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Photo Credit: Danny Seigle’s Yahoo Group

With the way the San Miguel Beermen geared up for the coming season with its player acquisitions, it’s no surprise that some of the sports journalist pick them as one of the strong candidate to win the 2008-2009 KFC PBA Philippine Cup championship.

The injuries of bigmen Danny Ildefonso and Samigue Eman were immediately addressed following the trade deals of Jay Washington and Mick Pennisi. The guard spot was able strenthened with the acquisition of speedy guard Bonbon Custodio.

The Beermen are loaded in almost all spots making them one of the deepest teams in the league.

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Fearless forecasts

Source: Manila Standard Today (manilastandardtoday.com)
by Reuel Vidal | September 22, 2008

The Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino Conference starts in three weeks and it’s that time of the season again when I routinely stick my neck out and make my fearless forecasts about the teams that I like.

And the teams to watch this conference, in no particular order, are the Sta. Lucia Realtors, the San Miguel Beermen, the Alaska Aces and the Coca-Cola Tigers.

Sta. Lucia is the defending champion. The Realtors won last year because of their physical, physical defense anchored on who Boyet Fernandez calls his “bulldog” Denok Miranda at point guard and Ryan Reyes at the off guard.

The Realtors return a virtually intact lineup led by reigning Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams and will try to duplicate their winning formula by bringing their entire team to the US for training.

The San Miguel Beermen will miss Danny Ildefonso but will be strengthened in the positions they were weak in last year with the additions of big men Mick Pennissi and Jay Washington. They’ve got Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle, Lordy Tugade and Chris Calaguio at the wings and ageless Olsen Racela and young Jonas Villanueva at the point. What’s not to like about this team?

The Coca-Cola Tigers’ greatest strength, the veteran big men in Asi Taulava, Nic Belasco and Mark Telan, may also be its worst weakness. The Tigers will have to win now because these guys are really long in the tooth and may not have enough gas in the tank to win in the coming years.

This team is ripe. Alex Cabagnot and Ronjay Buenafe are arguably among the best in their positions and teaming them up with Taulava et al. gives the Tigers a fearsome starting unit.

The Alaska Aces, like San Miguel, have added key pieces in the positions they were weak in last year.

Joe Devance joins the team as the starting power forward. Ervin Sotto was signed to a one-year pact to back up Sonny Thoss. Former National Collegiate Association MVP Kevin De la Peña is another pair of young legs at the guard position.

Alaska coach Tim Cone is famous for winning titles after getting key additions to his team.

After adding Kenneth Duremdes, who was then a second string forward with the RFM franchise, Alaska won numerous championships and Duremdes earned a Most Valuable Player award. Willie Miller, who was traded by the Talk N Text Phone Pals, did the same for the Aces. Alaska won a championship and Miller became MVP in the process, too. Of the three new Alaska players Devance is the best candidate to follow in the footsteps of Duremdes and Miller. But Cone is cautious in his praise for the promising Fil-Am. “Joe (Devance) is still behind defensively. On offense, there is no question. He can shoot from the outside. He can post up. He is a good passer in the triangle. But he is behind in terms of his defensive techniques,” said Cone. Devance (6-foot-7), Sonny Thoss (6-foot-7) and Reynel Hugnatan (6-foot-5) comprise the huge starting frontline of the Aces which no doubt can compete with the big boys in the league. When Thoss goes to the bench the Aces do not lose anything in size with 6-foot-7 Sotto coming in to take his place. “Ervin can be a real killer in the triangle. He has the size and he has the skills. We are very optimistic about him contributing to make us a better team,” said Cone.