The San Miguel Beermen coached by PBA seven-time “Best Import” Bobby Parks   suffered a disappointing loss in their debut in the Air Asia Asean Basketball League to the Westports Malaysia Dragons in a game where the Malaysian squad finished stronger to win a game that was a thriller all the way, 83-77.

The “Dragons” banked on the solid game of imports Brian Williams and Tiras Wade who combined for a total of 54 points while the San Miguel imports Darlon Lamar Johnson and Richard Jeter could only combine for 28 points although the imports together with high-flying Junmar Fajardo wowed the Malaysian hometown fans with several slam dunks.

The Beermen led at the end of a tight first quarter 25-23 before increasing the lead to 37-29 with 3:40 to play in the second quarter.

A rim-rattling slam dunk by Williams saw the Dragons end the first half behind by seven points, 35-42 with the Beermen getting clutch baskets from Leo Avenino and JunJun Cabatu to stay ahead.

The San Miguel halftime lead was quickly wiped out as the Dragons behind the fired up import tandem of Wade and Williams scored 11 straight points to eventually tie the score at 50-50 with 4:00  minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Williams scored in the paint to push the Dragons ahead and with solid defense from former Ginebra player Ernani Pacana and local boy Guganeswaran Batumalai the hometown team edged in front 59-57 going into the final quarter.

Jeter regained the lead for the Beermen with a triple 60-59 before San Miguel Beer increased the lead to four points at 71-67.

Tiras Wade sank two pressure-packed free throws to even the score at 73-73 and force an extension.

Pacana opened the overtime period with a quick jumper while at the other end Junmar Fajardo missed two free throws.

Another former Beerman in the PBA, Nic Belasco cushioned the Dragons lead with a basket but Johnson quickly replied to bring the Beermen to within 2.

Another big basket by Belasco pushed the Dragons ahead by four points and after Avenindo missed an open three-point attempt Wade sealed the win for the Dragons by calmly sinking two free throws for the 83-77 win.

Tiras Jamaal Wade led all scorers with 28 points to go with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals while teammate Brian Michael Williams finished with a monster double-double scoring 26 points and pulling down 23 rebounds. He also had 3 assists.

The San Miguel Beermen were led by Darlon Jamar Johnson who finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 bassists and 3 steals while Richard Jeter ended with 11 points and only 2 rebounds.

Fajardo contributed 8 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots, Benedict Fernandez had 8 points and Jun Jun Cabatu 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

Fiery Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is convinced his team has what it takes to beat Powerade in their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal showdown beginning Jan. 4 at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Guiao told the PBA website “I feel really good the way we’re playing. I think we can take on Powerade in a seven-game series.”

Guiao and his Elasto Painters have a right to be optimistic following their exciting campaign capped by an impressive two-game sweep of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their quarterfinals match-up.

Despite his confidence, Guiao won’t take Powerade under coach Bo Perasol for granted.

He said “You have to respect what Powerade has achieved. They’re peaking at the right time and we have to address their strength at the point guard and the wing positions.”

Guiao was referring to scoring rookie Smart Gilas national team member JV Casio, scoring machine Gary David and rookie Marcio Lassiter another member of the Philippine national team who he believes can be very dangerous.

While Guiao knows what David can do he also feels comfortable that he has defensive stoppers to stifle the Powerade shooting star.

Guiao pointed out “We have tall and quick players to match up with David,”referring to 6-foot-4 Gabe Norwood, 6-foot-1 guards Ryan Arana and Jireh Ibañez.

The ROS coach recalled that his defenders did a good job on David, limiting him 14 points when the Elasto Painters overcame the Tigers, 96-93, in their elimination-round meeting last Oct. 9.

Guiao believes his team can fare as well in the other match-ups.

Overall, Guiao is comfortable with the thought that the Elasto Painters have evolved into a fighting unit that can make the finals.

Guiao whose uncanny ability to mould individual players into a fiercely competitive squad which effectively reflects his own character said  “It’s gratifying to see the team transform and acquire the toughness to perform at this level. The guys have settled down to embracing our system the same way the old Red Bull team embraced our system and team philosophy. Everyone is equal and there are no superstars,” said Guiao.

Rookie Paul Lee, Jeff Chan, JR Quinahan and Norwood are among the team’s lead lights, all four being in the top 24 in the league’s stats race.

Chan leads the team in scoring with 15.5 points a game, Lee paces the squad in assists (4.5) and in steals (0.9), Quinahan is tops in rebounds (6.4) and in blocks (1.3) while Norwood has solid all-around norms of 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steal and 0.4 block.

The team also boasts of the inside presence of Beau Belga, Larry Rodriguez and Jervy Cruz and the backcourt contribution of TY Tang.

Santos, with his regular double-double showing, leads all players in the statistical points (SPs) race with an average of 38.63 a game.

The 6-foot-4 former FEU stalwart is six points clear of No.2 contender Kelly Williams of Talk n Text which gives Santos a solid chance to become the first player in seven years to win back-to-back Best Player of the Conference awards.

Ginebra’s Eric Menk was the last player to do achieve the fear in the 2004-05 Fiesta Conference which was regarded as a transition tournament,  and the succeeding Philippine Cup.

Also on the strength of his double-digit norms in scoring and in rebounding, Santos won the coveted individual award in the most recent Governors Cup.

The wiry forward has not slowed down a bit, averaging 18.3 points and 12.3 rebounds as he powered Petron to a third-place finish in the elims and to a two-game sweep of Meralco in the quarterfinals.

Santos leads the conference in rebounds and is fourth in scoring behind shooting stars Gary David (22.5), James Yap (19.0) and Chris Lutz (18.33).

Williams, the 2008 MVP, puts in 32.92 SPs a game for second place in the BPC derby.

Another key player in the Petron roster, guard Alex Cabagnot is at third with 31.88 SPs an outing, followed by B-Meg’s James Yap (31.38), TnT’s Harvey Carey (30.77), Powerade’s Gary David (30.69), TnT’s Jason Castro (30.64), Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter (29.94), Barako Bull’s Willie Miller (28.80) and Alaska’s Sonny Thoss (28.50).

Rain or Shine’s explosive rookie Paul Lee is just outside the Top 10 with 28.27 SPs a game.

Lee is the stats leader in the Rain or Shine team with averages of 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.9 steal.

The top five in the stats race after the semifinal round contest the BPC awards in a balloting. The winner then automatically becomes a contender for the season’s MVP award.

David, Yap, Lutz and Santos are running one-two-three-four in the scoring race, followed by Lassiter (16.25), Miller (15.9), Castro (15.64), Jeff Chan (15.5), Thoss (15.36) then Macmac Cardona (15.33).

Santos is No. 1 in rebounds, followed by Carey (11.154), Doug Kramer (10.688), Jayr Reyes (10.071), Asi Taulava (9.338), Ali Peek (9.833), James Sena (9.429), Thoss (9.357), Gabby Espinas (9.125) and Williams (8.917).

Santos, Carey and Kramer are the only players averaging double-double numbers in the tourney.

Cabagnot has shown uncanny ability in terms of spotting his teammates and leads in assists with 6.7 assists per game, Lutz is the leader in steals with 2.0 an outing while high-flying, dunking demon Japeth Aguilar is No. 1 in blocks with 2.2 a game.

The Philippine Basketball Association which is currently enjoying a renewed public interest and support as evidenced by an increase in “live” attendance at the games, gate receipts and television ratings has shown its got a heart by donating P1 million to the relief efforts for the victims of typhoon “Sendong.”

Hardest hit were the cities of Cagayan de Oro where the PBA plays some of its out-of-town games and Iligan City.

The PBA board of governors headed by its chairman Atty.  Mamerto Mondragon of Rain or Shine ordered the immediate release of the calamity donation exclusively for the relief operations for victims of the terrible flash floods.

The donation was approved by the representatives of the ten member corporations.

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud said “The entire PBA family is deeply saddened by the tragedy that hit our brothers bin Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.”

Salud said “The PBA will always be responsive to the needs of our less fortunate countrymen.”

The Commissioner disclosed that in addition to its P1 million donation the PBS had also allocated P100,000 for its partner Gawad Kalinga with instructions that the money be used to build homes for those who were affected by the disaster.

Some 10,000 homes were reportedly badly hit by the floods and mudslides.

Doctors are deciding on whether to remove the bullet lodged in the base of Talk N’ Text power forward Ali Peek’s skull or to let it remain there.

Talk N’ Text coach Chot Reyes who is regarded as one of the closest friends and confidants of Peek told the Manila Standard  that should the doctors decide to let the bullet remain  they will  have to make sure that it doesn’t move and will have periodic CTScans to check.

Reyes said the player’s mother is on her way from Los Angeles and decisions are likely to be made after her arrival.

Reyes who was immediately called by Peek’s  trainer John Aquino after an unidentified gunman shot Peek in the nape of the neck apparently with a small caliber gun at the parking lot of RFM in Mandaluyong City after a workout at around 7:15 p.m. Monday, said Peek who was rushed by Aquino to the Manila Medical Center in Ortigas was “in stable condition and conscious but in a bit of a shock.”

However, all Peek’s vital signs are normal, he can move his arms and legs, can speak and his hearing isn’t impaired at all.

The coach who was shown a CTScan taken by doctors said there was “a bullet hole right under the jaw and indicated that the bullet just missed his spinal column and didn’t fragment” which was a blessing. The bullet is lodged in the base of his skull right on his jawbone. Ali’s muscles hindered the progress of the bullet.”

Reyes said after he was shot Peek amazingly  “didn’t even fall, applied pressure on the wound to minimize the bleeding, turned around and looked at the gunman who ran out of the parking lot after the shooting.”

Peek even walked into the emergency room at the hospital providing proof of a superbly conditioned athlete.

Police are expected to focus on the two RFM security guards who reportedly failed to react after the shooting and allowed the gunman to escape.

Regarded as one of the nicest persons on and off the court the solidly built Peek was visited by the entire Talk N’ Text team and several other players who were shocked at what happened because as Reyes remarked “Ali is a very, very nice guy and has no known enemies.”

Talk N’ Text center/power forward Ali Peek was shot from behind in the neck at the parking lot of RFM after finishing his workout at the gym around 7 p.m.

Former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas told the Manila Standard that Peek was shot by an unidentified assailant .

Vargas who is at the Makati Medical Center looking after the needs of the Talk N’ Text player said  “he’s conscious and in stable condition now.”

At the same time Vargas said the Talk N’ Text family “asks the public to respect their privacy at tis time. He said further details will be released as they become available.”

The 36 year old Peek is regarded as a soft-spoken and kind individual and despite his solid build never bullies anyone on or off the court.

A solid low post operator, Peek is known for his mid-range shooting .

Peek entered the PBA in 1998 and was drafted third overall by the now defunct Pop Cola team.