The All-Filipino Cup is here, and it is wide open for the first time in years. Will the depleted, five-time defending champions San Miguel Beermen continue to reign or will a new champion take the throne?
San Miguel Beermen
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: CHAMPION
Commissioner’s Cup: CHAMPION
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
The Beermen have personified domination in the conference as they have won each of the last five All-Filipino cups. Things are bound to be tougher than usual, though, with five-time MVP, Junemar Fajardo, out for the foreseeable future due to a broken tibia.
Despite that, the defending champs are still loaded in talent from top to bottom. Former MVP Arwind Santos, All-Defense guard Chris Ross, clutch performer Alex Cabagnot, sweet-shooting swingman Marcio Lassiter, and scorer Terrence Romeo are geared up to pick up the slack.
Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Governor’s Cup: CHAMPION
Ginebra fans will remain rabid heading into the cup as the Gin Kings are fresh-off a Governor’s Cup title, where they met and conquered the Meralco Bolts for the third time.
The slight change will be the absence of Greg Slaughter, who may be on his way to retiring. The hole he’ll leave is opening more opportunities for the other big man: Japeth Aguilar, the team’s monster disruptor in the paint.
The guard play, meanwhile, should continue wreaking havoc on both ends. LA Tenorio, Stanley Pringle, and Scottie Thompson are boasting a mixture of playmaking, scoring, and hustle.
Alaska Aces
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Once a perennial powerhouse, the Aces were relegated into a subpar playoff team in the 2019-20 season. They barely made the playoffs during all three conferences and proceeded to bet booted out immediately.
Identity is still a big question mark around the squad. The role players are solid, and the young guns are very promising but for the most part, there’s not much to make one believe they can go all the way.
Veteran Vic Manuel will join youngsters Jeron Teng and Abu Tratter as the three main pieces of the attack.
Magnolia Hotshots
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Lost in the finals
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
The Hotshots had a promising 2019 All-Filipino Cup by reaching the finals and going seven games against the mighty Beermen before bowing out. Unfortunately, the momentum fizzled out as they got eliminated in the first round in back-to-back conferences.
Playmaker Paul Lee remains as one of the main weapons of Magnolia, and will continue racking up points and assists. His guard trio with Mark Barroca and Jio Jalalon can be expected to make a run for Ginebra’s dynamic guards.
The interior is powered with Ian Sangalang, Marc Pingris, and Rafi Reavis, one of the better group of bigs in the league. It will also be bolstered further with the addition of Aris Dionisio.
Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Lost in the finals
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Semifinals
The Tropang Texters’ 2019 campaign was filled with frustration. They failed to bag any of the championships despite a loaded cast, solid import in NBA cager Terrence Jones, and well-built coaching staff. The All-Filipino Cup hasn’t been so kind too as they haven’t won the conference since 2012.
Nevertheless, there’s always a lot to look forward to in the roster. Speedster and floor general Jayson Castro, stretch big man Troy Rosario, sharpshooter Roger Pogoy, are headlining the charge, aiding the outgoing veteran core of Ryan Reyes, Harvey Carey, and Kelly Williams.
Mid-season acquisition Ray Ray Parks underwhelmed in his first months with TNT. We’ll see if he can breakout after getting acclimated for a conference.
Defensive center Poy Erram is a new face in the team, and he’ll prove to be a nice reinforcement in TNT’s presence in the paint.
NLEX Road Warriors
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Commissioner’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
The Road Warriors continued to hear an earful from their fiery coach Yeng Guiao in 2019. After being bottom-feeders in the first two conferences, they came alive in the Governor’s Cup and earned the number one seed, only to get embarrassed by the upstart Northport Batang Pier in the Quarterfinals.
The ray of hope, however, has been established. They are now more familiar with each other’s style than ever, and there’s an expectation that it will carry on for the coming conference.
Inside-out threat Kiefer Ravena is out to lead the offense yet again and will be primarily backed by the big-bodied JR Quinahan, who will continue tossing his weight around.
Ageless wonder Asi Taulava, who is somehow still playing at age 46, and co-veterans Larry Fonacier and Cyrus Baguio are still in the fold. Guards Jericho Cruz and Kevin Alas, meanwhile, are among the secondary options.
Meralco Bolts
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Commissioner’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Governor’s Cup: Lost in the finals
The Bolts only made the playoffs once in 2019. They rode the coattails of import Allen Durham during the Governor’s Cup and reached the finals against Ginebra. They then got smoked in five games, losing a championship to the Gin Kings for the third time in head coach Norman Black’s tenure.
The 2019 All-Filipino Cup saw Meralco end up at the 11th spot, and this year will be a challenge to the locals to finally emerge on their own. The backcourt tandem of Chris Newsome and Baser Amer are the key players, and hopefully big man Raymond Almazan, who suffered a knee injury in the recent finals series.
Northport Batang Pier
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Governor’s Cup: Eliminated in the Semifinals
The upstart Batang Pier had an interesting Governor’s Cup run as they upset number one seed NLEX to punch a ticket in the Semifinals. Although they eventually lost in the semis, the surge was an encouraging sign, one that may help them gain confidence for the All-Filipino Cup.
The boost that high-scoring big man Christian Standhardinger gave mid-season proved to be huge. He was an excellent addition and should be a force for Northport in the conferences to come.
Heralded second-year guard Robert Bolick is expected to take a step, and will be primed to take on a larger role. Veteran forward Sean Anthony, meanwhile, remains as a primary man in the rotation.
Blackwater Elite
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
Governor’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
The Elite made two little noises in the 2019 season, and both were for the wrong reasons. One was choking away their twice-to-beat advantage in the Commisioner’s Cup Quarterfinals and the other was inexplicably trading away Ray Ray Parks, their number one scorer.
Moving forward, the offense is in the hands of forward Mac Belo and veteran KG Canaleta. The upside is questionable, but apparently, that’s their plan.
Guard Don Trollano came over from that Parks trade with TNT. He can deliver offense when he gets it going. We’ll see if he can have an uptick in his numbers.
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Semifinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Eliminated in the Semifinals
Governor’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
The Elasto Painters’ 2019 season was about them trending down. After a strong All-Filipino Cup, where they were one of the top seeds, they went just 5-6 in the following conference and were lucky to reach the semis. It carried over in Governor’s Cup and even lost starting guard James Yap to injury.
Yap is expected to be available as they open the 2020 season, but as a 38-year-old coming off an injury, it’s clear that the former MVP is in his last hurrah. Though the athleticism is still there, veteran guard Gabe Norwood is also in the back half of his career.
Javee Mocon and Rey Nambatac are the main faces of the franchise. They’ll remain as the primary options.
Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Eliminated in the Semifinals
Commissioner’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Governor’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Like Rain or Shine, the All-Filipino Cup is Phoenix’s strong suit. The problem, however, is they will be without their star forward, Calvin Abueva, who’s still working on getting his ban lifted. Abueva’s absence was felt heavily in the team, as evident in their struggles during the two other conferences.
While The Beast is gone, big-bodied forward Jason Perkins, big man Justin Chua, and Alex Mallari will again try to fill the void. Veteran forward JC Intal and speedy guard LA Revilla are there to add offense.
Columbian Dyip
2019 Season Summary
All-Filipino Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Commissioner’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Governor’s Cup: Did not make the playoffs
Columbian Dyip is basically the CJ Perez show, and as you know, one man isn’t enough. It’s quite obvious with how they fared in the entire 2019 campaign.
Perez is an athletic freak with a great knack for scoring, and he’ll continue showcasing both, especially in an All-Filipino Cup setting where no bigger and/or stronger imports are there to give him problems.
Unless he gets ample help, however, the team isn’t likely to progress anytime soon. Jackson Corpuz is also gone, leaving journeyman guard Rashawn McCarthy as his only reliable scoring help.
