Some notes on the Ceres-Loyola match

Loyola defeated Ceres, 1-0, last Saturday during the Smart National Club Championships at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. Phil Younghusband scored in the 40^th minute to even up their head-to-head match up with Ceres at 1-1.

Loyola Meralco Sparks

CAÑAS, Joaquin Carlos #33

DEL ROSARIO, Anton Edward #4

DORLAS, Bongbong Roxy #11

GREATWICH, Simon Clive #8

HARTMANN, Matthew James #3

LEE, Joo Young #47

MALLARI, Edward #5

MITTER, Adam Thomas #2

TRIGO, Tomas Angel #26 (GK)

YOUNGHUSBAND, James Joseph #7 (CAPT)

YOUNGHUSBAND, Philip James #10

Matt Hartmann is the longest serving Sparks player on this squad. Loaded with veteran national players and solid foreigners. Improved defense. 

Ceres - La Salle

BAGUIORO, J #10

CASAS, Louie Michael #25 (GK)

CHRISTIAENS, Jeffrey #28

GALLARDO VALDES, Adrian #9

KAMA, Valentine #45

KIM, Sang Min #26 (CAPT)

OKUNAIYA, Oladipo Babsola #18

OTT, Manuel #8

PASINABO, Arnie Jr. #16

SABIO, Jason Abbott #3

SON, Yong Chan #2

I’ve said this before, wish they’d drop the La Salle tag. This is not a La Salle Bacolod team anymore. The only one with green roots is Arnie Pasinabo and J. Baguioro. Hasn’t been for a while now. It’s as faux as the Sparks and its Loyola tag or Green Archers United. It’s a pro team with its transplanted Global and Kaya players and national team vets. But it is solid. And it’s always a treat to watch Louie Casas back at goal.

J Baguioro is the only one in their starting lineup that came up from their champion U-23 team.

There’s a possibility these two teams will clash again in the finals. Looking forward to that match up.

On giving nicknames to national teams: What's in a name?

What’s in a name?

by rick olivares

I know for a fact that the Philippine Olympic Committee is quite unhappy with the nicknaming of the men’s and women’s national volleyball teams “Bagwis” (feather) and “Amihan” (northeast monsoon). “Why cannot Philippines suffice?” asked aloud one official who swore to put a stop to this incessant nicknaming of national teams.

On one hand, I understand the concocting of nicknames for teams. This practice has been around since the dawn of the 20^th Century. Not everyone is happy about it too. When some of the Australian teams were called the “Kangaroos” or the “Wallabies” some quarters from the Land Down Under voiced their dissent and unhappiness. Some see it as a marketing tool. Some say it is downright silly when it should just be name of the country.

On the other hand, personally, I have mixed feelings. I think it’s fine except that since the football team was called “Azkals” everyone has tried to come up with nicknames with some like “Malditas” sounding downright terrible. You have had the senior and junior basketball teams going by “Gilas” and “Sinag” that have a spunky and nationalistic feel to them. However, at one point, some basketball officials thought of changing the name of “Sinag” but could not find anything appropriate.

With regards to the women’s volleyball team that has previously gone by the moniker “Bomberinas,” the beleaguered Philippine Volleyball Federation and their sponsor, PLDT, came up with the name “Amihan” for what is supposedly the new national squad. As cool as “Amihan” sounds, that season is characterized by moderate temperatures with little or no rainfall. I don’t think we want a team of moderate players.

As for the men’s team – maybe they could be light as a feather and fly through the air to smash some powerful spikes on opposing teams. It could conversely mean, they are lightweight if they bomb out.

In the past two years, I have only referred to the football team as “Philippines” but now that I have given it further thought, I now think it’s fine to alternate now between “Azkals” and “Philippines” when writing or mentioning them. It would be hypocritical for me to be against it but think that it’s fine to call their French counterparts by “Les Bleus.”

I believe the reason why some object to the name “Azkals” because it literally means “street dogs” and isn’t some of the national animal. Come to think of it, the national animal is the carabao (chosen for its industriousness and being the workhorse of an agricultural Philippines from a bygone era).

Whether the carabao or the street dog isn’t as regal as say, the American eagle, I think the aforementioned animals are very Filipino.

Having said that, I believe that the solution to this lies somewhere in between. It’s fine to have a nickname but it should be well thought out with no negative connotations and must be submitted for approval among duly appointed or recognized officials. While this sounds trivial and perhaps a waste of time, it is a touchy and sensitive topic.

And for the record, I dislike the name “Amihan.” It reminds me of this beer garden somewhere in the Timog area of Quezon City.

PBA Philippine Cup Finals: What I thought of Game 7

This appears on the PBA's website.

What I thought of Game 7

by rick olivares pic by nuki sabio

That was some Game 7.

San Miguel mounted a huge lead and true to form, Alaska mounted a scorching rally where they even led. The Aces looked like they were ready to wrap it up in the second half but the Beermen got a huge lift from an Arwind Santos triple and free throw. He also had some massive stops and rebounds. And of course, there were those two Chris Lutz free throws.

And this was the only match of the series to come down to the last shot.

Now having said that….

The Beermen kept leaving the window open for an Alaska comeback

The game was never wanting in drama. After Ronald Tubid pulled a Chris Webber and called for a non-existent time out, SMB was whistled for a technical foul but Alaska’s Dondon Hontiveros missed the freebie easing the pressure even if just a bit.

Alaska still had two chances to tie it and win it but Calvin Abueva muffed a floater and Jayvee Casio’s desperation open three missed.

Earlier, in the face of mounting pressure, SMB brought in Jeric Fortuna and Ronald Pascual late in the game. They were sent in to spell a breather for the Beermen’s starters who were tired from playing long minutes but maybe they should have sat much earlier so the subs didn’t have to come in at a crucial juncture. It’s all water under the bridge in hindsight but it still bears some studying because the two times this happened to SMB in this Finals series, it backfired. Luckily for them, they didn’t pay for it or else it would have been pointed out post-match.

Arwind Santos, when the spirit moves him, is one of the best two-way players in the league.

He stood Calvin Abueva and stared him back and didn’t blink. I remember when Santos was with still playing for FEU and he was just like Abueva minus the overt physicality. During one match with Ateneo, he was blocking shots left and right and yelling at Japeth Aguilar’s face (who at that time was playing for Ateneo). FEU won that match but in the second round meeting, Aguilar blocked Santos on consecutive possessions and put the snarl away from the prodigious Tamaraw.

The lesson? Play chill and let your game do the talking.

No one blocks Abueva more emphatically than Santos and while it didn’t deter the Aces’ star forward who knows no fear, his two monster blocks on his fellow Kapampangan galvanized the Beermen.

Early in the series, Santos scattered his points and like Alex Cabagnot didn’t factor much in the game. But by Game Two, Santos was the Beermen’s obvious best player who towed SMB to victory as some of his teammates faltered in the stretch.

Those amazing Alaska rallies sure are fun to watch

How many times did they launch those stirring rallies after being down by 20-plus points down? I have never seen anyone do that before and with such startling regularity. Their tone, set by Abueva, Ping Exciminiano, Vic Manuel (and before his injury, Gabby Espinas) was infectious. Even Dondon Hontiveros played with a physicality I have not seen before.

Two weeks prior to the start of the Philippine Cup, the Aces went two-a-days in practices. It was tiring but they never complained. The defense, which was given to Louie Alas (didn’t Alaska’s defense remind you of his Letran teams), was to be their blueprint and a stark departure from the offensive schemes of the triangle. And true enough, their spunk and college-like game set them apart from other teams.

So what happened at the half?

Compton reminded the team to “do what you do” and that is to not run away from their offense and defense.

Of course, they will have to watch hours of tape to look for common denominators when they fell apart in the first half. There is the opinion that they expended so much energy in the rally that come crunch time they made crucial mistakes.

But they played some incredible basketball and along with the Beermen’s resiliency, it made for a great series.

Who is holding serve in Philippine volleyball? The National Team Part Two

This appears in the Tuesday, January 20, 2015 edition of the Business Mirror.

Who is holding serve in Philippine volleyball?

The National Team Part Two

by rick olivares

When Rachel Anne Daquis shed tears during the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association meeting at Shakey’s Malate late last year, she cited the ongoing row between factions within the Philippine Volleyball Federation as having an effect on team morale. Michelle Datuin, the former La Salle star and now one of the national team managers said that she was worried that the problems might scare away potential sponsors or even their current sponsor, PLDT Home Fibr.

While I feel bad for Daquis and understand Datuin’s concern, I must chide those volleyball officials who trotted the players and managers out in front of media to make their thoughts known.

That leads me to wonder if these officials are sending the – for lack of a better term -- “young ones” to fight their battles.

In the light of the Philippine Olympic Committee calling for new tryouts thus nullifying the PVF’s putting up a national pool, from what I understand, there are fears among some of the national players about being removed from the team. I also understand that there are concerns about some players who were not previously invited to the tryouts because of politics.

And that’s sad. While we lament politics pervading every aspect of human interaction, there’s that tired saying, “Kahit saan naman meron.” However, that is not an excuse. It boils down to a failure of leadership with the players – some who do not know any better and are being misled -- caught in the middle.

First of all, why should the players be afraid? Whatever happens, there will be a national team that will compete. I also know some well-placed quarters within the community have also said to not rock the boat further and use the team currently in place.

When I asked POC’s Joey Romasanta about this, he said that there is no national team yet precisely because no one has been named to it. It follows for every sport in the country. There are players in the pool but as for the final line-up, there’s none yet.”

He also said that the lineup will be named come this March.

Now the PVF has been in turmoil for the longest time. From problems with the leadership to the unaccounted money given by international federations to inactivity. Really, what has the PVF done? Since the PVF rose from the ashes of the old Philippine Amateur Volleyball Association in 2005, nothing has happened.

The V-League that has long carried the torch for women’s volleyball operated for 11 years without any sanction of the national sports association. It only finally got that sanction in October of 2014 after they needed FIVB sanction due to their fielding of foreign players.

The national team has not participated in any Southeast Asian Games tilt since 2005 (where the girls finished with a bronze) or in Asian Championships from 2005 until last 2013 where it finished 12^th (among 16 participating nations).

I emailed the Asian Volleyball Confederation about the problems of the Philippines and the answer from the federation’s Executive Vice President Shanrit Wongprasert is telling.

Thank you very much for your interest but AVC and FIVB (but we) will not get involved with any internal conflict of our affiliated federations. FIVB and AVC shall respect the decision of each National Olympic Committee but until now there is no official letter to the President of AVC and FIVB concerning the new Board of Administration. FIVB and AVC will recognize when the internal conflict has been solved and send the names of the new Board of Administration for recognition.

For your information, I am not the person who can make decisions or can answer you. Only FIVB and AVC Presidents with the decision of FIVB and AVC Board of Administration Meeting can answer the question, like this. Your good understanding to my answer will be very highly appreciated.

The email from the EVP of the AVC tells of the problems with the leadership. It was they who intimated to the POC about the problems with the local leadership and the lack of transparency in an email letter dated May 2013! It has been that long.

And therefore, in the interest of fairness to the embattled PVF, I must also ask the POC why hasn’t this matter been resolved? Why is it taking this long? In my opinion, everyone should hash or resolve this in a matter of days. Invite everyone and anyone who is involved with this sport in some sort of “unity congress.” Bring out your paperwork to prove your legality or whatever. There should be no room for interpretation, conjecture, rhetoric, saber-rattling or hearsay. Stick to facts and paperwork and move on from this.

It is sad to see this happening in what I will say is the second major sport in the country now after basketball.

Hopefully, there is light at the end of this tunnel. And hopefully, we all see it real soon.

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Additional Reading (click on the link)

Who's holding serve in Philippine volleyball? Part One: Legality