Let The Playoffs Begin.

A 4-5 record was not how we planned to end the elimination games. Thank God that we are in the playoffs though. In sports, you have to respect every opponent no matter what place they're in. Losing to the last place team was embarrassing because we have the most talent in the PBA. Defense is the key for us to to wen games in the playoffs. Our offensive firepower won't matter if we can't stop anyone. Working on our defensive rotations today in practice was a great start. Beating San Mig Coffee twice is not going to be easy but nothing in life is. The group of guys we have are up for the challenge and that's all that matters. With that being said……………………… Let the playoffs begin.

Battle For 4th Place

The game against Petron set the tone for how we'll play for the remainder of the Governor's Cup. We won't give up if opposing teams are on a run and we aren't scoring. Before the game Coach Luigi told us that Barako's starting guard wouldn't be playing. I knew then that it was going to be a tough battle. The most dangerous animal is a wounded one. They were ready from the start and we played from behind for 47 minutes. Mike Singeltary is a prolific scorer and showed up in a big game. I also commend Barako's coach for having a great game plan. They packed the paint due to our size advantage and it worked for them. That's until JVee showed up.

I've stated before that JVee Casio is my favorite player. I call him SA (Silent Assassin). His big shots are like payday, they come exactly wen you need it. Cyrus makes his points look effortless. My time with the Alaska family has been unforgettable.This wen was exactly what we needed before the playoffs begin. With that being said, on to flight Air21.

I Respect It.

I was raised in the bay area of California so I've had my share of hard times but being in the Philippines has changed my point of view of what a survivor is. If you were to walk into a mini mart there would be a child trying to sell you flowers. A cab ride can be uncomfortable wen there's a kid knocking on the window asking for money. If your looking at an item at a store there will be someone right by your side ready to take you to the register. My favorite place to be is green hills because of the culture and prices. I don't like that they over charge foreigners but I respect it. The physicality of the PBA translates off of the court because everyone is fighting for survival. 

Poor areas may look bad at first sight but if you really look you will see that it has to be a work of art to even be standing. I've stated before that I respect the physicality of the PBA but I respect the physicality of life off of the court even more.

Continuing To Improve.

At the end of everyday if you can look in the mirror and say that you got better, then you can go to sleep with a clear conscious. Last night we did exactly that against the first place team. The game was hard fought and went down to the final second. Look for us to play this way for the remainder of the conference. Teams will have to beat us opposed to us beating ourselves. Yes, we must improve on our turnovers but we will not lose games due to lack of effort. Everyone felt as though we took a step forward. Watch as we continue to improve.

Getting Better

First and foremost I want to apologize for the delayed update. We have played three games since the last time I've posted, losing to Meralco and San Mig Coffee but beating Talk and Text. The game against Meralco opened my eyes on how basketball is played here. I am used to a rough style of basketball because I admired how the Detroit Pistons played in the 1980's. Frustration can't describe my mental against Meralco. All in all It was a lesson learned and I will apply it to my future. With me being able to see how far the physicality can goe I wasn't surprised to see the Global Port and San Mig Coffee fight. I guess It's the culture here so I have no choice but to embrace it.

We're currently in 6th place with a 3-3 record. Tomorrow night is an opportunity for us to show who we really are against Petron who's in first place. Playing hard for four quarters is our goal. If we continue to focus on getting better theres a chance that we will peak at the right time. Look for us to get better tomorrow night.

What A Game

My teammates told me that tonight's game was going to be physical from the start and not to expect foul calls. They said "Ginebra's fans are loud but Gatas Republic have more heart". Dior Lowhorn (Ginebras Import)  whom I've known since the 9th grade played inspirational basketball tonight. Ginebra wanted to wen this game but we wanted it more.Unfortunately we almost gave it away due to a terrible third quater but even wen we were down with under 3 minutes left in regulation there was still a quiet confidence within the team. Thank Coach for not allowing anyone to panic, he kept his composure and we did the same. Cyrus and Calvin made two big three pointers late in the game. I enjoyed watching Calvin play tonight because he fed off the crowd. Ginebra's fans think they are distracting him by booing but they were doing to total opposite. He played great by scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and handing out 5 assist. That's MVP caliber numbers.

As an import I realize that the PBA is not about individually scoring the most points. It's about making the right plays in order to help your team wen. We played as a cohesive unit tonight especially during crunch time. After wenning a championship I'm sure Alaska expects to wen these types of games. I'm happy that we notched another victory as we continue to improve but before you go to sleep you have to think………. Next game.

The Battle Of Identities

After reading comments and mentions over the past two days I can tell that tomorrow is a big game.I won't be the one to guarantee a victory but I can say that we are focused. Coach Alex Compton talked with the team about integrity, which means to remain the same internally regardless of the circumstances externally. Alaska personifies integrity because wenning is the topic of most of our conversation. Ginebra is coming off a tough lost to Barako so we know that they're going to be ready to play. Ginebra places second in field goal percentage (offense) and we are second in opponents field goal percentage (defense). This game will be "The battle of Identities". I've heard that their fans are very intense so we will see how loud it gets. 

Alaska is the first team I've been on to have defense as it's identity. Of course I've been on teams with a lot of individual talent but we were not a cohesive unit on the defensive end. For the first time in my career basketball is equally as fun on both ends of the floor. Alaska is a professional organization where every player works to get better before and after practice with coaches. I am blessed to be apart of this team and accept their culture with open arms. Like I've said before I will not guarantee victory, I just want you to enjoy watching us fight for one another. See you tomorrow.