‘Tis The Sporting Year to be Jolly (Part 1 of 2)

By now, we’ll be neck-deep in Christmas and post-Christmas parties left and right. Heck I am, and for that I am very sorry to our dear readers, if we do have a dear reader that is. But nevertheless, this the season to be jolly, not just because of the overflowing food and drinks, but for me, what is supposedly a banner year for sports in general.

Arguably, the biggest headline of them all is our country hosting the FIBA Asia and rampaging on to win the silver amidst stiff competition by the Asian powerhouses. Then there’s boxing featuring Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, Jr. returning to their winning forms. We should not also forget that Donnie Nietes still rules his division and up-and-coming kid John Reil (sic) Casimero. And who can forget Rubilen Amit bagging another title as well?

I’ll list some of the moments that really made it great to be a sports fan and writer at the same time. I’m sorry if it will be pockmarked by basketball, since hey, it is our national sport and it made the loudest news (including that impressive “Alapag for three…BAAAAAAAAAANG!” call). So let’s stop dilly-dallying and get on with it!

Gilas digging Silver

Who knew? Well, rather, who believed? I had my doubts. So did everyone else. We didn’t know we were in for a treat. Gilas was seriously gutted with the departures of JVee Casio, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Chris Tiu and the relegation of Greg Slaughter to reserve. What made it worse was that Kelly Williams was out of commission and so was Jared Dillinger, who was seriously considered to be part of the magic 12. Marc Pingris was very much undersized. Gary David and Jeff Chan are too streaky for their own good. Junemar Fajardo was the rookie carrying everyone’s bags akin to Christian Laettner of the ’92 Dream Team. Japeth Aguilar was a question mark and so was Jayson “William” Castro, but we’ll get to them later. No one expected as much of this team until Jimmy Alapag made us realize we are going to write history with that booming triple that Magoo Marjon called beautifully. I was shedding manly tears and kneeling in prayer thanking the Big Guy from up above as the confetti fell down from the rafters in that euphoric win. Why? The last time we got to the Worlds, my parents weren’t even fetuses.

Triumphant returns

The last time Manny Pacquiao was in the ring, he was lying face down, unconscious, defeated, humiliated. This year, Pacman returned wiser, better and better geared for incoming fights. I’d like to thank Alex Ariza for giving Brandon Rios a face restructuring inadvertently when he kicked Freddie Roach in front of the media. The last guy’s team who dissed ol’ Freddie went into retirement.

The last time Nonito Donaire left the ring, it was in a huff. Frustration was dead set on his scowl as he lost to Rigondeaux, who he cannot hit and knock out. This time around, he gave old bully Vic Darchinyan another taste of the leather in virtually a repeat of what transpired when his first KO of the Armenian bull catapulted him to stardom. The punch that put Darchinyan down was eerily the same as the one that put him to dreamland the last time out and he called Donaire lucky for it. Lightning strikes twice I guess.

And then there’s Rubilen Amit conquering Women’s Billiards anew. Well, I did miss large chunks of the series as it went on. I’m not really a fan of “sleeper” sports like Golf, Billiards and Chess. So I’m sorry, Ms. Amit, if this is the only ink I can splash on your conquest. All I know about your sport is that you have to clean the table of wooden balls to get a win.

Release the Kraken

Junemar Fajardo was almost forgotten as part of the Gilas 12 since he was only in the floor for garbage minutes and even collecting some DNPs along the way. I’m one to believe that this is a ploy. It is a ploy to keep the other teams in underestimating the young giant. And then, Gilas goes in hot, all gun barrels loaded with a Hulk thundering behind the snipers ready to play ball and reduce the other side to a bunch of rag dolls. He’s still a year or two away from scratching his potential. Right now, pasungkit-sungkit lang ng rebound eh. Imagine what he can do when he starts to throw his massive weight around with that deft touch and nose for the ball. It’s like Asi Taulava with more in the arsenal. Hamed Haddadi won’t know what hit him when it’s all done and over with.

Best point guard in Asia

Madi Kamrani proclaimed himself the best point guard in Asia. Without batting an eyelash. Apparently, he was not introduced to Jayson “William” Castro. Castro tore up the FIBA Asia Championship as if it was just summer league. He got into the paint whenever he wanted, however he wanted and whoever was in front of him, even making Hamed Haddadi very Shaqtin’ A Fool (well, he is anyway in truth). And during that Korea match-up? That, dear sirs and ma’ams, was the finest Jayson Castro I have ever seen. He willed the team with a personal run as South Korea suddenly got discombobulated by a guard who can rev up to a hundred kilometers per hour in a blink of an eye and take the contact on the way to the hoop and still finish. Power guards are hella scary, aye!

Out with the bad, in with the good

This 2013, probably the best news, or rather, moment, for me, was Japeth tightening the screws and bolts of his head. And my God, my jaw has been left hanging ever since those 11 days in August.

Out of the 12, Aguilar had the most to prove. 6’9”-10,” can put the ball down, can shoot it from mid range, can fly, and most importantly, gallop like a gazelle. Japeth made the FIBAs his coming-out party. This is his arrival. All those petulant behaviors from campaigns past, the NBA dream, all of it seemed forgotten in those 11 days. Japeth flew, played with his head, got into the groove and destroyed Ponomarev, touted as a young Dirk Nowitzki, in the process.

And his PBA campaign so far? Monster. The upward track for the young man is scary. And you know what? This was how I envisioned Japeth some years back: a 3-4 guy who is running out on shooters and just downright dominating opposing bigs with his speed and athleticism coupled with an ever-improving jumpshot to keep defenses honest. Bad Japeth is out. Good Japeth is in, and will hopefully stay.

I’ll throw this out as well: Japeth will be our main man in the following campaigns alongside Castro and Fajardo as our very own Big 3. Move over Yi Jianlian. Better yet, don’t, I want Japeth to serve up the house specialty facial.

More will follow in my year-end review. Be sure to follow it up. You want to share some awesome sporting moment of the Philippine sports calendar year? Just tweet me and maybe, we’ll end up featuring it on part two.

Send your letters of complaint, protest, and blind hate to @PioVGarcia.