Elementary, dear Watson

It won’t take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out the importance of Pop Cola beating San Miguel Beer in the first game of a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup twinbill at the PhilSports Arena tonight.

If Pop Cola (3-5) wins and Tanduay (3-5) loses to Red Bull in the nightcap, the Panthers automatically qualify for the quarterfinals. If Pop Cola loses and Tanduay wins, the Panthers join Shell by the wayside. If both Pop Cola and Tanduay win, they’ll slug it out in a playoff for the last ticket to the quarters.

Things could get a little complicated if Mobiline (3-4) loses to Alaska and Sta. Lucia Realty in its last two games. And if Shell (2-6) beats Barangay Ginebra on Sunday, the situation could really get muddled.

There is the outside possibility that four teams – Mobiline, Pop Cola, Tanduay, and Shell – could wind up with identical 3-6 marks at the end of the eliminations. In this case, the logjam will be resolved by a pair of knockout games. The quotient system will rank the four teams from No. 1 to No. 4. The knockout pairings will be No. 1 versus No. 4 and No. 2 versus No. 3 with the winners moving straight to quarters.

Whatever happens, Pop Cola is under pressure to win tonight. The prize of victory is a safe passage into the quarters. Even if Mobiline and Tanduay should tie Pop Cola at 4-5, the Panthers advance outright because of a superior quotient – the Panthers beat both the Phone Pals and Rhum Masters in the elims.

For Pop Cola team manager Elmer Yanga, the solution to the Panthers’ problem is elementary, dear Watson – as in Jamie Lovell Watson.

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Yanga explained that while original import Jason Sasser was a definite asset to the team, the consensus was he wouldn’t be able to lead the Panthers to victory over San Miguel.

"With Jason in the lineup, we are resigned to lose to San Miguel," said Yanga. "Jason’s attitude is exceptional. But he really hasn’t blended with our locals. So we decided to take a chance on Watson. At least, he gives us renewed hope and maybe that can translate into a win."

Sasser, who was limited to a conference-low 17 points in Pop Cola’s 83-80 loss to Ginebra last Friday, flies out tomorrow. Watson planed in Tuesday night.

Yanga said Watson was measured to be 6-3 3/4 at the PBA office in Pasig yesterday. That makes him eligible to play in the Governors Cup.

At practice, Yanga said Watson’s been impressive. So far, so good. He penetrates, shoots outside, passes, rebounds, and plays defense. He’s comfortable playing two-guard or the three-spot.

As a senior at Wilson Fike High School in North Carolina in 1989-90, Watson averaged 26.7 points and nine rebounds. He was named to Parade Magazine’s All-America third team and listed among the top 25 prepsters in the US. Watson was offered scholarship to enroll at Georgetown, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech but chose the University of South Carolina.

In four years playing for the Gamecocks varsity, Watson hit at an 11.3 clip and grabbed 4.7 rebounds a game. He shot 44.9 percent from the field, 63 percent from the line, and 24.8 percent from three-point range. As a senior, Watson averaged 18.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

Watson, a retailing major, shot a career-high 31 points against Coastal Carolina in an NCAA game in 1993. He was the Utah Jazz’ second round pick in the 1994 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Watson played for Utah, Dallas, and Miami in four years in the NBA. His single-game highs included 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

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As a Jazz rookie, Watson was John Stockton’s backup at point guard and took third place in the Slam Dunk contest during the All-Star Weekend. In his only start as a pro, Watson shot 14 points in 32 minutes in a Utah game against New York in November 1994.

Watson’s collegiate career was uneventful. In his four years at South Carolina, the Gamecocks posted three losing records and were 49-67 overall under three different coaches – George Felton, Steve Newton, and Eddie Folger. Watson was castigated by hoop experts for his poor shooting – 52.4 percent from the stripe and 20.8 percent from three-point distance as a sophomore. Worse, he hit only 18.4 percent of his triple tries as a junior. But despite his shooting woes, Watson was hailed for his athleticism and awesome leaping ability. He eventually found his bearings as South Carolina’s go-to-scorer in his senior season.

When Watson entered South Carolina, he was described as the Gamecocks’ best recruit in 15 years and the reincarnation of the varsity’s legendary guard John Roche. Scouts said Watson "is exceptionally versatile (and) can take it to the hole from the point or fire it up from long range."

All eyes will be on Watson as he tries to lead Pop Cola to a win over San Miguel – something that, Yanga admitted, won’t be an easy task.