After the dust created by SLRs 22 games in the PBA Fiesta Cup settled, Kelly Williams still emerged as the team's top local scorer and rebounder. Williams finished with 19.00 points and 9.33 rebounds per game, second only to their imports average.
With those numbers, SLR was expected by many to figure prominently in the quarterfinals, especially after becoming the lowest seeded to team to reach that stage after Shell did it in 2005. But alas import problems hounded them and forced them to an early exit. With their third import replacement in the Conference, Lee Benson, demanding a new negotiated contract with an almost impossible-to-meet demands, the Realtors were forced to play all-Filipino in a knock-out game against the Ginebra Kings only to lose 113-85 in a very much one-sided contest.
Nevertheless, Williams efforts this year will not go unnoticed as the 26-year-old Fil-Am forward out of University of Detroit-Oakland topped the stats derby and got the nods of the media, the TV coveror and the Commissioner’s Office to claim Season 33’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors during the Leo Awards rites at the Araneta Coliseum on 13 August 2008.
"It’s been an awesome year and winning the MVP is the icing on the cake," said Williams, dapper in a brown Barong Tagalog, brown pants and white sneakers. Williams was also named to the Mythical First Team and the Best Defensive Selection. It can be recalled that Williams likewise got the Best Player of the Conference citation in the 2008 Philippine Cup after the Realtors won their first ever All-Filipino crown since joining the league.
Aside from Williams, other Realtors who made significant impact in the import-laden Fiesta Cup were Nelbert Omolon (11.27 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 1.2 spg) and Ryan Reyes (9.73 ppg, 4.95 rpg, 3.9 apg and 2.7 spg). Reyes' scoring might have dipped slightly from the his previous Conference average, but he more than made up for it by topping the steals department in the Fiesta Cup. It is therefore not suprising that Omolon was named to the second Mythical selection, while Reyes joined Williams to the all-defensive team and earning the 2008 Rookie of the Year awards.
Reyes success can be attributed to the way the team adjusted to the new player and vice versa.
“We all get along, the new guys and the veterans,” Reyes once said. “We’re all part of a family. The guys welcome me and have treated me like I’ve been with the team a long time. We have fun together and joke around. But we’re serious when it comes to playing the game. So far, so good. As long as we’re aggressive on defense, do what Coach tells us to do, play as a team and work hard, we’ll be fine.”
Almost lost in the above-average performance of SLR's Big three (Williams, Omolon and Reyes) and the impact that imports brought to each of SLR's games, was the steady improvement in the numbers churned in by Dennis Daa.
Picked from the free-agency last year by the Realtors to boost its aging frontline, Daa provided the Realtors with quality minutes on the floor as he averaged 4.36 points, 2.0 rebounds and 56.80 percent shooting from the 2-point area. Now, this might not be too amazing for everyone, but remember that this is an import-laden conference and the average exposure of locals are extremenly limited, especially for a frontline reliever like Daa.
In Daa's case, he produced the above numbers in only 10.93 minutes of play time. In the elimination round of the previous conference, the Philippine Cup, it took Daa 15.59 minutes to produce 3.76 points and 3.65 rebounds each game at a 42.95 percent shooting clip from the 2-point region.
Another player who seems to thrive against the imports is Paolo Mendoza. Some SLR believers might be lobbying this early to trade him for a much younger shooter or a post-up player, but it cannot be denied that the numbers of Mendoza slightly improved in the Fiesta Cup. His scoring dipped to only 3.67 points per outing, but his percentage from the rainbow arc improved to 35.00 percent compared to around 26.26 percent during the Philippine Cup. It might not be much, but it is safe to assume that he picked his shots well this time around knowing that they have imports who can strongly get the rebounds for them.
Of course, if there are some players in the SLR bench that excelled, there are also those who did not fare well. The greatest disappointment belonged to the imports who failed the expectations of the team. First, was Wesley Wilson who might be turning a double-double performance average, but is turning the ball way too much (4.00 tpg). Next came Jamar Brown, who might be full of energy that rubs off tremendously on the rest of the team, but can only manage at average of 10 points in his two games here. Lastly, there is Lee Benson who more than made up for his age and jail-records by providing solid numbers (19.62 ppg and 18.75 rpg), but was way over his head in thinking that he can ask for almost anything after helping the Realtors survive the Wildcard phase.
The so-called twin towers of the Realtors also played each game just like a shadow of what they were the previous Conference. Maybe it was age or fatigue, but by averaging only 6.75 points and 3.70 rebounds on a 34.7 percent shooting from the 2-point area is inexcusable for a 2008 All-Filipino Finals Best Player like Dennis Espino. If he can produce these numbers by playing 20.35 minutes on the floor, then the team would be better serve by having a yound Daa instead.
The other part of the tower is even worse. Marlou Aquino can only give the team 4.50 points and 2.95 rebounds in 15.70 minutes of action. Worse, both Espino and Aquino turned the ball over at least 1.7 times per game between themselves.
If it is true that both Espino and Aquino receive at least a combine amount of PhP 600,000.00 per month, then maybe it is now high time for them to take pay cuts and let the management use the money to attract a more productive big man from the other team or pluck someone from the free-agency market. This is the least that Espino and Aquino can do for the team that recognized them as leaders.
Joseph Yeo also did not fared well in the Fiesta Cup even he churned in a quiet respectable 8.95 points, 3.33 rebounds and a 74.10 percent shooting from the freethrow line each game. His umber were slightly down from his average in the Philippine Cup, but the most noticeable part is his increasing turnovers per game, 1.95. If Yeo cannot protect the ball while driving to the basket, then maybe he should try to take it out or find a better option just like what he did in the Philippine Cup where he only average at least 1.33 turnover per game.
Dennis Miranda provided a consistent performance and even improved his game by limiting his turnovers. Tasked to guard the most explosive player of the other team or even the second import if Coca-Cola and Welcoat, Miranda still managed to provide solid numbers (6.77 ppg, 3.64 rpg, 3.64 apg and 20.59 mpg).
With those numbers, SLR was expected by many to figure prominently in the quarterfinals, especially after becoming the lowest seeded to team to reach that stage after Shell did it in 2005. But alas import problems hounded them and forced them to an early exit. With their third import replacement in the Conference, Lee Benson, demanding a new negotiated contract with an almost impossible-to-meet demands, the Realtors were forced to play all-Filipino in a knock-out game against the Ginebra Kings only to lose 113-85 in a very much one-sided contest.
Nevertheless, Williams efforts this year will not go unnoticed as the 26-year-old Fil-Am forward out of University of Detroit-Oakland topped the stats derby and got the nods of the media, the TV coveror and the Commissioner’s Office to claim Season 33’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors during the Leo Awards rites at the Araneta Coliseum on 13 August 2008.
"It’s been an awesome year and winning the MVP is the icing on the cake," said Williams, dapper in a brown Barong Tagalog, brown pants and white sneakers. Williams was also named to the Mythical First Team and the Best Defensive Selection. It can be recalled that Williams likewise got the Best Player of the Conference citation in the 2008 Philippine Cup after the Realtors won their first ever All-Filipino crown since joining the league.
| NAME | NO. | PSTN | GP | MINS | PTS | REBS |
| AQUINO, Marlou | 13 | C | 20 | 15.70 | 4.50 | 2.95 |
| BUTEL, Philip | 09 | C | 3 | 1.33 | 0.67 | 0.67 |
| CORONEL, Christian | 40 | G | 15 | 5.40 | 0.87 | 0.53 |
| DAA, Dennis | 14 | F | 14 | 10.93 | 4.36 | 2.00 |
| ESPINO, Dennis | 16 | C-F | 20 | 20.35 | 6.75 | 3.70 |
| GONZALEZ, Norman | 28 | F | 18 | 6.50 | 1.61 | 1.33 |
| MAMACLAY, Melvin | 19 | F | 5 | 2.40 | 1.60 | 0.60 |
| MENDOZA, Paolo | 08 | G | 21 | 11.67 | 3.67 | 0.62 |
| MIRANDA, Dennis | 32 | G | 22 | 30.59 | 6.77 | 3.64 |
| OMOLON, Nelbert | 03 | F | 22 | 26.64 | 11.27 | 4.50 |
| REYES, Ryan | 10 | G | 22 | 29.45 | 9.73 | 4.95 |
| WILLIAMS, Kelly | 21 | F | 21 | 41.50 | 19.00 | 9.33 |
| YEO, Joseph | 18 | G | 21 | 20.10 | 8.95 | 3.33 |
| WILSON, Wesley | 23 | C | 11 | 35.36 | 21.64 | 10.18 |
| BENSON, Lee | 44 | C | 8 | 38.88 | 19.62 | 18.75 |
| BROWN, Jamar | F | 2 | 39.00 | 10.00 | 18.50 |
Aside from Williams, other Realtors who made significant impact in the import-laden Fiesta Cup were Nelbert Omolon (11.27 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 1.2 spg) and Ryan Reyes (9.73 ppg, 4.95 rpg, 3.9 apg and 2.7 spg). Reyes' scoring might have dipped slightly from the his previous Conference average, but he more than made up for it by topping the steals department in the Fiesta Cup. It is therefore not suprising that Omolon was named to the second Mythical selection, while Reyes joined Williams to the all-defensive team and earning the 2008 Rookie of the Year awards.
Reyes success can be attributed to the way the team adjusted to the new player and vice versa.
“We all get along, the new guys and the veterans,” Reyes once said. “We’re all part of a family. The guys welcome me and have treated me like I’ve been with the team a long time. We have fun together and joke around. But we’re serious when it comes to playing the game. So far, so good. As long as we’re aggressive on defense, do what Coach tells us to do, play as a team and work hard, we’ll be fine.”
Almost lost in the above-average performance of SLR's Big three (Williams, Omolon and Reyes) and the impact that imports brought to each of SLR's games, was the steady improvement in the numbers churned in by Dennis Daa.
Picked from the free-agency last year by the Realtors to boost its aging frontline, Daa provided the Realtors with quality minutes on the floor as he averaged 4.36 points, 2.0 rebounds and 56.80 percent shooting from the 2-point area. Now, this might not be too amazing for everyone, but remember that this is an import-laden conference and the average exposure of locals are extremenly limited, especially for a frontline reliever like Daa.
| NAME | NO. | PSTN | ASTS | STLS | BLKs | TO's |
| AQUINO, Marlou | 13 | C | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.90 | 1.35 |
| BUTEL, Philip | 09 | C | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| CORONEL, Christian | 40 | G | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| DAA, Dennis | 14 | F | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.00 | 0.93 |
| ESPINO, Dennis | 16 | C-F | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | 2.30 |
| GONZALEZ, Norman | 28 | F | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.06 | 0.28 |
| MAMACLAY, Melvin | 19 | F | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.40 |
| MENDOZA, Paolo | 08 | G | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| MIRANDA, Dennis | 32 | G | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.05 | 1.45 |
| OMOLON, Nelbert | 03 | F | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.32 | 1.86 |
| REYES, Ryan | 10 | G | 3.9 | 2.7 | 0.14 | 1.86 |
| WILLIAMS, Kelly | 21 | F | 1.8 | 0.86 | 0.62 | 2.52 |
| YEO, Joseph | 18 | G | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.10 | 1.95 |
| WILSON, Wesley | 23 | C | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.00 | 4.00 |
| BENSON, Lee | 44 | C | 2.4 | 0.5 | 2.50 | 3.62 |
| BROWN, Jamar | F | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.50 | 4.00 |
In Daa's case, he produced the above numbers in only 10.93 minutes of play time. In the elimination round of the previous conference, the Philippine Cup, it took Daa 15.59 minutes to produce 3.76 points and 3.65 rebounds each game at a 42.95 percent shooting clip from the 2-point region.
Another player who seems to thrive against the imports is Paolo Mendoza. Some SLR believers might be lobbying this early to trade him for a much younger shooter or a post-up player, but it cannot be denied that the numbers of Mendoza slightly improved in the Fiesta Cup. His scoring dipped to only 3.67 points per outing, but his percentage from the rainbow arc improved to 35.00 percent compared to around 26.26 percent during the Philippine Cup. It might not be much, but it is safe to assume that he picked his shots well this time around knowing that they have imports who can strongly get the rebounds for them.
Of course, if there are some players in the SLR bench that excelled, there are also those who did not fare well. The greatest disappointment belonged to the imports who failed the expectations of the team. First, was Wesley Wilson who might be turning a double-double performance average, but is turning the ball way too much (4.00 tpg). Next came Jamar Brown, who might be full of energy that rubs off tremendously on the rest of the team, but can only manage at average of 10 points in his two games here. Lastly, there is Lee Benson who more than made up for his age and jail-records by providing solid numbers (19.62 ppg and 18.75 rpg), but was way over his head in thinking that he can ask for almost anything after helping the Realtors survive the Wildcard phase.
| NAME | NO. | PSTN | 2-PT FG | 3-PT FG | FT % |
| AQUINO, Marlou | 13 | C | 40.40 | NA | 53.80 |
| BUTEL, Philip | 09 | C | 100.0 | NA | NA |
| CORONEL, Christian | 40 | G | 33.33 | 22.20 | 33.33 |
| DAA, Dennis | 14 | F | 56.80 | 0.00 | 68.80 |
| ESPINO, Dennis | 16 | C-F | 34.70 | 38.90 | 63.20 |
| GONZALEZ, Norman | 28 | F | 27.30 | 15.00 | 80.00 |
| MAMACLAY, Melvin | 19 | F | 28.60 | 40.00 | 100.0 |
| MENDOZA, Paolo | 08 | G | 37.50 | 35.00 | 100.0 |
| MIRANDA, Dennis | 32 | G | 41.00 | 22.22 | 65.20 |
| OMOLON, Nelbert | 03 | F | 47.50 | 37.70 | 75.50 |
| REYES, Ryan | 10 | G | 42.00 | 27.00 | 78.60 |
| WILLIAMS, Kelly | 21 | F | 36.30 | 24.20 | 63.90 |
| YEO, Joseph | 18 | G | 37.30 | 28.20 | 74.10 |
| WILSON, Wesley | 23 | C | 52.70 | 50.00 | 58.20 |
| BENSON, Lee | 44 | C | 42.20 | 25.00 | 68.20 |
| BROWN, Jamar | F | 29.60 | NA | 25.00 |
The so-called twin towers of the Realtors also played each game just like a shadow of what they were the previous Conference. Maybe it was age or fatigue, but by averaging only 6.75 points and 3.70 rebounds on a 34.7 percent shooting from the 2-point area is inexcusable for a 2008 All-Filipino Finals Best Player like Dennis Espino. If he can produce these numbers by playing 20.35 minutes on the floor, then the team would be better serve by having a yound Daa instead.
The other part of the tower is even worse. Marlou Aquino can only give the team 4.50 points and 2.95 rebounds in 15.70 minutes of action. Worse, both Espino and Aquino turned the ball over at least 1.7 times per game between themselves.
If it is true that both Espino and Aquino receive at least a combine amount of PhP 600,000.00 per month, then maybe it is now high time for them to take pay cuts and let the management use the money to attract a more productive big man from the other team or pluck someone from the free-agency market. This is the least that Espino and Aquino can do for the team that recognized them as leaders.
Joseph Yeo also did not fared well in the Fiesta Cup even he churned in a quiet respectable 8.95 points, 3.33 rebounds and a 74.10 percent shooting from the freethrow line each game. His umber were slightly down from his average in the Philippine Cup, but the most noticeable part is his increasing turnovers per game, 1.95. If Yeo cannot protect the ball while driving to the basket, then maybe he should try to take it out or find a better option just like what he did in the Philippine Cup where he only average at least 1.33 turnover per game.
Dennis Miranda provided a consistent performance and even improved his game by limiting his turnovers. Tasked to guard the most explosive player of the other team or even the second import if Coca-Cola and Welcoat, Miranda still managed to provide solid numbers (6.77 ppg, 3.64 rpg, 3.64 apg and 20.59 mpg).
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