Dennis Espino Back in Basketball

By Mei-Lin Lozada
Spin.ph, 27 October 2013

After a long and controversial absence, former PBA star Dennis Espino said he is happy to be back in a sport that made him a household name.

The top pick overall of the 1995 PBA rookie draft showed up at the D-League games on Thursday as one of the assistant coaches of expansion team Derulo Accelero, threee years since playing his last game in the pro league where he was among its biggest stars for close to two decades.

During that absence, the 6-5 former national team standout from Angeles City became a fugitive of the law and also spent time in jail for a serious illegal detention case filed by a former secretary in a piggery he put up in Mexico, Pampanga.

The 15-year veteran declined to talk about the case that led to his disappearance from the cage scene, but said he was happy to be once again involved in a sport where he first made a name as the star of the multi-titled University of Santo Tomas teams in the nineties.

"Syempre unang-una nakaka-miss dahil ang tagal rin tayong andiyan naglalaro since UST days natin tapos PBA so nakaka-miss," Espino shared to Spin.ph.

Espino said initially he was glad to get out of the game after ending a career that saw him win two PBA championships with Sta. Lucia Realty. He last saw action for the Coca-Cola franchise before he was traded to Talk 'N Text in 2011.

"Well noong una, hindi ko masyado hinananap kasi almost 17 years din tuluy-tuloy sa PBA tapos sa UAAP five years," said the 39-year-old. "Kaya noong una, hindi ko hinanap kasi pahinga rin."

But Espino said it didn't take long for him to miss the sport, the reason he immediately said yes when former Sta. Lucia teammate Paolo Mendoza asked him to be one of his assistants at Derulo.

"So noong nakapag-start na ulit, tinawagan ako ni coach Paolo Mendoza. Sabi niya, 'Dennis, tulungan mo ako rito,' kaya ngayon andito na naman tayo," he said.

Although the Oilers lost their debut game in the D-League, the former UAAP Most Valuable Player is positive the expansion team can do well in the developmental league with a little more polishing and seasoning.

"First game, medyo hindi pinalad hopefully itong team namin makapag-adjust kami para gumanda rin ang takbo," Espino said. "Medyo may lapses lang sa depensa pero overall, maganda naman. Rookie lang yung team pero maganda naman."

Espino, a member of Tim Cone's Centennial Team that won a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games, said he is looking to sharing his knowledge and experience with young players in his new career.

"Hopefully yung experience ko mai-share ko sa mga players ngayon," he said.

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Duremdes to Coach Adamson Falcons

With the Adamson Falcons taking a new direction after Leo Austria announced his decision to vacate his post as the head coach of the Men's Senior Basketball team, former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) MVP and one-time King Falcon Kenneth Duremdes has taken on the challenge of leading the team.

Not only, the Durembdes will be assisted by two fellow PBA legends.

Newly inducted Adamson University Sports Hall of Famer Marlou Aquino will be sharpening the big man skills while his fellow Baranggay Ginebra teammate Vince Hizon will be the shooting and offensive skills coach.

The team is focused on rebuilding the program with numerous graduating seniors and a handful of very promising young athletes who will have much to learn from these basketball greats.

"It's a leap of faith but I think it's time to impart the things I've learned to the next generation of student-athletes", shared Hizon who was once the playing assistant coach for the IloIlo Megavoltz of the now defunct MBA.

"I've learned a lot from playing under many coaches like Coach Perry Ronquillo, Coach Chot Reyes, Coach Baby Dalupan, Coach Darryl Dawkins in the USBL, and of course Coach Jaworski who is my mentor to this day. I was trained under a US Nationally ranked high school program at Mater Dei in California, and later under Coach Don Johnson, the first All-American under the legendary John Wooden at UCLA."

Hizon also hopes that his vast experience will guide him through this new chapter of his basketball career.

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Marlou Aquino Back in Business

If reports are to believed, a towering 6-foot-9 former Sta. Lucia Realtors will be hired soon as a deputy coach by the Adamson University.

Gilbert Cruz, team manager of the Falcons, disclosed to Spin.ph that the school has spoken to former PBA player and Adamson alumnus Marlou Aquino on possibly joining the team staff with a coaching change looming by next season.

Aquino was part of the last Adamson team that made the league finals in 1992 along with fellow giants EJ Feihl and Giovanni Pineda, together with Kenneth Duremdes.

The possibility of a coaching change for the San Marcelino-based school arose after current coach Leo Austria expressed his intention not to renew his contract with the Falcons next year.

Aquino’s possible hiring could be a big boost for the Falcons especially to their big men led by Cameroonian Ingrid Sewa, who has shown a lot of potential but remains a project player.

"He will be a big help for our big men," Cruz admitted.

Aquino was seen watching Adamson’s August 31 game against University of the Philippines.

Cruz has also bared that the school already has a shortlist of candidates for the head coaching job in the event Austria decides not to return next season.

On top of the list are Adamson icons Hector Calma and Duremdes, who is currently part of Austria’s coaching staff as an assistant.

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Buddy Encarnado

Encarnado is the longest-serving governor and team manager in the PBA. He has a longstanding love affair with basketball dating back a decade before his association with Sta. Lucia or the PBA. His first foray into big-time basketball was during the formation of the Philippine Amateur Basketball League.

“Way back in 1983, when I was with American Standard, I started this team, the POW,” said Encarnado. “And we won all the tournaments in Pasig. So I thought that we already had a good team. We saw this ad in the paper stating that there will be a new league that will be formed and calling for interested parties to join. This was the PABL, the forerunner of the PBL.”

Encarnado attended that meeting so that his team could participate in the tournament without knowing that he was about to join big-time basketball.

“For the first time, I met the big names in amateur basketball, sila director Ding Panganiban, sila Elmer Yanga ng RFM. I was flabbergasted. I realized that I was in the wrong room. You know, I should never have been there.”

Discussions about the formation of the league followed including coming up with a seed money, which was P50,000, for each team. At the time P50,000 was a hefty sum of money.

“I was hoping that there would be a representative of the 16 teams who would object so that there would be two of us to object,” said Encarnado. “Unfortunately, no one said no. So I had to swallow hard and say yes also because kahiya-hiya naman kung ako lang ang hi-hindi. But after having said yes, my mind was wondering already. Where will I get the P50,000?”

Encarnado knew that his company, American Standard, wasn’t about to bankroll a big-time basketball team.

“So I thought of one of our commercial distributors, Eddie Que, the owner of the ESQ Marketing. That team eventually dominated the league winning, at one time, four consecutive PABL championships.”

The partnership with Que started Encarnado’s career into big-time basketball. It was an inauspicious start or in his own words, “a debacle and an eye-opener.” There were 16 teams and of 15 games, Encarnado’s team won only one game. And the team won by default.

“But it was a blessing in disguise because it made me realize that it wasn’t that easy to build a champion team,” said Encarnado. “I thought to myself: Dito ako nadapa. I will never leave this league until I become champion.”

After that first conference, Encarnado disbanded his and recruited varsity players like Ronnie Magsanoc, Eric Altamirano and Glen Capacio as replacements.

“My participation in basketball was founded on the philosophy that you have to lose in order to win,” said Encarnado. “Natalo kami ng halos lahat ng teams. Instead of backing out, we took it as a challenge.”

The ESQ Merchants became successful, but eventually its mother corporation, ESQ Marketing, encountered some financial difficulties and could no longer afford a PBL franchise.

“At the time, I already wanted out of the team,” said Encarnado. “I just wanted to look after the welfare of the players. I looked for a company that will buy the franchise because nagiging mabigat na ang cost of operation.”

Encarnado made sales presentations to three companies including Sta. Lucia. He explained his idea of basketball as the medium of an advertising thrust and Sta. Lucia ownership immediately identified with what he was telling them.

“They said they agreed with the presentation and were willing to buy the franchise,” said Encarnado. “But they wanted me to manage the team and handle their corporate communications.”

All of a sudden, Encarnado had a problem—whether or not to leave his promising career at American Standard and join the then-fledgling corporation of Sta. Lucia Realty.

“By then, I had finished my studies at the Asian Institute of Management courtesy of American Standard and had gone to foreign training in our headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. Now, all of a sudden, I am about to leave that position,” said Encarnado.

His wife wanted him to stay with American Standard but because of his passion for basketball, he went against the wishes of his wife and joined Sta. Lucia.

“I told her when you met me, I was merely a salesman,” said Encarnado. “But you believed in me. I can always find a better job. If I am really credible, I can easily get a job in the market. But basketball is where I am really happy.”

The following day, he went to the office of Sta. Lucia top honcho Exequiel Robles to accept the offer without even asking what his salary was going to be.

“My passion is really basketball,” Encarnado said. “I cannot see my life being devoid of basketball. Of being separated from the action of honing a team. This is my world. For one whole week, my wife did not talk to me. But after all these years, I have proven to my wife that my decision was correct.”

Sta. Lucia bought the franchise from ESQ in 1987. By that time, ESQ was already a dominant force in the league and Sta. Lucia continued this winning tradition. By 1992, the team was ready to join the PBA.

“I told Sta. Lucia management that it was OK to go to the PBA,” said Encarnado. “But you have to have a use for the PBA exposure, otherwise it will be a costly affair. If you’re thinking of 10 percent increase for your sales, for you to go to the PBA, it will be very expensive. But if you’re looking at an increase of 10 times your yearly sales, then the area for you really is the PBA.”

At the time, Sta. Lucia was known only in Metro Manila, but was already thinking of expanding into a nationwide brand.

“I told them that if we went into the PBA, we should not have high hopes of being successful as a team immediately,” said Encarnado. “But our advertising objectives will be met. So we joined the PBA and all of a sudden, almost overnight, people from all walks of life, from Aparri to Jolo, came to know of the existence of Sta. Lucia as a first-class real estate development company.”

Success on the basketball court also followed, but it came nine long years after the team joined the league. The Realtors won their first and only PBA title in the 2001 Governors’ Cup.

This year, after they finally relented on their policy of hiring only homegrown talent, they are again on top of the standings.

“Our philosophy is still there,” said Encarnado. “If you will look at the composition of the team, there is only one Fil-Am—Kelly Williams. Alex Cabagnot is practically homegrown. He was born in the Philippines and moved to the US when he was 10 years old. His folks both have Philippine passports and he talks in Tagalog. We consider him a Filipino.”

That leaves Williams as the Realtors’ only Fil-Am. Except for Air21, which has a 100 percent all homegrown team, Sta. Lucia has the least number of Fil-Ams in the lineup.

“Let me emphasize, the Filipinos—the local homegrown—cannot be a minority in their own country,” said Encarnado. “Can you imagine a situation where the NBA has more foreign-, rather than American-grown players? The public would not accept that.”

Encarnado points to the millions of migrant workers who are overseas bringing needed money into the country. He sees a similar situation in basketball, where Filipino basketball players can go abroad and earn dollars to be sent back to the Philippines.

“But for the foreigners to come here and earn money and bring it to America? Ang tingin ko parang economic sabotage yan. Hindi naman bagay. Let us allow the Fil-foreigners to play, but the majority of players should still be locals,” Encarnado said.

Through Encarnado’s personal pleas to the board, the PBA now has a 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 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 wayward import Lee Benson in a crucial game the team could not afford to lose in the Fiesta Conference quarterfinals.

(This was reprinted from the article by Reuel Vidal entitled "Championing the cause of homegrown players" published by the Manila Standard Today - MST Online on November 4-5, 2006)

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Philip Butel

Jersey number: 09
Height/Weight: 6'7" 205 lbs
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 16 June 1980
Hometown: Cagayan
Position: Center
Years Pro: 2
College: University of the East
Teams played for: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Philip Butel played for Hapee Toothpaste in the amateurs and was a decent big man for the University of the East (UE) basketball team when they competed in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). However, he was never picked up when he first applied for the pros in the 2006 PBA Draft.

In 2007, free-agent Butel and Melvin Mamaclay (drafted in the second round) were picked-up by the Sta. Lucia Realtors to fill their need for reliable big men. The Realtors selected 6’2" point-guard Ryan Reyes as the third overall pick in the 2007 PBA Draft.

Butel is tall (6′7″) is a blue-collar worker who can play defense and collar those offensive boards, but he lacks strength to consistently hold fort in the middle. Seasoned by minor leagues around the country, the lanky center is a dependable big man who can shoot the medium range shot and can give sme quality minutes while both Dennis Espino and Marlou Aquino take a breather in the bench. The Sta. Lucia coaching staffs also like his work ethic and that is one of the reasons why he is wearing the green jersey.

Statistics:

Butel first made a name while playing for the UE Red Warriors in college, playing alongside James Yap, Paul Artadi, Ronald Tubid and Nino Canaleta. In his final year with the Recto-based team, he averaged 1.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in the 2003 season.

During the elimination round of the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Butel played a total of 6 games and averaged 1.0 point and 1.17 rebounds in 3.67 minutes per game.

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Christian Coronel

Jersey number: 40
Height/Weight: 5'8" 160 lbs.
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 03 March 1980
Hometown: Manila
Position: Guard
Years Pro: 2
College: San Sebastian College
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Former San Sebastian Stag’s Christian Coronel almost became a player of Ginebra in 2006, but didn't make the final cut. He was neither the flashy type nor had an ankle-breaking crossover in the amateurs which could have contributed to his decision to go back and play for Harbour Center in the amateur league on that same year. However, his determination to enter the pro league, his three-point shots, crafty plays and ability to defend other point guards convinced the Sta. Lucia Realtors to sign him in a two-year pact starting 2007. He was taken as a third option at the point guard spot behind Ryan Reyes and Dennis Miranda.

Statistics:

In his first game as a pro, Coronel churned up 12 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals all in 15 minutes. Coronel played like no rookie, displaying spunk and incredible accuracy from the outside (3-6 3-point FG) in a 89-96 loss to Purefoods. He was also able to direct the team’s plays magnificently and at times outplayed starter Denok Miranda. However, after that game his performance took a downturn. Maybe owing to the limited time on the floor courtesy of the vastly improving Ryan Reyes, Coronel can only manage 2.7 ppg, 0.8 apg and 0.7 spg in 8.93 minutes per outing in all 12 games he played during the 2008 PBA Philipine Cup.

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Dennis Daa

Jersey number: 14
Height/Weight: 6'5" 210 lbs.
Age: 29
Date of Birth: 05 July 1979
Hometown: Tacloban City
Position: Forward
Years Pro: 2
College: Las Piñas College
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

After no team showed interest in him in the 2006 PBA Draft, Dennis Daa persevered in the amateur circuits and transformed himself into an offensive threat after just a year. Daa was a force in the PBL scoring at will against meager competition. Together with JV Casio and Andy Larong, Daa was crtitical in Toyota Otis winning the 2006 PBL Unity Cup. He has been toughened up by stints in the PBL which culminated with a spot in the Mythical Five

Sta. Lucia took notice and signed him to a two-year contract in the 2007 PBA Draft.

Statistics:

So far, Daa has performed relatively well as the chief reliever of both Dennis Espino and Marlou Aquino. In the 17 games he has played in teh 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Daa averaged 16.0 mpg, 3.8 ppg and 3.7 rpg. He also averaged a decent 42.950 percent from the 2-point area and 66.7 percent from the line.

His best game in the pro league would be the one against Ginebra last 10 November 2007, where he scored 7 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and committed 2 errors in 28 minutes. With the apparent retirement of Aquino in the next couple years, Daa may need to improve his numbers further if he wants to stay as a Realtor.

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Dennis Espino

Jersey number: 16
Height/Weight: 6'7" 215 lbs.
Age: 34
Date of Birth: 20 December 1973
Hometown: Angeles City, Pampanga
Position: Center
Years Pro: 13
College: University of Sto. Tomas
Monicker: Dennis the Menace
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Dennis Espino caught the attention of many basketball coaches when he showed great leadership in steering the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) to a rare four-peat championships in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Basketball. The leadership he has shown made him the logical choice for the Sta. Lucia Realty when they made him the number one pick in the 1995 PBA Draft.

Working in tandem with Jun Limpot, the 1995 number one draft pick, Espino helped the Realtors cop a third place trophy in that year's PBA Governor's Cup. Several third placed finishes and coach changes led to the inevitable breakup of the Limpot-Espino tandem. Limpot was traded to the Barangay Ginebra Kings for Marlou Aquino before the Conference begun in early 2000.

By hiring former grand slam winning coach Norman Black and choosing Paolo Mendoza as the number one pick in the 2000 PBA Draft, the Realtors reach the quarterfinals of the All-Filipino Cup. The combination of Espino, Aquino, Mendoza and import Damien Owens finally helped the Realtors win their first ever championship in the PBA by dominating the 2001 Governor's Cup Finals against the highly favored San Miguel Beermen.

After Limpot was traded, Espino became the heart, soul and acknowledged leader of Sta. Lucia Realty despite the influx of some talented newcomers to the team. It is not just the points or rebounds the beefy center-forward gives to the Realtors’ cause, nor the additional toughness he brings when he’s on the court.

“It’s his attitude,” SLR former coach Alfrancis Chua says of his 34-year-old team skipper. “He’s a winner and he wants his teammates to adopt the same mind-set.”

Chua said Espino’s game just reflects the tenacity the latter shows in practice.

“Our practices have been tough and he’s staying in the gym, doing some weights. Even if we don’t have practices, he continues his weights program. He really wants to lead this team, especially the younger players, by example,” Chua said.

Statistics:

Espino has shown some signs of breaking down even if he played and started in all 22 games in the 2006 season for the Realtors after appearing in just 34 games the whole of 2005. His statistics is obviously declining the last 3 years.

Despite the entry of sensational Fil-Am Kelly Williams, Espino is still among the team leaders in scoring and rebounding. During the 2006-2007 PBA Philippine Cup, he averaged 12.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 0.7 bpg in 26.1 minutes per ball game. The problem with Espino in this Conference is his penchant to turn over the ball many times, averaging 2.4 turnovers per game.

In the 2006-2007 PBA Fiesta Cup, Espino can only manage 9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 1.4 bpg in 23.8 minutes per ball game. However, he vastly improved on this numbers during the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup where he averaged 11.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg in 26.28 minutes of action. He was even adjudged as the Finals MVP after they won the 7-game series against the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants. His number in the finals were phenomenal, 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and almost an assists per game.

The entry of young players in the roster of the Realtors has not diminished the value of Espino to the team. Nothwithstanding his decreasing average production every year, the Realtors is expected to continue depending on his leadership and production in crucial situations.

Awards:

• 2-time Mythical Team (2001, 2003)
• Defensive Player of the Year (2005)
• 2-time All-Defensive Team (2001, 2005)
• PBA Philippine Cup Finals MVP(2007-2008)

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Norman Gonzalez

Jersey number: 28
Height/Weight: 6'4" 205 lbs.
Age: 32
Date of Birth: 21 May 1976
Hometown: Magalang, Pampanga
Position: Forward
Years Pro: 6
College: San Beda College
Teams played for: Mobiline/Talk 'N Text, Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Norman Gonzalez became an outside shooter when power forwards in the league grew taller, especially with the influx of fil-ams. During his amateur days, Gonzalez was strictly an inside player. He was touted as a probable sixth man than can deliver double-double at any given night when he was first hired by Talk N Text Phone Pals (formerly Mobiline) straight from the defunct Metropolitan Basketball League in early 2002.

After he was picked up by the Sta. Lucia Realtors, Gonzalez developed managed to make his presence felt, whether it was on the defensive end or on the offensive end. The 6’3 forward displayed not only his defensive skills but as well as his ability to hit those long jumpers and the Realtors could only hope that he can do that with consistency.

Statistics:

Considered as a good example of a role player, Gonzalez did well in his job with the Realtors. In the 2006-2007 season, he appeared in 27 of 37 games by the team and normed in 5.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per outing. He was the best three-point shooter (percentage-wise) that time for the team with 36.2 percent clip behind Kenneth Duremdes’ 40.6 percent.

In the 33rd Season of the PBA, Gonzalez averaged 5.61 points, 3 rebounds almost one assist and one steal in all the 18 games of the Realtors in the elimination round. He is also one of the top free-throw shooter of the team averaging 86.91 percent from the line, second only to the 91.67 percent clip of Paolo Mendoza. He continues to be a threat from beyond the arc and averaged a respectable 26.26 percent.

In the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Gonzalez averaged 5.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.72 minutes on the floor.

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Kelvin Gregorio

Jersey Number: 7
Height/Weight: 6'4"
Age: 24
Date of Birth: 13 August 1984
Hometown: Teresa, Rizal
Position: Forward
Years Pro: Rookie
College: University of the East (UE)
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

After Kelvin Gregorio arrived in the stables of UE coach Dindo Pumaren, he immediately made a tremendous impact.

"The first time we saw Kelvin, we knew he has the talent and the potential to do better," said Pumaren. "He may be shy, but once the game starts, he becomes very aggressive."

The 6'4" forward from Rizal was instrumental in helping the Red Warriors reached the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball championships where they eventually lost to La Salle.

Despite the loss, Gregorio showed consistency in game and even led his team in the scoring after the first round of the elimination with 11.9 points per game.

"Every year, Kelvin improves something in his game," Pumaren added. "His offense is there, but he continues to work on his dribbling and shooting. He can easily switch from 3 (small forward) to 4 (power forward). He works so hard."

Statistics:

Gregorio's versatility as a scorer and rebounder has helped developed him into a more well-rounded player as his career has progressed. His good length and outstanding timing make him an effective rebounder from the small forward position. It is, therefore, not surprising that he produced 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 16 games during the 2007 UAAP season.

During his 2008 stint at the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), he averaged 6.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.3 minutes of action.

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Melvin Mamaclay

Jersey number: 19
Height/Weight: 6'5" 190 lbs.
Age: 29
Date of Birth: 01 June 1979
Hometown: Ilocos Sur
Position: Forward
Years Pro: 2
College: Adamson University
Teams played for: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

An unheralded player who had seen action in the minor commercial leagues, Mamaclay was a surprise second round draft pick by the Realtors in the 2007 PBA draft. Prior to the draft, the Realtors had an eye towards several big men such as Joel Solis, Francis Barcellano, RJ Masbang and Kenneth Cuyukang but in the end chose Mamaclay because of his combination of length and outside shooting touch. Mamaclay is a combo forward. He can shoot from the outside and bring his game down low. Like Philip Butel, though, he needs to add strength to be able to be a factor offensively and defensively.

A 6-5 lanky center-forward, Mamaclay can deliver quality points off the bench, help in the rebounds and play tough defense against the opponent's big men. Interestingly, he can play facing the basket as the former Adamson Falcon has a decent perimeter game too. Mamaclay would probably fill in the slack vacated by Mark Isip and Ricky Calimag who were both traded to Coca-Cola in 2007.

Statistics:

Mamaclay’s numbers in the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup were far from impressive. It could probably be a result of the impressive plays of the Realtors big men, which in turn limited his playing time to only 5 minutes in all 4 games. Hence, he only managed to score 2 points and 1.5 rebounds in each of those games.

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Paolo Mendoza

Jersey number: 8
Height/Weight: 5'11" 170 lbs.
Age: 30
Date of Birth: 22 April 1978
Hometown: Quezon City
Position: Guard
Years Pro: 8
College: University of the Philippines
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Paolo Mendoza was a crack guard out of UP before drafted 1st overall in what would be the league’s weakest draft class (2000) by Sta. Lucia. He was once a dreaded scoring machine in the amateurs where he made 40 points a game as easy as it was eating breakfast. Despite all his exploits, he would lose the 2000 UAAP MVP plum to future Sta. Lucia teammate Gerard Francisco of the UST.

Because of his size, the Realtors molded Mendoza to be the team’s playmaker. This was one of the main reasons why many were not impressed by his performance in his first four years with the team. Nevertheless, he was one of the contributors that allowed the Realtors to capture the 2001 Governor’s Cup Championship.

Statistics:

At the start of 2005, the Sta. Lucia Realty playmaker was shifted temporarily back to the two-guard spot at the start of the season and he has taken to the job like duck to water, more often than not churning out the numbers that were expected of him.

The acquisition of Alex Cabagnot in 2006 and Ronnie Bughao prior to this season has enabled former Realtors Coach, Al Francis Chua, to permanently slide the Quezon City native to the shooting guard spot, a position he played in the amateurs and is more comfortable with.

This shows in the way Mendoza keeps contributing, even though Duremdes is SLR’s established starter at the two-spot.

The converted point guard started out in 30 of 36 games for Sta. Lucia and averaged 9.1 points and 3.3 assists last season. Mendoza also remained one of the league’s best marksman beyond the arc. He averaged two treys per game in the 2005-06 season, the third best among locals.

In the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Mendoza managed to 6.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 20.28 minutes on the floor. He also averaged 26.26 percent from beyond the arc.

Awards:

2002 Sportsmanship Award

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Dennis 'Denok' Miranda

Jersey number: 32
Height/Weight: 6'0" 180 lbs.
Age: 26
Date of Birth: 14 July 1982
Hometown: Lopez, Quezon
Position: Point Guard
Years Pro: 3
College: Far Eastern University
Teams played for in the PBA: Coca Cola Tigers, Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

The FEU Tamaraws would have gone nowhere in the UAAP without Dennis ‘Denok’ Miranda during his four years with the team. Next to Arwind Santos, he is one of the reasons why the Tams have always made it to the Final Four since 2003.

Picked by the Coca-Cola Tigers 3rd overall in the 2005 PBA Draft to act as an understudy to and eventually take over the point guard chores over Johnny Abarrientos, Denok Miranda made the transition immediately when the ‘Flying A’ was injured. With the departure of the ‘Flying A’ to Ginebra San Miguel, Denok further solidified his spot on the team.

In a trade considered by many as a way to free some salary cap in the Sta. Lucia Realtor’s ceiling, Denok Miranda with Manny Ramos plus one draft pick was released by Coca-Cola Tigers in exchange for Kenneth Duremdes, Alex Cabagnot and Ricky Calimag in 2007. The trade may look disadvantageous for the Realtors talent-wise, but it gave them some financial flexibility in signing some blue-chip rookies in the 2007 annual draft. Besides, it gave the Realtors a big defensive point guard (6’0”) in Miranda whom they can use against other leagues big guards.

Statistics:

In the UAAP 2005 Season, Denok Miranda contributed 11.3 points per game, as well as 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals. His strong presence can wreak havoc to any UAAP team’s defense, reason why his former coach Robert Flores is trying to find a fitting replacement for him after he was drafted in the PBA.

As a Realtor during the 2006-2007 PBA Fiesta Cup, Denok Miranda averaged 6.62 points per game, 3.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.77 steals and 27.70 minutes per ballgame. He alternated with Ronnie Bughao and Paolo Mendoza in orchestrating the play. During the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Miranda averaged 6.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals in 25.56 minutes.

Awards:

Named to the 2005-06 All-Rookie Team by the PBA Press Corps.

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Ryan Reyes

Jersey number: 10
Height/Weight: 6'2" 190 lbs.
Age: 25

Date of Birth: 10 August 1983

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Position: Guard
Years Pro: 2
College: California State University, Fullerton
PBA Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

The 6-foot-2 Reyes, once a high school teammate of NBA three-point champion Jason Kapono of the Miami Heat, helped Henkel-Sista to a third place finish in the recent Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Unity Cup.

Prior to his PBL stint, Reyes also saw action in the National Basketball Conference (NBC) and played for the Cebuana Lhuillier-sponsored national team in 2005.

Reyes is one of the few pure point guards in the 2007 PBA Draft. The things that make him stand out from the other point guards is his great size, athletic ability, solid perimeter shooting, driving skills, general court vision, defensive anticipation skills, ball handling and confidence in his abilities.

Although raised in the US, Reyes claimed that his parents were both Filipinos at the time he was born.

Statistics:

In his stint in the 2006 PBL season-ending conference, the 23-year-old Reyes led the Super Sealers in scoring with 11.4 points average, while shooting 33.3 percent from three-point range and 82 percent from the free throw line.

Reyes, who played alongside Kapono at Artesian High in California, averaged 2.4 steals a game to pace the league.

During the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup, Reyes 10.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals in just 23.65 minutes on the floor. In the 2008 PBA Fiesta Cup, Reyes further improved on his numbers (9.73 ppg, 4.95 rpg, 3.9 apg and 2.7 spg) to earn him the Rookie of the Year honors.

Awards:

• Fantastic Freshman during the PBL's 2007 Conference awards
• 2007-2008 PBA Rookie of the Year

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Kelly Williams

Jersey number: 21
Height/Weight: 6'7" 215 lbs
Age: 26
Date of Birth: 07 February 1982
Hometown: Michigan, USA
Position: Small Forward
Years Pro: 3
College: Oakland University
PBA Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Kelly Williams was a 2000 graduate of Detroit's Martin Luther King High School. He earned four varsity letters in basketball under head coach Benny White in the tough Detroit PSL basketball league. He was elected co-captain for the Crusaders in 1999-00. The Crusaders were ranked as high as #1 in the state his senior year and was defeated in the semi-final round at the state championships. MLKHS recorded a 68-16 record in his four years.

Kelly Williams attended Oakland University for four years, with the highlight of his career coming his freshman year when the Grizzlies upset the University of Michigan.

• 2003-2004 Williams had a solid senior season, ranking among the team leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
  
• 2002-2003 Williams played in every game for a third straight year for OU in 2002-03, finishing third on the squad in rebounding.
  
• 2001-2002 Williams played in every game for the Golden Grizzlies as a sophomore.
  
• 2000-2001 Williams scored 18 points in Oakland's upset of Michigan on Nov. 17, 2000.

In the PBL playing for Magnolia, Williams, together with Arwind Santos, did almost everything on the court scoring, rebounding and defending to get the attention of many PBA coaches and managers. One person who took pains in making sure that they pick Williams is SLR Team manager Buddy Encarnado.

When former Philippine Basketball Association chairman Buddy Encarnado, who loves the game of basketball and plays it with remarkable passion, decided to pick Kelly Williams at no. 1 in the 2006 Annual Draft, he just didn’t get an exciting and explosive player that is certain to give Sta. Lucia Realty a much-needed boost. Encarnado did more than that. He made an unwritten statement recognizing the reality that players like Williams are Filipinos and have an inherent right to be accepted as such in the PBA.

Undoubtedly the most talented player in the 2006 batch, Sta. Lucia found a gem in this Oakland University alum with his innate athleticism and skills. Williams’ addition to the Realtors camp adds youth and quickness to the aging frontline of the team. Williams’ versatility gives coach Boyet Fernandez a lot of options as the 6-7 national team pool member can play big or small.

Williams, who can play the 2-3-4-5 positions, is one of the big reasons why fans continue to support the team. Williams typifies the new-found vigor and athleticism of the SLR franchise.

Statistics:

As a senior in Detroit's Martin Luther King High School, Williams averaged 15 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists per game in the Detroit PSL Basketball League.

In the PBL and playing for Magnolia, The 24-year-old high-leaper averaged team-bests 17.1 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in the Unity Cup, aside from countless highlight-reel slams.

During the early part of the 2006-2007 season, Kelly Williams not only led all rookies in points (16.57 ppg), rebounds (10.86 rpg), and steals (1.43 spg), but also those numbers are team-highs.

In the 2007-2008 season, Williams improved his numbers further and led his team to its first ever Philippine Cup title since entering the league in 1993. 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 which earned him the prestigious 2008 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. He was also chosen as part of the PBA First Mythical Team and the Defensive Team on that year.

Awards:

• Named in the all Detroit PSL Basketball League in 1999 and 2000
• Named in the all Detroit PSL Basketball League District and State in 2000
• PBA 2006 Rookie of the Year
• Member of the PBA 2006 First Mythical Team
• 2007-2008 PBA Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference
• 2008 PBA First Mythical Team
• 2008 PBA Defensive Team
• 2008 PBA MVP

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Joseph Yeo

Jersey number: 24
Height/Weight: 5'11" 185 lbs.
Age: 25
Date of Birth: 07 July 1983
Hometown: Manila
Position: Off-Guard
Years Pro: 3
College: De la Salle University
Monicker: The Ninja
Teams played for in the PBA: Coca Cola Tigers, Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

In the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), La Salle’s Joseph Yeo took some of the scoring load from the more illustrious Macmac Cardona during the 2004 season.

In the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), Joseph Yeo led his team, Harbour Centre Portmasters, to its first PBL crown alongside ex-Ateneo star LA Tenorio by winning the 2006 Unity Cup Finals against Toyota Otis.

Drafted 3rd overall by Coca-Cola Tigers in the 2006 PBA Draft just behind Kelly Williams and Arwind Santos, Yeo played limited minutes as a reliever of the Tiger’s main-man John Arigo. Despite the limited playing time, Yeo still managed to average 10ppg, 4.6 rpg and 1.2 apg in 26 minutes per contest halfway into the elimination round of the 2006-2007 PBA Talk N Text Philippine Cup. However, this did not stop critics from calling Yeo a bust and attribute this to his lacking in size to play the “2” spot.

Nevertheless, the Sta. Lucia Realty team believes that the high flying acts, improved perimeter shooting, fearless drives and tenacious deffense of Yeo is what they need to get to the Finals. When the opportunity opened to acquire the new aerial highlight, SLR did not hesitate in parting with a pair of FEU stalwarts in Mark Isip and Cesar Catli to get Yeo plus a future draft pick.

Nicknamed “The Ninja”, Joseph Yeo is also known for his squabbles with Ateneo alum and rival Enrico Villanueva. It started in a charity game featuring former and current stars of Ateneo and De la Salle, and carried on to a regular PBA game pitting the Barakos against the Coca-Cola Tigers. When they saw each other in the parking lot, they were at it each other’s throat again. Fortunately, no critical injuries were inflicted that could have cost them their career.

Statistics:

From a UAAP rookie year in 2001 where Joseph Yeo averaged of 3.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 rebounds, and 9.5 minutes per game, he improved this to an average statline of 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 23.3 minutes in the 2004 Season.

As a Realtor, Yeo averaged 11.39 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a steal during the 2008 PBA Philippine Cup. More importantly, he gave the team another scoring option aside from Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes.

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Wesley Wilson

Jersey Number:
Height/Weight: 6'11" 235 lbs.
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 1980
Hometown: Vallejo, CA
Position: Center
High School: Maine Central Institute
College: Georgetown University
Teams played for in the PBA: Shell Turbochargers (2005)

Basketball Career:

He's got a heart for the sport and is passionate when he talks about it. Basketball is second nature to him with his towering frame and agile body coupled with hoop skills that match the challenge of the sport. He is Wesley Wilson, Sta. Lucia Realtors’ import for the 2008 PBA Fiesta conference.

Wilson was considered a vital cog as a high school player at Maine Central Institute in Vallejo, California, in 1998-99. He enrolled at Georgetown the next season but sat out the campaign due to NCAA restrictions. The Georgetown’s hoop factory produced players such as Pat Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Allen Iverson and former Shell import Jameel Watkins.

While playing for Hoyas varsity coach Craig Esherick, he showed flashes of promise in his first year of collegiate basketball as a sophomore. Together with a 6-8 260 pound forward Mike Sweetney, they became known as Georgetown Hoya’s 1-2 punch.

Wilson’s debut was described by writer Michael Bradley as "solid" and Georgetown roared to a 16-0 start enroute to its first Sweet 16 finish since 1996. He hit at a 5.5 clip and grabs 3.3 rebounds per game in 12.1 minutes a game, shooting .482 from the field and .554 from the line.

"He is capable of strong interior defense, good rebounding and fine scoring close to the hoop," said Bradley. "He’s not just a banger. He can move, too. Wilson is a mobile big man who can defend well and runs the floor like someone a few inches shorter. He comes with a body most players would envy and the willingness to mix it up inside."

For three years, Wilson averaged close to double figures and had an above average shooting percentage from the floor. He culminated his career with the Hoyas in 2003 when they lost a close 70-67 decision to St. John’s University in the National Invitation Tournament finals.

He gained some experience in pro basketball by playing in CBA, ABA, Germany and Puerto Rico. He also played with the Turkish professional team, Besiktas Jimnastik ve Spor Kulubu, during the 2003-2004 seasons before he was tapped by the now defunct Shell Turbochargers to beef them up in the 2005 PBA Fiesta Cup. He played only 10 games before he contracted calf and foot injuries and was replaced by Jamaican Ajani Williams.

He was not drafted by any NBA team. The closest he got to playing with the NBA was when he played for Charlotte and Cleveland in summer leagues. He recently played for the SK Knights in Korea, the L. A. Defenders in the NBDL and Fujian in China before joining Gelisim Koleji, a pro team in the Turkish league, last 10 February 2008.

According to Sports Illustrated, Wilson,

• owns great touch for such a huge specimen


• smartly keeps the ball high and takes it right back up for baskets off rebounds
  


• has considerable maneuverability to get to the goal with his back to the basket with spin moves, but he needs to better work on setting up his man with ball fakes


• a little bit reckless in attacking the basket at times


• poor defensive rebounder and must do better job of sealing his man off on the boards


• legitimate shot-blocking threat

Wilson's agent Ben Pensack described him as "a very athletic big man who runs the court as well as anyone his size, a great shot blocker (who) can also knock down the 15-foot jumpshot with ease."

Former PBA commissioner Noli Eala said Wilson once told him his goal is for fans to always remember No. 33, his jersey number with the Shell Turbochargers.

"He’s very determined to make a good impression," noted Eala. "In China, he recounted how he once embarrassed Batere Mengke by dunking on him seven times in a game."

Impassioned and serious about his work, Wesley expressed (in a calm and relaxed manner) his commitment for the Turbochargers in 2005 to become better. "I am committed to make this team better. Take it one step at a time. That's how you make the team better," says Wesley in an inspiring tune. "You play one game at a time, one win at a time. Then after you get the one win at a time, that's when you look at the whole picture and say that's the realistic aspect of it all. Look at it (situation) realistically and find out what we are to do to make this team a championship team."

Statistics:

Wilson averaged 12.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots as a high school player at Maine Central Institute in Vallejo, California, in 1998-99.

In 2000-01, Wilson’s He hit at a 5.5 clip in 12.1 minutes a game, shooting .482 from the field and .554 from the line.

In 2001-02, as part of Hoya’s 1-2 punch, Wilson averaged 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocked shots and 25.5 minutes as Georgetown posted a 19-11 record. He shot .563 from the floor and .619 from the stripe.

As a senior in 2002-03, Wilson averaged 6.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. His field goal clip was .469 and free throw mark, .571.

While playing for Gelisim recently, Wilson averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 shot blocks.

In the first four games of the Turbochargers in 2005, Wilson averaged 31.5 points per game. After playing only 10 games for the Turbochargers, he averaged 28.6 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.6 shot blocks.

Fun Facts:

Wilson is the focus of a chapter in the book "Sole Influence," a revealing look inside the involvement of shoe companies in amateur basketball.

Wilson is scared of airplanes, likes to have Honey Bunches of Oats for breakfast, idolizes Michael Jordan and would love to have a vacation in South Africa.

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Alvin Pua

Jersey Number: 12
Height/Weight: 6'4" 0 lbs.
Age:
Date of Birth:
Hometown:
Position: Forward
Years Pro: Rookie
College: San Sebastian College
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

Alvin Pua, a 6-4 power-forward, was part of the 1997 San Sebastian College team that won the NCAA Championship. The team was also composed of celebrated players like Rommel Adducul, Ulysses Tanigue, Mark Macapagal, Topex Robinson and Banjo Calpito. However, unlike these other famous names, Pua was not able to attract the attention of both PBA and MBA teams during that time.

In the 2004 PBA annual draft, Pua was one of the hopefuls that was not picked by any team and was automatically considered as a free agent. The 2004 batch include the eventual number one pick Rich Alvarez, number two pick James Yap and fellow SLR teammate Nelbert Omolon.

Together with Derrick Hubalde and Erwin Sta. Maria, Pua tried to make it to the Realtors lineup in 2007. He was eventually included in the 18-man line-up in the pre-season tourney and was considered a practice player.

At the start of the PBA Fiesta Cup this year, Pua earned the confidence of SLR coach Boyet Fernandez and team manager Buddy Encarnado to be included in the official line-up. He was given some time on the floor last 4 May 2008 against the Welcoat Dragons and Pua had a block in less than a minute of action.

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Ronnie Bughao

Jersey number: 25
Height/Weight: 5'11" 160 lbs.
Age: 25
Date of Birth: 08 October 1982
Hometown: Cebu City
Position: Point Guard
Years Pro: 1
College: San Beda College
Teams played for in the PBA: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Basketball Career:

According to Gameface.ph, everything about Ronnie Bughao seems to come with just a tint of controversy. No one ever denied the man called "Blue" has immense basketball talent. Gameface.ph also added that what stands out about him has almost nothing to do with basketball the cockiness (turning his back on opponents after taking a trey without bothering to see if it goes in), the outspokenness (refs just love this guy), the swagger (opposing players apologize to him whenever they knock down one of his teammates), the reputation. In other words, he is everything hardcore.

It cannot be denied that Ronnie Bughao is blessed with size, strength and athleticism, standing 5’11” and coming in at a lean 160 pounds. Bughao can play both guard spots with equal ease and proficiency that makes him extremely valuable as a zone breaker on offense and a trap man on defense. His percentage from the 3-point area is above average and can also slash his way toward the basket. Unlike most players though, Bughao is not shy from taking the big shot in crucial situations. Neither does he mind being blamed if his gambits fail.

Having led the primarily B Team-laden Ateneo Blue Eagles to the Fr. Martin Cup Open Division championship (ironically over his former team), Bughao has solidified the whirlwind hype as the next great Ateneo superstar. All throughout the FMC Open tournament, Blue has had the ball in his hands in the most critical moments and has, for the most part, been the man of the hour for the Blue Eagles. He continues a new trend of great San Beda players making the big move to the UAAP via Loyola Heights (Yuri Escueta, LA Tenorio, Magnum Membrere).

Regarded as one of the possible sleepers in the last rookie draft, he went undrafted but found his way to the team as Sta. Lucia encountered a hitch at the backcourt position, giving him the golden chance to show his wares in the pro league.

After a promising rookie year at San Beda in the NCAA, Bughao was about to suit up for Ateneo in the UAAP in 2006 but decided to forego it and played for Teletech in the PBL.

Statistics:

Bughao appeared in only six games for Teletech in the PBL and averaged 4.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game but his solid performance in the rookie camp convinced the observers that he is ready for the big time.

In the 2006-2007 PBA Philippine Cup, Bughao averaged 5.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.3 apg and 0.5 spg. This is quiet respectable considering that he only played 16.2 minutes per ball game. He was used as the second option at the point after Alex Cabagnot.

Limited playing time and the preference of Coach Boyet Fernandez for Paolo Mendoza as the primary reliever of Dennis Miranda at the point, diminished Bughao’s contribution during the 2006-2007 PBA Fiesta Cup. Bughao can only managed to produce 1.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.7 apg and 2 steals in all 15 games by playing 9.7 minutes in each game.

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