Not sure if PBA or UFC

As much I'd like to put the entire blame on Rain Or Shine's dirty tactics, I think the PBA is the main culprit since they allow all sorts of physicality during games. The referees are instructed to allow a lot of contact and let the players play. However, some teams, specifically the Elastopainters, are known to play dirty. Just remember, many years ago, that their coach, Yeng Guiao, ordered Jimwell Torion to clothesline/punch Jimmy Alapag in the final seconds of an already-decided game.

Gilas cadet roster to SEABA

I think this is the lineup that Gilas Pilipinas will parade for the 2015 SEABA Championship in Singapore later this month:

Kiefer Ravena (Ateneo)

Mac Belo (FEU)

Ray Parks (NU)

Troy Rosario (NU)

Jiovanni Jalalon (Arellano)

Scottie Thompson (UPHD)

Almond Vosotros (DLSU)

Norbert Torres (DLSU)

Glenn Khobuntin (NU)

Marcus Douthit (Naturalized)

Kevin Ferrer (UST)

Russell Escoto (FEU)

See ya in SEABA

Booked another trip to Singapore for April/May to support our very own Gilas Pilipinas as they take on the rest of the Southeast Asian nations in the SEABA Championship. If we're following history and precedence, we're supposed to dominate and run away with the title.

Last time I was with Gilas in an international tourney, in Hong Kong for the Super Kung Sheung Cup last January 2013, they were able to upset a highly touted American team to win first place. Former cadet and current pro Kevin Alas was the hero in that game. He took home MVP honors as well.

Since Gilas is sending a revamped cadet roster, with a lot of rookies to the Men's/Senior pool, this will be their first test against international competition. Looking forward to see how they do.

Hope to see more Filipinos take the short trip to Singapore to cheer our team. It's the perfect setup for hoop junkies who want to take a break from work and enjoy basketball at the same time.

2015 SEABA Tournament

The Philippine Men's National Basketball Team (aka Gilas Pilipinas) will play in the 2015 Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship in Singapore this April. This tournament serves as the regional qualifier for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha (China) in October. The top 3 teams will qualify.

Gilas Pilipinas will parade its cadet team, composed primarily of amateur standouts from the collegiate ranks. Expected to lead the team are naturalized import Marcus Douthit, Ateneo's Kiefer Ravena and FEU's Mac Belo.

How sweep it is

The Ateneo Blue Eaglets (14-0) swept the elimination round of the ongoing UAAP High School basketball tourney by routing the defending champion NU Bullpups yesterday. That meant getting an automatic pass to the Finals, as well as having a thrice-to-beat advantage.

I'm not trying to guarantee anything but it seems the Eaglets are well on their way to getting back what always belonged in Katipunan -- the UAAP Juniors Basketball crown.

Growing up in the 1990s, the Ateneo HS basketball team used to always be in the Finals, most seasons as champions, while other times as runners-up. That run continued until the 2000s. They were simply the most dominant HS basketball program in the UAAP, and maybe even the country.

Then it all changed in 2011. Ateneo, coming from three consecutive HS championships, lost long-time coach Jamike Jarin to the pro league while superstar guard Kiefer Ravena graduated and moved on to the college ranks. There have been whispers that Coach Jarin knew that the succeeding teams won't be as good as his prior ones, so he wanted to move on before that happens.

True enough, the Blue Eaglets have been less than stellar from 2011 until 2013. They reached the Finals in 2013 only to be swept by NU.

Now, it seems like they're on a mission to regain what is rightfully ours. Here's to hoping this is the start of another decade or so of HS basketball dominance.

Kudos to my HS/college batchmate, coach Joe Silva (and his staff) for weathering a few years of mediocrity (comparing them to Ateneo High's high standards) and bringing back the team to the top of the UAAP Juniors basketball food chain.

Jones Fracture

It's been a while since I've had any major injuries but that streak ended in 2014 when I broke my foot last September.

I was playing in a weekend league when I landed on my opponent's foot while coming down from jump. The impact caused the base of my fifth metatarsal to break, while giving me a third degree ankle sprain as well.

The bone cracked in multiple places, but wasn't severe enough to require surgery to fix. Just had to put my right foot in an Aircast walking boot for 6 weeks. I recovered well enough to be able to resume playing after 7 weeks.

May have lost count already, but I think this was my 6th major injury (2 torn ACLs, a broken nose, 3 broken ankles and/or third degree sprains). Basketball never stops though.