Why Smart Gilas won over Powerade...

Because of your numerous requests to blog about the Charity game, here it is. But first, let me thank all those who watched the Charity game LIVE at the Araneta and also at home. Of course, it would have been better if you were there live because your ticket purchase would have gone to the victims of the typhoons. Nevertheless, thank you for the support!

When we first heard that we will be playing the Powerade team, we were excited but at the same time somewhat unsure. We're a bunch of players who just finished college (some are still playing for their universities) who will be going up against the legends of Philippine basketball. Right away i thought about who i will be guarding, it was James Yap, a former MVP. I've always enjoyed watching him play. I admire his jumpshots and creativity in making baskets in almost every way. And then there was Willie Miller, Dillinger, Norwood and Baguio. Pretty star-studded.

The last time I played against an RP team was in 2007 when i was still playing for Ateneo. The RP team then was coached by Chot Reyes. We were blown-out by almost 40 points in two quarters. Not a very good memory.

Although it was a charity exhibition game, both teams surely wanted to win. The Gilas team wanted to make a statement that we can compete internationally and that we should be the ones competing abroad now that the Powerade team has served their duty in the last FIBA Asia Champions Cup in August. On the other hand, i'm sure the Powerade team wanted to prove that they are indeed the strongest team in the country today.

Obviously, Powerade didn't really have the chance to brush up on their plays because the players are all practicing with their mother squads in the PBA. Whereas in the Gilas team, at least 6 or 7 of us were able to train regularly for a few months now until the UAAP players (Ababou, Cawaling, Ramos) joined us just last week. But that's exactly the point of the Smart Gilas program: to come up with a national team that trains together all year round in preparation for international competitions.

I think the result of the game yesterday (for those who didn't watch, Gilas won by 29) just vindicates how important playing a team game is compared to doing it individually. I will admit that in terms of individual skill/technique, the Gilas players are still lagging behind to equal that of the Powerade players. One on one, i don't think JV Casio/Barocca can match up with Willie Miller. Cawaling, Ababou and I cannot match up one on one with James Yap either. All the more Ballesteros and Japeth cannot match up with Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss and Kirby Raymundo. The only reason why we were able to emerge victorious against them yesterday was because of the 'system' of Coach Rajko Toroman. Even defensively, there are strict rules to be followed. Offensively, there's a lot of movement going-on. Lots of screening, cutting and passing, all within the playbook of Coach T. I'm trying not to make it too technical for those who don't really follow basketball . But simply put, there's a strict system that we follow which entails a lot of discipline and paying attention to details. On the other side, Team Powerade had their own sets of plays, which i felt lacked the continuity and mastery. The plays were broken down and ended in a one on one situation. It's definitely no walk in the park for James Yap / Willie Miller to beat 5 players. At times, it broke down to a two-man game with ball screens and hand-offs. I think I heard Quinito Henson mention this as well when i watched the replay of the game, team game vs individual talent.

At the start of the game, we were a bit rusty and kind off starstruck with our opponents which led to many turnovers and bad shots. But slowly, we were able to get into the rhythm of the game.

I'm just very grateful to be given this chance to play under Coach T. What a learning experience!! Like what i said in a previous blog entry, i believe i made the best choice in this decision to play with Smart Gilas under Coach T. I cannot imagine myself playing under another coach or system at this moment. How i wish that Philippine basketball can evolve and adopt his European style and stop copying the NBA, so that we can be competitive internationally. Look how Lebanon, Jordan and Iran (which Coach T led to the Olympics) are now overtaking the old Asian powerhouses like Korea, Philippines, etc. Who would have thought that even China would be blown out by Iran in the Finals game of the FIBA Asia Championships? Sometimes, we just have to lower our pride and egos if we sincerely want to become better. Not necessarily in basketball, but in any facet of our lives.

This is just the beginning of our long journey towards 2011. Thank you to all those who continue to support RP Smart Gilas and I pray that the divisions will cease to exist in Philippine basketball that hinder our country from reaching its full potential.

Chris

Charity Game on Monday

The SBP (Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas), together with the PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA, is organizing a fund raiser basketball showdown this Monday, October 5 for the victims of Ondoy. There will be two games. First game at 5pm is between the UAAP/NCAA selection vs PBL/Liga Pilipinas selection. And the main game at 7pm is between the RP Powerade vs RP Smart Gilas. Of course, I will be playing in that game for the Smart Gilas team together with Japeth Aguilar, Marc Barocca, JV Casio, Dylan Ababou, CJ Giles, etc.

Tickets are priced at P200 Patron, P100 Lower Box and P50 Upper Box A. If you donate old shoes / slippers, you can get in for free and watch from Upper B / General Admissions area. All proceeds from ticket sales will be used for the victims of typhoon Ondoy. It's gonna be a great show so make sure that you'll be at the Araneta Coliseum this Monday. You'll be easing a lot of lives as well! :)

Chris

INFORMATION for Relief Operations

So many of our citizens are suffering and we CAN help. We SHOULD help in any way that we can, no matter how miniscule we think it is. You can donate extra food, clothes, medicines, slippers, blankets that you don't need at home. You can let others know of sites or centers that need relief / rescue. Most of all, PRAY!!

Here's a blog site that you can refer to for information: http://superbianca.blogspot.com/

Feel free to leave a comment in my blog or twitter (@chris_tiu) for more information you might want to share. Thanks!

God bless the Filipinos!

Chris

The Smart Choice

It's been more than a month since i last posted and so much has happened in so short a time. So many issues. We know of the Japeth, Marc Barocca and Jobe Nkemakolam issues. 2 out of 3 are current teammates in Gilas (although Japeth is unofficial) and 1 was a former Blue Eagle teammate. All of a sudden, Smart Gilas is back in the spotlight. After mutually agreeing that the Smart Gilas team will compete in the upcoming international competitions after the Powerade team's stint in Tianjin, now they want to review the by-laws of the SBP and push for another PBA-backed team. Then, a ban of Japeth to play in the PBA is the works. I'd rather not talk about these issues right now, but rather my experiences being part of the Smart Gilas team for more than half a year now.

We just completed a 2-day trip to Singapore to play against the Singapore Slingers composed of several American and Australian imports coupled with domestic players. We came out victorious by 3 points, could have been more if not for the lapses of the Singaporean referees. But that's always the case if you're playing a home team abroad. Surprisingly, there were more Filipinos than Singaporeans in the crowd. Thanks to al the Pinoys who came to support us!

It was a very short and tiring trip, but very fruitful indeed. Cj Giles, JV Casio, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, Magi Sison, Mark Barocca, Japeth Aguilar, Fil-Australians Sebastian Salinas and Matt Schmechtig, and myself made up the 10-man lineup. And guess who was assigned to be my roommate, the hottest man on the news Mark Barocca! We had a long and emotional chat. I was being very attentive and open-minded. I could feel his sincerity, disappointment and frustration. He was very open and candid, which made me realize that he was indeed a victim. I gave him a rosary and a St. Josemaria Escriva prayer card from my mom. He thanked me and he took out a St. Jude prayer booklet which he read before going to bed.

Going back to our trip, we arrived in Singapore on Tuesday around 3 in the afternoon. We arrived at our hotel around 330pm starving!! Because apparently you have to pay extra to be served lunch on the budget airline that we took (Oh, and also an additional $20 to be transferred to a bulkhead seat regardless if you're 5'0 or 6'10 like CJ and Japeth). We grabbed a quick bite and went straight to practice from 5 to 7pm. Mind you, it wasn't even a light practice. After dinner at a Chinese tea house, we were given the option to look around the city for a while with a curfew at 12. I stayed in because my body was shutting down. The following morning, we had breakfast all together as always at 9am. Then, at 12nn we went to the gym to shoot around and get familiar with the rim and the balls. Then back to the hotel for lunch and to rest. We left for the game at 6pm. The game lasted from 8 to 10pm. Thankfully we won and because it was CJ Giles' 24th birthday, we were allowed to check out the nightlife in Singapore but with a curfew because we had to leave for the airport at 4am. On our way home to the hotel, we were all getting anxious because if we were a minute late for curfew, we knew we were going to be in deep deep trouble! We made it on time, whew!

That's Coach Rajko Toroman for you. Discipline cannot be compromised. The Singapore trip, just like any other out of town trip, is no vacation. Every day, every hour is like clock work. Everybody eats together for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Like in Jakarta, you would see players from the other Asian countries coming in the dining hall one or two at a time, eating on their own. That's a no no for Coach T. There's no such thing as a day-off. If game time is still in the afternoon, there's always a shoot around session in the morning. Time for rest means no one leaves his hotel room. And if we have time to check out the city, we always go as a group. Reminds me of my college/high school team where everything is so disciplined and 'professional'. It may sound too rigid for some, but ironically, we have lots of fun traveling abroad as a team despite all that. I always look forward to out of town trips.

And that's what i love about this group. We're all about the same age and full of energy. Practices are always intense. Coach T himself is very intense in every single practice, more so during games. Sometimes we fear for his blood pressure. He is never ever late and there's no excuse for being late. He runs the drills himself while the assistant coaches support him, not the other way around like in many professional teams. He is extremely particular with the details and making the right decisions in every play offensively and defensively. He is a perfectionist.

I truly admire Coach T's dedication to the team, reminding me of my former coaches Norman and Sandy. When he took us to Serbia (his hometown) for 2 weeks of exhibition matches last April, he stayed with us in the hotel during our entire stay there despite his residence being just 10 minutes away. Even during our weights sessions, he would sit there for the entire 2 hours while we work out with our strength and conditioning coach. Some other coaches would probably use that time to take care of their other 'rackets'.

We are aware that there has been some resistance from the local basketball community regarding hiring a foreign coach to be the captain of the ship for the national team. Being under him for several months now, i have come to really appreciate the new system and tactical changes that he has introduced. For that and all the other things that i have mentioned earlier, i am truly grateful to be part of this experience, to be under his wing. I sincerely hope that more local coaches can humble themselves and try to learn this new European philosophy that Coach T has adopted rather than being so close-minded thinking that we already know it all. Maybe you're good enough locally, but outside is an entirely different competition. We always want to learn from the US style, but then again we must accept that we are not genetically gifted like them. This is a great opportunity for Philippine basketball to regain its rightful position in the international spectrum.

This is why i believe that i made the smart choice. Actually, i was more of lucky because i finished my collegiate career right at the perfect time while this new program is being developed. God just has His ways. If i had joined the PBA draft, i might have been disillusioned and my passion for the game might not be the same as it is right now. What better feeling it is to be playing the sport you love, traveling around the world, playing intensely with a special bunch of guys, and most importantly, playing for ONE goal - that is the Philippine flag. A goal that is not unique for the Gilas team, but one that is shared by the 90 million Filipinos all over the world.

Chris

P.S. Who can ever blame Japeth for making that same decision "to play for country"??

Pare, sobrang cheesy!

Here's my latest Greenwich TVC, together with some Blue Eagles and John Lloyd, featuring the Extreme Cheese Pizzas.... The Philly Cheese Steak pizza and The Extreme Cheese and Pepperoni Overload pizza :) The first time I tried it during our shoot, it was really delicious! We all loved it! Hope you'll like it too.

Last Saturday , I visited Naga for the first time. I was invited to be guest speaker for the BACS athletic meet or Bicol Association of Catholic Schools . Schools from all over Naga, Legazpi, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, etc., participated in the various sports and cultural competitions held at the Ateneo de Naga University. The sports events include basketball, volleyball and table tennis, while there were also singing and dancing competitions. Coincidentally, it happened to be the opening day of the intramurals of Ateneo de Naga as well.

I took the first flight out and was back in Manila by 5pm. We arrived before 7am and immediately checked out CWC in Cam Sur, where people go wakeboarding. Then, had a quick breakfast, did a radio interview and proceeded to Ateneo de Naga (ADNU) where i spoke briefly to the students. After which, there was supposedly a short photo-op and signing session but apparently it lasted longer than we all expected. It was really heartwarming to see all these young and fine supporters... mostly girls i have to say. Then , we had lunch with the Board of Trustees of ADNU, who happened to have a meeting there that day too. Then we proceeded to watch the championship game between ADNU and Aquinas University of Legazpi. ADNU won that game with a huge margin, thanks to a very supportive and active homecourt crowd. It was a short but very fulfilling trip!

I want to thank the organizers for inviting me and making all the necessary arrangements. Everything was very organized. The reception i received was amazing. I didn't expect the students to be so energetic and friendly. It made me feel so lucky to have played for a university with such a big fan base in Bicol. To all the Bicolanos who happen to come across this blog page of mine, thank you for making my visit to Naga such a memorable one! Looking forward to seeing you again some time soon :)

Chris

Ateneo vs La Salle Part 2 (08/16/09)

Another win for the Blue Eagles today and this time much more convincing! I was calm throughout the game and enjoying myself. No tense moments. Finally the Blue Eagles made the right adjustments and totally controlled the game.

First, they attacked La Salle's press and got lots of easy points, unlike in the first game where they were quite passive. They were driving and dishing to the open men (mostly Ryan and Eric). Shooting was excellent today. Rabeh didn't have to bleed for his points, because most of them were easy baskets thanks to the beautiful assists coming from the guards, most especially Eric Salamat. Ateneo's defense was excellent, taking away the strengths of La Salle. It was clear that they studied the video tapes and the tendencies of each player. Great scouting. I think Rabeh played his best defensive game with 3 blocks. Prior to this game, he only averaged 0.4 blocks despite being the biggest player in the league playing lots of minutes. I think Eman Monfort and Jai Reyes might even be able to surpass that! Because of Ateneo's ability to make stops, La Salle could not set up its press as much and force errors. Also, we took care of the ball and took away La Salle's easy fast break points. Lastly, the boys were having fun in the court and it was very evident. They played as a team and everything was just flowing naturally. Great game! But still a long season ahead.

I love this picture by Aly Yap! Checking papers in an Ateneo-La Salle game... amazing! Only the legendary Fr. Dacanay can hack it. Good news for the Fr. Dacanay students :)

Ateneo vs La Salle (08/09/09)

When I received a text message saying that the 2nd round Ateneo-La Salle game would be this Sunday, i couldn't believe it. We haven't even gotten over the high of that wonderful nerve-racking game. I have to admit that i did get stressed out watching from the sidelines. My heart was beating fast and i can't help wanting to just get inside the court, not exactly to play, but more so to give tips and reminders to the Blue Eagles. There were so many lapses. Here are some of my insights about the game.

From the opening tip, I could see that the Archers were more fired up. I'm not saying that they wanted the win MORE, because there's always no need for any motivation when facing your arch rivals. The archers also came out with a lot of confidence, especially from their rookies and sophomores. The veterans were actually missing in action. They were getting too many easy points on the fast break, partly because of the terrible transition defense of the eagles. On the other hand, Ateneo was bleeding for every point, with Eric having to craft all kinds of crazy shots. La Salle's defense was excellent. They pressured the ball very well like always and they clog the middle and closed out on the shooters quite well. They were able to do so partly because of the lack of movement in the offense of ateneo which is centered on Rabeh. I felt that Jai and Ryan could have created more for the big men by penetrating deep into the defense of La salle and giving Ateneo easy points. But only Eric was able to do so.

Moreover, Ateneo's players seemed more winded and fatigued towards the end of the game while the DLSU players still looked fresh. Maybe they're not as conditioned as La Salle? But I'd like to think it had to do with the longer stretches that Ateneo players have to play as compared to La Salle's short and quick rotation. Going back to defense, I felt that there was a lack of focus on defense. Normally, we scout individual tendencies of opponents before the actual game. So come game time, each player knows exactly how to defend whoever he is matched up against. Apparently, the eagles allowed an archer to have the game of his life. Not to take away anything from the guy, he played great. What i'm saying is that they could have limited his points if they defended correctly. I don't want to go into the technicals and reveal anything in this blog. Let's let the coaches take care of that in the drawing board.

Even if Ateneo prevailed in overtime, DLSU had made a statement that they're no pushover in this league! I guess they didn't have a go-to-guy (like a Casio or Maierhoffer) to provide the points when they needed it most down the stretch. Their young players showed great potential and that the teams in the UAAP will have to worry about them in the near future.

It was such a fun game to watch! More than that, it was symbolic. Both sides in yellow in commemoration of our nation's mother. Two beautiful prayers. Two rival teams but united in one cause. For me, it was even more special as i was able to watch it beside my two idols :)

I'll try to write more about my thoughts on Tita Cory soon. Ciao!



Chris