Unsung heroes

The only sure thing about the two ongoing semifinal series in the PBA Philippine Cup is there will be a Game 5.

Alaska leads defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty, 2-1, and Talk ‘N’ Text also holds a 2-1 advantage over San Miguel Beer. Both are best-of-7 affairs with the winners advancing to play each other in another best-of-7 duel, this time for all the marbles.

Alaska, the No. 1 team in the eliminations with a 12-6 record, jumped to a 2-0 edge over the Realtors but lost Game 3 in a low-scoring, drag-out battle. The Aces averaged 93 points in the first two outings then were held to 65 in the third meeting.

Talk ‘N’ Text crushed San Miguel, 129-100, in Game 1. The Beermen rebounded to take Game 2, 112-103. In Game 3 last Sunday, the outcome was decided only in the last few minutes as the Tropang Texters held on to win, 110-106.

The stars of all four teams usually wind up being chosen the best players of every game.

 In the Alaska-Sta. Lucia series, the best players so far were L. A. Tenorio (10 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) for Game 1, Joe DeVance (17 points) for Game 2 and Bitoy Omolon (25 points, 11 rebounds) for Game 3. In the Talk ‘N’ Text-San Miguel series, the best players were Jimmy Alapag (20 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists) for Game 1, Danny Seigle (23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) for Game 2 and Alapag again (22 points) for Game 3. All six best players started in each game for which they were cited.

But you and I know the stars can’t do it alone. Basketball is a team game and chemistry is often a critical factor in determining whether a team is championship-caliber or not.

In the semis, several unsung heroes have emerged – role players who get the call to contribute, usually off the bench. They’re the backups who aren’t often named the best players of the game but that doesn’t mean they’re less important than the starters. They earn their keep by doing the intangibles which don’t show up in the stats sheets like setting screens, diving for loose balls to keep a possession alive, playing defense, making opposing players change their shots and keeping their teammates in the groove. When a coach wants a second unit player to step up, the unsung heroes almost always get the tap.

Here are the unsung heroes for every team in the semis.

Alaska – Reynel Hugnatan. This power forward is an immovable force under the boards. What makes the 6-4 veteran from Bacolod special is he rarely makes mistakes. In the eliminations, he averaged 8.8 points (.509 from the floor) and 6.7 rebounds. He’s come off the bench in every semis contest so far, averaging 7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1 turnover and 20 minutes. In Game 1, Hugnatan delivered eight points and seven rebounds without a turnover in 22 minutes. What’s more, Hugnatan is a dependable foul shooter - he’s 7-of-8 so far in the semis. It’s a luxury for a big man to convert free throws consistently.

Sta. Lucia Realty – Ryan Reyes. When the 6-2 guard from Los Angeles is in control, the Realtors play so much better. His defensive intensity is infectious. Coach Boyet Fernandez relies on his backcourtmen to set the defensive tone in every game and nobody does it better than Reyes. The league’s steals king didn’t start in the first two semis games which the Realtors lost but when he got the call in Game 3, Sta. Lucia won, 76-65, with Jason Kapono’s high school teammate producing 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals without a turnover in 22 minutes. Omolon, Dennis Espino, Joseph Yeo and Kelly Williams are Sta. Lucia’s most dependable scorers but it’s Reyes who gets them the ball and that makes all the difference.

Talk ‘N’ Text – Harvey Carey and Ali Peek. In a team that’s loaded with stars, there aren’t usually too many opportunities for others to shine. But in coach Chot Reyes’ system, Carey and Peek share prominent roles. In Game 1 which Talk ‘N’ Text won, Peek came off the bench to contribute seven points and four rebounds in 13 minutes. He started in Game 3, collecting 15 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes. Carey started in Games 1 and 2 but was a reliever in Game 3 where he compiled 15 points and 11 rebounds without a turnover in 32 minutes. Both players sacrifice their bodies game in, game out to set picks, box out and defend the interior. Alapag, Mac-Mac Cardona and Ranidel de Ocampo wouldn’t be as productive if Carey and Peek aren’t out there doing the dirty work.

San Miguel Beer – Marc Pingris. Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle and Bonbon Custodio are the crowd darlings because of their scoring prowess. But it’s Pingris who brings energy, intensity and that extra lift to San Miguel’s attack. He’s not a prolific shotmaker but his role in coach Siot Tanquingcen’s scheme of things isn’t to pile up the points. Pingris is a back-watcher, the guy who does the little things that count. He’s a second chance operator and a hard-nosed, on-the-ball defender. In Game 2 which San Miguel won, Pingris had 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and five fouls in 31 minutes. He started in Game 3, which Jay Washington and Dorian Peña sat out and logged 40 minutes, the most of any San Miguel player, including Hontiveros who hit 39 that night. In the eliminations, Pingris never started and averaged 5.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 19.2 minutes.

Watch the unsung heroes make their presence felt in today’s semifinal doubleheader. How they perform could mean the difference between winning and losing.