We are down to the top 25 PBA players of 2019. These are the cream of the crops. The guys that basically decide which team will win the championship.
Today, we will talk about the #25 to #11.
Scoring (S) - 30
Primarily, this is the ability of the player to score. Their points per game were the primary statistics that were scrutinized but we also give a huge weight on the efficiency of the player. We also factor in the fact that there are a hundred ways to score, so the more ways a player score efficiently will also increase his points in this area.
Defense (D) - 30
Defense represents 50% of the game for a player. This score will take into account the ability of the player to stop someone, man-to-man. Now, the defense is not all about man-to-man but also about the capacity of a player to work in the defensive scheme of a team. Enjoined to this area is the ability of the player to get rebounds and to help his team control the boards.
Offense (O) - 25
Scoring is the only goal of offense but the other factors that will pave the way for good scoring opportunities will reside in this area. Primarily, this is about the ability of the player to break down defenses and make plays for his teammates. Added into this is the intelligence of the player in making the right plays, reads, and positions in helping out the team take a good shot.
Intangibles (I) - 15
There are four other elements of a player that basically form this criterion. They are leadership, chemistry, clutch, and health. Those four are not part of the first three but actually elevate a player. LA Tenorio is not as valuable as the Tenorio that we know today without his ability to command and his 100% health status.
In case of ties, they will be ranked according to age with the youngest being the highest.
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#25 LA Tenorio 20/16/19/15
#24 Beau Belga 11/29/19/11
#23 Moala Tautuaa 18/25/17/10
The biggest selling point of LA Tenorio is not his shooting. It is not his scoring. It is not his elite handle. It is not even his playmaking. It is his health and his playmaking. He has been the healthiest player to ever play in the PBA, holding the record of longest consecutive games, played. His leadership is also well-known. So, if they tell you that it will be hard to find another LA Tenorio. Those are the reasons.
Am I down who is feeling that Belga has been playing in the PBA forever? Believe it or not, he is still only 33 years old. He is still one of the most physical bruisers in the league with a three-point shot. Last season, he averaged 8.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 40% FG per game.
Moala Tautuaa is now in the spotlight. That is the result of the gigantic injury that June Mar Fajardo suffered. It is time for Mo to prove his worth to the San Miguel franchise. I expect him to do well because I actually see him as a much better defender than Fajardo. On offense, coach Leo Austria just needs to make adjustments because Mo is a different beast compared to the Kraken.
#22 Kiefer Ravena 21/16/22/11.5
#21 Rey Nambatac 15/23/21/11.5
#20 Chris Banchero 17/19/23/12
Kiefer will surely be much higher in this ranking in 2020 as long as he does not miss that much number of games. Kiefer led the league in assists in the 2019 Governors' Cup, exhibiting the fact that he could be the best playmaking point guard in the PBA. Let us see if he can do that again this Philippine Cup, especially with the additional scoring responsibility because there are no imports to help them out.
Rey Nambatac is one of the hidden young studs in the country. He is only 26 years old but he already produced 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 assist, 45% FG and 40% 3FG per game. He has a pretty good case of being the best 3-and-D point guard in the league but I think, only a few are aware of that. For his junior year, it is time for him to push this team to the semis and let us see what he will do there.
Chris Banchero may end up sliding from this ranking if the guard depth of Magnolia, remains the same. I see him as one of the most dynamic passers in the league. His ability to hit passes on the move and make tight ones are incredible to watch. He is also passable on the defensive end and can score when he needs to.
#19 Jayson Castro 21/21/21.5/9
#18 Ian Sangalang 21/26/13/11.5
#17 Ray Parks 24/19/19.5/9
At 33 years old, we can say that father time is slowly catching up with Jayson. Is he still one of the top 5 point guards in the league? Yes, but he could be out of those slots next year because there are young point guards out there who will only get better. Nonetheless, Jayson's first step is still one of the quickest in the league and with his pull-up shooting, his offense is still as dangerous as ever.
I think Ray Parks has been underrated in his time in the PBA. That is because of the perception of the PBA that he is overhyped because he waited a long time before entering the PBA. You should open your eyes, Ray is as good as CJ Perez now, although CJ has a higher potential. Parks can already hit pull-up three-pointers and his defense is already very good.
#16 Chris Newsome 22/19/20.5/11.5
#15 Alex Cabagnot 23/18/20.5/12
#14 Chris Ross 13/28/20.5/12
I can make a case for Newsome as the best playmaker in the league. He makes advance reads multiple times every game. He can make passes against tight defenses. He can breakdown defenses to create for his teammates. He can score on three levels. He is not negative on the defensive end. His rebounding is fine. In short, he can make a case as the most complete wing player in the league.
I really love the Cabagnot-Ros duo because what they provide to San Miguel are extremes of each other. Cabagnot is the scorer who can hit shots on three levels. He can pull-up from the midrange and from beyond the arc. His playmaking is very good. And of course, he is very capable of hitting big-time shots. He was called The Crunchman for a reason.
Chris Ross is a defensive genius. He can lockdown any guard in the league. He can even guard imports. Other than that, his passing accuracy is beyond elite. One thing that excites me about Ross is the fact that his best season could still be coming because his three-point shooting accuracy is on the way up and that will open up his game, much more.
#13 Troy Rosario 23/18/20/13
#12 Terrence Romeo 28/14/23/9.5
#11 Marcio Lassiter 21/20/23/11
Troy's value in the eyes of the fans is underrated because he is not the scorer type and he doesn't usually make highlight plays. What he provides is a versatile defense. He can switch to guards and can also stand against centers, even the giants. On offense, he is a reliable three-point shooter. He is very fluid on offense, making the right plays with the right motion. I hope, the next step that he takes is to further magnify his off-ball effect by improving his off-movement shooting. Just imagine him running through screens and finding the open spot from beyond the arc because he is already average in hitting those types of shots. How can they stop him?
Scoring is still the holy grail of basketball. Terrence Romeo remains to be the best guard in doing it. Yes, he may need to make 100 dribbles before he takes shots but at least, any shot that he takes is a good shot. With Fajardo's absence in the upcoming season, I am really interested to see how Romeo will react. Will he return to his old self and eat up shots after shots?
I expect 2019 to be the last year that Lassiter is the best 3-and-D player in the league but Fajardo's injury could change that. There is a good chance that Marcio and Terrence will be the ones to take up majority of Fajardo's shots. So, Lassiter's point production should be way higher. The question is, can he maintain his above-average defense?
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