Coca Cola Tigers

Talk 'N Text, looking for a solid inside presence, is bringing in European League veteran Eric Hicks as its reinforcement in the coming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference, which opens on March 21 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Hicks is a former University of Cincinatti standout who saw action for the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League.

The 6-foot-6, 240-lb. Hicks is described by United States scouts as an explosive and athletic swingman in a big man’s body. He was a member of the 2007 Telindus BC Oostende team that won the championship in the Belgian League.

Hicks was also the top shot blocker with two per game and fourth in rebounding with an average of 7.5 per outing in the 2007-08 Polish League.

While the other teams have already chosen their import, Coca-Cola has yet to name its reinforcement that would lead the Tigers’ campaign in the Fiesta Cup.

The Tigers allowed Jason Forte, brother of former Boston Celtics and Seattle Supersonics guard Joseph Forte, to try out for them but decided to get old reliable James Penny.

Coca-Cola, however, remained without an import after Penny, who was supposed to join the Tigers in a recent trip to Dubai, decided to look into other offers from him in another league.

Other teams that already have an import are Air21 (Leroy Hickerson), Alaska (Diamon Simpson), San Miguel (Gabe Freeman), Rain or Shine (Jai Lewis), Ginebra (Awvee Storey) and Sta. Lucia (Anthony Johnson).

Barako Bull and Purefoods are the other squads that have yet to name its reinforcement. – GMANews.TV

Dubai – Air21 (formerly Burger King) demolished Al Nasr Club 84-73 to capture second place honors in the 2nd Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Basketball Tournament Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).

The Express led the entire match, opening the game with a 5-0 lead and erecting a commanding 17-point advantage with still eight minutes to go in the second quarter.

Al Nasr tried to wrestle the lead with their lethal outside shooting, especially in the middle of the second when Talal Mesabah unleashed three consecutive triples.

But Michael Vincent Belga answered with a couple of 3-point shots to keep Air21 on top, 49-41, going into the third quarter.

The physicality of the game was so intense that Wesley Gonzales and Al Nasr Club's American import Vincent Jones had a brief scuffle in the third period. They were both thrown out of the game to avoid more tension.

With the 6'11" Al Nasr import out of the match, Air21 took advantage by attacking the shaded lane.

Veteran Saleh Sultan took the cudgels for Al Nasr with his outside shooting and daredevil inside penetration but the big men and backcourt generals of Air21 proved too much for the host team. Air21 had a comfortable 17-point lead in the final two minutes of the game.

"We were able to execute our plays well, unlike in our first game where we still had jet lag," Air21 coach Yeng Guiao said. "Were the officiating fair in our first game, we could have emerged as champions."

Guiao was referring to Express' 77-80 opening-game loss to the United Arab Emirates National Team, which eventually emerged as champions of the three-day invitational meet.

Air 21 guard Alex Cabagnot was awarded the best playmaker of the tournament participated in by two teams from the Philippine Basketball Association and two squads from the UAE.

In the other game, Coca-Cola bowed to the UAE National Team, 97-89, as the Tigers became the only team without a victory, having lost to Al Nasr and Air21 in their previous matches.

Despite the setbacks, Coca-Cola coach Bo Perasol said the invitational tournament provided a good training ground for the team in the coming import-laden PBA Fiesta Cup.

"More than the game, it's the bonding and preparation for the team," Perasol said.

Both Coca-Cola and Air21 utilized an all-Filipino line-up in the Dubai tournament. - GMANews.TV

Dubai, UAE - Bad officiating and jet lag were the reasons why Air21 and Coca-Cola dropped their opening day assignments at the start of the 2nd Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Basketball Tournament Thursday at the Al Nasr Sports Club in Oud Metha.

The Express suffered an 80-77 defeat against the UAE National Team while the Tigers were dominated the entire game by Al Nasr Club, 72-55.

Air21 players complained that the referees' calls are all one-sided since the UAE National Team was very physical with their game where they even received kicks and flying elbows from some of the players.

The Express' Winnie Arboleda received a second motion kick in the face from a member of the UAE National team when both of them fell on the floor while battling for the lose ball.

Air 21 was leading by much as five points going in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter when another UAE player challenged the entire Express bench that changed the momentum of the game.

Police and officials from the Al Nasr Club immediately responded to the situation but the player was not easily pacified as Air21 just kept their cool.

"We were surprised to see that even though team managers from Al Nasr Club already intervened, the man did not back down. Anyway, this is just a basketball game and we don't mind those kinds of rough plays," said Air21 team manager Lito Alvarez.

In another game, 6-foot-11 American import Vincent Jones and Al Nasr's outside shooting were too much for Coca-Cola to handle as the Tigers played sluggishly due to jet lag.

The Tigers arrived in Dubai less than a day before the game and the match started at 9:30 pm which was actually 1:30 am (Friday), Manila time.

Coca-Cola played catch up the entire match but three straight three-pointers in the third quarter gave Al Nasr a 15-point spread and the hosts were never threatened after that.

Jones also dominated the paint both offensively and defensively and had six block shots, two of which came at the expense of Asi Taulava. Jones also won the slam dunk contest

Tigers coach Bo Perasol said they were not able to execute their plays as his players were feeling the jet lag.

Meanwhile, Al Nasr Club coach Tarek Selim announced that he is planning to hold a 10-day basketball camp in the Philippines next month to expose his team to more international competitions and to learn more from Philippine basketball.

Games on Friday (March 5) Al Nasr vs. UAE National Team (7 pm Dubai time/ 11 pm Manila time) and Burger King vs. Coca-Cola (9pm); Saturday (March 6) UAE National Team vs. Coca Cola (7pm Dubai time/ 11 pm Manila time); Al Nasr vs. Burger King (9 pm). - Angel Tesorero, GMANews.TV