THE LARGER fan following for the more “senior” teams of the PBA is understandable. They’ve been around longer and have won conference titles or have vied for them regularly.
These include lone remaining league pioneer San Miguel, Alaska, Rain or Shine, Tropang TNT, Star and Ginebra.
It’s easy to say that they have the bulk of talent in the league but basketball is still a team game so despite apparent edges in certain player positions, they do not have a monopoly of the talent.
That’s because some of it is found in the other teams of the league, those that are still trying to win their first conference title. They don’t lack talent but could just be an import or star player away from a shot at a conference title.
The Meralco Bolts have experienced and new upcoming players that could make them a crowd darling in the future. After a forgettable Philippine Cup where they won only one game, the Bolts have regrouped and are off to a 5-0 start in the conference. Import Azanike Onuaku has definitely helped the Bolts in the rebounding department that was a deficiency area in the first conference.
GlobalPort has already made a move into the playoff round and has arguably the most thrilling backcourt tandem in the league. Stanley Pringle and Terrence Romeo provide the bulk of the offense and make up for whatever shortcomings their frontline has against taller opponents. Energy is their main weapon. Lackluster teams that simply coast in the first three quarters may pay dearly if not careful with Batang Pier.
Phoenix Fuel is the new kid on the block but is actually made up of the former Barako Bull delegation. It has already registered its first win with a thrilling 118-106 conquest of the NLEX Road Warriors. RR Garcia and JC Intal provide the young legs and excitement for this unit.
Garcia is a multi-angle scorer and Intal provides slash-and-burn moves aside from his now improved perimeter range.
NLEX has a battery of veterans that can give all the teams a headache. It helps to have a prolific import in Al Thornton but having Asi Taulava, Sean Anthony, Enrico Villanueva, Kevin Alas and Jonas Villanueva make NLEX competitive.
Mahindra and Blackwater Elite have lingered in the lower rungs of the team standings but have given the more senior teams headaches in the first three quarters of most of their encounters. But the payoff fourth has often been a weak spot. Coaches often point out the lack of maturity of the expansion teams and that covers the ability to close out games.
The senior teams know what it takes to win in the end and making the key defensive plays mostly does this. We see that in San Miguel’s Arwind Santos, Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga or in Star’s Marc Pingris when they make a strong defensive challenge and then haul down the rebound for a closeout of the defensive process.
Mahindra and Blackwater just have to be patient with their growth and will need significant trades and player movements in the future.
We’ve seen this growth in expansion teams like Pop Cola, Rain or Shine, Air 21 and even Alaska. The Aces took five years before winning their first PBA title in 1991.
The young teams of the league are waiting for the days when they can move forward and fulfill their dream of making it to a conference final. It may have to start by scoring big wins against the seniors and not allowing their equally young opponents to conquer them.