source: Emmanuel B. Villaruel | philstar.com
UPDATE:
Smart Gilas Pilipinas defeats Cebu Ninos, 83-71 (Game 1)
Cebu Ninos beat Smart Gilas Pilipinas, 79-76 (Game 2)
The management of reigning Liga Pilipinas national champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala has hired the services of former PBA import and NCAA star Jason Dixon to fortify the Cebu Niños’ arsenal preparatory for their series of exhibition matches starting off with a two-day showdown with the Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas on March 4-5 at the Cebu Coliseum.
With his hulking 6-foot-9 figure and intimidating 275-pound frame, Dixon will surely bring a new dimension to the Niños especially on the defensive end as they go up against the taller and bigger Gilas national team of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.
“We will play against Gilas which is a very tall team and against PBA teams which have imports. At least we have someone who can help us in rebounding and defense. That’s really what we need,” said M. Lhuillier’s legendary coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba.
Dixon, a product of Virginia Liberty of the prestigious NCAA Division I in the United States, recently powered the Philippine Patriots to the inaugural championship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Basketball League where they completed a 3-game sweep of Satria Muda-Indonesia in their best-of-five finals series.
In 19 games with the Patriots wrapped into a total of 638 minutes, the 36-year-old Dixon averaged 15.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He posted 43.3 percent in field goal anchored on 100-of-231 shooting.
Dixon also had a stint in the PBA as import of the Coca-Cola Tigers two years ago.
Asked on what the Cebuano and M. Lhuillier fans could expect of him, the soft-spoken Dixon who described himself as an ‘all-around’ player quickly replied:”Nothing special, just inside presence and more rebounds. Defense and inside scoring.”
Alcoseba said that Gabe Freeman also wants to play with M. Lhuillier, but he opted to only have one reinforcement to give the locals substantial playing time.
Against Gilas, Dixon and the rest of the Niños are up against a formidable and star-studded crew powered by 6-foot-11 tower Greg Slaughter, Dylan Ababou, Japeth Aguilar, Jason Ballesteros, Mark Barocca, Joseph Evans Casio, Ricardo Cawaling, Rafael Joey Jazul, Magi King Sison, Mar Baracael, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Tiu.
The Smart Gilas are set to arrive in Cebu this Thursday. The following day, Toroman will conduct a free coaching clinic from 10am to 12nn at the Cebu Coliseum.
“We’re ready for the challenge,” said Alcoseba, whose team is also girding up for a pair of goodwill encounters against the import-laced PBA squads. M. Lhuillier will clash with the Talk ‘N Txt Tropang Texters on March 12-13 and then square off against the Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings on March 15-16.
For the Smart Gilas-M. Lhuillier duel, tickets are priced at P50 for general admission, P100 for upperbox, P200 for lowerbox and P300 for ringside. (FREEMAN NEWS)
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Freeman wanted to come and play also but I wanted to give local players their playing time so I did not hire Freeman. Dixon is the right player, because we need the height to put up a fight against the taller Gilas players... Alcoseba
Sayang, 36 yrs old na pala si Dixon. Pwede sana sya maconsider pa sa Smart Gilas, all around consistent player, mataas ang percentage sa mediun range jumpshots at free throws, intimidating sa depensa, malakas sa rebound at higit sa lahat, mabait, hindi mayabang, walang attitude problem at mahusay makisama sa mga pilipino nyang team mates.
Ano na ba balita kay junmar fajardo?
oo nga syang. sa 2012 38 na gurangis na. pero kung pangbackup lang na center sya nalang para atleast me backup plan lagi. hindi aasa tayo sa isang import. Sa tingin ko KAYANG KAYA nya pa maglaro sa olympics.
Hello.,,.,,.,Good Morning fellow abid fans of GILAS national team.,.,,I am a University of Cebu Alumnus w/c fajardo studied,..
Reasons why Junemar Fajardo CAN'T JOIN the GILAS.,..
1.sabi nila bata pa.,.,
2.need more experience
3.UC want him to finish study b coz basketball not for a lifetime.,.,
4. wlang formal na requets ang GILAS
5.kung ano2 pa mga sinabi.,,nagulohan din ako..,kahit bisdak din ako at UC alumnos.,.,
Mga kaibigan sa palagay ko ito ang Reason bakit hindi binitiwan si Fajardo..,.,,
TAKOT ANG UNIVERSITY OF CEBU NA MAWALA SI FAJARDO SA KANILA DAHIL.,.,
1. PAANO NA CILA SA CESAFI WLA NA SLUAGTHER SA
UNIVERSITY OF VISAYAS,NOONG LAST CESAFI TOURNAMENT uv VS uc ANG NAGHARAP SA FINALS.,,
2. GUSTO NILA NA MKA DOMINATE SA CESAFI NXT SEASON DAHIL WLA NA SI SLUAGTHER..
3. MAPAKINABANGAN NILA SI FAJARDO O MAGKAPIRA PRA SA MGA COMMERCIAL LEUAGE DITO SA CEBU.,.,
4. SA NGAYON SI FAJAORDO NAGLARO SA PARTNERS CUP DITO SA CEBI.,,.
5.PERSONAL INTEREST PARA SA uc NA TATAAS ANG BANDILA NILA SA BASKETBALL NG uc HINDI CEBU HA KASI DAMING CEBUANO NA GALIT SA UC..,KASI HINDI BINITIWAN SI FAJARDO PARA SA GILAS,...
6. MGA KAIBIGAN ITONG MGA TAO NATO ANG MAY HAWAK NI FAJARDO.,,
a. Atty. Agosto W. Go
may ari ng university of cebu
b. Rhoel Gomez
Coach of UC webmasters
Former PBA player-alaska
C. Ramon Fernandez
Former PBA player MVP-san miguel
business man,.,.
itong si fernandez parang personal advisor/trainor/manager ni fajardo,..,
Please UC and junemar handlers let him to join our national team..,,hindi lang UC ang proud o cebu kundi boung sambayanang filipino at saludo sa inyo na ang UC part sa kaunlaran ng basketball ng pilipinas,.,.,
Pabz Zapanta
Naga, Cebu
nasaan c baracael?????
Sana galingan ni Dixon!
Malay mo magustuhan ni Toroman ang laro nya.
At kunin si Dixon as backup 'Naturalize' player ng SMART GILAS!
Mukhang malapit na talaga sa mga Pinoy sina Dixon at Freeman eh.
Sana mag-pakita si Fajardo.
At ma-realize nya na nag-sasayang sya ng oras sa Cebu instead na nag-tra-train sya Internationally. :P
All the more reasons not to miss this games!!!^^ for sure the Niños will give Gilas a run for their money!!! i think Slaughter will be given more playing time since he's from here(CEBU)...^^
can't wait!!!
12 man line up pala sila..
so di kasama ung naturalized prospect..?
Aww c'mon guys we need the best naturalized prospect. Dollars din ang sahod ni Dixon eh mukhang hingal kalabaw na yun maglaro bakit ba gustong gusto nyo yun, si Balingit na lang kaya mura pa bayad.
dapat hindi reserve si cawaling. nung napanuod ko sya dalawang beses ok ang laro nya. nung nasa feu sya nakakascore sya at nung laban nila sa isa sa mga pba team nakakascore na naman sya.
Mas magaling daw si Slaughter kaysa kay Fajardo.
Don't waste time considering Fajardo.
Nananahimik na sya sa Cebu.
Wala syang plano sa buhay.
He's a Puppet.
^pay a washed-up, past-his-prime player?
Regardless of paying someone in dollars, you get your money's worth. With regards to Balingnit, paying him in peso will still be a waste. It's just a matter of what the best investment is, really.
Sana si Freeman na ln ang gawing Naturalized Player ng Gilas..Anga bata, sipag nito umiskor at magrebound..Siya na ln sana kunin..23 years old lang sya..lakas pa tumalon..Pang bantay kay Kobe ito..hehe..
gud news for smart gilas fan:ipapalabas po sa QTV yung docu ng SG march 7,sunday 10:30pm!
gud news for smart gilas fan:ipapalabas po sa QTV yung docu ng SG march 7,sunday 10:30pm!
kng hirap makahanap import ok na si dixon kailangan lng natin un sa olympic qualifying, pag sa olympic na wala na rin cguru silbi un kahit sino pa import natin
Ano na ang status ni Rabeh Al-Husseine? Bakit wala na siya sa line-up ng Gilas?