that each other exists in every game. Washington wanted the ball to be effective and be the focal point of offense, while Santos wanted to be the Triggerman every game. They really don’t know how to deal with their plays when they are both in the court. Washington, sometimes, tend to “go solo” especially when his temper goes wild. Santos, to be fair, is a very good defender. Just ask Willie Miller on how Santos handled him during their face-off.

In order for them to win championship together, one must step forward and the other to step backward. Washington must play aggressive in every game and must learn how to pass the ball, just like Danny Ildefonso. And Santos, already knew what type of play he is more suitable like manning the boards and put backs. Arwind is more comfortable in PF while Jay is more of a SF player. And one thing more, they must minimize their outside shooting, especially in the three point area. They must accept that they are not the Reggie Miller type of a player. If they will accept the role and doesn’t mind who will be the main man of the team, I think that they can “co-exist” with each other.