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Japeth gets baptism of fire
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
Japeth Aguilar signed up with Bur-ger King, showed in practice with the Whoppers for the first time, and got instructions once
again from the coach he worked with just a few months back.
Only days ago, this setting appeared inconceivable. Now everyone will see whether Burger King has put aside the past and all
set to move on.
Aguilar, coach Yeng Guiao, and Burger King clash with Purefoods tonight, setting off fireworks in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup
at the Araneta Coliseum.
The controversy that surrounded the No. 1 draft pick and the title-less team during the off-season has now been settled with
Aguilar now having to prove his real worth under a coach who took him as the lone amateur in the national team last August
for the Tianjin , China tournament.
“Maayos naman ang practice namin kanina (yesterday),” said Guiao, a five-time champion mentor who has never won an all-
Filipino crown. “He’s not a total stranger in my system. Nakasunod naman siya agad. For a one-day practice, he was able to
catch on.”
The lone game kicking off the 35th season of the pro league is set at 6:30 p.m. after the opening ceremonies set at 4:30 p.m.
in rites where former greats Robert Jaworski, Sr., Atoy Co, Philip Cezar and Manny Paner will be the main guests of honor.
Although now having a player that stands 6-foot-9 but with the mobility of a guard, Burger King is certain to feel the loss of
Arwind Santos, its main figure before who was traded to San Miguel Beer during the off-season.
In return, though, the Whoppers got in Ronjay Buenafe and Chico Lanete. Burger King is still to be potent on the running game
behind Wynne Arboleda, Gary David and role player Mark Yee.
But the Giants have now been beefed up heavily. A team that fared miserably the past two conferences, Purefoods has been
tagged as one of the teams to be reckoned with after re-acquiring Marc Pingris, an ex-Finals MVP, Paul Artadi, Raffi Reavies
and rookies’ Rico Maierhofer and Chris Timberlake.
“We will get to see whether our off-season wheeling and dealing made our team more exciting and competitive,” said
Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.
“Facing Burger King is always a good test. They will surely be a tough nut to crack despite the departure of Arwind Santos.
They will rely on quickness, roughness and aggressiveness -- all the characteristics of a Yeng Guiao team.”
What about Aguilar? How do the Giants plan to stop him?
“Reavies can match up well against Aguilar,” said Gregorio. “Reavies has the height, length and great defensive instincts to
make Aguilar bleed for his points.”
While he has already decided to suit up for the Whoppers, Aguilar still retained his right to play for Smart-Gilas, the amateur
national team that will see action as guest only during the elimination round.
Aguilar, however, will surely have problems dealing with schedules where Burger King and Smart-Gilas play on the same
date. That dilemma, though, will still have to be discussed by Burger King and PBA Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios.
During the two times when Burger King and Smart-Gilas will face off, Aguilar will not play, according to PBA Chairman and
Burger King team manager Lito Alvarez.
The tournament, which is also presented by Coca-Cola and Smart Bro, will likewise have some rules changes that are
directed to make the games more exciting.
Among those are the monkey ride, which now allows a player to hang on to the rim after a dunk, the extension of the three-
point line from 20.6 feet to 22 feet and the forbidding of the flopping, a defensive act where a player intentionally falls upon
contact against an offensive player with the intention of drawing an offensive foul.
A player who commits flopping the first time will be given a warning, while technical fouls will be meted out after succeeding
offenses.
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
Japeth Aguilar signed up with Bur-ger King, showed in practice with the Whoppers for the first time, and got instructions once
again from the coach he worked with just a few months back.
Only days ago, this setting appeared inconceivable. Now everyone will see whether Burger King has put aside the past and all
set to move on.
Aguilar, coach Yeng Guiao, and Burger King clash with Purefoods tonight, setting off fireworks in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup
at the Araneta Coliseum.
The controversy that surrounded the No. 1 draft pick and the title-less team during the off-season has now been settled with
Aguilar now having to prove his real worth under a coach who took him as the lone amateur in the national team last August
for the Tianjin , China tournament.
“Maayos naman ang practice namin kanina (yesterday),” said Guiao, a five-time champion mentor who has never won an all-
Filipino crown. “He’s not a total stranger in my system. Nakasunod naman siya agad. For a one-day practice, he was able to
catch on.”
The lone game kicking off the 35th season of the pro league is set at 6:30 p.m. after the opening ceremonies set at 4:30 p.m.
in rites where former greats Robert Jaworski, Sr., Atoy Co, Philip Cezar and Manny Paner will be the main guests of honor.
Although now having a player that stands 6-foot-9 but with the mobility of a guard, Burger King is certain to feel the loss of
Arwind Santos, its main figure before who was traded to San Miguel Beer during the off-season.
In return, though, the Whoppers got in Ronjay Buenafe and Chico Lanete. Burger King is still to be potent on the running game
behind Wynne Arboleda, Gary David and role player Mark Yee.
But the Giants have now been beefed up heavily. A team that fared miserably the past two conferences, Purefoods has been
tagged as one of the teams to be reckoned with after re-acquiring Marc Pingris, an ex-Finals MVP, Paul Artadi, Raffi Reavies
and rookies’ Rico Maierhofer and Chris Timberlake.
“We will get to see whether our off-season wheeling and dealing made our team more exciting and competitive,” said
Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.
“Facing Burger King is always a good test. They will surely be a tough nut to crack despite the departure of Arwind Santos.
They will rely on quickness, roughness and aggressiveness -- all the characteristics of a Yeng Guiao team.”
What about Aguilar? How do the Giants plan to stop him?
“Reavies can match up well against Aguilar,” said Gregorio. “Reavies has the height, length and great defensive instincts to
make Aguilar bleed for his points.”
While he has already decided to suit up for the Whoppers, Aguilar still retained his right to play for Smart-Gilas, the amateur
national team that will see action as guest only during the elimination round.
Aguilar, however, will surely have problems dealing with schedules where Burger King and Smart-Gilas play on the same
date. That dilemma, though, will still have to be discussed by Burger King and PBA Commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios.
During the two times when Burger King and Smart-Gilas will face off, Aguilar will not play, according to PBA Chairman and
Burger King team manager Lito Alvarez.
The tournament, which is also presented by Coca-Cola and Smart Bro, will likewise have some rules changes that are
directed to make the games more exciting.
Among those are the monkey ride, which now allows a player to hang on to the rim after a dunk, the extension of the three-
point line from 20.6 feet to 22 feet and the forbidding of the flopping, a defensive act where a player intentionally falls upon
contact against an offensive player with the intention of drawing an offensive foul.
A player who commits flopping the first time will be given a warning, while technical fouls will be meted out after succeeding
offenses.