Bell back for Tanduay

There is an air of optimism at the Tanduay camp in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Since returning to the PBA in 1999, Tanduay has yet to win a title. The Gold Rhum Masters barged into the All-Filipino Finals in their comeback season but lost to Shell in a six-game series. Then, Tanduay failed to qualify for the semis in the Second Conference and placed third in the Governors Cup that year.

Last campaign, Tanduay slid from third in the All-Filipino to fourth in the Commissioner’s Cup to fifth in the Third Conference. Things went haywire when Sonny Alvarado was deported and Eric Menk was put on cold storage while his citizenship papers were under review by the Department of Justice. The nightmare led to Tanduay management hiring Derick Pumaren from Purefoods for a fresh start this year.

With Pumaren at the helm, Tanduay didn’t even make it past the All-Filipino eliminations, finishing ninth. The unceremonious exit in the Commissioner’s Cup last month was another bitter setback.

But Pumaren, 38, said he knew it would be a struggle at the onset. "It was like starting over—half of our players were new," he noted. "We were like a rookie team again. Management wanted to strengthen the team. And we’re fortunate that Mr. (Bong) Tan knows his basketball. We owe it all to him."

Before joining Tanduay, Pumaren said the first thing that entered his mind was Eric Menk’s eligibility to play. "I was assured that it would be just a matter of time—when was the problem," he confided.

Tanduay brought in seven fresh faces to rebuild the club. The newcomers were Bong Hawkins, Dindo Pumaren, Noli Locsin, Bonel Balingit, Wynne Arboleda, Ricky Calimag, and Oliver Agapito. The holdovers were Jeffrey Cariaso, Dondon Hontiveros, Chris Cantonjos, Jason Webb, and Zaldy Realubit.

"We’re starting to jell," said Pumaren. "I’m happy with our effort in the last conference. Nagkakakilala na sila. Before, our biggest problem was not knowing when Eric could come back. Now that he’s been cleared, we’re looking forward to going to the next level."

Pumaren said Menk was listed in Tanduay’s lineup on a conditional basis before the cutoff for the Commissioner’s Cup. "We beat the deadline but we were told that Eric had to be scratched out of the roster," explained Pumaren. "No DOJ confirmation, no play—that was the ruling, no matter what. We got his confirmation 24 hours before the start of the quarterfinals but the PBA still wouldn’t allow him to play. Mr. Tan was quite disappointed because he expected Eric to play. Maybe that’s why he didn’t watch us play our last game."

Pumaren said while Menk was still not in game shape, he could’ve made a difference in Tanduay’s do-or-die game against Purefoods. "His mere presence would’ve been enough," Pumaren added.

But that’s water under the bridge. Pumaren said now, the focus is the future.

Today, Tanduay regroups for its first practice since crashing out of the Second Conference.

Pumaren said his brother Dindo and Hawkins look like they’ll be 100 percent or at least close to it when the Governors Cup opens on Sept. 9. Hawkins sat out five games in the Commissioner’s Cup because of tendonitis in the knee and was reactivated for the quarterfinals. Because of Tanduay’s early exit, Hawkins got the rest he needed for his knee. As for Dindo, he played hurt in his last five games and took injections to numb the pain in his bruised heel. The layoff has worked to Dindo’s advantage and he should be ready for the Third Conference, too.

Pumaren said Maurice Bell will likely return as Tanduay’s import. Last season, Bell averaged 23.9 points and 11.2 rebounds in 11 games for the Rhum Masters. He shot 43.5 percent from the floor and 76.4 percent from the line. The former University of Louisiana at Monroe star hit at a 22-point clip as a senior in 1999-2000 and posted single-game highs of 39 points and 16 rebounds in his varsity career.

Bell is expected to fly in late this week or early the next. Menk, who is visiting his family in Michigan, is due back next week.

Pumaren said his import backups include former Los Angeles Lakers guard Shea Seals of Tulsa, former San Antonio Spurs swingman Brandon Williams of Davidson, and Johnny Helmsley of the University of Miami.

Things appear to be falling into place for the Rhum Masters. No wonder, when asked if he had any regrets in moving to Tanduay, Pumaren — without hesitation—replied, "none at all."