Coach Rajko Toroman's Team Pilipinas wins First China-Asean CBO tournament

Oh yes! The recently formed Team Pilipinas led by Rajko Toroman showed its potential by beating China 76-72 in the First China-Asean CBO invitational tournament. The Philippine contingent is composed of amateurs and college standouts showed enough skill to beat a team which some handles in interbasket forum said was a professional team in China (Lin Ning). So far no updates yet from Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas website but here is an account from gameface.ph:

Philippines won 76-72 according to Sports radio.... According to the text, we we're in control, we led all throughout the game by as much as 15 pts. China tied the game at the end, but the pinoy ballers showed their heart and poise at the end game.

The game result is confirmed by Xinhua

The team is composed of:
FEU’s Mac Baracael, Mark Baroca and JR Cawaling
UE’s Marcy Arellano
UP’s Martin Reyes and Magi Sison,
San Beda College’s Ogie Menor
UST’s Dylan Ababou,
UV's6-foot-11 slotman Greg Slaughter
Oklahoma City’s Terrel Theophile
Joey Deas of Rockhurst University in Kansas

Great news indeed! Man, I think new breed of Filipino basketball players are more gutsy than their predecessors. This is just the beginning. In fact, this SBP Team Pilipinas' line up isn't the strongest yet as players from Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines champion Ateneo and National Champion De La Salle aren't playing. The Team Pilipinas of the Future will only get stronger.

Where is Arvie Bringas going? UP, DLSU or ADMU?

Arvie Bringas, the talented high school standout from San Sebastian is reportedly the most sought after high school player nowadays. Schools are allegedly scampering to recruit Arvie to play for their school when he steps into college next year. The notable teams are from Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle and even UP. I read accounts that Arvie is already practicing with UP Maroons. I can't verify it though.Arvie Bringas did play well in the NCAA Juniors Championship, impressing the commentators with his build and agility. We will see whether the fuss about Arvie Bringas is justified when he plays college ball next year.

Speaking of Ateneo, if they get Arvie - the team will even be stronger - a potential dynasty in the making. Of all schools after Bringas, Ateneo De Manila's reportedly the favorite bet to get the young cager. However, a handle in Pinoyexchange.com said, Arvie Bringas has misgiving in joining the school for he doesn't want to play sidekick to Ryan Buenafe again. I don't discount Arvie playing for his school in college. Frankly speaking, it would be better for him to play in the UAAP where the competition is tougher and media publicity is high.

Terrence Gamble - Naturalized Player for Team Pilipinas?

Terrence Gamble
Position: Center
Height: 6-11
Weight: 260 lbs
College: Tarleton State University
Birthdate: September 25, 1983


This is the scouting report from tarletonsports.com:

2007-08
Showed promise as a big man underneath the basket... Has played organized basketball for only three seasons... Was a football star in high school...

2006-07
Started 18 of 28 games played, including the last 10 contests... Averaged 5.8 points and 5.5 rebounds as a junior... Had a .518 shooting percentage from the floor... Recorded two double-doubles, including a career-high 16 rebounds and 15 points against Texas-Permian Basin on Dec.. 18, 2006... Also scored 15 points against St. Mary’s (Dec. 29, 2006) and Texas A&M-Commerce (Jan. 4, 2007)... Also had 40 blocks, including four on three different occasions... Averaged 25:16 minutes per game...

Terrence Gamble is one of two players Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas is interested in including for the national team. Our national team needs a quick big man. No word yet on the other player. His appointment is not definite yet according to the news item from Manila Bulletin as Terence Gamble is to be evaluated by Coach Rajko Toroman and Toronto Raptor's Senior Director for Player Personnel Jim Kelly.

Gamble reportedly shattered a backboard in Mexico but it doesn't matter. Team Pilipinas needs a player that can jell with other national team players and can defend bigger guys like Yao Ming and Hadadi.

One glaring stat, Terrence Gamble averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds in his last year in college. In his third year just 5.8 rebounds! He is 6-11 but his rebounding skills is bad or he is lazy in fighting for the ball. Because of our players lack of height (makes one wonder why play this game where height is might) we need a rebounder and Gamble stats doesn't inspire confidence. His attitude however is different according to the Inquirer, he willing to be naturalized and play for our country. In addition, Terrence Gamble's age isn't a problem. He'll be 28 by 2011 Fiba-Asia Men's Championship.

Hopefully by tomorrow, we will know the other prospect so we could make an assessment on who should be included for Team Pilipinas. This is for fun of course as the final decision belongs to Coach Toroman. Other people take these things seriously. Get a life. I enjoy talking about basketball and will continue to do so.

If you want more of Terrence Gamble, here is his highlight video

Mac Cardona wants to play for Team Pilipinas

In what many people consider as a statement game, Mac Cardona scored 42 points and was unstoppable against Red Bull, leading his team (Talk n Text) to a 103 - 93 victory.

"I think I deserve to be in the National Team. I admire coach Yeng for his ability to motivate his players. I hope he’ll reconsider me because I really want to play and represent the country. Players don’t get the opportunity to play for the RP team everyday" Mac Cardona told the press.

This is great! While there are players willing to get out of the National Team commitment, I'm glad Mac Cardona is of different mold. I believe most young Filipino basketball players are gung ho in representing the country unlike some cagers in the 90s. This is not just my observation. Knowledgeable basketball fans will agree with me. Hey even Chot Reyes share my sentiment.

"It’s a very healthy attitude. It’s good that we have players willing to serve the country, unlike before na parang wala ng gustong maglaro for the RP team,” Reyes told Philstar.com

I know one player who got a lecture from Coach Jong Uichico back in 2001 for asking about allowance ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRAINING instead of concentrating on practice. His teammate from their mother team sympathized with him, in effect siding with the wrong doer. They were never invited for national team duties again. I hope there are more players like Mac Cardona (who not only stated his intention but displayed it on the court).

It doesn't mean the PHILIPPINE Basketball Association shares the same nationalistic fervor as Mac Cardona. The PBA will stop donning the national colors after 2010 since it is not their responsibility to do so. It is like saying it is not the English Premier League's job to represent England in the World Cup or the Euro (not Generals).

Mac Cardona's weakness according to fans is his weak defense which they say will be a huge liability against international teams. He has short period of time to work on it and show Yeng Guiao, he is really serious in joining the national team. The ball is in Mac Cardona's hands.

Mac Cardona

Nickname: Captain Hook
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
College: De La Salle University
Year Drafted: 2005 by Fedex
Achievements (so far): 2007 Best Player of the Conference Fiesta Conference
Weapon: Tear drop shot once mastered like Tony Parker could be hard to block in international competitions

This guy is a leader and scorer.

The Fountain of Youth is in China Part 2: 22 Chinese Players Birth Years Adjusted

Further alleged proof that the fountain of youth is in China is a report that 22 Chinese Basketball professionals' birth years were adjusted! As if it was that simple. We all know the reason why they do it. Even the "slovenly" record keeping excuse won't fly here. Obviously, their records are maintained properly. At least this time, Chinese players didn't shrink lol.

Below is the name, club, old birth year and new birth year of the 22 players whose birth years changed.


1. Tang Zhengdong Jiangsu 1984 1982
2. Hu Xuefeng Jiangsu 1982 1980
3. Yi Li Jiangsu 1987 1985
4. Han Shuo Jiangsu 1989 1986
5. Fang Hui Jiangsu 1986 1982
6. Meng Da Jiangsu 1984 1982
7. Lu Wei Liaoning 1987 1985
8. Gu Liye Liaoning 1986 1985
9. Yang Ming Liaoning 1987 1985
10.Zhang Qingpeng Liaoning 1985 1981
11.Liu Xiangtao Liaoning 1983 1980
12.Xu Guochong Xinjiang 1983 1981
13.Mai Wulan Xinjiang 1983 1984
14.Lu Yan Jilin 1984 1981
15.Tian Yu Shaanxi 1980 1983
16.Yu Junkai Zhejiang Guangsha 1977 1976
17.Du Feng Guangdong 1981 1982
18.Zhang Bo Bayi 1986 1988
19.Men Wei Beijing 1987 1984
20.Zhang Yunsong Beijing 1977 1981
21.Ji Zhe Beijing 1986 1989
22.Li Yiding Qingdao 1984 1981

Who knows? Next year the power of the Fountain of Youth will strike again. This report comes from Arthur Volbert - a Chinese basketball writer for Asia-basket.com.

Here's a part of his article:

The birth years of 22 CBA players changed between this year and last year. Jiangsu and Liaoning appear to have corrected the ages of a whole group of players...

For Jiangsu, Tang Zhengdong went from being born in 1984 to 1982, confirming longtime rumors than he was older than his listed age. Others who became older were Han Shuo, Yi Li, Hu Xuefeng, Meng Da and Fang Hui.

For other teams, there are the normal ups and downs with ages that happens in China. Guangdong's Du Feng, a member of the National Team, went from being born in 1981 to being born in 1982. He keeps switching from one to the other and back, for some unfathomable reason. (Maybe, he returned to his mother's womb for a year-mine.)

Beijing's Zhang Yunsong, a former member of the National Team, went from being born in 1977 to being born in 1981. He too keeps switching back and forth between the two birth years. Again the logic of this is unknown.

Source

Mr.Volbert is maybe being diplomatic since the reward for nosy foreigners is deportation. Whatever their reasons are we can't blame other people perception of China as age cheats. I wonder just how many in the so-called Chinese U-18 team are actually 18?

Toroman's Team Pilipinas Tryouts Today; Ray "Bobby" Parks

Team Pilipinas of the future under Coach Rajko Toroman is conducting tryouts today.

Tryouts schedule:
November 15 5-9 pm Xavier Gym
November 17, 20, & 21 at Philsports Arena

No. of Aspirants: 35
Notables: Nonoy Baclao, Rabeh Al-Husseini, & Gregory Slaughter.

Slaughter was out of shape the first time he attended Toroman's session although the Serbian is still hopeful of the young center.

Eala said Toroman was upbeat with Slaughter, a 6-11 center from the University of Visayas. “We’re thinking of bringing Greg to a strength and conditioning coach,” Eala told the Philippine Star

Some of the Team Pilipinas aspirants were already mentioned in this blog. Noli Eala also expressed intention of recruiting Bobby Parks' son Ray to the National Team.

Just how good is Ray "Bobby" Parks Jr..read the scouting report:

Ray "Bobby" Parks Jr. (St. George's)

My goodness what a player. His ability to use his strong build and exceptional ball-handling skills made him a dangerous player to attempt to guard. He drives right by bigger defenders and overpowers the little fellas and usually finishes with something crowd pleasing. He showed a toughness on defense and looks to make a name on the national stage before too long.

Source

Ray "Bobby" Parks Jr.'s skills attracted the attention of US college recruiters. There are people in the Philippines who wants the guy to play college ball in the Philippines - a sure way for his skills to deteriorate if you've seen local college leagues. I would rather see him in US NCAA.

Height: 6-4
Weight: 185 lbs
School: St. George Academy

Espn scouting report:
December, 2007: Great bloodlines and skill are the attributes for this youngster. Raised overseas his offensive skills are way ahead of his defensive abilities so his progress will be gradual. He can score inside with ease and has a nice outside stroke.

Team Pilipinas List of Tournaments

Here are the tournaments the Yeng Guiao coached Team Pilipinas will participate:

SEABA (who on earth they think will play for them in this tournament, I had an impression they would like some squad to play for them so the PBA season won't be interrupted. But I'm glad they would play since it's almost automatic qualification. There were fears other squads might not be good enough to win the SEABA.)

Jones Cup 2009 (Didn't the Taipei organizers insult the Filipinos this year? Why play in this tournament? It's time to teach the Taiwanese a lesson!!!)

A possible pocket tournament in the Middle East

Another Manila Invitational

News reports say Japeth Aguilar might try out for the team next year.

Due to time constraints this is all I can write about at the moment. I'll keep you guys posted. The preparation is wanting as far as I'm concerned. I wish they could've done more. Who wants to see Team Pilipinas lose because of lack of preparation anyway?

Official Team Pilipinas lineup

According to Philstar, Team Pilipinas Basketball lineup will be officially announced tomorrow. Players expected to make it in PBA-powered Team Pilipinas are the following:

Asi Taulava
Mick Pennisi
Kerby Raymundo
Kelly William
Gabe Norwood
Jayjay Helterbrand
James Yap
Ranidel de Ocampo
Willie Miller
Cyrus Baguio
Ryan Reyes
Arwind Santos
Sonny Thoss
Jared Dillinger

Many people were wondering why Jimmy Alapag didn't make the Team Pilipinas lineup. I will discuss that hopefully tomorrow.

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Basketballpilipinas is one year old!!!

Yes, this blog is one year old! I will continue to blog the latest Team Pilipinas news. It is just I'm very busy this past week. Thank you for continued support.

See the post below, I will let it be so I won't forget next year! LOL

OCTOBER 22 BLOG'S ANNIVERSARY!!!!

SBP's Team Pilipinas Prospects; 2008 CESAFI Basketball Finals

Rabeh Al-Hussaini

Nonoy Baclao
Chris Tiu
Ryan Buenafe
Ogie Menor
Jake Pascual
Nigerian Sam Ekwe
JR Sena
John Wilson
JV Casio
Rico Maierhofer
Peejay Barua
Jervy Cruz
Edwin Asoro
Arvie Bringas
RP youth dribblers Samuel Joseph Marata Jr.
Ryan Roose Garcia (performed well during the recent FIBA-Asia Youth Championship)
6-foot-11 Gregory Slaughter
6-foot-9 Junmar Fajardo
6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar
6-foot-11 Gian Tiu

These are the short-listed players mentioned in the Inquirer report today as Team Pilipinas' prospects and it came directly from Noli Eala, SBP executive director. The Cebuano basketball players invited by Toroman aren't on the list. Oh well, this isn't final anyway and nothing is definite yet. I'll keep you posted for any developments. The final list will be given to Coach Rajko Toroman for evaluation. Some of these players will represent the country in the 2010 Asian Games and 2011 FIBA-Asia Championship.

I think newspaper reports said Maierhoffer and Casio might turn pro next year after the UAAP championship disappointment this year. How will the SBP stop that? They already lost Kevin De La Pena to the PBA.

If PBA thinks it could escape the blame, then they are wrong. Just in case (God forbid) this SBP team fail to qualify for the London Olympics, people will still hit the PBA for being selfish with its players. All of us know the best players in the country are in the PBA and for them not to represent the country says something about the league. Some people will reason out that PBA is business. Yes, it is business I understand that but playing for the country is the best Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility ploy the league could ever do. Just imagine if a PBA-backed national team actually qualifies for the Olympics, it is a great honor for the league. After winning the World Cup in 1998, French Ligue experienced a surge in attendance and popularity not just in Marseille - the traditional stronghold of football in France.

2008 CESAFI BASKETBALL FINALS

University of Visayas Green Lancers defeated University of San Jose - Recoletos 86 - 74 to win the first game of the best of five CESAFI championship series yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum. Von Harry Lanete scored 14 points to lead the Green Lancers to victory.

GUIAO'S TEAM PILIPINAS PLAN: WILL THEY EVER LEARN?

Is this Team Pilipinas' theme song?

After making his feelings known towards Toroman, Coach Yeng Guiao has unveiled his plans for the PBA-backed Team Pilipinas.

1. Guiao will name all the players who made it to the national pool (his prospects - not yet the final list).
2. He will have a dialogue with his prospects to see if the player fits his system.
3. He required at least one naturalized player preferably 7-feet and above (What about Slaughter and Fajardo when will the powers-that-be use them?).
4. Shocking news: Full preparation will proceed after the PBA season. According to the Manila Bulletin, it means Team Pilipinas will have three months to train and familiarize themselves with international brand of play. This has happened before and nothing good ever came out. The PBA-led national team only succeeded in embarrassing themselves because of unfamiliarity with the rules and lack of teamwork. I thought they will train for at least a year.

Credits: Manila Bulletin

Will you look at that! It is okay to hire a foreign player but not a foreign coach.

With three months of training can they do it? I would have a different opinion if Team Pilipinas trained for a year. Are they underestimating their opponents? Geesh, they have not really learned from past mistakes.

Experts cite these two reasons why our national team doesn't fare well in FIBA competitions

1. unfamiliarity with rules and with each other
2. lack of team work

I don't think three months is enough to cure these inherent weakness of our team. They are repeating old habits which will ensure same results.

I don't pretend to be an expert but we have seen our teams do this before and end up with nothing. I was hoping for a different plan for Team Pilipinas but it didn't happen.

Frankly, I'm more excited with SBP-backed Team Pilipinas than this one.

SAN BEDA RED LIONS REVEAL SUDAN DANIEL

San Beda NCAA Season 84 Champions

San Beda College revealed its new basketball weapon - Sudan Daniel - a 6-8 American who had just completed his residency requirements at the school according to a report from the Philippine Star today. He will play for the Red Lions next year. His size and abilities has drawn comparison with Sam Ekwe who played his last season with San Beda this year.

“Sudan has a different type of game compared to Sam. Sam is real strong inside. I don’t think anyone in this league can stop him once he’s in the paint. With Sudan, you can expect outside shots. He has long arms and a great shot blocker,” Lim told the newspaper.

He is reportedly a slam dunker and has already dazzled the fans during the Fr. Martin Division II Cup. In fact, enthusiastic fans are already calling him "Super Dan".

Other NCAA schools don't want to be left behind are looking for foreigners to fill some spots. Jose Rizal University (this year's losing finalist to San Beda) is rumored to have recruited another African aside from Njei to boost their championship chances next year. However nothing is confirmed at the moment.

CESAFI BASKETBALL PLAYERS PICKED BY THE SERBIAN COACH

THESE ARE THE CEBUANO BALLERS WHO CAUGHT TOROMAN'S ATTENTION

CESAFI All-Stars vs. San Miguel Beermen

In addition to the Manila-based picks, these are the CESAFI players in Toroman's wish list.

Harry Von Lañete,
Chris Diputado
Chad Harlow Villanil
Luther Luke Justiniani
Emel Rowe
Gregory Slaughter
Junmar Fajardo

Other players were not named in the Sunstar report.

These players were invited to attend Toroman's three-day basketball workshop in Manila from which the cagers would get the chance to be selected in the national team pool. I use Cebuano loosely here for some players might be originally from Mindanao or other areas but Cebu-based I hope you don't mind.

I hope we could watch the scrimmages come November. Somebody cover it and upload to Youtube. Please!!!

As much as I would like to watch CESAFI I can't for all college basketball leagues covered are from Manila.

ANOTHER CEBUANO BASKETBALL GIANT; 2008 CESAFI FINAL FOUR RESULTS

Where do they get these giants (Slaughter is the other one)?



I got intrigued by the name Junmar Fajardo (University of Cebu Webmasters) as his name keeps popping up in news sites. I checked his credentials and boy talk about massive potential. I posted an article about him on the other site as I don't have much time. Coach Rajko Toroman will be going to Cebu soon to scout for more talents and I hope Junmar gets picked for the national pool. The poster in Philstar.com is correct - Toroman will be surprised at the height of the Southern Philippine players.

Wow, Cebu is really producing giants nowadays. I remember when Gregory Slaughter was new people in Youtube began bashing him as overhype and a joke. Now the guy developed into an unstoppable force even winning the MVP award in the CESAFI All-stars. Many doubters became believers. Still the question is when will Fajardo and Slaughter be picked for the national team? The answer I want to hear is either NOW or SOON (as players in Toroman's team).

If these big guys are trained properly, then there'll be no need for a naturalized player in our national team in the future (though we need one in the immediate term).

I'm also interested in 6-4 Emel Rowe the offensive weapon for the University of San Carlos Warriors. I've also heard a lot about this guy. I will feature him soon.

2008 CESAFI FINAL FOUR RESULTS

USJR (85) — Amores 16, Justiniani 15, Gudez 15, Ponce 11, Delfino 10, Pogoy 6, Gabas 4, Malinao 2, Villaver 2, Bibera 2, Pateño 2

UC (80) – Fajardo 30, Abella 16, Ramos 11, Quilantang 11, Pao 8, Luceño 4, Mohamad 3

UV (72) – Dennison 22, Lao 11, Diputado 10, Lanete 10, Slaughter 10, Cincoflores 4, Villanil 3

USC (52) – Rowe 11, Bautista 8, Cantonao 8, Padillo 7, Cortes 4, Bakker 4, Joven 4, Llanto 4

Credits: The Freeman

So it will UV and USJR in the CESAFI basketball finals. The best of five series will start on Wednesday at the Cebu Coliseum. Good luck on both teams!

RAJKO TOROMAN TO COACH TEAM PILIPINAS FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS

Toroman has no idea yet how basketball politics affect player choices here

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) hired Serbian Rajko Toroman to coach the Philippine national team to the 2012 London Olympics according to an article from the Philippine Star. The contract will take effect on October 15. His job is to handle the non-PBA national team and to assist in the development of local coaches. Coach Toroman will go to Cebu to scout for more talents. So far the opposition hasn't railed the decision at the moment.

Players

Rabeh Al-Hussaini
Nonoy Baclao
Chris Tiu
Ryan Buenafe
Rico Maierhofer
Jayvee Casio
Ogie Menor
Jake Pascual
Mark Sena
John Wilson
Arvie Bringas ( still in high school!)
Kelvin dela Peña

The PBA will stop representing the country after 2010 World Championship. So we will be the only basketball-loving country in the world whose professional league doesn't want to represent their country. I wonder if the NBA and the Euroleague players could represent their country why can't ours? The SBP was forced to use the Northern Cement type of preparation rather than the established norm WORLDWIDE in which a country's best players which are usually in the pro leagues play for their flag because of...you know the reason short-sighted leaders.

Manu Ginobili played for his country in the Olympics despite having an injury. He doesn't have to be told what to do. He knows his duty. The San Antonio Spurs tried to dissuade him but couldn't. In fact, it's a no-brainer for Ginobili. If he could play he will play for his flag.

I think the PBA should change its name to EBA (Entertainers Basketball Association) after 2010. What's the use of this league anyway? Yes to entertain! Then, they should stop using the country's name since they are already set on turning their backs away from representing this proud nation.

There are people who actually believe it's not the PBA's job to represent the country. With thinking such as this, no wonder our country's in the dumps.

The biggest problem now is how to keep these talented amateurs from turning pro and earn millions. Coach Toroman wanted Kevin De La Pena but the guy's is already with the Alaska Aces in the PBA so one talented player lost already because of this inane set-up. The players will sign a contract with SBP to continue their national service even when they are in the professional league. But what about the late bloomers (players who prospered later in the professional league but was missed out by SBP)? What should we do with these players? Just imagine if they could be the missing piece of our national team but can't play because they weren't part of the SBP pool of players?

So I have one more reason not to watch the PBA. I mean why would I watch a league which doesn't even want to be bothered representing the country? They know how important basketball is to the Filipino people but the league can't even share the players!

I'm sorry to the people involved in the PBA. I'm just airing out my grievances to this cold-hearted stance I hope you understand.

I do wish the next leader of the league has more sense of responsibility towards the country like Mr. Eala was. I love the PBA more back when he was Commissioner. He communicated to the Filipino people that the PBA cared about the country's honor. It was well-received. After the Tokushima stint and all the Team Pilipinas players were back to their mother teams the league experienced an upsurge in attendance because of their heroic performance in the FIBA-Asia tournament. Know we know Alapag, Helterbrand and Raymundo etc. are world-class players. I salute Mr. Eala. Thank you sir!

COACH YENG GUIAO'S LINE UP FOR TEAM PILIPINAS

Not Yet Final. Guiao's Wish List

Team Pilipinas previous games highlights

Here are some of the players Coach Yeng is seriously considering to include in the national team:

Mark Caguioa
Jayjay Helterbrand
Jimmy Alapag
Kelly Williams
Gabe Norwood
Willie Miller
James Yap
Cyrus Baguio
Ryan Reyes
Japeth Aguilar
Asi Taulava
Mick Pennisi
PLUS a naturalized player

Only one naturalized player is allowed per team (FIBA rules).

So far the reaction from fans (Philstar comments section and interbasket) was lukewarm esp. on Taulava and Pennisi because of their ages (35 and 33 years old respectively). Like most Team Pilipinas fans, I'm wondering when will the powers-that-be in Philippine basketball use Gregory Slaughter (the real big man from Cebu)? I think the guy needs to get the experience now. How about that super rookie Ryan Buenafe? I agree with most fans' assessment that our team's a bit old.

According to the Philstar report, Coach Yeng will finalize the line-up after the PBA Philippine Cup (however the pool will already be in place before the said tournament will end).

There are bound to be changes in the line up as this is not final yet. I do hope Coach Yeng bring along Arwind Santos and Lourdy Tugade.

By the way, since there are no reports to the contrary it must mean Coach Yeng Guiao is still the coach of Red Bull. What? I thought lessons were already learned about hiring a part-time national coach. Oh well...

When are they going to start training? We all know time is of the essence.

"We’ll begin once I realize that this is not a dream," Guiao said in an interview with GMA News.

YENG GUIAO APPOINTED PHILIPPINE NATIONAL TEAM COACH

It's about time!

Yeng Guiao in a Press Conference

Yeng Guiao was appointed as the Philippine national team coach yesterday according to a report from the Philippine Star. His main responsibility is to guide the country in qualifying for the 2010 World Championship in Turkey. He knows the formidability of the task at hand but is willing to take it.

“I’m nervous at this point because I know the task is daunting, the responsibility great. I accept it wholeheartedly. It’s a big decision by the commissioner. I don’t want to disappoint him and the country in general in terms of putting up a good performance,” Guiao told the Philippine Star.

Coach Yeng already has a firm vision of his team in mind preferring "quick running team which can shoot and defend well".

I like Coach Yeng's style anyway. He prefers to stick to the system rather than rely on star players and has led his Red Bull team to semifinals appearance in the process. I'm glad the decision came more swiftly than I expected (after the recent hulaballo). Of course, some observers (in Gameface.ph) see this appointment as a way to appease the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines which strongly opposes foreign coaches. Some howls of frustration were expressed as the national team players will adjust to a new system again. Some people objected Guiao's selection because of his inexperience in international play (see comments below the source Philstar article). To counteract this, he asked the PBA Commissioner to form an advisory panel composed of former national coaches. Hopefully, it will materialize as he needs all the help he could get.

Congratulations Coach Yeng Guiao!

I'm looking forward to his lineup. Unlike previous coaches, he will do away with tedious tryouts and will choose players able and willing to serve the country.

It would be an awkward moment when he and Dondon Hontiveros meet again if he picks the latter to the national team hehe...(he got entangled with Dondon during a PBA game months ago).

Flashback - Yeng Guiao was a strong contender to coach Team Pilipinas in 2005 but was beaten by Chot Reyes' detailed plan for the national team.

I prefer a foreign coach to handle Team Pilipinas now but the responsibility of forming the national team rests on the PBA which of course will select its own.

FILIPINO IN USC TROJAN BASKETBALL

MEET ANOTHER PROSPECT RYAN WETHERELL

yeah, it's him - the small guy who dunked

Ryan Wetherell is a Filipino-Canadian from Calgary, Alberta. He originally favored hockey but after seeing Space Jam moved to basketball. His basketball skills didn't go unnoticed in his home country as there were two Canadian university teams after him but decided to play in the United States with the University of Southern California Trojans squad.

Our national team needs big men preferably 7 feet and above. Unfortunately, he is only 5-10 and will compete with other talented small Filipino guards if ever he decides to come here. By the way this is the article about Wetherell on the Trojans website:

He's the perfect walk-on. At least that's what USC men's basketball coach Tim Floyd thinks.

"I hate to use that term, because I don't refer to him as a walk-on - I consider him a scholarship guy," Floyd said. "We ask him to do everything everybody else does. I've got all the confidence in him as a player - he just hasn't had much of an opportunity. Had we been able to give him a bunch of minutes early in the year, we'd be reliant on him right now for some minutes during games."

He's Ryan Wetherell, the 5-foot-10 Canadian half-Filipino walk-on. His name is Wetherell, but it might as well be "weather all" - he's been through it all, and he's weathered it well.

In addition, his stats don't inspire confidence. Here are his stats courtesy of Yahoo which pegged Wetherell's height at 5-11. The national team needs an excellent point guard in the mold of Jimmy Alapag and Jayjay Helterbrand.

Coach Eric Altamirano on so-called prospects:

When looking for prospects, we must remember to verify if the player indeed has Filipino roots. Interview the parents or immediate relatives to trace the roots of the player. Do some extra research on the Filipino community they live in. Even in today’s international basketball scene, where naturalized players abound, this corner believes that a drop of blood is very important, meaning the Filipino lineage. Determine if the said player is deeply rooted in Filipino values. Sadly, some of Filipinos abroad lose not only their nationally but the values and traditions that go with it. I truly believe the player who’s playing for the country should have an understanding of what his mother country stands for. Lack of such discernment could mean half-hearted effort .

For Full Story

Coach's right, it's not enough that they have Filipino blood. They should show interest and commitment to play for the national team.

Credits: Gresan Cadao tip

SEE THE FUTURE OF PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL IN TRAINING

MEET GREGORY SLAUGHTER

Gregory Slaughter - the Giant Guy from University of the Visayas

Watch the training pool of the RP Youth Team in action. This is for the NCR region. Tryouts were also conducted nationwide in an effort to find the best of the best young cagers in the country. It is in preparation for the Southeast Asian Under 16 Championship next year. I'll keep you posted, my readers.

PHILIPPINES GRAB 7TH PLACE

Wins final match

Philippines won its final game against Lebanon 74 - 63 to finish seventh in the FIBA-Asia Under 18 Championship (assuming it is really an under 18 tournament with overage looking players abound). Great job by our boys! Better than the seniors who got 9th place last year.

4-Ryan Roose Garcia 178 cm G
5-Joseph Laslee Terso 178 cm G
6-Ian Paul Sangalang 200 cm C/F
7-Matthew Wright 188 cm G/F
8-Jaypee Mendoza 191 cm F
9-Samuel Joseph Marata 188 cm G/F
10-Frank Golla Jr. 193 cm C/F
11-Mark Joel De Guzman 183 cm G
12-Joseph Emmanuel Tolentino 182 cm G
13-Philip Paredes 196 cm C/F
14-Norberto Brian Torres 200 cm C
15-Gabriel Banal 190 cm F

Members of Team PILIPINAS.

details:

An air of warmth and familiarity filled the Azadi stadium as the RP and Lebanese Youth squads went through their pre-game drills. Gab Banal and Ahmad Ibrahim even threw their arms over each others’ shoulder and laughed as they talked like two buddies planning a night out.But when horn signaled the call of battle, friendships were put aside and the two armies collided with such ferocity that no one could predict who would prevail in the end and be declared 7th...

rpyouth


WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!

The score is 74 - 63 not 74-63

TEHRAN (FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Men): China pulled away from a level position in the third quarter to beat Korea 106-97 and bag the fifth position on Friday.

Incidentally, China and Korea had played for the title two years ago at Urumqi.

Philippines overcame initial hiccups to beat Lebanon 74-73 for the seventh place.

Scores


7th place play-off

Philippines 74 (Mark De Guzman 15, Matthew Wright 11, Jaypee Mendoza 10) bt Lebanon 63 (Ahmad Ibrahim 14, Hassan Maatouk 10, Raph Akl 10). Quarterwise Scores: 17-18, 40-34, 52-48.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia

corroborated by this post at Interbasket

maybe he should have added overs while he is at it!

BREAKING NEWS: CHINA TROUNCES PHILIPPINES IN FIBA-Asia U 18, 86-63

Team Pilipinas still have to fight on!

7:43 pm MST - Just in, China defeated the Philippines in the 5th place classification match today 86-63 according to the website Iranbasketball.org. More details will be presented later.

The boys gave a good account of themselves in this tournament. I hope they forget this loss and continue to fight on. If my sources are correct, they have to battle Lebanon tomorrow for 7th place due to today's loss. Any team from this bracket which would come out unbeaten will get 5th place. Our team will finish no higher than seventh if we win the two remaining matches.

Not much was expected from these boys but they played with their hearts out and should have finished higher. On the other hand, China blew their opportunity to defend their crown - no thanks to their baby coach with childish tantrums!LOL. What the coach needed was a little restraint since he has a strong team anyway. China could still beat Syria and in fact leading before the infamous walkout.

Korea defeated Lebanon 93 - 72 in another classification match. Team Pilipinas will still meet these two teams again if my analysis is correct.

PHILIPPINE-IRAN AFTERGAME THOUGHTS

WE DESERVED TO WIN

Mohammad Hassanzadeh (player): we played very bad, we underrate philippines, and i am so sorry

Mohammad Jamshidi (player): we lost to our mistakes, but no problem, this match is not important

Pouria Kazemi (player): we underrated philippines and we lost to their speed.

Nebojsa Raicevic (Iran's coach): this match is not important, but we tried to win, today i must rested some players, our best player Emad Salmani is injured and i couldnt use him.

Philippines coach: amazing match , we played very well, we show our class , Iran is a very strong team , i am sure they will win the tournament.

Not the comments you would expect from a team playing in a "game that is not important", aren't they?

the fact that Iran's top guns played limited minutes is Iran's problem, not ours because they are the one who had an "L" in their win-loss record.

Bottomline: We played with our best, therefore we deserved to win.

Comment from Philstar.com

It was so easy for some pseudo-basketball writer from FIBA-Asia to say the other team didn't take it seriously. He didn't even interview the players - just stick to Cricket!!!

I agree we deserved to win. Victories are reserved to those who want it the most and to think away the credit from our boys is, dishonesty!

Team Pilipinas will meet China in 5th-6th place classification. China got booted out of the semifinals because of the childish boycott their coach instigated in the match against Syria. It got no points from the ill-advised caper. FIBA awards two points for a win and one point for a loss. Why FIBA awards points for losing is beyond me!

The consolation bracket the Philippines are playing in also has CHINA, KOREA and LEBANON – strangely, the Gold medallist, Silver medallist and bronze of the last tournament! In that order.China is in it because they “walked out” in protest over their game with Syria in the Quarter Finals thus suffering the penalty of getting 0 points on a three-way tie. Korea is in it because they lost to Iran and Japan. Lebanon is in it because.. well...they lost to China and Kazahkstan. We are in it because in the whole tournament... we’re the only ones who have beaten the top seeded team – Iran who may eventually... become tournament champions.The talk going around is that Iran cannot claim to be the best team here because they never got to play China. And China claims it can beat Iran. If we beat China tomorrow, which we’ve already done recently,We have the strange honor of claiming that we are the unqualified “best team” in Asia...for full story

HAHAHA! Not all best team gets to win the competition remember Holland in World Cup 1974 and 1978. China may fire the coach then.

PHILIPPINES EDGES IRAN 85 - 84

A WIN IS ALWAYS BETTER. I DREAMED OF THIS AND I'M GLAD IT CAME TRUE!

Philippines squeaked past Iran 85 - 84 in Group 2 of FIBA-Asia Under 18 Championship. It actually should have been 88 - 84 but the notoriously partisan or blind FIBA referees didn't see any goaltending violation from RR Garcia's shot. Fortunately this is a no-bearing game but the host will probably win the tournament as referee support, I mean hometown support is intense and could push them through.

The coaching staff was quick to notice that after only one minute of play, the scoreboard indicated that # 15 Gabriel Banal already had one foul to his credit – even if he hasn’t set foot on the court yet. That glitch was corrected.

Not even disgraced former NBA referee Donaghy can do that LOL!!!

Despite the Cricket / FIBA reporter's downplaying the boys' achievement, the host Iran gave a good fight. Here's the first-hand account of the Team Pilipinas' heroic struggle, courtesy of rpyouth.com:

The 4th quarter was a fitting finale. Down by 10 points 54-64 with 7 minutes of play left, The RP Youth were like wolves onto the smell of blood. They stalked their Iranian prey relentlessly exchanging baskets, running the fastbreaks, and when the opportunity to strike came up, RR Garcia hit two consecutive 3 pointers and Mark de Guzman converted on his own steal to bring the Philippines breathtakingly close 62-64 with 2:01 seconds remaining. De Guzman stole the scene again by hitting a 3-pointer and hussling on the inbound to effect a steal and a no-look assist to Matt Wright who finished it off with a layup 76-79. Frank Golla also came to town with a power drive that drew a foul. He converted both freethrows to bring Iran’s lead down to 1 point 81-82 with 29 seconds remaining. This is where we pick up the scene described at our article’s start. After Garcia’s phenomenal shots, a foul was called on Iran’s # 9 Jamshidi as he pulled on Marata’s shirt at inbound with 6 seconds left. Garcia went to the line to take the penalty shots but Iran protested and demanded that Marata should be the one. Marata sank both freethrows hitting “nothing but net” amidst the ear-shattering roar of the Iranian crowd.

Great job boys! The boys showed a lot of heart and courage! They are way better than the PBA squad which faltered against Iran one year ago in FIBA-Asia Championship for men. Coach Franz Pumaren is a genius with a unique ability to imbibe mental toughness on his players (his DLSU team is known to overachieve due to their mental strength and massive self-belief). He is truly the right coach for the youth team. The lessons he gave to his boys are valuable esp. when they represent the senior team in the future.

PHILIPPINES UNDER 18 TEAM OUT OF MEDAL CONTENTION

Japan wins 86 - 78 over the Nationals

Japan U18 cruised past Philippines U18 in Day 5 of FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Men. Taking the full control of the game the team overcame Philippines U18 86:78. Yusoke Karino paced all the winners with 25 points. Makoto Hiejima netted 22, Kaito Ishikawa scored 14 and Daichi Taniguchi added 12. Norberto Torres top-scored in defeat with 24 points. Matthew Wright ended up with 17 and Joseph Tolentino posted 11. The winners kept their hopes of making the semifinals for the first time in a decade. Japan, now need a win against Korea, to make the last four grade.

For Full Story

FYI, Buenafe and Salva were invited to the RP Youth try out, and they did attend initial practices. However, from the grapevine Ateneo discouraged them from joining the RP team by dangling offers very hard to refuse. Why are they playing for Ateneo and not for the flag? Ask the people behind it. Their loyalty to the Philippine flag is next to their loyalty to the school flag. Not surprising though for Black who is not really brown.

Comment from Philstar

If the allegation is true, Ryan Buenafe would have been a massive help for our national cause. Despite being a rookie in the UAAP, Buenafe played very well this season, I will not be surprised if he made the Under 18 team. It's just too bad there were other concerns which prevented this talented player from representing the country. To think some schools preach about love of country and nationalism but can't walk the talk. I hope they stop lecturing when they can't make the sacrifice themselves.

This month would have been perfect for the Seniors National Team to start organizing for next year's FIBA-Asia championship for men (September 1-9 according to Wikipedia). I think its time to buckle up and work. One of the excuses routinely presented by losing Team Pilipinas' batches is lack of preparation. No official word yet from the PBA (which I reckon isn't too excited about participating in FIBA competitions) about the national team coach and the Commissioner is taking his sweet time. Other national teams don't have problem with team work for the players know each other since they were in the youth team. The Nationals don't have that luxury. In addition PBA players are hardheaded, I mean unfamiliar with FIBA rules which make them look like amateurs when playing abroad. The National team really needs a long time to correct those issues. I think Asia is alloted three places for the FIBA World Championship 2010 so a third place finish is enough to book a place in Turkey. Can Team Pilipinas do it? OF COURSE, if they take preparations seriously - as in start now. Experience tells us even a six-to-nine month of training isn't enough but what could we do? It would nice for our team to train continuously (after the debacle last year) even for once-a-week however due to many issues it didn't materialize.

The PBA just wants out of the National team - it would have been better if Noli Eala was still Commissioner. Noli understood the importance of basketball to the Filipinos and wanted the PBA to always represent the country since the best players are there. He also knows it would be good for the league if the national team plays well too.

INFANTILE PROTEST MAR FIBA-ASIA U-18 TOURNAMENT

Philippines lose

Philippines lost to Korea 98-80. By the way, the writer in FIBA-Asia should just stick to Cricket. His write-ups are absurd.

Chinese coach Li Chunjiang went berserk. He protested so much for what he perceived as dubious call against him (he received a technical foul with 6:13 left of the third quarter with China leading 46 - 41). Li led the walkout of his team. The match commissioner tried to pacify and bring back the Chinese squad but they adamantly refused to return. The referee forfeited the call in favor of the Syrians with a 20-0 scoreline. This is the alleged problem with Asian sports in general - too many shady activities - happening off the court. Some experts say this will persist for a long time. I wonder how many players participating in this tournament are really under 18 years of age.

Here is another view of the episode:

My guess is that the closeness of the score of this game had something to do with the refereeing being biased in favor of the Syrians.

The rivalry between West Asians and East Asians appears to be reflected in calls by referees, which is why I felt that Iran would win this tourney just as China easily won the last junior tourney when it played at home.

Is this just simple bias? Are payoffs involved? Who trained these referees? Donaghy?
You know what? These countries receiving perceived help from the referees are also notorious whiners and complainers because maybe they know what's happening behind the scenes and don't want to be the recipients of it.

PHILIPPINE DEMOLISHES UAE IN FIBA U-18

PROCEEDS TO QUARTERFINALS

Philippines humiliated UAE 73-54 yesterday to qualify for the quarterfinals of FIBA-Asia Under 18 Championship held in Tehran, Iran. The Philippines is under Group B where it will face hometown boys Iran, Korea, and Japan.

PHILIPPINE SUFFERS FIRST DEFEAT IN FIBA-ASIA U-18

WHY IS TEAM PILIPINAS ALWAYS IN FOUL TROUBLE? ARE DONAGHY JUNIORS PREVALENT IN FIBA-ASIA?

I thought they are mentally tough than their seniors' counterpart. Turns out I was wrong. Hopefully, the boys' recover from this setback. Man, they are always in foul trouble. Some people are still scared of Team Pilipinas and want them out early huh! The same thing happened with the seniors team last year in FIBA-Asia Champions Cup.

Lebanon beat Philippines 87-84 in Group C preliminary round Friday of FIBA-Asia Under 18 Championship in Tehran, Iran.

Philippines, who had won after allowing Chinese Taipei to bounce back before winning in second Overtime on Wednesday seemed to have learnt their lessons.

The former six-time champions kept a small, but steady, lead throughout till the start of the fourth quarter.Ryan Garcia topped the scoring for Philippines with 28 points.

Fiba-Asia.net

I will not be surprised if some teams have players looking like 20-25 years old.

PHILIPPINES BEATS CHINESE TAIPEI IN DOUBLE OT OF FIBA-ASIA U-18 CHAMPIONSHIP

OUT TO REGAIN INTERNATIONAL RESPECTABILITY

The Philippine junior national team defeats Chinese-Taipei 106-105 in Fiba-Asia Under-18 Championship currently on-going in Tehran, Iran. The details:

Last edition’s semifinalists Chinese Taipei and former champions Philippines waged a protracted battle before the latter emerged victorious 106-105, in the second Overtime in a Group C encounter here on Thursday.

Philippines went ahead 28-16 at the end of the first quarter, but that was the only time in the entire game did any team manage to hold a sizable lead.


Taipei fought back gallantly to outscore Philippines in all the three remaining quarters. The East Asian nation, who had finished fourth at Urumqi two year ago, went into the lead for the first time in the game (78-76) only with 3:15 left in the game.

The battle of nerves continued as both sides fumbled in the final moments to seal the issue in regulation.

After the first five minutes of extended time failed to break the dead-lock, Taipei raced ahead 104-98 riding on Lee Ming-Hui’s back-to-back baskets.

But Philippines fought back to regain the lead when Gabriel Banal converted both his free-throws.

For Full Story


Good job, boys! Thanks, Coach Franz! I hope we win the championship even with hometown favoritism prevalent in Asia.

DREAM TEAM'S TOP TEN PLAYS

LET NO ONE FORGET HOW GREAT THAT TEAM WAS

Dream Team's Top Ten Plays

Just a reminder for those who forgot how tough the legendary Dream Team was.

THE RICKY RUBIO HYPE - THE NEXT PISTOL PETE?

LA PISTOLA.

Good as advertised? We'll see. He played well at the Olympics. More basketball news and other sports-related at this site - holding on -please visit.

BOSTON OVERCOMES ADVERSITY

One of the Greatest Comeback in NBA History.

Boston Celtics overcame a 24-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 97 - 91 in Game Four of the NBA Finals at the Staples Center. In fact, the Lakers posted a 21-point lead early in the first quarter, the largest in NBA Finals history, but Boston hang on and kept chipping off the lead one play at the time. By the end of the third quarter, the Celtics was only two points down. Spectacular team defense held Kobe Bryant off in the fourth while three-point shooting from House and Posey lifted the Celtics up. The deathblow came when Ray Allen ran past Sasha Vujacic like the Slovenian wasn't even there and scored via lay-up - to secure the game once and for all. A visibly humiliated Vujacic began having tantrums in the bench.

There was something wrong with the server last night so I wasn't able to publish this yesterday.

CELTICS WIN FIRST GAME

Where's Kobe Bryant?

The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 98-88 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Simply put, superior team play and team defense of the Celtics made the difference. Besides, Lakers missed many shots and look terrible offensively at times. Some players were panicky and failed to exploit apparent opportunities.
Kobe disappeared today, I'm hoping his real self would show up for the Lakers looked lost when their main man is out of sync. Just 24 points today, I expected him to have a monster game against Boston but it didn't materialize. Oh well, maybe vintage Kobe would return on Monday for Game Two - stifling Celtics defense and missed several wide open shots hurt him. Lakers' Euro players Vujacic and Radmanovic looked like they couldn't even guard a chair the way they played defense today - tsk tsk tsk.
Celtics showed team basketball and were inspired by Paul Pierce who got hurt but came back and played heroically (dismissed by LA Times and Lakers' coach Phil Jackson of course). Sam Cassell uncharacteristically played scared just when the Celtics erected a big lead in the fourth but it didn't matter anymore as superior team play did it for his team. I'm looking forward for the second game of the series and it seems Perkins won't return - I'll keep you posted.

LAKERS VS CELTICS

NBA's Greatest Rivalry is Back!!!


Celtics beat the Pistons 89-81 to enter the NBA Finals in just their second road win in the playoffs. The team from Boston will meet their arch-nemesis the Los Angeles Lakers in the best of seven championship series starting Monday.

LAKERS ADVANCES TO THE NBA FINALS

Dethrones The San Antonio Spurs

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS IN CHINA!

Chinese Youth Cagers Shrink and Go Younger

I am interested in the development of Chinese basketball particularly at the youth level and this discovery really surprised me take a look at this Houston Chronicle article dated August 26, 2006:

The problem is the teams in the Chinese Basketball Associa-tion do not want to give up their best players, weakening their teams. Yao's former team, the Shanghai Sharks, used to be CBA champions, but now are at the bottom of the league.

Concerns such as that probably have kept 6-11 forward Yi Jianlian out of the NBA draft in recent years and playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. Yi is long and athletic, with good instincts and quick moves around the hoop. The NBA received a notice at the start of last season that Yi was 19 years old and would be draft eligible in 2006. Then another notice arrived in January, informing that Yi was only 18 and too young for the draft. Most insiders believe he is 22. During an exhibition game two weeks ago, Yi told Shane Battier he's 24.

From Arthur Volbert / asia-basket.com: (article written last year)

The Chinese team looks young in its photo at http://www.primetimepdx.com/ngc/photos/ngc07-1/ngc07-1-35.jpg but who really knows. With the slovenliness of Chinese record-keeping on ages it would not shock me if everyone is two years older than listed, or even two years younger. Yu Chen went from being born in 1994, at last year's Nike Asian Camp, to being born in 1990 here. Other Chinese players have also varied by 4 years in their listed ages. This makes it very hard to judge the potential of Chinese players.

China was winless at the Global challenge. It got blown out by Canada which lost to Puerto Rico. A nation of 1.3 billion which can produce talent like Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian and Wang Zhizhi should have the depth to produce competitive junior teams. China must realize that it is doing something very wrong in the way it develops its junior players.

Below is the official listing of the team for the Under-19 World Championship in Novi Sad Serbia

The other players are either playing in Las Vegas or were the last cuts on the team. These players were named for eligibility purposes in case someone got injured. Chen Jianghua is injured and that is why 13 players have their heights and positions listed. I do not know if Chen would have been sent here if he were not injured.

Note that Su Wei is listed at 212 cm and Wang Zheng is listed at 216 cm. Wang has grown 2 cm over the past year and is indeed considered to be a year younger than Su. Wang is clearly a player to watch.

Delehei, a Mongolian with one name, is listed as being 204 cm and not 207 or 208 cm as he is sometimes listed. He plays both center and power forward. He is listed as born in 1990 rather than 1989, as he is sometimes listed, but appears to have shrunk rather than grown in the last couple of years. That's what's so charming about junior Chinese players -- they can shrink and grow younger. (like laundry – mine)

Gu Aoke is listed at 196 cm and he is supposed to be an outstanding leaper who does 360 degree dunks. Tian Yuchen is listed at 205 cm and was listed at that height two years ago. This does make one suspicious that he was actually born in December, 1992. At the least it makes one seriously doubt that he will get any taller.

Xu Yong, on the other hand, appears to have grown an inch since he was MVP of the Adidas Camp two years ago.

The only point guard listed is Chen Jianghua, who is injured. Xu Xu is listed as 190 cm here and not 194 cm as he has been listed elsewhere. So he is probably a point guard. Yang Qin has also played the point.

Here is the list with the Name, Position, Height, Date Of Birth, Place Of Birth, and Current Club Team

Zhichao BA SF 200cm 6'7" 19/02/1989 Liaoning(CHN) Guandong (CHN)
Jianghua CHEN PG 187cm 6'2" 12/03/1989 Guangdong(CHN) Guangdong Southern Tigers, CBA (CHN)
DELEHEI C 204cm 6'8" 21/06/1990 Neimenggu(CHN) Bayi (CHN)
Jinhui DING -/- 27/10/1989 Zhejiang(CHN) -
Aoke GU SG 196cm 6'5" 12/12/1988 Liaoning(CHN) Shanghai Sharks (CHN)
Jingyu LI SF 198cm 6'6" 03/04/1991 Shandong (CHN) Shangdong (CHN)
Xiaoxu LI C 204cm 6'8" 05/06/1990 Liaoning (CHN) Liaoning (CHN)
Xiaoyu LIU -/- 14/03/1989 Jilin (CHN) -
Yahui LIU -/- 09/01/1990 Jiangsu (CHN) -
Wei SU C 212cm 6'11" 28/07/1989 Shandong (CHN) Guandong (CHN)
Yuchen TIAN SF 205cm 6'9" 30/12/1992 Jilin (CHN) Shanghai Sharks (CHN)
Zheng WANG C 216cm 7'1" 08/02/1990 Hebei (CHN) Guandong (CHN)
Xu XU SG 190cm 6'3" 05/01/1989 Henan (CHN) Bayi (CHN)
Yong XU SF 202cm 6'8" 30/03/1989 Shanghai (CHN) Shanghai Sharks (CHN)
Qin YANG SG 195cm 6'5" 28/04/1989 Jiangsu (CHN) Bayi (CHN)
Bo ZHANG SF 196cm 6'5" 30/09/1990 Liaoning (CHN) Bayi (CHN)
Jiadi ZHANG -/- 09/07/1988 Liaoning (CHN) -
Zhun ZHENG -/- 12/08/1992 Heilongjiang (CHN) -
Peng ZHOU -/- 11/10/1989 Liaoning (CHN) -

Average height: 200cm/6'7" which begins tomorrow. The players with their heights and positions listed are the ones on the final team.

What can I say except the Fountain of Youth is really in China! Slovenly record-keeping? Maybe but I doubt it. There seems to be a pattern and FIBA should take a look at this for if it is true then it is a blatant disregard of rules and people involved should be punished. It might as well stop these so-called youth tournaments if it can't stop this disgusting tradition (it is a way of life for some countries fielding ineligible players). It is so unfair to honest nations who compete fairly in those tournaments.

LEBRON JAMES LEADS HIS TEAM

Not Just Through Scoring

LeBron dished out 21 points and 13 assists to lead Cavs to victory in Game Four of their series. I thought Celtics is going to run over the Cavs but LeBron just won't let it happen - he defied predictions. If he can win by himself, he will do it. Now 0-5 in the road, Celtics have a huge problem. Here is LeBron leading his team:

LeBron James is one of those legendary types that I feel privileged reporting about him. Unfortunately, the highlight reel presented above doesn't cover LBJ non-scoring contribution but the 13 assists is proof enough. Here is another video covering the game highlights including the monster slam off Kevin Garnett.

LEBRON JAMES

Has No Regard For Human Life

LeBron James delivering the finishing move. Wow, talk about marketing - the commentator has just made another classic statement akin to "What a spectacular move by Michael Jordan" (Bulls vs. Lakers NBA Finals '90-'91 season).

WHEN PLAYERS OPEN THEIR MOUTH

It is Definitely Not Nice!

I have two interesting videos: one video shows LeBron James telling his mother “Sit down!” (putting it mildly). TNT post-game show has confirmed that the woman in white shirt is indeed LBJ’s mom! LeBron's mom was reacting to what she perceived to be a hard foul by Paul Pierce on her son.

On this video, the uploader catches Kevin Garnett saying “F$#@%^ f^&%$#!” Just read his lips ok?