.
Castro, Norwood take limelight in PBL finals
(May 20, 2008)

THE PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup finals between defending champion Harbour Centre and Hapee Toothpaste is not only going to be a showdown between two of the league’s top teams, but a showcase of its top two marquee players as well.

All eyes are expected to be on Batang Pier’s Jason Williams Castro and the Complete Protectors’ Gabe Norwood when Game 1 of the best-of-five title series comes off the wraps at the Batangas City Sports Complex tomorrow.

Both crowd drawers and star material, the two leading candidates for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) plum undeniably, have been among the major keys for this second straight championship meeting between Harbour and Hapee ­ the two topnotcher teams in the elims that earned for them the outright semifinals berth.

The 5-foot-11 Castro, playing in his final season with the multi-titled franchise of owner Mikee Romero, again carried the Batang Pier on his shoulders when he exploded for 25 big points, 13 of them in the pivotal fourth, including six of his team’s last seven points in a 73-69 win that completed Harbour’s methodical 3-0 sweep of San Mig Coffee in their best-of-five semifinals series.

The former Philippine Christian U stalwart, set to join the Singapore Slingers in the Australian National Basketball League in July, had a well-rounded game of 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 block shots in 25 minutes of action.

“Jason can take charge in a game when he wants to,” said Harbour Centre coach Jorge Gallent of his prized player.

Castro’s heroics rewarded the Batang Pier a fifth straight finals appearance and on track of winning too, a fifth consecutive league title.

Norwood is just as valuable to Hapee.

The PBL’s reigning slam dunk king showed up in his Sunday’s best during the Complete Protectors’ finals-clinching 77-72 dumping of the Burger King Whoppers.

The 6-foot-5 Norwood, a back-up guard when George Mason University reached the Final Four of the 2006 US NCAA tournament, topscored for 17 points, 13 coming in the first half when Hapee began to dictate the tempo of the match.

Norwood capped his best game of the semis by adding 9 rebounds and 3 assists in 38 minutes of play, and lifting the franchise owned by Cecilio Pedro to a 3-1 series win over the Whoppers.

“Norwood may not score a lot, but he does a lot of the intangibles that aren’t reflected in the stats,” said Hapee coach Louie Alas of the lone amateur player to be included in the all-star RP men’s basketball team of coach Chot Reyes that saw action in the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan last year.

Given the way they’ve played this season, it really didn’t come as a surprise that the two guards are also hotly contesting the league’s top individual plum, with Norwood slightly ahead over Castro, who’s been making a big push of late.

“Definitely, that’s a match up to look forward in the finals. Their race for the MVP award adds an
intriguing subplot in the title series,” admitted commissioner Chino Trinidad

Likewise of great interest is Norwood and the rest of Hapee Toothpaste’s intense desire to get back at Harbour following their embarrassing loss in the finals last conference that saw them squandered a 19-point third quarter lead and came up short in overtime of the deciding Game 3 of the short series.

Castro didn’t suit up for the Batang Pier that time as he was on loan with the national team which bagged the gold in the 24th Southeast Asian Games. Incidentally, Norwood was a teammate of Castro with the victorious national squad as a late addition.

“Expect them to set aside that RP team camaraderie. Both are on a mission. Jason wants to win a championship before he leaves Harbour and so does Norwood especially with the way Hapee lost to Harbour in the finals last conference,” Trinidad added.

Back to top

Batang Pier not satisfied despite 5th straight trip to finals
by Jonas Terrado (May 20, 2008)

It's the usual scenario and yet another finals appearance for Harbour Centre after completing a sweep of San Mig Coffee in their best-of-five semifinals of the 2008 PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup last Thursday in Muntinlupa City.

Despite making short work of the Coffee Kings, the Jorge Gallent-coached squad still faced a rough challenge to post a return trip to the championship series for the fifth consecutive time.

"Siyempre masaya kami na nakapasok ulit kami sa finals dahil panibagong challenge nanaman ito sa team para makuha ang championship," said Jason Castro before boarding their team bus following their win over San Mig Coffee at the Muntinlupa Sports Center last May 16. "Pero maghahanda pa rin kami kahit sino pa ang makalaban namin," Castro added.

That rare feat is by far the longest since Welcoat Paints, later Rain or Shine, put up five consecutive stints in the finals from 2003-2006. But unlike the Paintmasters, who pocketed just a single title in that run, the Batang Pier grabbed an unprecedented four straight titles and is now aiming for a five-peat.

Neither Welcoat nor Tanduay Rhum, or even ESQ Marketing of the 1980's didn't achieve this accomplishment but in order to get such a record, the Mikee Romero-owned ballclub will have its hands full against either Hapee Toothpaste or Burger King, who are in the thick of the own semis showdown with the former leading 2-1 as of presstime.

Harbour Centre has fared well against both teams. The Batang Pier swept the Whoppers in the double-round elimination phase while splitting their series with the Complete Protectors, thanks to a 20-plus point blowout in one matchup last March 25 in San Juan.

Of the two, Hapee appears to be the hungrier one after suffering a heartbreaking loss for the title last conference while chasing an undefeated stint in the V-Go Extreme Energy Drink Cup.

With a loaded lineup composed of Castro, TY Tang, Jeff Chan, Jerwin Gaco, and Chad Alonzo, among others, the Batang Pier is groomed to be favored in the series although they have showed some inconsistencies early in the tournament despite winning their first 12 games and even during the semis.

But Harbour peaks when needed the most, as seen in their title wins over Toyota Otis, Hapee (twice), and Cebuana Lhuillier, and even during Game 3 as seen when Castro dominated in the fourth quarter while role players made key plays on both ends.

Castro has been with involved with only one of those titles; during last year's Unity Cup victory over the Moneymen, but the Philippine Christian University standout needs one good sendoff before heading to Singapore for his stint with the National Basketball League of Australia.

"Kahit nakapirma na ako sa kanila (Singapore Slingers), focus pa din ako na makapagchampion ulit," Castro said.

Back to top