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PBA Weekly Warriors: Big men have big games, but Gary David still stands tallest
PBA Weekly Warriors will be a regular feature, putting the spotlight on five hoopsters who stood out in the previous week of play. This third article tracks the performances from June 6 to June 10's games.
Week 1 - May 20 to May 27
Week 2 - May 30 to June 3
Gary the Great
Gary David - Powerade Tigers shooting guard
Versus Rain or Shine: 30 points (2/10 3pt, 9/24 FG, 10/10 FT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
It would be a gross mistake to not have Gary David on this list, especially after he tallied his 19th straight game with at least 20 points, and also after he notched 30 points for the 18th time this season. That would be criminal, to say the least.
But all those gaudy numbers would lose meaning if they didn't come in a win, and a win was exactly what David ensured. The Lyceum of the Philippines University alum pumped in 11 points in the final quarter to break the undefeated streak of their opponents, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and maintain his squad's three-game winning run.
Leeeeeeroy Jenki...Hickerson!
Leroy Hickerson - Barako Bull Energy import
Versus Petron Blaze: 32 points (1/2 3pt, 11/22 FG, 9/14 FT), 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover
Another week, another change of import, and possibly, the start of another win streak? After Powerade dropped Rashad McCants last week, the team went on a surge. Barako Bull then followed suit, replacing Jamine Peterson with Leroy Hickerson, and the move quickly resulted in a win for the Energy.
Like Omar Sneed (Powerade's import now), Hickerson debuted with a flashy stat stuffer of a line, contributing points (32 on 50 percent shooting), boards, and assists, versus just a single turnover. That's the kind of efficiency they just didn't get from Peterson, which led to his exit. If Hickerson keeps this up, his spot is all but assured.
The Spark marks a win
Mark Caguioa - Barangay Ginebra swingman
Versus Petron Blaze: 19 points, (3/5 FG, 6/13 FG, 4/6 FT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
The numbers are not overwhelming, in fact, they are just about what people have come to expect from last season's Best Player of the Conference, but what made Mark Caguioa's run against sister team Petron worthy of mention is simple: timing.
Caguioa's scoring came at all the right moments, with one triple pulling the Kings within two points, 71-73 as Ginebra tried to execute a frantic rally. Then his second outside bomb gave his side the lead for good, 76-73. He then closed out the game from the line, where he nailed two charities that made it 82-77, enough of a cushion for BGK to notch the victory. Clutch performance? Absolutely.
A perfect game for Asi Taulava
Asi Taulava - Meralco Bolts center
Versus Alaska: 23 points, (7/7 FG, 9/13 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Don't call Asi Taulava old. Sure he's no newbie at 39-years, but the latter part of the Commissioner's Cup and the on-going Governors' Cup has shown that Taulava still has plenty in the tank, even enough, it seems, to produce a 7-for-7 shooting night.
Also important is the fact that it came at the best possible time, snapping a three-game skid for the Bolts that would have had them virtually eliminated from post-season contention had it stretched to four. If "The Rock" continues to build chemistry with new import Mario West, why can't Meralco pull off another belated run like they did a few months ago in the Commissioner's Cup?
"The Big Doug" gives the Energy some bite
Doug Kramer - Barako Bull Energy power forward
Versus Petron Blaze: 17 points (7/8 FG, 3/4 FT), 10 rebounds
Acquired in an off-season move to shake up their front court, Doug Kramer came into this game having played just a total of 36 minutes. But after a two-game losing skid, Energy head coach Junel Baculi needed to shuffle the line-up and it resulted in Kramer getting the starting nod, where he played, guess what, 36 minutes.
And in that span, Kramer was as effective as he had been in the All-Filipino Cup for his previous team, the Powerade Tigers. Not only was he an efficient offensive threat, missing just a single field goal and free throw, he was a huge help on the glass for a team that perennially gets beaten in that category. Though they still lost the rebounding war against the Blaze Boosters, it was by their smallest margin yet in the Governors' Cup, a single carom. - GMA News
Week 1 - May 20 to May 27
Week 2 - May 30 to June 3
'El Granada' did what a grenade does, and exploded for 30 points versus Rain or Shine. Nuki Sabio
Gary the Great
Gary David - Powerade Tigers shooting guard
Versus Rain or Shine: 30 points (2/10 3pt, 9/24 FG, 10/10 FT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
It would be a gross mistake to not have Gary David on this list, especially after he tallied his 19th straight game with at least 20 points, and also after he notched 30 points for the 18th time this season. That would be criminal, to say the least.
But all those gaudy numbers would lose meaning if they didn't come in a win, and a win was exactly what David ensured. The Lyceum of the Philippines University alum pumped in 11 points in the final quarter to break the undefeated streak of their opponents, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and maintain his squad's three-game winning run.
Leeroy Hickerson did a little bit of everything en route to helping Barako Bull knock off the defending champs. Nuki Sabio
Leroy Hickerson - Barako Bull Energy import
Versus Petron Blaze: 32 points (1/2 3pt, 11/22 FG, 9/14 FT), 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover
Another week, another change of import, and possibly, the start of another win streak? After Powerade dropped Rashad McCants last week, the team went on a surge. Barako Bull then followed suit, replacing Jamine Peterson with Leroy Hickerson, and the move quickly resulted in a win for the Energy.
Like Omar Sneed (Powerade's import now), Hickerson debuted with a flashy stat stuffer of a line, contributing points (32 on 50 percent shooting), boards, and assists, versus just a single turnover. That's the kind of efficiency they just didn't get from Peterson, which led to his exit. If Hickerson keeps this up, his spot is all but assured.
The Spark marks a win
Mark Caguioa - Barangay Ginebra swingman
Versus Petron Blaze: 19 points, (3/5 FG, 6/13 FG, 4/6 FT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
The numbers are not overwhelming, in fact, they are just about what people have come to expect from last season's Best Player of the Conference, but what made Mark Caguioa's run against sister team Petron worthy of mention is simple: timing.
Caguioa's scoring came at all the right moments, with one triple pulling the Kings within two points, 71-73 as Ginebra tried to execute a frantic rally. Then his second outside bomb gave his side the lead for good, 76-73. He then closed out the game from the line, where he nailed two charities that made it 82-77, enough of a cushion for BGK to notch the victory. Clutch performance? Absolutely.
The older The Rock gets, the tougher seems to be. Nuki Sabio
A perfect game for Asi Taulava
Asi Taulava - Meralco Bolts center
Versus Alaska: 23 points, (7/7 FG, 9/13 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Don't call Asi Taulava old. Sure he's no newbie at 39-years, but the latter part of the Commissioner's Cup and the on-going Governors' Cup has shown that Taulava still has plenty in the tank, even enough, it seems, to produce a 7-for-7 shooting night.
Also important is the fact that it came at the best possible time, snapping a three-game skid for the Bolts that would have had them virtually eliminated from post-season contention had it stretched to four. If "The Rock" continues to build chemistry with new import Mario West, why can't Meralco pull off another belated run like they did a few months ago in the Commissioner's Cup?
"The Big Doug" gives the Energy some bite
Doug Kramer - Barako Bull Energy power forward
Versus Petron Blaze: 17 points (7/8 FG, 3/4 FT), 10 rebounds
Acquired in an off-season move to shake up their front court, Doug Kramer came into this game having played just a total of 36 minutes. But after a two-game losing skid, Energy head coach Junel Baculi needed to shuffle the line-up and it resulted in Kramer getting the starting nod, where he played, guess what, 36 minutes.
And in that span, Kramer was as effective as he had been in the All-Filipino Cup for his previous team, the Powerade Tigers. Not only was he an efficient offensive threat, missing just a single field goal and free throw, he was a huge help on the glass for a team that perennially gets beaten in that category. Though they still lost the rebounding war against the Blaze Boosters, it was by their smallest margin yet in the Governors' Cup, a single carom. - GMA News
