Barakos Even Series Against Phone Pals, 2-2

Import James Penny of Red Bull dunked the ball late in the fourth quarter to even the best of seven series score, 2-2, against Talk and Text Phone Pals. It was an awkward looking dunk coming from deep in the right lane of the basketball court.
Penny however made it appear beautiful with his right hand reaching the ring after passing through defender JJ Sullinger in an almost effortless fashion.

It came at the right moment as it halted the rampage Phone Pals has brewed late, led by Mac Cardona and Sullinger. They've found their rhythm and attempted to bounce back from the game, scoring 20 points for the Filipino and a huge 40 points for the import. But this wasn't enough to contain the big cushion Barakos has created before halftime.

The exclamation point sealed the win for Barakos, 111-104 at the end game.

The semifinals between the two will be decided in the next two games and a possible third.

Step One to Tim Cone's Fear

In the ongoing Fiesta Conference in the country's professional basketball arena, four teams has emerged in the semis, who are now struggling it out in a best of seven series.

• Talk and Text Phone Pals Versus Red Bull Barakos
• Alaska Milkmen Versus San Miguel Beermen

This post is focused on the current situation of Tim Cone's team.

Having been able to accomplish a 2-0 lead in their raise to 4 wins duel, why is it that the coach of Alaska shows a low level of confidence? The loss last night I believe is a first step towards succumbing to the fear of these mighty milkmen. It can be remembered that they were once a great team in the 90's. I still remember the era of Johnny "The Flying A" Abarrientos, Bong Hawkins, Poch Juinio, Bolado, Jojo Lastimosa and the rest of the Milkmen who were able to bag several championships, including that great matchup against Sunkist Orange when Vergel Meneses can still voyage into the air. That year was a preparatory to their greatness into the decade.

In one of the previous conferences, Alaska has been in a similar situation when they are leading, one of which was already 3-1, and eventually lost the series. It can be regarded as traumatic and rule out any position wherein they will brag themselves assurances of winning the series and reaching the finals.

Last night, they drop the third game against the Beermen, 91-81 was the final score. Could this be the step one to repeating what happened in the past or they could face their fears and shrug any trauma of yesterday's lost?

Unity Cup Underway

Will the Batang Pier bag the grand slam or the Moneymen pass up for a tough challenge?
Forgive me for focusing too much on boxing lately, but, I am trying to absorb the euphoria of amateur basketball that is the PBL.
Philippine Basketball League showcases the future greats of Philippine basketball. And it is only in the creation of Pinoy Balls that I had the chance to watch out for these tournament, when all the majority of fans are watching PBA, and the NBA.
Right now, Harbour-Centre is leading (1-0) the Cebuana-Lhuillier Pera Padala in the best of five Unity Cup series that started last week.
Independence Day, June 12, game 2's tip off will commence at 3:30 pm, Manila time.
Watch out for Kenneth Bono, Doug Kramer and the rest of the Moneymen battles it out, as they hamper the winning momentum of Jason Castro, JC Intal and the Batang Pier cagers.

The Revenge Episode

Humberto Soto unleashes a shocking left hook.

Bobby Pacquiao humbly received it and kissed the Madison Square Garden canvass at the 7^th round.

His brother, Manny, was at the ring side at the start of the match in his support.

I was in the bus so I missed watching that fight.

Later on, the local Channel 2 showed video clips of Bobby losing.

Days before the fight, Manny was awarded Fighter of the Year by a group of American boxing writers.

It could have been a double celebration had Bobby win.

Instead, it made Manny furious and seeks to avenge his kin’s loss.

However, still, there is no confirmation as to who will be Pacman’s next opponent.

If it would be Humberto, I guess his mindset will be focused on revenge.

Now that’s a great next episode to watch out.

Stupid

Is Manny Pacquiao really afraid fighting Juan Manuel Marquez again in the boxing ring?

Yesterday, my favorite broadsheet quoted the WBC president saying that he is scared of facing the current super featherweight champ after declaring that Pacquiao formally denied through a letter, his gaining of the mandatory status in challenging Marquez.

Their last meeting was swarmed with controversies when the fight was decided a split draw, after Marquez was knocked down, three times in the first round. He managed though, to stay up until the last bell sounded. That failed Pacquiao to capture the title belt Marquez was currently holding that time, the WBA/IBF super bantamweight.

My take on the issue is this: Pacquiao is not scared. Actually, I’m not sure if there is anyone or anything he fears these days. He’s alleged to have his own private army as the news reports tell. He isn’t even afraid of any critics with regards to his nerve in singing, that’s why he basked into that career by launching his own music album. He even had his own concerts.

Declaring Pacquiao scared of Marquez or of anything or anyone is a little bit of an off shoot.

The news article cited further that Pacquiao has now three mistakes in his career.

1. Signing contracts with Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank
2. Losing in the political arena
3. Rejecting a bout against the current champion

Think about this, in any matter that involves signing a contract that would tie you up in certain conditions set in agreement between two parties, would you let yourself be in a situation where you’ll have to agree with two different parties of conflicting interest? Of course not! That is plain stupid.

Manny was reported having talks and plans of joining GBP, because last year, months prior Morales-Pacquiao II, his contract with Top Rank was about to expire. It was alleged that he even received a sum of money as a term of pre-payment for his supposed inking a deal with GBP. Then all of a sudden, he surprised everyone to have already closed a deal with Top Rank.

Think about this, if you’re studying engineering, would you be applying for a nursing job after you graduate? Of course not! That is simply stupid.

The boxer from GenSan was born from a poor family. He wasn’t able to finish high school. And he’s been into boxing since he was a young boy who fled his home and went to Manila to in search for a better life. He was once a baker boy and he showed us Filipinos how he rose from the pit of poverty with his pure boxing talent and raw power. Running for a congressional seat is clearly out of his league.

Lastly, I can’t think of any reason why he would deny an offer where he can show to the world that he’s the best pound for pound fighter (and not the Pretty Boy Mayweather) by facing just about any fighter, let Marquez feel his power once again and prove to the judges wrong about their 2004 match up ending in a split decision. Is he now a paycheck fighter looking for a bigger purse because he lost a lot last May elections? I am not sure.

But one thing is certain, these aren't really mistakes. These are results from very unwise decisions.

It's BOOM BOOM Time

~Photo Credits Goes to ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images~

I didn't have a ticket to Las Vegas neither a passport to present the airport guards for me to watch the World Awaits with "Boom Boom" battling "Rocky" in a square off that will determine who will be paired against the current division champion, Daniel Ponce DeLeon for a promising title bout.

Last Sunday, I can only scream at the top of my lungs witnessing Rey Bautista struggled a couple of times against Sergio Medina in a fight highly valuable for both boxers.

Battle of Zero Losses

It was a match of the undefeated. Rey, a native Boholano from Tagbilaran, sported an umblemished record of 22 wins, 0 losses, 17 KOs while Sergio "Rocky" Medina from Argentina was tucked in his wallet with 28 wins, 0 defeats and 16 KOs.

Channel 2 was the one who bought all the rights in showing the bout, featuring the main event between Mayweather Jr and Dela Hoya. As expected, it was packed with galores of advertisements twice or even thrice longer the duration than each round. Good thing I have with me a Sudoku puzzle to while away the commercials.

2-3-1

For majority of the Filipino fans who were glued on the tv sets, they may have observed a glitch on their tv screen. Round 2 was shown first before round 1, followed by round 3. I know I was dizzy the night before because of a couple of drinks with my kababata's, but I wasn't drunk the morning after. Maybe showing round 2 connotes to being channel 2 or number 2, that I can only guess. Somehow, that made the fight quite confusing on who's above and leading at the beginning of the match.

Since I highly regard Boom Boom to follow the footsteps of Pacquiao, and even better than him, I was quite rattled at the course of the fight. Medina is not a boxer you would take for granted. He did give Bautista, the fans and me, a chill on the nerves and spine.

Hardly a knock-out

I was expecting a knockout early in the rounds because Boom Boom is a power puncher. But it only came on the sixth round after a series of flurry exchanges. Bautista managed to corner Medina a couple of instances but the referee may have force Bautista lose his concentration. He persistenly warned Boom Boom to "go up" with his punches in the early rounds, even stopping Bautista in his tracks and finger point him like a kid who stole a candy in a candy store.

Round 5 came the deduction but instead of losing focus, a left uppercut in the 6th round made Medina scuffling backwards and knockdown was ruled. Although the replays showed a slightly different story, the punch seemed to have not clearly landed solidly on Medina's mestizo face.

I thought the referee was to stop the fight

Rocky fought back and rocked Boom Boom to his senses. An avalanche of punches came through him, and into the corner. The punches were drawn and received with a wide open face of Bautista. His right hand was on the ropes. Punches came like bullets of M-16, and his head gobbled back and forth. It appeared as though Boom Boom was helpless and the referee stopping the fight soon. However, referee instead came to the rescue and pulled a busy Rocky from annihilating Boom Boom in the corner and started the mandatory 8 count. It ruled there was a KO because he was clinging into the ropes. He struggled to keep standing in the rest of the round as Medina failed to close the round with another KO.

Date with Destiny

With the match looming to an end, Boom Boom finally end all worries by letting a solid right hook that shook Rocky down on his butt. The match was declared a UD with all three judges’ scores in favor of the Boholano.

Rey improved his record to 23-0-0 (17 KOs) and awarded a crack at the title belt against DeLeon who recently defeated Gerry Peñalosa. That’s a match worth waiting and I suggest he seriously train hard and further develop his power punch even more.

RP Team Replaces Hatfield with Villanueva

PDI reports the rewarding of Enrico Villanueva as the replacement for Rudy Hatfield in the roster of Team Pilipinas. PhilStar/Abs-CbnNews does the same thing.
Rudy is getting married and plans were already cooked up even before the national team was formed. Team Pilipinas is all set to compete on May 12-20 for the FIBA Asian Champions Cup which will be held in Tehran, Iran. The entry to the tournament was made possible after amateur team RP-Harbour Centre won the SEABA Champions Cup held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
So what's there to watch out for before the big tournament?
Set your celphone alarms and cancel your appointments on Tuesday evening, because a collection of PBA Fiesta Conference imports namely:

• Rod Neely of Ginebra,
• James Penny of Red Bull,
• Galen Young of San Miguel,
• Wayland White and Alex Compton of Welcoat,
• Marquin Chandler of Purefoods,
• Shawn Daniels of Air21,
• Rosell Ellis of Alaska,
• Jeff Varen of Coca-Cola,
• J.J. Salinger of Talk ‘N Text, and,
• Jamaal Williams of Sta. Lucia Realty

will test the core of Team Pilipinas. That's an exciting game to witness the national squad perform what they've been sweating out in their not-so-easy practices in and out of the country.