News

Season’s 2nd conference fires off February 28 in Dumaguete


For Talk n Text and Alaska, the challenge is how to cope with the energy of well-rested rivals in the 2009 Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference after their long stints in the Philippine Cup lasting the full distance of the best-of-seven finale.

Both are plunging back into action in the second conference with a rest of only about three weeks.

"The question is where do we get the energy. Maybe, we can draw some inspiration on the fact that our team is in the running for a season...

By Reuel Vidal

THERE will be a slight change in the format of the Elimination and Wildcard of the coming Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference. Based on their performance in the past Philippine Cup, the 10 PBA teams will be divided into two groups.

Group A will include the Alaska Aces, the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, the Sta. Lucia Realtors, the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and the Coca-Cola Tigers. Group B will include the Talk N Text Tropang Texters, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the San Miguel Beermen, Burger King and the Barako Bulls.

Teams...

By Joel Orellana

ROD Nealy will have to carry much of the load this time for Barangay Ginebra when the Kings defend the Fiesta Cup crown of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Kings head coach Jong Uichico is hoping Nealy would be in his best elements in the tournament that kicks off on February 28 in Dumaguete City.

“Sana nasa kundisyon,” Uichico told the BusinessMirror on Sunday. Ginebra opens its campaign against Coca-Cola on March 4 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Nealy flew in on Saturday and will try to duplicate what...

Alaska coach Tim Cone is hopeful that import Rosell Ellis will be available for the season-ending PBA Fiesta Cup.

The Aces, according to Cone, is still waiting for Ellis’ decision and admits that they still have no other options, less than two weeks before the start of the import-flavored conference on Feb. 28.

The 6-foot-5 Ellis, a former McNeese State stalwart, won the 2007 PBA Best Import award and helped the Aces to the Fiesta Cup championship that same season against Talk ’N Text in a seven-game thriller.

Ellis is currently under contract with the...

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Burger King, now handled by national coach Yeng Guiao, will be tested right on opening day of the 2009 PBA Fiesta Cup on Feb. 28.

The BK Titans will face off with the Sta. Lucia Realtors in the lone game at the Lamberto Macias Sports Center in Dumaguete City.

The PBA yesterday released its one-week schedule that includes six play dates that will be held at the Araneta Coliseum, Astrodome in Pasay City, Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City and Batangas City.

Guiao joined Burger King (formerly Air21) recently after he parted ways with...

San Miguel Beer will be bringing in Nate Carter as its reiforcement
in the PBA Fiesta Cup which is seen this early to be as intense and
exciting what with other teams rarin’ to bounce back after forgettable
stints in the just concluded Philippine Cup.Just like Sta. Lucia
Realty, the SMB franchise opted for a relatively taller reiforcement in
Carter in its effort to boost its rebounding in the season-ending
tournament where sister team Barangay Ginebra is the defending champion.With
the naming of Carter as its import, the initial cast of imports that
inlcudes...

The initial cast of imports for the PBA Fiesta Cup is now complete with
San Miguel finally naming Nate Carter as its reinforcement.

The Beermen, who lost to eventual Philippine Cup champions Talk ‘N Text
in the semifinals, hope to bounce back by bringing in the former
Oklahoma University forward to beef up their talented but oft-injured
frontline.

“We needed someone to help us with our rebounding,” said San Miguel
coach Siot Tanquingcen. “That was our weakness in the previous
conference.”

Carter, who played...

Season-opening conference grosses P35.6M


For Filipinos, crisis or no crisis, nothing beats watching great basketball action.

Game 7 of the just-concluded 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup Finals between Talk ‘N Text and Alaska drew a crowd of 18,388 at the Araneta Coliseum for the deciding Game 7 of the title series.

The match-up pitting the league’s best offensive team opposite the top defensive unit came to a fitting climax as the Tropang Texters watched the Aces miss four straight free throws and an easy undergoal stab in the stretch...

By Nelson Beltran

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Basketball Association takes only a 17-day break then resumes action in the season, pitting Sta. Lucia Realty and Burger King (formerly Air21) in a road game in Dumaguete to start the import-laced Fiesta Conference on Feb. 28.

In the run-up to the season-ending tourney, the PBA-backed RP team plays the SBP RP developmental team and a visiting Puerto Rican ball club in a mini series set Feb. 21-24.

Also set this early is the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao staging of the 2009 PBA All-Star Game featuring the RP squad...

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Talk ’N Text hopes to add the season-ending Fiesta Cup trophy and become the first team to win back-to-back PBA championships.

Since the pro league changed its original format from three conferences to two conferences five years ago, no ballclub has won two PBA championships in a single season.

Following their Game 7 conquest of Alaska Milk last Wednesday to win the Philippine Cup, the Tropang Texters? are in good position to win their third title.

To succeed, TNT coach Chot Reyes said it is important that their import will jell...