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Varsity Squads Rules
by Joseph W. Buduan (March 25, 2010)

Two teams backed by varsity squads will dispute the PBL 2010 PG Flex Erase Placenta Cup championship. How ironic is that? In a league traditionally dominated by teams that have assembled the best possible rosters made up purely of superstars, Pharex B and Excel Roof have just broken a long-standing and erstwhile invincible mold. Pharex B has the core of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons of the UAAP. Excel Roof is born by the core of the reigning NCAA champion San Sebastian Golden Stags.

Eight former and present Fighting Maroons are on the roster for head coach Aboy Castro. Dioni Hipolito, Woody Co, Arvin Braganza, Magi Sison, Martin Reyes, Miggy Maniego, Mark Lopez, Kevin Astorga, and Nestor David are all proud products of the State University. “We thought it would be good for the boys to gain some experience playing against older and more veteran players in a tougher league like the PBL,” Castro said in one preseason interview.

For head coach Ato Agustin, he also has eight former or present Golden Stags on his lineup. Pamboy Raymundo, Anthony Del Rio, Franz Delgado, Ian Sangalang, Gilbert Bulawan, Jimbo Aquino, Ronald Pascual and Calvin Abueva all have the scarlet and gold in their veins. One thing these guys have over the UP boys is that they just came fresh off an NCAA championship. It was no easy feat considering they dethroned the San Beda Red Lions, champions the last three years previous. “Having come from a championship we already knew what it takes to win, so that was an advantage for us,” Agustin said in one interview.

Neither team was able to line up all their own varsity players to complete their respective rosters for this tournament. Castro had to leave the likes of forward Mark Juruena and pointguard Mikey Reyes off their PBL roster due to UAAP restrictions on player eligibility for those who participate in non-UAAP tournaments. Agustin allowed a couple of players who were on his recent championship lineup to play for the other teams that drafted them out of respect for the drafting process. For instance, forward Dave Najorda and guard Raymond Maconocido were drafted by and saw action for FERN C.

To complete their rosters, both teams had to take in players from the PBL draft as well as walk-on players who participated in their open tryouts. Castro may have scored the casting coup of the tournament. He brought in a couple of guys who elevated the Pharex lineup into something deep and talented. Former FEU mainstay Marlon Adolfo, a dynamic swingman, and former San Beda guard JR Tecson rank near the top half of this team’s depth chart. They both provide plenty of perimeter scoring as well as the ability to carry out the complex role of the perimeter swingman. Of course Castro landed the undisputed big fish of this conference in Vic Manuel, a leading MVP candidate and the team’s undisputed best player. Manuel had at least two Best-Player-of-the-Game awards in the tournament, and may just add the MVP trophy to his accolades. Center Ford Arao, swingman Ernest Reyes, and pointguard Chico Tirona complete Castro’s young lineup.

Agustin decided to add ceiling to his relatively undersized roster by taking in two front line players in former UST Growling Tiger Chester Taylor, a 6-foot-6 center-forward, and 6-foot-7 former ACSAT Lightning center Eric Sugitan. Sugitan himself has just come fresh off a PBL championship as he was with the Mikee Romero-owned Oracle Titans last conference. He brought in EAC Team Captain Argel Mendoza and ironically a San Beda pointguard in Jerome Villanueva, to shore up his backcourt. Agustin also brought in his own kid Mark out of Adamson University. Adrian Celada and Hiram Bagatsing complete the lineup.

It should be an interesting battle for the title with both teams a pretty even match in terms of personnel. Inside, Manuel, Arao, David and Sison should have a heck of a bash against the likes of Sangalang, Bulawan, Abueva, Taylor and Sugitan. Outside, Aquino is the lone true gunner for Excel Roof and might find the going tough against a committee of Pharex shooters led by Adolfo and Tecson. Reyes will get his licks there as well. Pointguard is where Agustin has the clear advantage with Raymundo and Mendoza. Tirona will likely not play in these Finals with a knee injury. That leaves the playmaking and distribution duties to Braganza, Tecson and sometimes Co, not exactly a prospect to relish for any coach. Shock troops like Ernest Reyes for Pharex and Sugitan for Excel Roof might provide some surprises here and there. Reyes however has the slight edge as a surprise package with his ability to play up to three positions and cover more of the floor while Sugitan is strictly a center.

Agustin can only count on his defense though, as he has the long and limber athletes to create match-up problems on both ends. One guy who might just steal the show in these Finals is Pascual. At 6-foot-3, he has incredible springs and glide, and he can play both at the perimeter or at the post. Pascual, Abueva, Bulawan, Sangalang and even Raymundo can all play tough and disciplined team defense, as they showed against the much bigger Red Lions. That is the kind of championship experience Castro’s team lacks. They upset San Beda in the NCAA. They upset Cobra in the PBL semifinals.

Castro will have to find a way to get his Big 4 of Manuel, Co Tecson and Adolfo going, and to make sure he will always keep Excel Roof rocking on its heels. Co might be the weapon he can exploit. Co can hit from the outside and operate in the lane coming from either the low or high posts, which makes him especially dangerous. He has wide shoulders that help him create space inside to get opportunistic rebounds. He has shown supposedly superior athletes that intelligence and patience count for a lot even in a physical sport like basketball. No one thought Pharex could be this good coming into the conference, and now they are two wins shy of their first PBL title.

Agustin has the athletes and the championship poise and experience. Castro has the momentum and arguably the best player in the tournament leading his side. This is a series that will most likely go the full three games. It says here: Pharex in two games, Excel Roof if it goes the distance.

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