Arwind struts top form; Ryan raring to play

MANILA, Philippines – The Indonesia team in the eighth SEABA Championship is composed mostly of the Garuda Flexy team reinforced by other star players in the Indonesian Basketball League outside the SM Britama Club.

Garuda Flexy and SM Britama are the two leading contenders for the championship in the current IBL tourney.

With SM Britama having just played in the recently held Fiba-Asia Champions Cup where it finished sixth, the team begged off from playing in the SEABA tourney so they can rest before plunging back into action in the IBL penultimate series starting June 12.

Filipino coach Boyzie Zamar has just returned to IBL after a coaching stint in Malaysia. Zamar is now handling the Medan team.

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If there’s an MVP award to be given here, Arwind Santos is easily the leading contender halfway through the tourney as he averages 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.5 assists.

Interestingly, Santos also leads the statistical points race in the Best Player of the Conference derby through the wildcard round of the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference back home.

Santos, runner-up to Kelly Williams in the battle for the Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and in the MVP race the following season, emerges as a top candidate for the BPC plum with a league-leading average of 33.5 statistical points (SPs) per game.

Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava is at second with 31.7 SPs per game, followed by San Miguel’s Dondon Hontiveros (28.7), Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo (28.5) and Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand (28.0) to complete the Top Five.

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After a day’s rest, Ryan Reyes said he already feels well, confident he can get back into action as early as Sunday when his mother team Sta. Lucia clashes with Burger King in a sudden death for a seat in the Fiesta Conference semifinals.

Actually, Reyes wants to return to play here but coach Yeng Guiao thinks it’s better for him to sit out the rest of the tourney.

“It feels good that the team played well. But being in the sidelines, especially injured, you want to go in there and help as much as you can to contribute to the team,” said Reyes, undergoing theraphy session under trainer Marlon Celis.

Also aching to contribute are Jayjay Helterbrand and Sonny Thoss.

“It’s nice watching the guys go out there and do their thing. But at the same time, I want to play as well. I regret not being a part of it, of being on the court. But they’re doing good and hopefully they can keep it up,” said Helterbrand.

“I wanted to play so bad, but that’s how it is. I just have to support the guys cheering on the bench for now and hopefully they can go all the way,” said Thoss. – Nelson Beltran