SOLID PUREFOODS BARKADA

We want to Congratulate the SOLID PUREFOODS BARKADA for a successful meeting held at glorietta, we also want to congratulate leah camacho for being voted as president, idolnicap for the position of secretary, and other personality who was voted also. We Hope the next meeting will be much bigger. PUREFOODS ROCKS!

Please visit our forum.. you can post your pictures there, i hope to see the pictures of your meeting..

Guys, we need all your support. Please contribute some articles, updates, interviews and pictures of our team. If you have meetings or you want to advertise something please email us the data and we will post it. BTW, you can give a comment or reaction for each posted news, just click the comment box after the article you want to comment.

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CHATTERBOX: PLS REFRAIN FROM USING OFFENSIVE WORDS. THANK YOU AND ENJOY CHATTING!
NEWS AND UPDATES

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

WITH KEY PLAYERS BACK, PUREFOODS APPEARS SOLID

If it ain’t broke, why fix it? – Gregorio
Wednesday, 10 October 2007

Gone: Jun Limpot, Paul Artadi
Gain: Chico Lanete, Ardy Larong,
Mainstays: James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Roger Yap, Mark Pingris, Romel Adducul, Jondan Salvador, Rey Evangelista, Noy Castillo, June Simon, Richard Yee
PUREFOODS is looking more like the Philippine Cup champion team of the 2005-06 season. Kerby Raymundo is back to rekindle his explosive partnership with 2005 Most Valuable Player (MVP) James Yap and Mark Pingris and Jondan Salvador are looking fit once more. Roger Yap and June Simon remain solid fixtures in the backcourt while Noy Castillo and Rey Evangelista were each given extensions for another tour of duty.

Raymundo, Yap and the rest of the gang were the very same ones who piloted the Giants to the Philippine Cup title over Red Bull in 2006. The Giants failed to defend their crown, however, as Pingris, the 2006 Philippine Cup Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year who played a key role in their championship run, was sidelined by an injury. "If it ain't broke why fix it," said young Purefoods mentor Ryan Gregorio. Keeping the core of their young team, the Giants let go of veteran big man Jun Limpot and traded away backup point guard Paul Artadi. They then acquired Chico Lanete, a former Lyceum hotshot, in the free agent market to boost the Giants' guard rotation. Purefoods also landed rookie Ardy Larong, a hard-nosed defender who is bound to make life difficult for opposing teams’ scorers.

Gregorio expects Romel Adducul to finally blossom under the Giants after playing backup for years with Ginebra and San Miguel. The Purefoods coach said Adducul's presence inside would somehow ease the load off Raymundo’s shoulders. "Romel will definitely play a major role in his first full season with Purefoods," said Gregorio of the former San Sebastian standout whom the Giants acquired via a trade from the Beermen. So far, Gregorio's decision not to tinker with their lineup had borne positive results as the Giants ruled the PBA Pre-Season Tournament by beating Magnolia in the championship match. (DBC)

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TEAM HISTORY

By: Twistedhoops

The All Filipino conference is Purefoods’ domain. From its inception in 1988 up to 1994, the Hotdogs made the All-Filipino finals a record 7 times. No other team in history, even powerhouses Crispa and Toyota, and present day teams Alaska and San Miguel could duplicate the Hotdogs’ string of consecutive All Filipino finals appearance. The heart and soul of the team were Glenn Capacio, Alvin Patrimonio and Jerry Codinera. Together, they made Purefoods a very formidable team. Alvin Patrimonio was on pace to becoming the league’s marquee big man and he sealed that billing by signing a 5-year, 25 million peso offer sheet from Purefoods to become to league’s highest paid player. Capacio and Codinera made their mark on the defensive and made life easier for Patrimonio with their heady plays down the stretch. The partnership would be broken in 1999 when Purefoods traded Jerry Codinera to Mobiline for Andy Seigle. Glenn Capacio would also be traded to Shell afterwards.

The team is also home to several of the great coaching minds in PBA history. Legendary Crispa head coach Baby Dalupan gave the team its first championship in 1990. Derrick Pumaren, Eric Altamirano and Ely Capacio coached the team during its yesteryears and made a good account of themselves. Coach Chot Reyes was many-time recipient of the Coach of the Year award. Present coach Ryan Gregorio has twice been named as Coach of the Year. It was in coach Ryan Gregorio’s tenure that the team suffered one of its worst and best performance of all time. In 2002, the team made the first step towards its rebuilding efforts by dealing for Red Bull’s Kerby Raymundo. The second step was drafting PBA MVP James Yap in 2004. Finally, the rebuilding efforts would touch down with several trades that gave the team Jean Marc Pingris and Roger Yap. The foursome would lead Purefoods to its fourth All Filipino crown in the 2005-06 season.

Review of the 2006-07 Season:

Philippine Cup:
The ghost of the 2004-05 season haunted the Giants anew. Injuries wrecked the entire season for the team that was coming off a successful 2005-06 campaign wherein they figured in two finals stints. Marc Pingris, the 2005-06 Defensive Player of the Year and the man who played an instrumental role in the Giants’ twin championship march last season, was lost to an injury in game 2 of their quarterfinals match-up with Talk N Text and along with it killed their chances of repeating as champs of the Philippine Cup. Without their lone anchor on the defensive end, the undersized and severely undermanned Giants fell prey to the overpowering talent of the Phonepals in five games.

Fiesta Cup:
The Giants changed their team monicker to TJ Giants but it still did not change the fortunes of the team. They started out on the wrong foot losing their key personnel and import to injuries. Without Jun Limpot and Marc Pingris (both injured) and Kerby Raymundo (named to the national team), they were easy pickings for the PBA’s “bigger” teams. Original import Marquin Chandler, the 2005-06 Fiesta Cup Best Import awardee, missed the team’s first three games due to an injury and his temporary replacement Jesse King, who posted quite respectable numbers of 20.67ppg and 12.67rpg in three games couldn’t bring a win to the Giants. Luckily, James Yap and Peter June Simon had a huge conference as they took turns in leading the Giants’ offensive attack. Peter June Simon averaged a career-high 12.06ppg in 17 games, highlighted by a 31-point explosion in one of their games in the Fiesta Cup. James Yap rekindled his MVP form pacing all locals in scoring with a 24.06 ppg average. Marquin Chandler‘s game, noticeably, has been affected by the lack of support in the middle for Purefoods. Playing out of position at center at times, he still had respectable averages of 29.07 ppg, 13.73 rpg, 4.33 apg, and 1.13 bpg but couldn’t led the Giants past the quarterfinals. They lost to Coca Cola 100-97 in their final game of the season to bow out of the conference.

Biggest Blunders
In 1988 All-Filipino Conference finals against Anejo Rhum, Purefoods, although only with a one conference experience in the PBA, was the favorite to bring home the crown what with the likes of super rookies Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera and Jojo Lastimosa, veterans Ramon Fernandez and other ex-Tanduay stalwarts providing enough firepower to the rookie team. Only one game turned the season around for the Hotdogs. One bad game. It was Game 1 of the championship. El Presidente couldn’t get his game going and rookies Patrimonio and Codinera were left to carry the show for the beleaguered Hotdogs. Purefoods President Rene Buhain accused Fernandez of fixing the game and ordered him benched for the rest of the series. Fernandez cried foul and took his act to court. Without their leader and playing coach, Purefoods lost the series to Anejo Rhum 1-3. They traded Fernandez to San Miguel Beer the following conference for Abet Guidaben who was then the early MVP leader. This was the second time both veterans were traded for each other. Both times, Guidaben would lose his chance of an MVP plum after leading the race. A visibly frustrated Guidaben played lacklusterly for Purefoods and they wound up last in the Third Conference. Fernandez took home the MVP award, his fourth and Guidaben, well, was a free agent at season end and signed up with Alaska Milk. Fernandez gave SMB a grand slam the following year falling just short of a fifth MVP. So for Fernandez, Purefoods asked for only a conference of Abet Guidaben. They should have asked for at least a first round pick. Benjie Paras turned pro a conference later after making that controversial trade.
NICE TO KNOW ARTICLES

Seven habits of highly successful cage team

By Bill Velasco

To pass or not to pass, that is the question.

Thus goes the first chapter of a lengthy treatise by San Miguel Beer and Ginebra skills coach Kirk Collier. Collier, whose latest success story is Larry Turner, the 6’11” rookie center of the Los Angeles Lakers, is a passionate purist for the sport.

“No matter what team sport one plays, be it soccer, volleyball, ice hockey or basketball passing is one of the most effective, efficient and productive weapons that can be used to put players into scoring position. We have all heard basketball coaches scream emphatically at players during practice and during games ‘pass the ball, the defense can’t run faster than the ball can be passed’,”Collier notes.

“Why is it so hard for most basketball players to give up the ball and why do so many basketball players feel that they must have the ball in their hands in order to make an offensive contribution?”

Collier, who conducted basketball camps in the US before being imported here by Red Bull, provides a conceptual framework for basketball, which he feels players today have already forgotten.

“Players should not equate scoring with offense. Scoring is not offense, it’s the culminating activity of offense. The great architects of this magnificent game we call basketball designed the pass as a method of advancing or moving the ball into better scoring, but in the today’s modern game of basketball from a western vantage that principle has been lost.

Collier says that passing is a highly skilled craft, and is not accorded the time and effort required to master it.

“If one ever watched or participated in a soccer, ice hockey or volleyball practice, one would undoubtedly notice that a large percentage of the offensive practice time is allotted for passing. But if you have ever participated in or watched a United States influenced basketball practice you would observe that only a small percentage of the practice time – if any at all – is allocated for passing.

“I’ve always found it hard to understand why in volleyball, a team sport where players are only allowed a maximum number of two passes before they must try to score almost always utilize those two passes as opposed to basketball, which is also a team sport but where players are allowed an unlimited number of passes,” Collier continues. “Basketball players rarely use the pass to set up the shot. This concept of play ultimately results in poor team rhythm, bad shots and a low field goal percentage.”

Collier observed that Korean and European players are known to be great shooters, but if you analyze the Korean and European styles of basketball, it’s not that they are great shooters, as much as they get great shots because of great passing.

According to his research, basketball teams win 80 percent or more of games wherein they create 24 or more assists. He surmises that the goal of offense should not be to score. The goal of offense should be to create effective, efficient and consistent scoring opportunities via assists.

“When an offense is characterized by great passing it is thing of beauty to watch,” Collier elaborates. “All five players are happy and in rhythm because their appetite and desire to touch the ball is being fed. The shooters get shots in open spaces, with enough time to score.”

On the other hand, bad shots have a profoundly negative effect on a team’s offensive and defensive efficiency, because they lower the team’s shooting percentage and they result in easy fastbreak opportunities for the defense. When the ball slows down the defense is allowed to slow down and slowing down the defense allows the defense to rest and reset, gives them time to make reads and allows the offside defense to sit in the land and protect the route to the basket.

One stat that Collier suggests teams make is what he calls “passes per possession” or 3p count.“There is a direct positive correlation between the number of passes a team makes before they attempt a shot, the number of assists they create, their field goal percentage and their winning percentage,” he explains.

“Using the recently completed FIBA Asian Basketball Championships which is the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a case study, there were 60 games played during the tournament and four of the 60 games ended with both teams accumulating the same number of assists. Of the remaining 56 games, the teams which created more assists won 42 times and the team which created less assists only won 14 times.”

“With seventy-five percent of the games being won by the team that created the most assists, it becomes overwhelmingly clear that the higher the number of points a team scores via assist, the higher percentage chance they have of winning.”

That’s why Coach Kirk is planning a book on great offense. And passing is only Chapter One.

All time draft's best bargains and steals

By: Twistedhoops


Teams make a steal out of a draft when they get a player who was not thought of highly in the draft but eventually makes a solid contribution to the team or someone who slips down because of questions arising from his rawness, perceived lack of position in the pros, and others simply because teams drafting ahead have exercised a need. I have compiled a list of players who belongs to this category. Please check it out below:


Bal David – Pinoy basketball fans in the late 90s remember Ginebra’s Mutt and Jeff combo of Marlou Aquino and Bal David. They were an exciting pair who propped up Ginebra’s renaissance late in the decade. While Aquino was the 1996 PBA Draft’s top pick, David was a rookie free agent acquisition from the amateur ranks. He toiled in the PBL when Swift left him unsigned after getting picked fifth in the third round (21st overall) of the 1995 PBA Draft. He immediately proved he was ready for the pro game, and his energy on the court revitalized the whole Ginebra team in the years to come.


Jun Marzan (25th overall, fourth round 1994 PBA Draft) – Marzan was not your typical player. He was known as a role player, capable of putting the handcuffs on opposing team’s best offensive threats and he was good at them, earning several all-defensive team mentions. He could also contribute on the offensive end but it is on defense and on shackling opponents which has been his trademark in the pros. In his solid 11-year pro career with San Miguel and Shell, he averaged only 3.8ppg in 386 games but former Shell coaches knew he was as valuable to the team as their superstars. In the 1994 PBA draft, Marzan was not as highly regarded as he was during his stint in the pros. He was picked second to the last, right before FEU’s Arnold Padaong.


Larry Fonacier – he was still recovering from an ACL injury prior to the draft. He did not attend pre-draft camps. Nobody knew if he was ready for the pro league. Seven teams (including Red Bull at number 9) passed up on him until Red Bull plucked him with the fifth pick in the second round, 14th overall, of the 2005 PBA Draft. He did not disappoint the team and would eventually win the ROY award at season’s end.


Jimmy Alapag – so how can a first pick be considered a steal? Well, I guess, if he slips so far out in the draft and nine teams passed up on you, you’ll be considered a draft steal. People remember Jimmy Alapag as the smallish Fil-am guard who tried out for a spot on the RP national team in 2004 (he did not make the cut). With big men teeming in a very deep draft and with teams unsure if he can overcome his lack of size and experience in RP brand of play, he slipped all the way down to the bottom of the first round (10th overall) of the 2003 PBA Draft to the waiting hands of the Talk N Text Phonepals. The pick wasn’t even originally from the Phonepals. Talk N Text made a deal with Alaska to obtain the draft rights in exchange for swingman Don Camaso. That was a steal.


Enrico Villanueva - After all the fuss about Villanueva being amateur basketball’s next great player, he fared poorly in the pre-draft camp getting beat by an undersized Fil-am prospect by the name of Harvey Carey. Carey took Villanueva's spot on the draft - fourth overall after the consensus top 3 of Mike Cortez, Rommel Adducul and Eddie Laure. Villanueva, on the other hand, fell all the way down to seventh spot where Red Bull gladly welcomed him in. In just two short years with the Barakos, he became the face of the franchise, winning the Most Improved Player plum in 2004 and Best Player of the Conference in 2005, and a spot on the Mythical team.


Other draft bargains were:
Ronald Tubid (16th overall, second round 2003 PBA Draft)Jeffrey Cariaso (6th overall, first round 1995 PBA Draft)Carlo Sharma (12th overall, second round 2004 PBA Draft)Renren Ritualo (8th overall, first round 2002 PBA Draft)Celino Cruz (19th overall, third round 2002 PBA Draft)Rodericko Racela (10th overall, second round 1993 PBA Draft)Freddie Abuda (13th overall, second round 1993 PBA Draft)Bonel Balingit (14th overall, second round 1993 PBA Draft)Renato Agustin (12th overall, second round 1989 PBA Draft)Leo Austria (11th overall, fifth round 1985 PBA Draft)


TOP TEN: PBA'S DRAFT BIGGEST FLOPS

By Sydman

Let’s go back to the yesteryears and reminisce the players that SHOULD have been stars but turned out to be DUDS!
The criteria: 1. Was a first round pick 2. Was an MVP in the NCAA, UAAP, and PBL or was a popular go-to-guy during their pre-PBA days. 3. Was a draft pick – not a direct hire import or a PBL upload (drafted by Tanduay, Red Bull, or any expansion team)

THE TOP TEN ARE AS FOLLOWS. (active players like Feihl and Hrabak are not included)

10. REUBEN DELA ROSA / FORWARD - Selected 3rd Pick Overall by Purefoods in the 1996 Draft (picked ahead of him was Marlou Aquino by Ginebra and Rodney Santos also by Purefoods)

CREDENTIALS: Was a former NCAA top guy for Mapua. Played for various national teams, but his biggest claim to fame was he was part of Stag Pale Pilsen’s starting five that captured a rare PBL grand slam. His teammates then included Aquino, Bal David, Paul Du, Mark Telan (playing Marlou’s backup), and Jason Webb.

WHAT HAPPENED: Then PBA version of Darko Milicic (the unsuccessful version it seems). Purefoods was overloaded with talent. Add the fact that he’s too small for being a PF (at 6’3) and too heavy for the SG/SF spot. Technically he played in the league for 2 seasons; he is best remembered for winning the slam dunk title in 1997 despite being on the reserve list all season for Purefoods. In 1998 he “jumped” and he enjoyed star status in the MBA becoming a fixture for the Manila Metrostars and the Negros Slashers until the league folded in 2002. He could have become a great slasher/sixth man if he had been taken by another team.

STATS: 1 SEASON (1996): 2.6 POINTS IN 41 GAMES (PUREFOODS)

9. ANASTACIO “ROBIN” MENDOZA / GUARD - Selected 2nd Pick Overall by Ginebra in the 1999 Draft (pick was later traded to TNT. First pick was “Fil-Sham” Sonny Alvarado)CREDENTIALS: Started out as a bellboy, he clawed his way up to become Nic Jorge’s backcourt general in FEU where they won a championship. He also had championships in the PBL with Red Bull/Agfa and ANA Distilled Water.

WHAT HAPPENED: This was the draft where PBA Teams had direct hire local talents (one reason why Don Allado was picked 8th). He couldn’t claw his way out of the bench. He was released by the Phone Pals after one season and played for Sta. Lucia briefly. Last seen in the NBL owning the court against out-of-shape and mediocre players.

STATS: 2 SEASONS (1999-2000): 1.4 POINTS IN 38 GAMES (TNT, STA)

8. ROEL BUENAVENTURA / CENTER - Selected 4th Pick Overall by Pop Cola in the 1999 Draft

CREDENTIALS: As the star center for the UE Warriors, he led the university to a Final Four stint and he won championships with the PBL’s ANA Water Team.

WHAT HAPPENED: Just like Mendoza, he was direct hire local and just like Mendoza, he tanked. He was too raw for the PBA and he looked helpless battling against Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, and even Joel Dualan. Released by Pop and briefly played for Red Bull. Just like Mendoza, he was last seen playing in the NBL but unlike Mendoza, his butt is getting kicked by out-of-shape and mediocre players.

STATS: 2 SEASONS (1999-2000): 1.4 POINTS 1.8 REBOUNDS IN 27 GAMES (POP, RED)

7. PETER “APET” JAO / GUARD - Selected 1st Pick Overall by Presto in the 1990 Draft

CREDENTIALS: Led PABL’s M. Lhuiller (PABL is now the PBL) to a championship and was a former captain of the 1989 SEA Games National Team.

WHAT HAPPENED: He played well in his first 2 seasons despite limited touches due mainly to superstar and future Hall of Famer Allan Caidic. Then came 1992 – The year Vergel Meneses showed up in the PBA (more on this later). His minutes were less and eventually he suffered a wide array of injuries. Though Caidic left for SMB in 1993, and Meneses went to Sunkist six months later, Jao’s game has vastly decreased. His 6’1 frame had the distinction of getting blocked by the 5’8 Hector Calma while unloading a 3-point shot.

STATS: 5 SEASONS (1990-94): 6.8 POINTS IN 189 GAMES (PRE, STA)

6. BRIXTER ENCARNATION / GUARD - Selected 4th Pick Overall by Pop Cola in the 1998 Draft

CREDENTIALS: A 6’4 long range bomber, He played Robin for Romel Adducul’s Batman in San Sebastian’s 5-peat campaign. He also played for PBL’s Chowking.

WHAT HAPPENED: He had the horrible route that Jao, Kenneth Duremdes and Renren Ritualo, among others, had to go through – playing the same position as Vergel Meneses. With Meneses getting the most minutes and ball touches, he put it respectable numbers playing sparingly as a rookie. Eventually he was traded to Alaska and then was shipped to Shell, a team with fewer stars then. He played inconsistently and surprisingly he wound up to Welcoat in the PBL. He last played for the Olongapo Volunteers of the about-to-die MBA.

STATS: 3 SEASONS (1998-2000): 5.6 POINTS IN 88 GAMES (POP, SHE)

THE BREAK: Perhaps the first player to break the Vergel Meneses jinx was the time when Meneses was playing for Ginebra and during the Finals, then-rookie Mark Caguioa opened up a can of whoop-ass every time he comes in the court.

5. JASON WEBB / GUARD - Selected 3rd Pick Overall by Sta. Lucia in the 1997 Draft (picked ahead were Andy Seigle and Nic Belasco)

CREDENTIALS: A national player, played for the Stag Grand Slam Team (eventually became Tanduay), and was responsible for the successive second-place finishes by the DLSU Green Archers. He is the son of former senator, actor and PBA player Freddie Webb.

WHAT HAPPENED: He was an offensive juggernaut during his amateur days. Sure, he had trouble bringing down the three’s but his sideshows are impressive. Unfortunately for him Sta. Lucia needed a point guard. He became a good point and a good defender but his offense never made the PBA. He went to Tanduay coached by former mentor Alfrancis Chua but his offense still was nonexistent. He is now retired and working as a color commentator covering the PBA games.

STATS: 6 SEASONS (1997-2001, 2003): 3.2 POINTS 2.4 ASSISTS IN 274 GAMES (STA, TDY, and STA)

4. ALEX ARANETA / CENTER - Selected 1st Pick Overall by Alaska in the 1991 Draft (Rookie of the Year that season was teammate Eugene Quilban

CREDENTIALS: A 6’6 slotman from the Philips Sardines team in the PABL and is a former Ateneo Blue Eagle. Noted for his low post action and toughness in the shaded area, think of Rob Reyes but leaner.

WHAT HAPPENED: This Andrew Bogut-like player was injury-plagued throughout his PBA career. He also played sub-par. Just to make him feel at home Alaska traded Quilban to the Pepsi Franchise for former Ateneo teammate Jun Reyes but to no avail. He retired midway the 1995 season after discovering a heart condition.

STATS: 5 SEASONS (1991-95): 5.2 POINTS IN 194 GAMES (ALASKA)

3. SANTIAGO “SONNY” CABATU / CENTER - Selected 1st Pick (EVER) Overall by Shell in the 1985 Draft

CREDENTIALS: A former PABL MVP, led his team to multiple championships.

WHAT HAPPENED: He is the PBA’s first ever draft pick! His team, served as replacement for the disbandment of the legendary Crispa Redmanizers franchise has an adequate fan base. He has talent, skill, and defensive toughness that UNFORTUNATELY were useless during that era. PBA then had a fast-scoring, up-tempo, high-pace style of play. Imports lorded the scoring column and the pioneers are still in their primes. With an import, he played sparingly to Philip Cezar. And his stock decreased when despite the team also had Bernie Fabiosa and Bogs Adornado, his teammate Leo Austria played excellent ball and wound up as the Rookie of the Year. Cabatu struggled getting his offensive flare back and bounced from team to team. Except for a season in Ginebra where he had double-doubles, he never lived up to the hype as the first ever PBA draftee.

STATS: 12 SEASONS (1985-97): 6.2 POINTS 5.2 REBOUNDS IN 454 GAMES (SHE, PRE, PUR, SWIFT, GIN, PUR) – ACHIVEMENT AWARDS (1) – 1,000 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

2. JOHNEDEL CARDEL / GUARD - Selected 6th Pick Overall by Alaska in the 1993 Draft. The 1993 Draft 1st Round: 1) STA – ZANDRO LIMPOT; 2) GIN – VICTOR PABLO (traded to Pepsi); 3) ALA – JOHNNY ABARRIENTOS; 4) PUR – DWIGHT LAGO; 5) PUR – BENNY CHENG; 6) ALA – CARDEL; 7) POP – BOYET FERNANDEZ (traded to Sta. Lucia for Vergel Meneses, among others); 8.) ALA – DICKIE BACHMANN. Other notable selections: Second Round: Olsen Racela and Freddie Abuda to Purefoods.

CREDENTIALS: A high playing ace with charisma who played collegiate ball in DLSU and played under Derrick Pumaren and alongside Limpot and Bachmann in the PABL’s Magnolia team.

WHAT HAPPENED: Ever heard of settling in? He started out as an understudy of Jojo Lastimosa and then he got injured. He appeared briefly in Sta. Lucia and Shell where he played good but was never signed a long-term contract and then drifted to the MBA where he played for the Negros Slashers and the Olongapo Volunteers. Think of him as the league’s Jim Jackson. He has the talent to become a potential Hall of Famer if only one team could really trust him. When he played for the Negros Slashers he had the greatest years of his pro life. Despite playing in a second-rate pro league he was respected as a great player, unlike when he came to the PBA. Unlike John Ferriols, Dondon Hontiveros, and Peter June Simon who needed the MBA in order to get noticed, Cardel was a potential poster player who just needed a home.

STATS: 5 SEASONS (1993-1997): 5.8 POINTS IN 176 GAMES (ALA, STA, SHE)

1. THE CLASS OF 2000 - The weakest draft class in PBA history, despite taking consideration the fact that most of the stars wondered elsewhere (MBA). Paolo Mendoza was the lone bright spot in the draft that had the likes of FEU’s Marc Victoria going second, DLSU’s Dino Aldaguer going third, Letran’s Erwin Velez and UM’s Jun Carmona going fourth and fifth respectively. Now you might ask, “Who the fuck are they?” Victoria warmed the Pop Cola and Purefoods’ bench for a combined four years while Dino Aldaguer was signed one season by Alaska before jumping to the Negros Slashers in the MBA. Erwin Velez played 2 games in 2 years for Red Bull (technically he has been in the PBA for 4 years but he never played in his first 2 years) while Jun Carmona went back to the NBL after a lackluster stint in San Miguel. Other noted players in the draft were Glen Peter Yap and Egay Billones (who was picked up by Air21 in 2002 and is now playing in TnT)

WHAT HAPPENED: This was the time when the likes of Jayjay Helterbrand, Dondon Hontiveros, and Rudy Hatfield are jumping ship from the MBA to the PBA. With the influx of talent in the free agency and with the coming of Red Bull getting the five finest amateurs in the draft, the draft was seemingly empty. In the case of Aldeguer, he spelled his doom when he was unsigned by Purefoods, the team that picked him. For the other players, they were either not PBA material or just not right for the big leap forward.

STATS: MARC VICTORIA (selected 2nd Pick by Pop Cola) 4 SEASONS (2000-03): 1.3 POINTS AND 1.1 REBOUNDS IN 42 GAMES (POP, PUR) DINO ALDAGUER (selected 3rd by Purefoods, unsigned, then signed with Alaska) 1 SEASON (2000): 1.3 POINTS 0.6 REBOUNDS 0.4 ASSISTS IN 16 GAMES (ALASKA) ERWIN VELEZ (selected 4th by Red Bull) 2 SEASONS (2002-03): 2.0 POINTS JUN CARMONA (selected 5th by San Miguel) 3 SEASONS (2000-02): 1.3 POINTS 0.9 REBOUNDS IN 18 GAMES.