This Site Is Going Offline For Now

This blog and site is temporarily unavailable for use. This is due to several reasons, including the decision of the Sta. Lucia Realty to leave the PBA and the limited invovement of the company in other sports-related activities.

There are also some maintenance to be done on the page, technical issues, and topic overload in other blogs managed by the owner. However, we wil try to keep the site back online later with a new format and topic.

Thank you for the support you gave all these years.

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PCBL Has New Tasked from SBA

By Rey Joble InterAksyon.com, 8 October 2015

The newly-formed amateur commercial league Pilipino Commercial Basketball League (PCBL), headed by chairman Buddy Encarnado, was launched on 7 October night and already it is set to play a major role in Philippine basketball.

Encarnado, the longtime representative of the now-defunct PBA franchise Sta. Lucia to the PBA Board of Governors, revealed that he has been given a seat as a director in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and that the amateur league has been tasked with the duties of forming the national teams that will compete on the Southeast Asian level – the SEABA Championship and SEA Games.

He added the assignment comes from SBP president Manuel V. Pangilinan himself.

“Coming from no less than MVP and Chot (Reyes), without even setting foot on the court, the SEABA and the Southeast Asian Games were already given to PCBL,” Encarnado told a small group of sportswriters.

“That’s how much trust they have in the program that we have presented. It’s now a challenge to the players of PCBL as I have made the orientation. Let us now accept the challenge. We want to be recognized and we’ve been recognized. Now it’s time for us to show the recognition given to us by SBP.”

For the past several years, the Southeast Asian-level tournaments were the responsibility of the Gilas cadet program, with the country’s top young prospects like Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks and Troy Rosario having the chance to represent the nation in the regional tilts.

But with uncertainty regarding the formation of the national teams due to the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) unveiling of a new competition format that could conflict directly with the schedules of several professional domestic leagues, including the PBA, the assignment of the SEABA and SEA Games tournaments – some of which are qualifying tournaments for the Asian level – to the PCBL could be the first step in a restructuring of the national program.

“We have pledged, all the members of the PCBL, we will do our share to help out the national team by taking care of SEABA and small leagues, we will now be able to let them concentrate on the primary objective and that is those tournaments leading to the Olympics and World basketball,” added Encarnado.

The PCBL is envisioned to be a throwback to the amateur leagues of old, like the MICAA and the PABL, where players from all over the country will have the opportunity to showcase their skills.

Among the teams participating in the league are Encarnado’s Sta. Lucia Realty, Foton from Pampanga, Cagayan Rising Suns, Jumbo Plastic, Kaima Tile Masters, Kama Motors, Supremolex, and Euromed.

For Encarnado, it feels good to be back after being away from basketball for the last five years – since the Sta. Lucia franchise was acquired by Meralco in 2010 after being part of the PBA for 17 years.

Being given a seat in the SBP board following the creation of the PCBL has put Encarnado, an experienced basketball executive, a chance to be back on spotlight.

“I have been invited by the SBP to sit in the board because one of the seats will be given to PCBL. (MVP) wants me to be the representative,” he added.

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The Realtors Are Back in Basketball

There was a time that the Sta. Lucia Realtors were considered as one of the more competitive teams in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) that did not compromise its principles despite the temptations from companies that handle multiple teams in the league. Five years ago, the franchise was sold to the Meralco Bolts and never heard of again, until now.

Sta. Lucia Realty is back in basketball, not in the PBA, but with the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL).

Organizers of PCBL seeks to make the league the premier grassroots tournament in the country, reviving the vision of legendary amateur leagues like the old MICAA and the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia Realty bared that their group decided to form a stand-alone league that will showcase exciting games after seeing a huge surplus of players looking for an avenue to display their talent.

The PCBL already has eight committed teams in former PBA ballclub Sta Lucia Realtors, PBA D-League regulars EuroMed, Tanduay Rhum, KeraMix, Racal Motors, Jumbo Plastic and Cagayan Valley Rising Suns, as well as newcomer Foton.

Each team has also committed to play in the tournament for a longer period of time by putting in seed money for participation.

"We want to see an amateur league where same teams compete regularly, conference after conference," said Encarnado.

With its games set to be aired live on free television, the PCBL also hopes to stage some of their games in the provinces in order to bring the league closer to the fans.

Encarnado bared the league hopes to fill the void in amateur commercial basketball and intends to hold tournaments all year long.

"We are here to push for basketball continuity. May mga panahon kasi na walang laro and that's where we want to hold our games. At the same time, we want to co-exist with other leagues," said Encarnado, the league's founding chairman.

"We only want to satisfy the basketball appetite of our fans. We just want to rebuild commercial basketball, that's it. It's where we all (team members) started."

The Realtor's participation will mark the return to basketball of the giant realty firm, which has made its mark both in the amateur leagues and in the PBA under the stewardship of top honcho Exie Robles and Encarnado.

Sta. Lucia first got involved in basketball when it joined the PBL in the late 1980s. The Realtors finally made a jump to the professional ranks by purchasing Universal Robina Corporation’s PBA franchise in 1993.

As for Encarnado, his basketball roots date back to the days of ESQ Marketing - a team coached by Joe Lipa which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the old PABL when it beat SMC-backed Lagerlite in a 1985 finals.

During its time, Sta. Lucia made news by signing Jun Limpot to the biggest contract in PBA history at that time in the 1990s. Still, the Realtors failed to win a title even after Limpot teamed up with Dennis Espino, but more than made up for that with the tandem of Espino and Marlou Aquino, including Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes, Joseph Yeo and Dennis Miranda.

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Encarnado Could Be The Next PBA Commissioner

Buddy Encarnado, a Sta. Lucia Realtor for life, is expected to be a major contender when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board of Governors tries to identify who will be the viable replacement for Commissioner Chito Salud.

Salud announced a few days ago that he is stepping down from his post by the end of the season after serving as commissioner for five seasons. League chairman Patrick Gregorio said he expects names of possible successor to Salud to crop up during of their regular meetings.

It was not surprising that Encarnado was seriously considered given his track record. His basketball roots date back to the days of ESQ Marketing a team coached by Joe Lipa which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the old Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL) when it beat San Miguel Corporation-backed Lagerlite in a 1985 finals.

During his time with the Sta. Lucia Realtors, the team made news by signing Jun Limpot to the biggest contract in PBA history at that time in the 1990s. Still, the Realtors failed to win a title even after Limpot teamed up with Dennis Espino.

The Realtors finally won its first PBA championship in the 2001 Governors’ Cup under Norman Black and won a second one in the 2007-2008 Philippine Cup under Boyet Fernandez.

During his stint with the Realtors, Encarnado pleaded to the board to increase the number of maximum allowable number of Fil-foreigners per team. He also concedes that the Fil-Ams raise the level of the sport.

"Probably, we have better players right now, with all the Fil-Ams, malalaki, magagaling, they can jump. But I’m telling you, between you and me, where is the fervor? Hindi kagaya noon, magtatalo tayo. ‘Hindi. Mas magaling si Jaworski. Magaling si Fernandez.’ Pero ngayon wala. Sino iyong magaling na Fil-Am? People don’t know and don’t care."

Encarnado also insists that the public needs a homegrown hero to rally behind. Manny Pacquiao is immensely popular because he is homegrown. Compare him with another boxer, Brian Viloria. Who is supported by the people?

"Let us develop our homegrown instead of us trying to take the shortcut of getting the best from others," said Encarnado. "Nand’yan lang ang mga players. But we have to exert the effort to discover the young talented, obscure Filipino players. Let's go out and find them and give them exposure in the PBA."

In 2008, Encarnado was given the Danny Floro Executive of the Year Award in recognition of his work wherein he spearheaded a master plan that pieced together the materials in their championship run on March of that same year.

He was also lauded by his fellow PBA officials for sacrificing a crack at a season sweep by sacking Realtor wayward import Lee Benson in a crucial game the team could not afford to lose in the Fiesta Conference quarterfinals.

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Are the Realtors Back in Basketball?

Way back in 2010, my favorite basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) called it quits and decided to sell the franchise to the Meralco Bolts. However, recent reports indicate that the Sta. Lucia Realtors may be back to the basketball scene any time soon. They may not be part of Asia's oldest professional basketball league, but they may become part of the Countrywide Developmental Basketball League.

According to Spin.ph, they received information that said Sta. Lucia has filed an application for membership in the regional league spearheaded by former national coach Joe Lipa, although its bid has yet to be approved.

Another source said Sta. Lucia is already dead set on playing in the countrywide league as it has already hired former Laguna Lakers, Air21, and San Beda mentor Bonnie Garcia as the head coach of the Realtors.

The team, a source added, has also conducted tryouts under Garcia, who has already given up his role as assistant coach of Mapua in the NCAA.

Membership in Lipa’s league will mark the return to basketball of the giant realty firm, which has made its mark both in the amateur leagues and in the PBA under the stewardship of top honcho Exie Robles and former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado.

Sta. Lucia first got involved in basketball when it joined the Philippine Basketball League in the late 1980s. The Realtors finally made a jump to the professional ranks by purchasing Universal Robina Corporation’s PBA franchise in 1993.

As for Encarnado, his basketball roots date back to the days of ESQ Marketing - a team ironically coached by Lipa which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the old PABL when it beat SMC-backed Lagerlite in a 1985 finals.

During its time, Sta. Lucia made news by signing Jun Limpot to the biggest contract in PBA history at that time in the 1990s. Still, the Realtors failed to win a title even after Limpot teamed up with Dennis Espino.

The Realtors finally won its first PBA championship in the 2001 Governors’ Cup under Norman Black and won a second one in the 2007-2008 Philippine Cup under Boyet Fernandez.

Sta. Lucia, however, sold its PBA franchise to Meralco in 2010, ending the company’s ties with Asia’s first play-for-pay league.

Now, Sta. Lucia is eyeing a basketball comeback via the Countrywide Developmental Basketball League, which according to Lipa has already gained commitments from 12 teams.

Games of the regional league, which is eyeing a July opening, will reportedly be aired by ABS-CBN Sports with a few PBA D-League squads also joining the regional league.

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Life After a Realtor

By Rey Joble
GMANews.TV, 20 July 2010

Buddy Encarnado, a Sta. Lucia Realtor for life, and champion coach Boyet Fernandez, are expected to play new roles after their team bade goodbye to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Fernandez gladly accepted the role as team consultant for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. He has already joined former PBA superstar Jerry Codiñera and head coach Aboy Castro as early as last week.

"Coach Aboy (Castro) has been asking me to join as early as last year, but I still have a commitment with Sta. Lucia. Now that I no longer have a team to coach in the PBA, it's a good opportunity for me. The environment is different in the collegiate league and it's fun. I'm here just to help out," said Fernandez, who guided Sta. Lucia to its last championship in the 2007-2008 Philipine Cup.

Fernandez was among the well-wishers during the get-together, and 60th birthday party of Sta. Lucia board governor Encarnado at the Acropolis Club House in Libis, Quezon City.

He was joined by past and present members of the squad which include former coach Alfrancis Chua, former Realtors Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes and ex-team captain Dennis Espino and other team officials, members, supporters and friends of Encarnado.

Also present were PBA officials headed by commissioner Sonny Barrios, incoming commissioner Chito Salud, acting board chairman Rene Pardo of B-Meg Derby Ace and board members Robert Non of Ginebra and Virgil Villavicencio of Talk 'N Text as well as PBA operations manager Rickie Santos and media burreau chief Willie Marcial.

Sta. Lucia's top honcho Exequiel Robles was there, too.

Williams and Reyes won their MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, respectively, while playing for the Realtors. They are now members of the Tropang Texters.

Espino played his first 15 seasons for Sta. Lucia before being traded to Coca-Cola early this season.

Fernandez, who started his amateur career with Sta. Lucia, thanked Encarnado for giving him the trust to run the Realtors' squad up to its final days in the PBA.

"I have high respect for Boss Buddy and I'm very thankful that he gave me the opportunity to coach the team. Sta. Lucia will always be a part of my life as I started my playing career with this team and had my only coaching career with this team as well," added Fernandez.

For Encarnado, basketball has been part of his life, and even without Sta. Lucia Realty, he will most likely serve the PBA in a different capacity.

Encarnado, a former PBA chairman, along with Robert Non and Pato Gregorio of Talk 'N Text, were delegated to lead the committee for the D-League.

Encarnado is expected to head the Developmental League, which will be formed through the merger of Liga Pilipinas and Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

The two leagues came up with a joint tournament – the Tournament of the Philippines (TOP), which is being done through a series of short-leg events in different parts of the country.

Soon, the merged leagues will fall under the PBA umbrella, to which a new league will be created – a PBA D-League -- patterned after the NBA D-League in the United States.

The creation of the D-League was pushed by former PBA chairman Lito Alvarez, who was recently appointed by President Noynoy Aquino as the new Bureau of Customs commissioner

Meralco's PBA entry needs board approval

Manila Electric Company (Meralco), a company with a rich basketball tradition, is now knocking on the PBA doors.

The company is reportedly taking over Sta. Lucia's franchise, but it will still need board approval, according to Pardo.

"We want to see how competitive the team (Meralco) it will field in and how long can it commit in participating in the PBA, that's why its entry needs board approval."

"People would want to see games played at a more competitive level and they want to see competitive teams. If we have competing teams with inferior line up and not winning games, it will definitely hurt the league's attendance," added Pardo.

Pending the official takeover, Meralco will inherit a squad that has Nelbert Omolon, Ali Peek, Nic Belasco, Josh Urbiztondo, Chris Ross, Gabby Espinas, Jason Misolas and former San Beda stalwarts Yousif Aljamal, Ogie Menor and Pong Escobal as members.

Once Meralco becomes the 10th member of the PBA, the league will also need to tackle whether the team will become a sister squad of Talk 'N Text or become an independent team.

Manny Pangilinan, the chief backer of the Tropang Texters, also owns a controlling stake in Meralco.

Last season, several PBA board members questioned whether Burger King, a brand carried by Air21 of the Lina Group of Companies, and Talk 'N Text were sister teams.

Burger King is a joint venture of the Lina Group, Lito Alvarez, Pangilinan, Ricky Vargas and Wilson Young of Basic Holdings Corporation.

The Lina Group was able to prove it has the majority share with Burger King, but Alvarez suggested that Burger King and Talk 'N Text won't trade players directly.

The trade ban was lifted after the Lina Group used its old name, Air21.

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Pre-Game 6 Interview with K-Will (26 February 2008)

This is a pre-Game 6 interview made by www.sportsnews.ph on Sta. Lucia Realtors' prolific forward Kelly Williams after he won the most coveted Best Player of the Conference Award.

Williams, a do-it-all forward out of the University of Oakland in Detroit, emerged the Smart PBA Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference, beating for the coveted award Alaska’s Willie Miller, Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo, Air21’s Arwind Santos and Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava.

In this interview, Williams described how he feels about the upcoming Game 6 and how he has adjusted to the physcality of the series. He also expects the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants to try and minimize his output as well as those of Dennis Espino and Joseph Yeo. The Giants has been trying to get under his skin since Game 2 and Williams believe that they will not stop using that strategy. Fortunately for Williams, his teammates were always there to calm him down whenever Giants' enforcers Ardy Larong and Roger Yap tries to give him hard fouls.

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Interview with Ryan Reyes (11 February 2008)

This interview was made by www.sportsnews.ph last 11 February 2008 and posted in YouTube.

Sta. Lucia Realtors' sensational rookie, Ryan Reyes, discussed how he feels after they won their series against Alaska. He was also excited to play in the Finals series against the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants, the Realtors' third in Franchise history.

He also describe the Realtors as a defensive running team and this is how they will continue to play in the Finals series. Reyes predicted that this will be a very physical game and even if the Realtors are composed mostly of rookies and second-year veterans, they have already proven that they have the character to win a series after 7 long emotional games against the Aces in the Semis.

Reyes also thinks that he will most probably be guarding either James Yap or Peter June Simon, but between the two, he prefers guarding Yap more since he considered it as a bigger challenge.

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Its 2-0 for the Realtors in Bahrain

According to the Gulf Daily News, the Sta. Lucia Realtors concluded their exhibition contest in the first Bahrain-Philippines Ambassador's Friendship Games by winning a closely fought contest against the Al Ahli Club, 87-79, on 22 August 2008.

The Realtors put on a show for the crowd in the final quarter, coming back from an eight-point deficit late in the game to maintain the undefeated record of visiting Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams in the kingdom.

Last Thursday (21 August 2008), the Realtors overcame a sluggish start to outplay national champions Muharraq, 77-66, in the opening game. They used a strong fourth-quarter performance to turn a narrow lead into the double-digit victory late in the game.

Just like in their first game, PBA 2008 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kelly Williams sparked the end-game charge of the Realtors. Williams made an emphatic one-handed slam dunk on the fast break to get the Realtors to within 65-66 midway through the final period, and then Joseph Yeo scored on an acrobatic lay-up in transition with five minutes to play to give the Realtors a 72-68 advantage.

Their teammates fed off their lead, and the Realtors continued to control the contest until the final buzzer despite the efforts of Ahli, who was still able to keep the game close in the final two minutes.

Veteran Paolo Mendoza iced the victory with another tough lay-up on the break for an 86-79 edge with half-a-minute to play, and guard Dennis Miranda pegged the final score with one of two from the charity stripe.

"Certainly it was a tough game, we're still all tired and battling jet lag, and we're all just trying to get into shape for the start of the new year," Williams told the Gulf Daily News.

Williams led the Realtors' balanced attack with 20 points, while Mendoza had 13. There were seven other players who scored more at least five points for the Realtors. Also playing key roles were PBA Rookie of the Year Ryan Reyes, Dennis Espino, Marlou Aquino, Nelbert Omolon, Philip Butel, Dennis Daa, Melvin Mamaclay, Norman Gonzales, Christian Coronel and Rafael Santos.

Sayed Hashim and Hussain Shaker led the charge for Ahli, finishing with 18 and 16 markers, respectively.

The event was held under the patronage of Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Eduardo Pablo Maglaya. Ambassador Maglaya was in attendance last night along with acting Bahrain Basketball Association president Jassim Al Sindi.

The team left the kingdom on 24 August 2008 for Doha and then to Dubai, as they continue their brief tour of the Gulf.

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SLR Starts Preparation For Title Defense

In an effort to improve their chances of defending the title as the reigning PBA All-Filipino Champions, the Sta. Lucia Realtors left the country on 20 August 2008 for a series of exhibition games in Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai.

The Realtors’ first stop is Bahrain where they are set to play import-reinforced club teams Muharraq and Ah Ahli.

"We will have two games in Bahrain and then we will proceed to Doha, Qatar where we will also have two games against their national team," SLR Manager Buddy Encarnado said.

The Realtors biggest test in its Middle East tour could well be the Qatar national team, which the Realtors will face on Aug. 25 and 26 in Doha.

The team will be back on 31 August in time for the annual draft at the Market Market Place in Taguig. But the rest will be very brief as they are again scheduled to go to Boston for a two-week training (3-18 September) under Kevin Barbosa. Also included in the US trip are exhibition and tune-up games in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada.

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K-Will is the 2008 PBA MVP

Before the contending parties for the Fiesta Cup started Game 4 of their best-of-seven series last night, Sta. Lucia stalwart Kelly Williams took the limelight from Ginebra and Air21 by crowning himself the 2008 PBA MVP. Williams bagged the crown convincingly, a year after he took the rookie of the year honors.

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 top honors during the Leo Awards rites at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

"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 Philippine Cup after the Realtors won their first ever All-Filipino crown since joining the league.

Overall, Williams garnered a total of 2,762 points to the 1,775 points of Air 21's Arwind Santos and 1,158 points of Ginebra's Jayjay Helterbrand. Several media personnel covering the PBA games widely believed that the 6'6" Fil-Am truly deserves the citation.

The fourth Fil-Am player to win the MVP after Ricky Brown, Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, Williams said it felt great winning the award but he stressed “my main purpose is to honor God and help my team grow.”

The points were based from final statistics and votes cast by the media, players, television coveror and the PBA, plus his statistical points.

The reigning slam dunk champion averaged 18.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 53 games.

Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realty had the most number of players to win an award. Aside from Williams, Ryan Reyes earned the 2008 Rookie of the Year honor after besting Coca-Cola’s Ronjay Buenafe and Welcoat’s Joe De Vance. Reyes also joined Williams in the Best defensive Team. Nelbert Omolon, meanwhile, was named to the second Mythical selection. Overall, the three Realtors went home with 5 honors among themselves.

"It’s a bountiful harvest for us after all these years. It’s harvest time and I think it’s about time. It’s the most rewarding season for the team," said Sta. Lucia govenor Buddy Encarnado.

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K-Will Faces Stiff Challenge

Sta. Lucia Realtors supporters and believers will find out later this evening if the SLR superstar and top player in the All-Filipino Conference, Kelly Williams, will be crowned PBA's 2007-08 Most Valuable Player (MVP) during the annual awards night set prior to Game 4 of the Smart-Fiesta Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

Crowding Williams for the MVP plum are Air21’s Arwind Santos, Alaska’s Willie Miller, Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand and Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo. Among the four, Santos provides the strongest challenge having finished No. 2 in the MVP statistics race despite Air21 not making the quarterfinals of the previous conference.

Williams normed 35.5 SPs in 53 games this season, retaining the No. 1 spot he held since winning the Best Player of the Conference in the Philippine Cup and leading the Realtors to their first-ever crown without imports last March. Santos, on the other hand, remains the sentimental favourite after averaging 33.9 SPs through the end of the eliminations of the Fiesta Conference.

Unlike in past MVP races, statistical points accumulated by players this season have entirely gone through a different process. Bonus points, awarded to players whose teams have advanced deeper in a conference, have been left out.

Williams, who grew up in Detroit, Michigan and became Sta. Lucia’s first-ever player with a foreign blood, averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds in the Philippine Cup. He was one of only four players to average in double digits in points and in rebounds outside of Asi Taulava (Coke), Raymundo and Santos in the season-opening conference.

For the Rookie of the Year (TOY) category, many already expect SLR's Ryan Reyes and third pick overall in last year's draft to claim the award over top pick Joe de Vance of Welcoat, Ronjay Buenafe (Coke), Chico Lanete (Purefoods) and Doug Kramer (Air210). Reyes is the league's leader in the number of steals last season as he averaged at least 2.11 per outing.

Unlike the ROY though, both SLRs Nelbert Omolon or Jospeh Yeo will have a stiffer competition for the Most Improved Player (MIP) Award coming from Cyrus Baguio (Red Bull), Helterbrand, Juthy Valenzuela (Ginebra), Mike Hrabak (Red Bull) and Mark Macapagal (Coke).

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Williams, Santos 1-2 in MVP Race

Journal Online, 02 August 2008

Kelly Williams already has a PBA title this season. He may end up winning the league’s most prestigious individual award, too.

The 6-foot-5 Sta. Lucia forward has amassed the highest statistical points (SPs) average despite his team failing to make it past the quarterfinals of the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference, according to statistics released yesterday by the PBA.

The 2006-07 Rookie of the Year has normed 35.5 SPs in 53 games this season, retaining the No. 1 spot he held since winning the Best Player of the Conference in the Philippine Cup and leading the Realtors to their first-ever crown without imports last March.

Williams averaged 37.5 SPs in the Philippine Cup, which has a 60 percent share in the overall voting process, and normed 32.38 SPs in the ongoing Fiesta Conference in which Sta. Lucia has performed poorly after finishing with a 7-11 (win-loss) record in the eliminations and getting swept by Ginebra in the best-of-three quarterfinal round.

He leads Air21’s Arwind Santos, the No. 2 in the MVP race. Santos is averaging 33.9 SPs through the end of the eliminations of the Fiesta Conference.

Willie Miller, the first guard to win the MVP at least twice, is in third spot with a 33.3 norm while Jay-Jay Helterbrand of Ginebra is at fourth (32.1 SPs) and Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo at fifth with an average SPs of 31.9.

Rounding out the Top 10 in the MVP race are: Asi Taulava, Coca-Cola, 6th (31.5); James Yap, Purefoods, 7th (30.3); Cyrus Baguio, Red Bull, 8th (30.0); Mark Caguioa, Ginebra, 9th (28.8); and Danny Seigle, Magnolia, 10th (27.4).

If Williams goes on to capture the MVP, he will be the second player in three years to win the honor on his sophomore year. James Yap collared the MVP in his second season in the PBA in 2005-06, leading Purefoods to the Philippine Cup title and helping the Giants finish runner-up to Red Bull in the Fiesta Conference.

Williams could also end up as the 4th Fil-Am player to win the MVP if he is chosen after Ricardo Brown (1985), Taulava (2003) and Eric Menk (2004-05) and the 5th individual to win the MVP after winning Rookie of the Year honors after Brown, Benjie Paras, Allan Caidic, and Danny Ildefonso.

Paras, however, is a clear cut above the rest since he is the only PBA player to win the ROY and MVP on the same season (1989).

Unlike in past MVP races, statistical points accumulated by players this season have entirely gone through a different process. Bonus points, awarded to players whose teams have advanced deeper in a conference, have been left out.

Williams, who grew up in Detroit, Michigan and became Sta. Lucia’s first-ever player with a foreign blood, averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds in the Philippine Cup. He was one of only four players to average in double digits in points and in rebounds outside of Taulava, Raymundo and Santos in the season-opening conference.

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Worst Headcase Ever

By Joaquin M. Henson, "Sporting Chance"
The Philippine Star, 20 July 2008

In over 10 years providing the PBA with imports, sports agent Mike Gonzalez said yesterday he’s never come across a more despicable headcase than Sta. Lucia Realty’s discredited Lee Benson.

"He’s the worst of them all," said Gonzalez. "I’ve spoken with Commissioner (Sonny) Barrios about the PBA not giving Benson his FIBA clearance. This will make it difficult for Benson to play in any international league except perhaps in China where they don’t seem to recognize a FIBA clearance."

Gonzalez said when Benson left Manila last week, he flew directly to China where his New York agent Jose Paris arranged a contract in conflict with his Sta. Lucia commitment.

Gonzalez, 58, has delivered over 50 imports to the PBA through the years and was responsible for bringing in talents like Torraye Braggs, Damien Owens, Julius Nwosu, Tony Lang, Galen Young and Kwan Johnson.

A La Salle graduate, Gonzalez lived in Los Angeles over 30 years before resettling back here in 2006. He still represents PBA cagers MacMac Cardona, Ryan Reyes, Jimmy Alapag and Sonny Thoss but said he’s now spending less and less time in basketball.

"I’ve been lucky to represent a lot of athletes like Norman Black but lately, it’s been difficult to act as an agent because players don’t really keep their part of the bargain," said Gonzalez. "If I were to compute what players owe me, I think the amount would be something like P9 Million. So when a player approaches me to act as his agent, I don’t even bother signing a contract. I just do it to help him out with no conditions whatsoever."

* * *

Gonzalez said Benson, an ex-convict, was a headache from Day 1.

"Every day he was here, he threatened to leave – that was how bad it was," said Gonzalez. "When he arrived, he wanted to take the first flight out because he couldn’t get internet access in his apartment. I think he thought the entire Manila was a wi-fi hot spot. I was walking on thin ice throughout his stay. I’ve managed imports with idiosyncrasies before but never as severe as Benson. I remember problems about Nwosu who didn’t like to practice but nobody complained the way he played in a game."

Gonzalez said there was no question as to Benson’s ability.

"I’ve followed his career and I know what he can do," said Gonzalez. "At first, Coach Boyet (Fernandez) was wary because of his prison history. His agent (Paris) insisted on getting a contract. My mistake was putting him in touch directly with Mr. (Buddy) Encarnado. Paris promised the moon and even told Mr. Encarnado not to pay his commission if he wasn’t happy with Benson."

Appearing desperate for a job, Benson agreed to fly in on a two-week guarantee. His contract stipulated a graduated salary to be paid every two weeks and renewable on a game-to-game basis.

Gonzalez suspected while Benson was in the PBA, Paris negotiated a China deal where salaries range from US$ 25,000 to US$ 35,000 a month.

Things worsened when Benson had an altercation with a taxi driver whom he had contracted for three days to drive him around town two weeks ago. The scuttlebutt was on the third day, the driver missed Benson who got out of a nightclub very late and took another taxi to his apartment on Pioneer Street. The driver later went to the apartment and asked to be paid but Benson refused. The driver called for the police and Benson even wrestled a nightstick away from one of the responding officers.

"Mr. Encarnado bailed him out of trouble and paid off the driver but Benson showed no respect for team management," said Gonzalez. "Then he threatened to leave before Sta. Lucia’s knockout wildcard game against Talk ‘N’ Text. Sta. Lucia won with Benson playing really well. So he stayed for another game to start the quarterfinals. Then, he missed practice the day before the next game against Ginebra."

* * *

Gonzalez said on the day of the second Ginebra game, Benson demanded to be paid what was owed him on a pro rata basis even if his salary wasn’t due. He even wanted to be paid for the practice days he missed and the game that night.

"He became totally unreasonable and disrespectful like he wanted to be kicked out of the team so he could just go to China," said Gonzalez. "It was the height of unprofessionalism. He agreed to come over on specific terms but didn’t live up to what he committed to."

Gonzalez said the incident could’ve been avoided if he didn’t put Paris directly in contact with Encarnado and if the PBA scheduled its import conference way before the leagues in China, Korea and Japan start recruiting players.

"Too many cooks messed it up," said Gonzalez, referring to Paris. "Sta. Lucia was very professional in dealing with Benson but they were just so unreasonable. Mr. Encarnado must be commended for sticking to his principles and standing up to Benson."

Gonzalez said even as he still keeps a special place in his heart for basketball, there are now other priorities in his life. He’s been busy managing his own company Talk 24/7, a telecommunications wholesaler that is involved in internet protocol with large US accounts like Sprint and AT&T.

"My wife (Jojo) and our children are still in Los Angeles," said Gonzalez. "Eventually, my wife and I will retire here. At the moment, I’m full-time with Talk 24/7 and I haven’t been back in L. A. for a year. I’ll spend Christmas with my family though. Meanwhile, if there’s anything in basketball I can do, I’ll be around. It’s the game we all love."

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PBA May Issue Import Guidelines

By Waylon Galvez
Manila Bulletin Online, 18 July 2008

After the falling out between the Sta. Lucia management and its import Lee Benson, the PBA Commissioner’s Office is planning to issue new guidelines regarding hiring of new imports to protect other teams from avaricious imports.

Sta. Lucia governor and team manager Buddy Encarnado was incensed with Benson’s numerous demands, forcing the Realtors, the Philippine Cup champions, to play all-Filipino in their crucial quarterfinal showdown with Ginebra last Wednesday.

Benson, who promised earlier to bring Sta. Lucia to the quarters, reportedly threatened not to play his best after his demands were thumbed down by the management.

Without the 6-foot-10 Benson, the Realtors proved to be easy prey for the Gin Kings who romped to a 113-85 win.

"So far we don’t have a specific guideline, like dealing with the case of Sta. Lucia and Benson," Commissioner Sonny Barrios said yesterday. "Because the teams deal with this kind of situations."

"But we’re looking at some options. We don’t want to micro-manage the teams, because it is actually their prerogative who to get as import. If they have problems it’s their call, unless there are violations on league rules," Barrios added.

Encarnado said that he would propose to the PBA board to ban imports who have the notoriety of playing mercenary in the league just like Benson.

"We (board) should have a unified and strong reaction on this issue. We should not be blackmailed," Encarnado said. "The league should be steadfast and have a common stand on this."

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Benson: A Pain In The Neck

By Tito Talao
Manila Bulletin Online, 18 July 2008

Must have been the sudden freedom, having spent time behind bars, and the liberty to wade freely into wantonness that ultimately brought down Lee Benson, the sacked import of the Sta. Lucia Realtors.

Benson, who Realtors management sent packing the day they faced — and lost to – the Ginebra Kings in a do-or-die PBA Fiesta Conference quarterfinal game Wednesday, had a checkered past and a reputation that preceded him: Lover of the night life, gambler, drug fiend, unreliable, temperamental, irreverent.

"We were warned Benson had an attitude problem, but boss Buddy [Encarnado, the Realtors governor] wanted to give him a second chance," said a team insider.

A desire to give a down-on-his-luck individual a break and a need for a potential savior to a faltering bid for back-to-back championships after two previous imports — Wesley Wilson and Jamar Brown — failed to make the grade.

The Realtors were willing to give it a shot even if his first few hours in the country proved portentous.

"On the day he was fetched at the airport by assistant coach Cholo Martin, Benson went looking for an area that offered wi-fi service, and when he couldn’t find one he got disgusted and asked coach Cholo for his passport," the insider said. "He was going home less than an hour after flying in because he couldn’t use the Internet."

Benson was prevailed upon to stay and his arrival signaled a resurrection for the Realtors, the Philippine Cup champions, as they started piling up wins.

Problems came to the surface, however, when Sta. Lucia’s streak suddenly hit a snag, sending the Exie Robles franchise out of quarterfinal contention and into the perilous wildcard phase.

"He was bar-hopping every night, renting taxi cabs for as long as three straight days," the insider bared.

One time, Benson failed to settle his fare with the cab driver who had waited for him from dusk to dawn. When the chauffer drove to Benson’s place at the Globe Towers on Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong to demand for his fee, the six-foot-eleven import with the menacing demeanor shooed him away.

The taxi driver left but returned shortly with his burly elder brother and two uniformed policemen.

Benson’s assigned team driver who had come to bring him to practice called Encarnado on the phone and informed him of the problem.

"Boss Buddy had to settle the R3,000 fare in exchange for a signed affidavit from the driver that no charges will be filed against Benson," said the insider.

It was around this time that Benson’s New York-born agent who lives in Puerto Rico began calling and asking for his percentage, demanding to know why his Filipino counterpart had been paid ahead of him.

Encarnado, the team insider said, patiently explained to the man that it was not so, but Benson’s agent would have none of it, insisting that his ward be given his passport, plane ticket, and money so he could leave.

It went on and on and it reached the point when Benson informed the team, minutes before they took the floor against the Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals in the wildcard phase, that he was leaving after the game.

Benson had a superb evening -- 27 points and 26 rebounds as Sta. Lucia clinched the fourth and last quarterfinal berth. But his pre-game announcement left the entire Realtors team groping in the dark, with the mighty Ginebra Kings waiting in the best-of-three playoffs.

Benson suited up for the series opener against the Kings Sunday, but the Realtors failed to hang on to a 13-point lead and wound up losing, 92-90.

Two days later, on the eve of their do-or-die meeting with Ginebra, Benson, without any notice, skipped the all-important practice.

It was the last straw for Encarnado, according to the team insider.

The Sta. Lucia official delivered Benson’s passport, plane ticket and money to the Office of the Commissioner for proper disposal.

Encarnado was supposed to have told Commissioner Sonny Barrios: "This has to end. We cannot be held hostage by a blackmailer."

Said the source: "Boss Buddy was unwilling to compromise team integrity for one player who makes a mockery of league rules."

Without Benson in Game 2, the Kings breezed past the Realtors, 113-85, Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo, sending them to the best-of-seven semifinals against Red Bull while putting an emphatic end to Sta. Lucia’s dream of a mini-grand slam.

(Postscript: The Realtors later learned that Benson’s agent had booked him to a higher-paying contract in China, making it plain the long-night charades and habitual tardiness were all part of the scheme to get him out of his contract.)

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It's Just Another KO Game for SLR

By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star, 16 July 2008

Surviving is getting to be a habit for Sta. Lucia Realty and coach Boyet Fernandez has two more do-or-die games to win before making it to the PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals against Red Bull.

A Realtors loss in either one of the two games will send Barangay Ginebra against the Barakos instead.

Tonight, Sta. Lucia tries to stave off elimination when it plays the Gin Kings in Game 2 of their best-of-3 quarterfinal series at the Ynares Center. If the Realtors win, they’ll go up against Ginebra in the winner-take-all clincher on Friday.

In last Sunday’s series opener, Ginebra broke the ice via a 92-90 decision over the reigning Philippine Cup champions.

"As long as you’re alive, you have hope," said Fernandez yesterday. "We’ll make the necessary adjustments in Game 2. We know we can’t play Ginebra’s game – which is shoot, run, shoot, run. We’ve got to set our own tempo. We didn’t shoot well against their zone in Game 1 so we hope we’ll be on target in Game 2."

Fernandez called the Game 1 setback 'a sorry loss.' "We need to play almost a perfect game to beat Ginebra," said Fernandez. "Joseph (Yeo) got into foul trouble in Game 1 and went 0-of-4 in three-pointers. Joseph gives us energy, intensity and instant offense as our sixth man. Our intensity is kept at a high level by our second unit because of Joseph. He’s maturing and his defense is improving. He knows he can’t just play offense because he comes off the bench to replace Ryan (Reyes), Bitoy (Omolon) or Denok (Miranda) who are all defensive players."

But Fernandez pointed to import Lee Benson as the key to Sta. Lucia’s fortunes.

"From the first day he showed up at practice, Lee has been a positive influence on our team," he said. "Our aura changed. Lee is an intelligent and a very talented player. For a big man, he runs the floor very well. Maybe, we wouldn’t have finished No. 9 in the eliminations if Lee was with us from the start." Sta. Lucia started the conference with Wesley Wilson who lasted 11 games. Then came emergency replacement Jamar Brown who played two outings before Benson arrived.

"Not to take anything away from Wilson, I think he’s a capable import but he lacked intensity," said Fernandez. "Lee is challenged by (Ginebra import Chris) Alexander. They know each other well. They went to the same training camp in the US and played in China. Lee is convinced Alexander can’t beat him, that Ginebra can’t beat us. We’re 4-0 at Ynares this conference so it’s just a matter of extending our streak to five."

Fernandez said before hiring Benson, he thought of recruiting an import to play the four spot.

"Cap (Dennis Espino) and Marlou (Aquino) are hardly playing because our import is a pure center," said Fernandez, referring to his veteran frontliners whose contracts are expiring in December. "They understand the situation. Even if they’re not playing much, they’re supporting the team all the way. They did well in the All-Filipino so it’s just that in this conference, the import is taking away their minutes. We considered getting a small import to play four so Cap and Marlou could alternate at five and Kelly (Williams) could slide to three. But with Alexander, Amal McCaskill and Adam Parada around, we were forced to get a big guy."

Fernandez dismissed talk of Benson staying out late at night as exaggerated.

"He told me he doesn’t need a babysitter and he knows what’s right and what’s wrong as far as getting himself ready for basketball is concerned," said Fernandez. "Sometimes, he doesn’t sleep in his unit at Pioneer and stays with a friend so people think he’s out all night. I’ve spoken with Lee and he’s happy to stay. He’s in high spirits."

Fernandez said surviving two do-or-die wildcard games has given his team a shot of confidence.

"When we lost four in a row in the eliminations, I told the guys to just win the next game against Alaska and we’ll be fine," said Fernandez. "That’s what we did. But we lost three straight after that. Still, we had a chance to win all three so we knew we weren’t out of it."

Fernandez said Yeo’s emergence has triggered the turnaround. He shot 27 against Alaska and 29 against Talk ‘N’ Text in the two knockout wildcard games.

"I try to bring out our strong points to cover up our weaknesses," said Fernandez. "Our strong point is defense and that’s what has kept us alive. Against Ginebra, we’ve got to minimize our turnovers, capitalize on their mistakes, improve our shot selection and not allow them to get the crowd going."

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Best Player of the Week: Joseph Yeo

SportsNews, 15 July 2008

One sign of an all-around player is the numerous ways he can hurt an opponent.

That’s where Sta. Lucia Realty could consider itself lucky for it has a Joseph “The Ninja” Yeo, who, as his moniker suggests, can sneak up on an unwitting victim and do a lot of damage.

The Realtors’ chief reliever shone on both ends of the floor in the week that was, making him the unanimous choice as the Smart/Accel PBA Press Corps’ Player of the Week for the period July 7 to 13.

The 25-year-old chief reliever to starter Ryan Reyes was practically everywhere in SLR’s games against Alaska and Talk N Text, not only coming up with career scoring games but also rebounding, assisting and harassing the opposition no end.

Those led to victories by the ninth-ranked Realtors in two knockout wildcard games and propelled them to the best-of-three quarterfinals against early qualifier Barangay Ginebra.

There were also Magnolia’s Lordy Tugade and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa also coming through with exceptional games at the start of the quarters last Sunday while the likes of Kelly Williams, Lee Benson, Bitoy Omolon and Dennis Miranda were also vital cogs to SLR’s wins.

Still, it was Yeo who caught not only the eyes of the scribes regularly covering the league but also Realtors coach Boyet Fernandez.

“Joseph had matured a lot in his game. Even though he’s coming off the bench, he always steps up and that’s an indication of his maturity,” said Fernandez.

”One thing I really notice about Joseph is he can now play defense. I hope he will continue to improve on his game for he’s really a very good player.”

The former La Salle U standout, drafted third overall by Coca-Cola in the 2006 Draft and acquired in exchange for Mark Isip and Cesar Catli just before the current season started, showed the trust on him was founded by scoring a new career-high 27 points in a 99-86 win over Alaska last Wednesday.

Yeo had six of his points in the final 5:40 of the game when the Realtors broke the game’s seventh and final deadlock at 80 and outscored the Aces, 19-6, the rest of the way.

It was also Yeo who kept the game close at the half and his 11 points in the third period helped SLR get back in the game after falling behind by 11 early in the quarter.

He broke his previous career-high of 24 after shooting 9-of-12 field and his points were spiked by five rebounds, as many assists and a steal in 27 minutes.

The win ended a three-game losing streak by SLR and was only its second in its last nine games, third in its last 11, fourth in its last 13 and fifth in its last 16. More important, the Realtors got to play another day in their bid for the last slot in the quarters.

Yeo made sure they accomplished the goal that was so far-fetched to most.

Against TNT, the 6-foot, 175-lb. dervish was more awesome. In 23 minutes, he scored 29 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 11-of-12 from the stripes.

Yeo had 26 points in the second half, 18 of them in the fourth quarter where he went perfect from the field (4-of-4) and from the free throw line (7-of-7).

Sta. Lucia led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but allowed TNT to tie the score at 57 midway through the third period before Yeo had eight of his points in a 12-1 run that gave the Realtors the lead for good.

Aside from staying alive, the Realtors also posted their 29th win of the season, which is already the second most in a season in franchise history and their most number of wins since racking up 31 in the 1997 season.

The Realtors’ streak was cut short by the Gin Kings’ 92-90 win last Sunday, in a game where Yeo only had nine points, three rebounds, three assists and a block.

But Fernandez knows his players can easily step up anew, with Yeo foremost among those leading the way.

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Benson Stays to Lead Realtors vs Kings

The Philippine Star, 13 July 2008

Lee Benson is showing up tonight as All-Filipino ruler Sta. Lucia Realty continues its drive for a season sweep, facing Barangay Ginebra in Game One of their Smart PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-three quarterfinals showdown at the Astrodome.

It turned out all’s well between Benson and Sta. Lucia. The two parties cleared things up after they survived the wildcard round with a 111-96 win over Talk n Text Friday at the Ynares Center.

“Everything is fine. There’s no problem between Lee and the management. It was a case of miscommunication among Lee, his Puerto Rican agent and a representative here,” said Sta. Lucia top official Buddy Encarnado.

“The Puerto Rican agent had doubts about his conduit here. He called up, pressuring us to give Benson his passport, plane ticket and advanced payment. But I told him that should not be the case as we have rules here, and the player is ready to follow,” Encarnado added.

The Realtors were in high spirits in practice yesterday, hopeful they could sustain the momentum of their stirring victories over the Alaska Milk Aces and the Phone Pals in the wildcard round.

Benson himself was upbeat, excited on his match-up with Chris Alexander whom he knows from way back.

Alexander, the seven-foot Ginebra import, leads the league in scoring and in blocks but Benson has proven he can deliver specially when his team is pushed to the wall. The latter had a huge double-double game against Talk n Text.

The third-ranked Barangay Ginebra and ninth seeded Sta. Lucia slug it out for the right to play second ranked Red Bull in the semifinals. The Kings rallied from the cellar all the way to No. 3 on a six-game closing romp in the elimination round.

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Do or Die Game Again: SLR vs TnT

By Nelson Beltran
The Philippine Star, 11 July 2008

Talk n Text and Sta. Lucia are expected to figure in a fierce battle in the final knockout stage of the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference wildcard plays with Terrance Leather spared of suspension but fined PhP 62,400 for sparking the fracas in the TnT-Purefooods match Wednesday.

The Pals and the Realtors knock each other out at 7 p.m. at the Ynares Center with the winner advancing to the quarterfinal round versus the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

The Pals will be playing in full force, led by their prolific but temperamental import who escaped suspension despite yet another on-court outburst triggering the melee in the Antipolo sports venue two days ago.

A total of PhP 244,400 in fines was assessed to eight players in the aftermath of the incident.

Leather drew a fine of PhP 40,000 for throwing the ball to Jondan Salvador, PhP 20,000 for a fighting stance and chasing James Yap on the court, and PhP 2,400 for two technical fouls.

Two other Talk n Text players in Kalani Ferreria and Gilbert Lao were fined PhP 20,000 each for leaving their bench and rushing to the court during the commotion.

Yap drew the biggest fine (PhP 50,000) among the Giants for kicking the Pals import during the melee. Enrico Villanueva (PhP 33,000), Kerby Raymundo (PhP 30,000), Rob Sanz (PhP 28,000) and Jondan Salvador (PhP 1,000) had their own fines for their involvement in the fight.

Leather, a versatile 6-foot-9 player who leads the league in scoring, is likely to create match-up problems for Sta. Lucia.

Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez, however, is hopeful his troops can pick up from where they left off versus Alaska Milk Wednesday.

Joseph Yeo came through with a career-high 27 points while Kelly Williams delivered when it counted most as the Realtors fashioned out a come-from-behind 99-86 win to dethrone the Fiesta Cup title-holder Aces.

Williams, the prolific sophomore pro out of University of Oakland-Detroit, is looking to extend their season and enhance his bid for the coveted MVP award.

"With or without Leather, we really have to play tough against Sta. Lucia," said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

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