San Miguel Beermen Basketball Updates

Photo Credit: PBA.ph

WIth the three games played during the quarterfinals series of the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Kings, there’s no doubt as to who the star on that stretch was – the Cebuano hotshot Dondon Hontiveros.

I was kind of pumping my fist every time he sinks in his shots and scorching the net. It’s rare that you see him gets hot in a span of three games with big numbers so it’s a wise idea to give him the ball. And that was what the Beermen exactly did and the rest is quarterfinals history victory over the hapless Kings.

I’m kind a busy now folks so I will just post a short article for this one. I will leave you to our ever dependable Philippine Basketball Association (pba.ph) to deliver the rest of what Dondon Hontiveros has achieved last week.

CEBUANO HOTSHOT MAIN REASON WHY SMB IN SEMIS
Player of the Week January 5 to 11
Tuesday, 13 January 2009

THE opposing teams know San Miguel Beer’s Dondon Hontiveros is one potent all-around weapon. They also realize that knowing is one thing and doing something about it is an entirely different matter.

Not when Hontiveros is on fire.

And he was undoubtedly in a zone when it mattered most, keeping the Beermen on track for a cherished KFC PBA Philippine Cup goal and in the process earning for himself KFC/Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Player of the Week honors for the period January 5 to 11.

“He’s the main reason we’re through to the semifinals,” said SMB head coach Siot Tanquingcen, referring to the 6-foot-2 guard who led the team past Barangay Ginebra in their best-of-three quarterfinals series that went the full route.

In a dazzling display of firepower, the 31-year-old Cebuano hotshot averaged 27.7 points, including 34 in a 98-93 win last Sunday that enabled the Beermen to wrap up the series and advance to the semis against early qualifier Talk ‘N Text.

The quarterfinals was as good a time as any for Hontiveros to continue ratcheting up his averages, which started with 13.6 ppg in the 18-game eliminations and went up to 16.5 in the wildcard.

The 31-year-old Hontiveros, who’s in his seventh season with the Beermen and ninth overall in the league, maintains it was just a matter of living up to the trust by his teammates.

“S’werte lang ako pumapasok ang tira ko,” he said in his usual unassuming manner. “The rest of the guys were just looking for me and pumapasok din ‘yung tira ko with the thought. ‘Just be confident.’”

There’s more as Hontiveros also normed 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.7 assists while shooting 52.4% from three-point range (11 of 21) and 50% overall from the field (25 of 50) in the series against the Kings and helping limit Barangay Ginebra’s equally prolific Jayjay Helterbrand.

“Most people just see the part that is obvious, his scoring,” said Tanquingcen. “But what makes Dondon good are his defense and rebounding, which are remarkable for a guard.”

People can’t help but be mesmerized by the scintillating shooting by Hontiveros. After all, to come out best in points in a team that also boasts of Danny Seigle and Lordy Tugade is a feat in itself.

Hontiveros’ heroics overshadowed those of Sta. Lucia Realty’s Joseph Yeo, who normed 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Realtors’ two-game sweep of Rain or Shine in their own quarterfinal duel.

It is easier to understand why the citation went to Hontiveros when one throws in his uncanny sense of timing.

It was during the second half of each game that Hontiveros was at his fieriest. He scored all of his 14 points after halftime in a 78-77 Game One win and then scattered 25 of his career-high 35 in the last two quarters in an 88-91 loss last Friday.

His 34 points in the decider was highlighted by 27 in the last 24 minutes, boosting the Beermen’s charge from as much as a 21-point deficit.

Hontiveros’ quarterfinal efforts also enabled him to move up to 10th overall in the statistical points standings for Best Player of the Conference honors from a far 22nd after the end of the eliminations. (NCo)

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