Imports relive NCAA rivalry

MANILA, Philippines - For rival imports David Noel of Barangay Ginebra and Jai Lewis of Rain Or Shine, their confrontation in the PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals is a lot more personal than professional.

Noel, 25, will never forget playing his last NCAA game for the University of North Carolina and will never forgive Lewis for making it a bitter pill to swallow. Lewis, starting for George Mason University, powered the Patriots to a 65-60 win over the Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA playoffs in Dayton, Ohio, on March 19, 2006.

Playing alongside Lewis was Fil-Am Gabe Norwood, the PBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick last year.

It was a huge upset as defending champion North Carolina was heavily favored to advance. But coach Jim Larranaga’s Patriots were destined to qualify for the Final Four that season. George Mason lost to eventual champion Florida in the semifinals but the Fairfax, Virginia, suburban commuter school’s surge was described by Grant Wahl in Sports Illustrated as “among the most remarkable feats in modern team sports.”

On the way to the Final Four, 11th-ranked George Mason upset No. 6 Michigan State, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 7 Wichita State and No. 1 Connecticut. The list of victims included three NCAA titlists this decade.

In the PBA, Norwood and Lewis are reunited with the Elasto Painters, hoping to weave the same magic that brought George Mason to the Final Four three years ago.

Like an act of fate, Noel now finds himself in a position to avenge North Carolina’s loss to George Mason by bringing down Rain Or Shine. Ginebra is a win away from eliminating the Elasto Painters and booking a ticket to the Last Dance. The Kings go for the clincher at the Araneta Coliseum in the first game of today’s doubleheader.

When the Patriots scuttled the Tar Heels, Noel went down fighting. He finished with 22 points – including 4-of-9 triples, seven rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots in 38 minutes. One of Noel’s teammates, freshman Tyler Hansbrough, was picked on the first round by the Indiana Pacers in the NBA draft the other day.

For George Mason, Lewis had nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and four steals in 35 minutes. Norwood contributed two points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots in 27 minutes.

It was the final collegiate season for Noel and Lewis. In their senior years, Noel averaged 12.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while Lewis normed 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

After graduation, Noel was chosen on the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2006 NBA draft. He played a year with the Bucks, earning $412,718, and averaged 2.7 points in 68 games then saw action in Spain and the NBA D-League before moving to the PBA.

Lewis, 26, wasn’t drafted in the NBA and played in Bosnia, Israel, France and Japan on the way to Manila. The 6-6, 290-pound behemoth was brought in by Rain Or Shine, on Norwood’s recommendation, when original import Charles Clark was cut after two games.

Aside from basketball, Noel and Lewis share a passion for football. Noel was more known for his football skills when he showed up as a walk-on in tryouts for the North Carolina basketball team. He had been offered a scholarship to join the Tar Heels football varsity by coach John Bunting but turned it down. Noel was picked for the basketball team but played his freshman season without a scholarship under coach Matt Doherty. In his sophomore year, Noel was finally given a scholarship by new coach Roy Williams.

As for Lewis, he had a tryout with the New York Giants in the National Football League in 2007 but later decided to stick it out in basketball.

Lewis is remembered by George Mason fans for wearing a cut-down basketball net as a necklace, carrying a trophy and leading his teammates in a victory lap around the Patriot Center during a pep rally before leaving for Indianapolis to play in the Final Four.

In the PBA last Friday, Noel let it all hang out and delivered 28 points, 17 rebounds, 3-of-6 triples, 7-of-7 free throws and two steals with no turnover in 44 minutes as Ginebra blasted the Elasto Painters, 96-85, to open a 3-2 series lead. Lewis and Norwood combined for only 23 points.

With Rain Or Shine on the brink of elimination, Lewis hopes to rekindle the George Mason fire in a do-or-die Game 6 against Ginebra today. The Patriots’ theme song during the 2006 NCAA Tournament was Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” and that’s the same tune Lewis will sing in looking to extend the semifinals to a Game 7.

As for Noel, it’s payback time. He never expected to face two of his George Mason tormentors in the PBA semifinals three years removed from the NCAA and now, the chance for revenge has come.