PBA Governors Cup by the numbers

The PBA’s third and last conference of the season, called the Governors Cup, got off to a rousing start with a thrilling twinbill at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Friday. In the opener, Meralco squandered a 15-point cushion early in the third period as Phoenix stormed back to lead, 88-84, in the fourth before the Bolts regrouped to hack out a 108-103 decision. Mahindra bucked the odds in the second game to upset the Star Hotshots, 100-92, in overtime.

Here’s a review of the Governors Cup by the numbers.

19 – imports, including seven Asian, employed by 12 PBA teams.

2 – imports with a height limit of 6-9 allowed for second-year franchises Mahindra and Blackwater for failing to make the playoffs in the first two conferences this season. They are the Enforcers’ 6-8 1/8 James White and the Elite’s 6-7 1/4 Eric Dawson. The ceiling for other “regular” imports is 6-5 while the limit for Asian imports is 6-3.

2 – Asian imports from Iran, Meralco’s Mohammad Jamshidi and Mahindra’s Imad Zandi Mashaddy. There are also two Asian imports from Palestine, Blackwater’s Imad Qahwash and GlobalPort’s Omar Krayem.

2 – rookies listed in lineups, Barangay Ginebra’s Franklin Bonifacio and Tropang TNT’s Kris Rosales. Bonifacio, 26, was undrafted in 2014 from Las Positas College in Livermore, California. He was a Star practice player with coach Tim Cone before moving to Ginebra this season. Rosales, 25, was Barako Bull’s second round pick last year but wasn’t signed. Instead, Rosales went to play for the Singapore Slingers in the ABL where he averaged 10.8 points in 27 games with a high of 24. Rosales played for the NAIA varsity of Hope International University in Fullerton, California where he hit at a 13.4 clip as a senior in 2012-13.

23 – veterans who are wearing jerseys of new teams. The list is composed of Blackwater’s Roi Sumang and Kyle Pascual, GlobalPort’s Yousef Taha, Karl Dehesa, Ronald Pascual and Papot Paredes, Mahindra’s Paolo Taha and Keith Agovida, Meralco’s Justin Chua and Jonathan Uyloan, NLEX’ Emman Monfort, James Forrester and Mac Baracael, Phoenix’ Simon Enciso, Ronjay Buenafe, Cyrus Baguio, Norbert Torres, John Wilson, Mark Cruz and Mark Borboran and Star’s R. R. Garcia, Keith Jensen and Rodney Brondial.

2 – teams with no veteran movements, San Miguel Beer and Rain Or Shine. Alaska had no veteran recruit but traded Cyrus Baguio to Phoenix for draft picks.

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2 – female referees in the PBA pool of 16, Edith Botecario, 23, and Janine Nicandro, 23. They took the spots of Rey Yante and Rommel Gruta who were relegated to the PBA D-League.

4 – teams to be struck out after the single round eliminations. The remaining eight teams will figure in the quarterfinals where the top four placers enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage over the last four with the pairings as follows: No. 1 vs No. 8, No. 2 vs No. 7, No. 3 vs No. 6 and No. 4 vs No. 5. The quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the best-of-five semifinals and the survivors move on to dispute the title in the best-of-seven finals.

1 – out-of-town game scheduled up to July 31. It will be Barangay Ginebra against Meralco in Lucena City on Saturday, July 30. There are 21 games in the calendar from July 15 to July 31 with 16 games set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, two at the MOA Arena (Blackwater vs NLEX and Barangay Ginebra vs GlobalPort yesterday) and two at the Ynares Center in Antipolo (Blackwater vs Rain Or Shine and Tropang TNT vs Alaska on Friday, July 29).

4 – returning imports from the previous Governors Cup, San Miguel Beer’s Arizona Reid, GlobalPort’s Krayem, Tropang TNT’s Michael Madanly and Star’s Marqus Blakely. Madanly played for NLEX last season.

1 – NBA veteran among 19 imports, NLEX’ Henry Walker played for Boston, New York and Miami in five NBA seasons, earning a salary of over $2.2 Million. The 6-4 1/2 Kansas State cager saw action for Alaska in the 2014 Governors Cup, averaging 21.4 points and 8.9 rebounds. He also suited up as an import in Croatia and Venezuela.

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2 – imports who finished their US collegiate careers with over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, joining a cast of only 120 in history to do it. They are Alaska’s LaDontae Henton and Reid. Others in the elite roster include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Rick Barry, Alonzo Mourning and David Robinson. Former PBA imports in the group are Nick Fazekas, Byron Houston, Daren Queenan, Joe Binion, Harry Kelly and Rudy Macklin.

2 – new head coaches, Phoenix’ Ariel Vanguardia who took over from Koy Banal and GlobalPort’s Johnedel Cardel who replaced Pido Jarencio. Chris Gavina is the de facto Mahindra head coach but he’s listed as the first assistant coach in deference to Sen. Manny Pacquiao who is in the roster as playing head coach. Jarencio is now GlobalPort head of basketball operations with Cholo Villanueva as first assistant coach. Franz Pumaren is listed in the GlobalPort roster as a consultant. No other team has a consultant.

10 – players in the reserve./injured list, Alaska’s Jaypee Mendoza, Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter, GlobalPort’s Dorian Pena, Mahindra’s Pacquiao, Meralco’s Rabeh Al Hussaini, NLEX’ Mark Cardona, Phoenix’ J. C. Intal, Rain Or Shine’s Jeric Teng, San Miguel Beer’s Arwind Santos and Tropang TNT’s Aaron Aban.

4 – players at least 40 years old, NLEX’ Asi Taulava, 43, Alaska’s Eric Menk, 41, Phoenix’ Mick Pennisi, 41 and Tropang TNT’s Danny Seigle, 40. John Ferriols, 41, was in Meralco’s roster last conference but not in the Governors Cup. Barangay Ginebra’s Jay-Jay Helterbrand turns 40 on Oct. 14. Alaska’s Dondon Hontiveros turned 39 last month and Meralco’s Jimmy Alapag will be 39 on Dec. 30.