They later stretched the lead to 27 points at halftime 44-17 score. RP coach Yeng Guiao told his players not to put their game on a show but to play basic basketball game for them to win against powerhouse team China.

In the 2nd half, Powerade Team Pilipinas played their game seriously which they scored a thunderous 42 points in the 3rd quarter alone. Give credit to Arwind Santos as he hit several three point shots as the game continues.

Meanwhile, Jared Dillinger led RP with 21 points, Arwind Santos had 16 and Asi Taulava, Aguilar and Cyrus Baguio each had 15 in the win which coach Yeng Guiao described as a “good way to prepare against Japan and Korea.”

Coach Yeng Guiao was very impressed on his player’s performance. “The real test for us is Japan and Korea. We’re looking forward to playing against them in the next two days,” said Guiao.

The Nationals schedule to clash with the Japanese tomorrow (Friday) at 9 p.m PST.

The scores:

Team Pilipinas 115 – Dillinger 21, Santos 16, Taulava 15, Aguilar 15, Baguio 15, Thoss 11, Norwood 8, Helterbrand 5, Miller 5, Raymundo 4, Pennisi 0.

Sri Lanka 31 – Rajapakshe 8, Fernando 8, Danawansa 7, Senanayake 4, De Silva 2, Perera 2.

Quarterscores: 28-9; 44-17; 86-26; 115-31.

In college, before he went to the United States, he played for the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 2004. However, his first season stint was cut short due to appendicitis.

Japeth bounced back from a disappointing first season on his sophomore year as he averaged 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per contest to help lead the Blue Eagles to an 11-5 finish in 2005. He got a high 55.4 percent shot from the field for the season and he was credited with multiple blocks in 12 of the Blue Eagles’ 16 games that included a career high of seven as well as two other contest with five or more.

On his junior year, Japeth transferred to Western Kentucky University, where he is currently seeing action with the Hilltoppers in the NCAA. He was able to post eight points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and two steals in just 32 minutes of action in 2 games, before being sidelined by injury.

Recently, Aguilar is a member of the Philippine National Team, the Powerade Team Pilipinas campaigning for the FIBA Asia as it, the team attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Fresh from winning NBA championship against Orlando Magic, Bryant and reigning pound-for-pound king Pacquiao recently met during a commercial shoot for Nike in Los Angeles.

Bryant admits that they have great bonding with our own boxing icon hero Manny Pacquiao. It’s definitely not because they share the same sports apparel brand but both of them has a heart of a champion, a winning attitude and dedication to their respective sport.

“I love him,” Bryant said of Pacquiao during Tuesday’s press conference for his 2009 Asia Tour: Philippines for Nike in Makati City. Meanwhile, Manny was all praises and accolades for the LA Lakers superstar on his return from the commercial shoot, admiring Bryant’s humility and warmth while declaring his self as a Laker fan though he rooted for the Celtics before.

However for Bryant, the feeling is mutual. “I enjoy being around with people who are just as competitive, who have the same passion and work ethic,” the “Black Mamba” said. “It’s an honor to meet him because you can tell by watching him perform when he boxes that he truly loves the sport and I have the tremendous amount of respect for him. I wish him all the best.”

Now a “Pacfan” himself, Bryant would love to see Pacquiao clash with Miguel Cotto live on November 14 – if only his tight schedule would allow.

“I’ve never seen him fight in person but if I don’t have a game in his next fight, I’ll be there,” he said.

Asking about what he feels in Pacquiao’s chances against Cotto, Bryant said: “Manny Pacquiao all the way. I think it’s not even a question” to the applause of everyone in the ballroom.

The Nationals started strong in the few minutes of first quarter and only trailed by two points 17-15 at the end of this quarter. It has been a very close game until Jordanian’s 6-4 point guard Rasheim Wright started to play a tremendous game in both offense and defense by cutting the Nationals’ defense in shreds, setting screens that set up their outside shots clearly breaking Team Pilipinas’ man-to-man defense.

He was the same player who terrorized Chot Reyes’ RP team during the 24th FIBA Asia Olympic qualifier in Tokushima, Japan two years ago. It ended the Philippines’ bid of qualifying in the 2008 Beijing Olympics following an 84-76 victory in the preliminary round of the 24th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship.

Powerade Team Pilipinas players have difficulty to set up their momentum in this game. They trailed by as many as 79-45 halfway into the fourth quarter.

“We have to learn how to beat this team if we hope to make the Turkey tournament (World Championship),” said RP team coach Yeng Guiao, who hinted of a major adjustment when the team returns.

In other opening day games, Lebanon, with the veteran Fadih El-Khatib outscored Taiwan-B, 93-61, while South Korea, which is bracketed with the Philippines, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A in the FIBA Asia tournament, edged Kazakhstan, 75-73, despite getting out rebounded by 42-32.

“This game could have gone either way. Both teams played well kaya kahit sino deserving manalo,” said San Miguel head coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“To be honest, we’re not getting any breaks from the referees,” said an obviously disgusted San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen. “Ganun talaga pag kalaban mo ang Ginebra. I’m not taking anything away from them, but that’s the reality and we have to deal with it.”

“We just gave up too many offensive rebounds,” said Gin Kings coach Jong Uichico, who 22 points each from Noel and Jayjay Helterbrand.

Game 5 will be played on Monday after the league decided to take a two-day playing date break because of the unavailability of the Big Dome. No games will be played on their normal schedule on Friday and Sunday. If the series stretches into a Game 6 and 7, both these matches will be played on July 15 and July 17, respectively, at Araneta Coliseum.

Picking up from where they left off in their game against the Coca-Cola Tigers last Dec. 28, the Beermen made it 3-0 over the Express in their head-on duels in the conference.

It’s Sta. Lucia versus Rain or Shine in the opener and San Miguel against Ginebra for the main game at the start of the best-of-three quarterfinals showdowns Wednesday in the same venue.

“Great players make great plays. Yung mga players ko ang nagpadali ng panalo namin,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen on their conquest of the Express.

Air21 became the fourth team brought out in the all-Filipino tourney after Red Bull, Purefoods and, Coca-Cola. The Express are coming back in the Fiesta Conference playing under the Burger King banner.

Smb”s Lordy Tugade, Dondon Hontiveros, Bonbon Custodio, Danny Seigle and Dorian Pena all fired out in double figures as the Beermen eased out the Express with a torrid shooting.
“I know we’re not expected to be here (wildcard round). But there’s reason for everything and I think God has reason in bringing us here. Going into the quarters, we’ll be a better team after going through the wildcard. We’ll be more confident,” said Tanquingcen.

“Ginebra’s a tough team whether Mark (Caguioa) is there or not. But I’m not taking anything away from my team. We’re coming out and making the best we can,” Tanquingcen added.
Tugade and Hontiveros have 18 points each, Custodio and Seigle added 16 apiece while Pena had 12 as the SMB easily negated Gary David’s 31-point explosion.
Arwind Santos and Don Allado were the two other Express who put in double-digit outputs with the former making 20 and the latter 12.

With a flawless game, the Beermen established control in the second quarter and kept the Express at bay the rest of the way.

Seigle had been hot, having made 10 points when hit by Santos’ wayward elbow opening a one-inch wide cut on his right cheekbone midway through the second period.
The two teams figured in a highly physical contest from the onset with Wynne Arboleda being called an offensive infraction for swinging the ball hard on defender
Tugade late in the first half.Tugade took over from Seigle in the second period, knocking in a triple, a twinner and three charities to help the Beermen get a 48-41 spread at the half.

Custodio, Pena, Hontiveros and Olsen Racela also had significant numbers as the Beermen seized control after engaging the Express in two deadlocks and eight lead changes.
David made 17 points, three rebounds and two assists in the first 24 minutes of play for the Express. (NC)

The scores:San Miguel 105 – Tugade 18, Hontiveros 18, Custodio 16, Seigle 16, Pena 12, Washington 9, Racela 5, Pingris 4, Pennisi 4, Calaguio 3, Baguion 0.

Air21 86 – David 31, Santos 20, Allado 12, Arboleda 7, Baguio 5, Quinahan 4, Cruz 3, Kramer 2, Billones 2, Intal 0, Canaleta 0, Cruz 0.

Quarterscores: 25-23, 48-41, 75-64, 105-86

La Salle followed rival Ateneo in the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Championship finals after whooping a 62-61 comeback win over reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association champion San Beda in their semifinal match on Saturday at the arena in San Juan City.

JV Casio scored seven of his crucial 11 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Green Archers recover from a horrendous first half.

Casio, La Salle’s top guard playing for Toyota Otis in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), went scoreless but scored the pivotal basket off a Peejay Barua steal near midcourt with 6.6 seconds left in the clock.

This win gives La Salle a second chance of getting back at Ateneo, who swept them in the UAAP finals this year.

Ateneo will defend its PCC title against La Salle in the national basketball tournament finals on Monday, December 8, at 4 p.m. held at the Araneta Coliseum after the battle for third place featuring NCAA rivals San Beda and Letran at 2 p.m.

Salvacion’s outside sniping, four straight for 12 points, in the final canto helped keep the Tigers at bay and secure the Kings’ third straight win.

Coke rallied from 21 points down in the first half and threatened at 56-55, on a Ronjay Enrile three-pointer with 10:35 left in the game clock.

Salvacion saved Ginebra from Coke’s scorching comeback firing two straight threes to make it 62-57 to keep Kings out of harms way, 9:42 in the clock.

Salvacion stopped Coca-Cola’s momentum in two more occasions, scoring a trey from a Ronald Tubid crosscourt pass, 67-62, 6:27 to go, then another one six seconds before the two-minute zone, 79-70.

“I think both teams shot poorly in the first half,” Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said. “Coke then made their shots in the second. But we sustained our defense and we hit big shots and that was how we kept our lead.”

Ginebra improved to an even 6-6 standing, forcing a five-way tie with Air 21, Rain or Shine, Sta. Lucia, and Talk N’ Text. Coke fell to 5-8 mark.

Bucking bad shooting from both camps, the Kings led by 21, 28-7, from a Ronald Tubid three-pointer, 7:07 left in the second quarter. Coke had a horrible shooting day and did not made a field for nearly 15 minutes before Asi Taulava converted on an inside basket, 4:27 left in the second period.

Tubid topped all scorers with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Salvacion threw in 21 points on a 5-of-12 three-point shooting along with six rebounds.

Mark Telan led Coke with 17 points while Taulava and Alex Cabagnot notched 16 and 13 markers. Ronjay Buenafe chipped in 10 more.

From 1975-2003, a season was usually composed of three conferences. From the 1993 season, the conferences were named All Filipino, Commissioner’s Cup, and Governors Cup, usually ending in a best-of-7 Finals series match wherein the winner takes the Conference Cup. If the same team wins all of the conferences, the team is said to be the “Grand Slam” champion. A draft was held on January.

In the year 2004, former commissioner Noli Eala introduced drastic changes to the season calendar. He reduced the number of conferences from three to two and changed the start of the season from February to October, so that the league can accommodate international tournaments that were frequently held from June to September. Another reason for the change in schedule was the popularity of college hoops, the NCAA and the UAAP, whose basketball season runs from June to October each year.

The first tournament is the Philippine Cup, which is held from October to February the following year, where only locals are allowed to play. The second tournament is the Fiesta Conference held from March to July, teams are allowed to field one foreign player called an “import”. The Philippine Cup is identical to the All-Filipino Conference of the previous seasons. The rookie draft is now usually held every August.

All franchises are owned by corporations, and are not based on a geographic locale, therefore they do not play in a “home stadium” and the league per se rents the different stadiums in which the teams play.

A team’s name is often divided into three parts; the first is the company name, then the product (can be omitted or merged with the next part), and a nickname – usually connected to the business of the company. The company name rarely changes – it can only change if the franchise is sold or if the mother company transfers the operations of the franchise into another subsidiary. The product name and the nickname often changes, as companies would maximize the publicity the league gives to its products.

SMB’s center scored  a season high 18 points which nine of them scored  in the fourth quarter  and shot 5-of-8 from three-point land while Jay Washington had seven in the payoff period as San Miguel tied Alaska for the lead going into the preliminaries’ final nine games.

“We didn’t expect this game to be this close, but we did not take them for granted,” said San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen. “We’re thankful to be tied for the lead at this point. But I think we could do better.”

Meanwhile, Dondon Hontiveros, Lordy Tugade, and Wesley Gonzales each contributed 12 points for the Beermen, whose only two losses in the first round of eliminations came from underdog Red Bull and Alaska, the team they will face next.

“Based on the last two games we played, and based on their (Aces) last three games, I think we could find ourselves in the wrong end of the stick. So we just have to make sure we do the proper adjustments,” said Tanquingcen.

Coca-Cola suffered its sixth defeat in nine games, and the loss was the first back-to-back for Coach Kenneth Duremdes since taking over from Binky Favis.

The Tigers are now at solo 10th spot.

Alex Cabagnot, the man who nearly turned the Tigers’ fate around in the fourth quarter, co-led with hard-working Mark Telan in scoring for the ball club with 14 a piece. Nic Belasco had 12 while Cesar Catli contributed 11 and Ricky Calimag had 10.

Asi Taulava was held to a conference low five points as the 2003 MVP only took three attempts.