B-Meg's Big Bowles of Sakuragi

With Tim Cone and the B-Meg Llamados (still a sucky team name) back in the finals after God-knows-how-long, the team should be thanking its new franchise player and probably, the Best Import of the conference. Apart from two more players probably, the big reason they made it is because of the frontline pair Cone has decided to go to: Denzel Bowles down the middle and Marc “Pinoy Sakuragi” Pingris manning the four.

Let’s start with Bowles. If you remember in my import primer, I was very high on this guy (who’s actually my age). Seeing his first game and hearing Cone say he is NBA material, I pretty much agreed spot on. He can ball. He has that sweet touch from 17 feet and has the strength to go straight up underneath. He can board pretty nasty too like his frontcourt mate. The only knock on him though, is he’s too young. At times, his immaturity shows, like that game against Earl Barron. When he doesn’t get his touches, he tends to slouch and fade. It’s really a bad thing for B-Meg since he is their primary lowpost presence now that Kerby Raymundo has been traded for JC Intal. His runningmatePingris isn’t much of a low post player, but is more of a hustle player who gets his double-doubles by turning trash to gold.

Bowles will still pretty much run away with the Best Import Award simply because he showed up when it mattered most, parrying the immaturity issues like a man when he mauled the entire Ginebra frontline for a 34-point, 14-rebound game. He went on a rampage and reduced Jackson Vroman to a mewling import and smashed down four jams for kicks. He also did this in that deciding game against the Meralco Bolts, outdueling the more experienced Earl Barron en route to a fine outing. It seems he’s able to pick himself up whenever he has a bad game the night before. And if that is immaturity, boy, do tell me what isn’t.

But it hasn’t been an all-Bowles show for the Llamados. In fact, as much attention Bowles has been getting for carrying B-Meg, the new franchise player of B-Meg in my eyes, must be given his dues as well. He might not score as much as James Yap or Peter June Simon, but without his tenacity on the boards, his “angas” factor, and take-no-prisoners approach, Marc Pingris is as much the heart and soul of B-Meg nowadays. Case in point: when he received a technical and a Flagrant Foul 1 in B-Meg’s only loss to Ginebra in the Semifinals, the Llamados lost heart and direction with their defensive anchor hitting the showers early. The same happened when he was sparingly used against Meralco. No one could tangle with Marc Cardona.

It may be a stretch, but really, Ping, or “Sakuragi” as he’s now known, is B-Meg’s francise player. The Pozzurubio native has shown and flexed his muscles in racking up double-doubles in a very efficient manner. One thing I really admire from the guy is that he doesn’t give up anything on the floor. It’s a “patay kung patay” attitude for him. No rebound escapes from him and no lay-up gets through without brushing the tips of his fingers. James Yap may be the big gun, but with the way he is playing ala King James, that is, no fourth quarters, might as well give due recognition to B-Meg’s new MVP.

I hope these two can continue their magical run. They have been mighty impressive, much more so with Pingris. They’ll be matched up with arguably the best power forward in the country in Ranidel De Ocampo and a rebounding demon in Donnel Harvey, but do not get the inkling that these two will give it up that easily. Not with Pinoy Sakuragi and Big Bowles of Fury.