Gone, gone, gone

Air21 has two games left in its PBA Governors Cup schedule and toting a 0-6 record as the league’s only winless team, is guaranteed an early vacation from hostilities. There’s no chance for the Express to advance to the six-team semifinals because seven contenders have already chalked up at least three wins. The best Air21 can do is to improve to 2-6 but that means beating B-Meg on Friday and Talk ‘N’ Text next Sunday.

You really couldn’t expect much from Air21. It’s a team in transition with new coach Bong Ramos checking in for Yeng Guiao who moved to Rain Or Shine in the offseason. Only four players from the Express’ Philippine Cup roster remain in the active list – Wynne Arboleda, Josh Urbiztondo, Carlo Sharma and Leo Najorda. The team has undergone so many facelifts that makes it the envy of every cosmetic surgeon. In the second conference, the Express brought in Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros, Dorian Peña and Paul Artadi from San Miguel Beer and before the Governors Cup started, moved out Wesley Gonzales and Jay-R Reyes to welcome four new recruits.

Believe it or not, only three players from last season are still wearing purple jerseys – Arboleda, Najorda and Sharma. Gone from last year’s lineup are Japeth Aguilar, Rich Alvarez, Beau Belga, Egay Billones, Ronjay Buenafe, Gonzales, Doug Kramer, Billy Mamaril, Ronnie Matias, Ren-Ren Ritualo, Ramsey Williams, Richard Yee and Erick Rodriguez. Eight of the players who were shipped out are playing in the Governors Cup for other teams, meaning they continue to be marketable.

The constant movement of players has created a major problem of chemistry for Ramos. He tried to address it by keeping Commissioner’s Cup import Alpha Bangura for the Governors Cup, assuring the team of some continuity. Bangura played Air21’s last 12 games in the second conference, leading the Express to a 6-6 record and into the semifinals. His family flew in to keep him company but he’s been largely ineffective in the Governors Cup. It really isn’t his fault that the roof has caved in on Air21. The feeling of helplessness has spooked the players into a panic mode, looking to do things on their own instead of trusting each other on the floor. In Air21’s 89-87 loss to Ginebra last Friday, the sense of desperation was reflected in the assists department – the Kings had 31 dishes and the Express only 13. The lack of defensive effort, particularly in transition, led to Ginebra scoring 16 fastbreak and 14 turnover points. In contrast, Air21 had only six fastbreak and seven turnover points.

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Bangura can only do so much on his own. He’s a strong one-on-one player but won’t be able to sustain isolations for 48 minutes. If his outside shot isn’t on target, the defense can check him off the dribble and that’s where his problem begins. Against Ginebra, he was held to only seven points – his PBA low – on 3-of-15 from the floor and went to the line for just two free throws, converting once. Ronald Tubid made life miserable for Bangura all night long. Sharma was the surprise step-up for Air21, compiling 19 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes, two more than Bangura.

Worse, Hontiveros has been on a horrendous slump. He’s a combined 0-of-11 from three-point distance the last three games and for the conference, has buried only 5-of-27 rainbow tries. With Air21’s impending elimination, Hontiveros will be able to rejoin Smart Gilas sooner than later in preparing for the FIBA-Asia Championships in September – that’s the consolation. There’s talk that Hontiveros may be involved in a trade for next season but it will likely depend on how teams load up after next month’s draft.

The good news is Seigle’s re-emergence. Dynamite Danny, 35, entered the PBA in 1999 and his career has been a rocky road of peaks and valleys. Injuries have limited his exposure and he hasn’t played more than 40 games in each of his last four seasons. Last campaign, his scoring average dropped to 6.9 points from a high of 22.2 in 2006-07. But since his arrival at Air21 in the Commissioner’s Cup, Seigle has sat out only one of 19 games and scored in double figures in 14 of 18 outings. Ramos has shifted Seigle away from the three-spot to play four and this conference, even five.

In Air21’s games against Meralco last Wednesday, Seigle was matched up against Asi Taulava. “I never experienced that match-up before,” said Seigle after scoring 17 points in 34 minutes. “When I got in close, there was no way I could score off him at the post. I got away posting up smaller guys when I played three but now, it’s different.” Seigle found himself playing center with Peña out of commission and Air21 sorely lacking the services of a legitimate slotman. Still, it’s been a remarkable rebirth for Seigle whose fuse in his dynamite stick has a lot of life left – he’s definitely got a few more productive years to go in his PBA career.

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This conference, Air21 shook up its lineup once more in a seemingly never-ending rigodon of players. The newcomers are rookie Patrick Cabahug, Elmer Espiritu, Jondan Salvador and Niño Canaleta – four players trying to adapt to Ramos’ system like four others who jumped in last conference.

Despite Air21’s woes, team owner Bert Lina has acquired the Barako Bull franchise and will control two clubs next season. There were earlier reports that Lina had bought 49 percent into the energy drink business of George Chua and the team would continue to play as Barako Bull. But it was later disclosed that the new team will carry the colors of Lina’s e-commerce company.

Air21, which also played as Burger King and FedEx, has never won a PBA title since joining the majors in 2002. The closest the franchise got to a crown was in the 2007-08 Fiesta Conference where the Express lost to Ginebra, 4-3, in the finals. It’s been the favorite conduit of related teams trading for players and for sure, acting as the go-between has delivered a tidy sum to the Air21 coffers.

 But to justify its existence in the PBA to fans, Air21 shouldn’t be content just to do business as a middleman – it should be competitive and dedicated to win. Now that the Lina group has two franchises, let’s hope the direction isn’t to make more money acting as a conduit. Fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of two serious title contenders next season. With Lina’s reputation of professionalism and integrity, you can expect no less from the league’s newest sister teams.