Forum Crawl: 02/17/11

A look at various, as of the moment, unconfirmed bits of information, floating around the different hoops forums. If an ITEM! is marked in red, take that item with a grain of salt, or better yet, a lot of salt. 

ITEM! The heir apparent to UE's Paul Lee, former Letran Squire Roy Sumang, was injured in the fourth quarter of a Father Martin's Cup game versus STI last week. The injury to either his knee or toe looks to take a long while to recover. Last season, Paul Lee got injured during their US training and it completely threw the start of their year off-kilter. The Warriors are hoping Sumang recovers quickly, in time for the summer leagues.

ITEM! Should the injury be serious, expect the Warriors to make renewed runs at Gino Jumao-ass and/or Von Chavez, with some Warriors hopefuls praying that they have an outside shot at prying away Baser Amer from San Beda


ITEM! Here's a bit of an under-reported item circulating the internet. According to an FEU forum, Reil Cervantes will not be rejoining the Tamaraws for his last year of eligibility, opting instead to play for the Cobra team, coached by former UE mentor Lawrence Chongson, in the PBL PBA-DL. Joining him on that squad is another former Tam, the graduating Paul Sanga, and Paul Lee. Cervantes' decision reduces the number of veteran players on an increasingly young FEU squad (the team is slated to add at least four rookies) that's trying to return to the UAAP Finals.

ITEM! Fil-Canadian Norman Penola was slated to be the next great Blue Eagles point guard, a taller LA Tenorio with sicker handles, but academic deficiencies forced Penola to transfer to NU at the start of last school year. After a year of completing his residency, Penola has decided to return to his native Canada, according to his Twitter page and finish schooling there instead, saying that college basketball in the Philippines might not be for him.

Forum Crawl: 02/11/11

A look at various, as of the moment, unconfirmed bits of information, floating around the different hoops forums. If an ITEM! is marked in red, take that item with a grain of salt, or better yet, a lot of salt.



ITEM! Looks like the Calvin Abueva era in FEU is over before it began. UAAP rules don't allow someone to play in the PBL before the UAAP, and the compromise would have been an extended sit-out period...that would have eaten up all his years of eligibility. To really put the nail in the coffin, he's signed up for the PBL again this upcoming season.

ITEM! Incoming sophomore JP Mendoza of the San Beda Red Lions is supposedly out for a good long time, perhaps permanently, because of a medical condition, says the Red Lions Den of Gameface. That leaves a roster spot open for one of the Cubs who have been eying other schools...

ITEM! Lots of rumors about Ryan Buenafe not being academically eligible to play next season. The Blue Eagles Nest of Gameface though, says that the problem is not grades-related, but cuts-related, and that Buenafe has rectified the problem and is expected to suit up for S74.

ITEM! The same apparently cannot be said of his teammate, Chris De Chavez.

Forum Crawl: 01/10/11

A look at various, as of the moment, unconfirmed bits of information, floating around the different hoops forums. If an ITEM! is marked in red, take that item with a grain of salt, or better yet, a lot of salt.


ITEM! Angered by the fact that everyone's poaching their high school talent, San Beda has decided to go on the offensive and steal some recruits back. Target #1? Ateneo High's Von Pessumal, who was "supposedly" seen practicing with the Red Lions recently...

ITEM! Tamaraw Whammy #1: Is Gino Juamo-ass being stolen away by UE?

ITEM! Tamaraw Whammy #2: Is Calvin Abueva changing course and heading towards M.O.A.?

ITEM! No more Lawrence Chongson? Then no more Paul Lee as well, as Lee only wanted to play in Chongson's freewheeling (read: Lee-centric) offense...

ITEM! UE will be relying on former Letran Squire Roy Sumang for offense and to give their backcourt the sort of stability players like James Martinez had given them in the past. The question is though: is he eligible for next season? He never properly graduated from Letran High, and had to transfer to U.E. If that's the case, why's he taking an equivalency test that will render him out for another year?

ITEM! Adamson fans rejoice, as King Importante will finally be eligible this season. Two years of being ruled out at the last minute ought to be more than enough.

Forum Crawl: 01/07/11

A look at various, as of the moment, unconfirmed bits of information, floating around the different hoops forums. 

ITEM! That Ponso Gotladera thing? Pretty much confirmed according to just about everyone. The question still is why? Well, according to "hacksaw", DLSU team management was not satisfied with the progress one of their recruits, necessitating the need for a "Plan B." Going by the logic that a big man replaces another big man, that leaves Arnold Van Opstal and Norberto Torres as the two main candidates...

ITEM! Movement has been made on one of the coaching fronts in the UAAP, according to "Wang-Bu." Supposedly, the UE board voted not to renew the contract of current coach Lawrence Chongson, and have decided to target Jerry Codinera. They'll have to pry him away from his current position as UP assistant coach though...

ITEM! Thanks to some kind Bedan friends of his, "Bahay_Kubo" has dropped some info on where this successful group of Red Cubs are headed. Expect Baser Amer to stay home, Gotladera, as previously mentioned, to head to Taft, Chris Javier to go to Ateneo, and Von Chavez to play for UE.

Additionally, "Bahay_Kubo" feels that UST will keep one of their homegrown talents, Jaypee Sarcia, while King Tiger Cub, Kevin Ferrer, is still deciding between Ateneo and UST...

BLIND ITEM! See if you can identify this prospect, as described by some members of the Blue Eagles Nest.

• "If it were up to me, I'd take him over Gwynne Capacio!"
• Plays the same position as "our juniors Scottie Pippen"
• Won't be a problem academically
• Says one poster, "para naman makabawi tayo kahit paano sa atraso nung 'current school' nya sa atin."
• At the very least, deserves "equal billing" with the Phenom

Hmm....