Jerrili Malabanan: California sunshine in BaliPure

Jerrili Malabanan: California sunshine in BaliPure

by rick olivares

During the first set of BaliPure’s match with Creamline was Tuesday, the former’s head coach Roger Gorayeb sent in Jerrili Malabanan late in the first set for struggling Aiko Urdas.

“Jer Jer” as her teammates call her, didn’t do too well either. Except she wasn’t yanked even if Creamline took the first set, 25-20. She started the second set where she eventually settled down. Malabanan finished only with seven points – her conference average for BaliPure – but she did contribute in other aspects such as defense.

The Purest Water Defenders won in five sets with Thai import Jang Bualee and outside hitter Grethcel Soltones coming alive late in the match with American import Jennifer Keddy providing steady offense and defense. Yet, during the post-match press conference, Gorayeb made sure to point out how Malabanan stabilized the team with her play in the second set.

The vote of confidence wasn’t lost on Malabanan, “It’s feels good that he trusts me and that he knows that I can contribute. It’s such a nice feeling.”

Transitions aren’t normally easy as one moves from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Malabanan has first-hand experience in that as well. After graduation from high school in California where she was born and spent her first 18 years of her life, Malabanan moved to the Philippines.

“I lived in the US my whole life,” recalled the soft-spoken lady. “I would come here every few years for family reunions but that’s different. Changing addresses and lifestyles was a tough adjustment for me especially because I wasn’t able to see my family and friends. You don’t really know anyone and you’re starting from scratch.”

Her first choice for her college schooling was the University of Santo Tomas but she was late for her enrollment. “I ended up going to FEU because an uncle of mine is a good friend of FEU’s athletic director.”

With the Lady Tamaraws, she has become a key component in their return to competitiveness. Yet this past season, Malabanan sat mostly on the bench. “My sitting on the bench – it was a little bit of struggling with my game and the coach’s decision. It’s hard when you sit. You want to help the team but you can’t. And when you want, the confidence isn’t there. It went really down.”

Signed to BaliPure, her first volleyball team outside FEU, it was quite a smooth transition for Malabanan: “I think I started off well because I wanted to show very badly that what happened last UAAP season wasn’t really me or my game. Coming into this tournament, I wanted to show that I am better than that. When I first trained with BaliPure, I didn’t know any of my new teammates personally. The first day of training, they all made me feel welcome. They were very nice. We’ve all become good friends since.”

For the Purest Water Defenders, she was moved from her middle position – where she was played in FEU – to a utility spot where she forms a tag team with Urdas. And she has shined. “Actually, Jer Jer is very soft spoken. But she is eager to learn.”

Added Bualee who is no stranger to the Philippines volleyball scene having served as an import time and again for Gorayeb’s teams, “Jer Jer is a big help to our team. Ako kasi matanda na.”

Like a ray of sunshine?

Bualee laughed. “Sunshine.”

Now the Purest Water Defenders are in the semi-finals. Following the end of their preliminary round matches, the team is given three days off before returning to practice next Monday. “I think we’re fortunate to be able to top the elimination round,” said Malabanan before their last outing against the Power Smashers. It feels to be able to contribute to the team.”

The girl from California has her confidence back.

Jeron Teng brings the (Flying V) Thunder

Jeron Teng brings the (Flying V) Thunder

by rick olivares

Watching Jeron Teng score the game winning basket for the Flying V Thunder in their D-League debut, stunning 86-84 win over the defending champions, Cignal, I couldn’t help but marvel at the young man’s abilities.

When he scored 104-points against Grace Christian High School in a Tiong Lian League game while playing for Xavier that said something about him as a basketball player. And he played the one-spot for Xavier! He displayed the full range of talents – he could score, rebound, pass, and defend.

As a rookie with the La Salle Green Archers, he showed uncommon steadiness and a willingness to ask for the basketball and to take the big shot. He did drop one in his rookie year against UST. And almost immediately, he seized the role of King Archer and he led the team to two UAAP championships.

The 6’2” Teng is one of those special players – a winner in high school and in college. And now he is bringing is winning ways to the D-League (playing his second conference but first with the Villavicencio franchise). He is one of those players with a knack for buying a basket and can affect a game on both ends of the court. Furthermore, he’s got top game intelligence.

When the Thunder were being put together, his signing was crucial. A key piece to a team that despite lacking in frontline strength, would make Flying V competitive. Along with Eric Salamat, Jeron is one of the team’s leaders.

During Flying V’s debut, with many of the team’s players in foul trouble in or in the midst of a horrible shooting day, Teng was incandescent. He tallied 33 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks. And once more, the game winner.

With 1:45 left in the game clock, Teng drove and scored to give Flying V its first taste of the lead, 80-79. After a huge defensive stop on the other end, Teng waved off his teammates. He wanted the one-on-one challenge with Cignal’s Harold Arboleda. He initiated his attack and as Arboleda backed off, he passed to an open Gab Banal, his Thunder teammate. Bang. It was 83-79 with 1:06 left.

A Pamboy Raymundo bucket and a Davon Potts’ trey gave Cignal an 84-83 lead with 7.6 seconds left. Enough time for Teng’s heroics.

As the Thunder walked off the floor last night at the Ynares Center in Pasig City, assistant coach Joey Guanio sidled up to me and said, “Iba yung puso nung pinakita nung Teng (at ng Thomas Torres). Ayaw magpatalo.”

Inside the joyous Thunder locker room, head coach Eric Altamirano said, “Kung meron sila (Cignal) Davon Potts, meron tayong Jeron Teng.”

And the team erupted into cheers.

In a few months’ time, when the 23-year old Teng goes to the PBA Draft, he will surely be a Top 10 pick. Any team that adds him will bring in an impact player and a game changer.

It is going to be exciting and interesting to see how he fares in the pro league. However, I wouldn’t bet against Jeron Teng.

SBC Red Lions rout LPU Pirates

      Red Lions rout Pirates

by rick olivares

The much-ballyhooed duel between San Beda College and Lyceum of the Philippines University fizzled out when the reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association champions Red Lions bucked the challenge from the upstart squad from Intramuros for a 96-79 win in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Pirates led early in the first quarter with the strong inside game of Mike Nzeusseu and their full-court press. But when the Red Lions settled down, they showed their depth and championship mettle with Ranbill Tongco drilling a triple with more than a minute left in the second period for a 51-49 lead they would never surrender.

San Beda blew the game wide open in the third period as Arnaud Noah and Clint Doliguez piled on the points while as a team, the Red Lions shredded Lyceum’s trap to pieces.

“The players were very excited that’s why we started bad. In the second quarter, I told them to relax and to prepare for the press,” San Beda Head Coach Boyet Fernandez said. “With Coach Topex [Robinson], Lyceum is a different team. If we want to beat Lyceum, we have to raise our intensity level and to more than match them.”

Although the Red Lions led, 55-50, in the first half, Fernandez was concerned that they gave up that many points. Come the second half, his troops heeded the call and they held Lyceum to 29 points.

Late in the fourth period, Robinson put in his bench to give them some badly needed exposure.

San Beda was led by Robert Bolick Jr.’s 16 points, four rebounds and nine assists, while AC Soberano added 13 points.

The Pirates’ CJ Perez topscored for his side with 15 points and seven rebounds while Jayvee Marcelino added 14.

University of Perpetual Help beat University of the East (UE), 72-68, in a match-up of struggling sides. Heading into their Wednesday tussle, the Altas were 1-2 while the Red Warriors were an even 2-2.

With both sides featuring wholly all-Filipino sides, it was the Altas who gained the upper hand in the first half and while they briefly lost the lead, they regained it and preserved their advantage to the end.

The Altas posted a lead of 13-points after a GJ Ylagan triple, 52-39, midway through the third period. UE slowly chipped away at the lead, eventually overhauling the deficit after a basket by Mark Maloles to make it, 61-60.

The Altas, however, uncorked a 9-0 blast to regain control, 69-61, behind Jack Hao’s five points and a pair of baskets by center Rommel Mangalino and Daganon.

Daganon and Hao led Perpetual Help with 14 points each, with the former adding 10 rebounds. Mangalino contributed 12 points.

For the Red Warriors, only second-year forward Alvin Pasaol finished in double digits with 19. UE’s other key players—Mark Olayon and Clark Derige—were each held to six points each.