WRAPPING UP NBA ASIA CHALLENGE-MANILA EDITION

via www.vtunnel.info NBA legend Glen Rice with Allan "The Triggerman" Caidic.

First I would like to extend my sympathy to the victims of the sorrowful hostage drama here in Manila that killed 5 Hongkong Nationals and 3 Canadians last Monday. Our morals just hit the rock-bottom that night. Even the success of Venus Raj in the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant just can’t compensate how we feel .

On the positive side, NBA Asia challenge last Friday, August 27, 2010 is a huge success featuring NBA Legends, NBA D-League players, and PBA All-Stars and Legends. NBA Legends headlining this year’s event include 2006 NBA champion and nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton; six-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber; 2002 NBA champion and six-time NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond; and 2000 NBA champion and 1997 NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Glen Rice.

via www.vtunnel.info

But this man stole the show last Friday. Allan Caidic scored 54 points, with 14 triples, and was definitely the star of the show in the Red Team's 177-167 triumph over the White Squad in the NBA Asia Challenge 2010 on Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum. OMG 14 3's and he is 47,!!!!!!.  He reminded me the years when the Philippine Basketball team is considered elite in Asia.

The 6-foot-2 lefty shooter provided the highlight reels by sinking one triple after another and put on a clinical show in front of some of the past and present players from the two oldest professional leagues – the NBA and the PBA – as well as the rising stars from the D-League. Caidic nailed 14 of 26 three-pointers and made all his 6 other field goals inside the arc to go with 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal against only a single turnover in the free-flowing game that saw 7deadlocks and 19 lead changes.

WEBBER- "Basketball is universal and the PBA is the second oldest league in the world next to the NBA, But the Triggerman was incredible. He still makes shot even if I put my hand on his face." "This is my first time to play in two years,". "But to see a 60-year-old guy to play at the level is really incredible. I wonder how we would look like playing basketball when we reach 60. That’s what really difficult to imagine-referring to the 59-year-old PBA legend Atoy Co.

RICE- "Trigger, trigger, trigger," "Watching guys like The Triggerman putting on a show, I can’t wait to come back here."

RICHMOND- "I played terrible out there. Now I’m making excuses. But seriously, this is a historical moment for us. I never imagined playing in the same building where Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought in the [classic] Thrilla in Manila. This is something, which I will tell my kids and my grandkids," 

CAIDIC- "They gave me the ball a lot, so there’s no other choice but to shoot it,""The pressure is there to make the shot and luckily I made them. I’ve really prepared for this because I want to give my best and show it to the legends."

The Scores:

Red Team 177 – Caidic 54, Lazare 22, Rice 19, Santos 16, Meneses 16, Maierhofer 15, McCray 11, Co 10, Tenorio 7, Payton 7.

White Team 167 – Frahm 24, Webber 24, Tyndale 22, Hontiveros 20, Paras 18, Magsanoc 16, Patrimonio 16, Richmond 16, Tubid 13.

Quarters: 38-44, 92-94, 124-124, 177-167.