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All-time list

If you happened to be active on Facebook like this writer, you might have come across a thread on your feeds asking to name your favorite players of all-time from each of the 30 National Basketball Association teams and after which copy and repost them for others to give theirs.

I do not know how it started and the inspiration for it, but the big NBA fan that I am, I just could not resist giving my take on it and just went for it as instructed.

Some of those on my list were just no-brainers.

They are Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta), Larry Bird (Boston), Jason Kidd (Brooklyn/New Jersey), Michael Jordan (Chicago), LeBron James (Cleveland), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas), Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Garnett (Minnesota), Charles Barkley (Phoenix), Clyde Drexler (Portland), Tim Duncan (San Antonio), Vince Carter (Toronto) and John Stockton (Utah).

All of these players are legends in more ways than one and synonymous for the teams they played for even after some moved on to play for other squads, leaving me with little need to explain why I chose them really.

Others though might have come as a surprise to others, rendering me having to write this piece, which I do not really mind at all.

Always had a liking for the defensive end in the basketball scheme of things, it is little wonder I have those types of players in my list of all-time faves.

Alonzo Mourning for Charlotte, Joe Dumars for Detroit and Bobby Jones for Philadelphia made watching the NBA in the 1980s and 1990s all the more interesting.

“Zo” played only three seasons with Charlotte (1992–95) but it was enough to leave an impression on me and make him a favorite for the Hornets. He was a two-way player who helped his team to contend with throughout his run. And who can forget his buzzer-beating jumper that eliminated the Celtics in the 1992 playoffs.

Dumars (1985–99) was my favorite Pistons Bad Boy. Another two-way player, he does his thing with little fanfare but with much effectiveness. Detroit won back-to-back titles with him around and surely he had a hand on those.

Jones (1978–86), meanwhile, was a picture of grit and hard work on the floor. In 1983, he was a key piece in the championship run of the Sixers because of his tremendous play on defense on his way as well to winning the first-ever NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, the era of versatile big men was taking root, and it surely caught my fancy and liked a number of them, who eventually became favorites.

Vin Baker (Milwaukee), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Vancouver, now, Memphis Grizzlies) and Lamar Odom (Clippers) were pretty solid all-around fours.

Baker was steady in his four years with the Bucks (1993-97) and was an All-Star in his last two years there.

Abdur-Rahim I liked since college (California) and he did not disappoint upon entry to The Association, a bona-fide 20-plus scorer in five years (1996-2000) with the Grizzlies and one of the bright lights in the early years of the franchise in Vancouver.

Odom, for his part, just could do it all with the Clippers in his first four years (1999-2002) in the league, a steady 15-6-5 player and did it with much showmanship and flair.

Anthony Davis continued such tradition in the 2010s and more, which is why he is my favorite for New Orleans.

Apart from the versatile big men who crept up in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, explosive guards also abounded during that stretch. Among my all-time favorites that came from that time are Jason Williams (Sacramento) and Steve Francis (Houston).

What can I say with “White Chocolate” Williams (1998–2000)? Just a pure joy to watch with his ball wizardry while helping the long-struggling Sacramento team be noticed anew in the NBA.

“Stevie Franchise” (1999–2004), meanwhile, had the hops to jump on anybody and a steady playmaker that complemented well the start of the Yao Ming era in Houston.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard and Penny Hardaway were the ones for me for Denver, Indiana, Washington and Orlando, respectively.

Abdul-Rauf (1990–95), formerly Chris Jackson, was a damn good scorer despite just standing 6’1” and playing with a moderate form of Tourette syndrome, which results in uncontrollable body movements.

Rose and Howard were part of the “Fab Five” of University of Michigan, along with Chris Webber, and had solid NBA careers. Rose (1996-2001) was all-around for the Pacers in their impressive run in the late ‘90s and complemented the play of Reggie Miller. And so was Howard with Washington in his seven years (1994–2000) there where he became a one-time All-Star.

Hardaway, meanwhile, captured many fans’ fancy with his Magic Johnson-like qualities, including his writer. His six years with the Magic (1993–99) was just impressive, helping Orlando become a powerhouse squad especially when Shaquille O’Neal was still there.

Golden State’s Chris Mullin and New York’s Bernard King left my young basketball mind in the ‘80s impressed with the way they found so many ways to score the basket.

For Miami, it is Eddie Jones (2000–05) for me, who helped usher in the solid stretch for the Heat in the late 2000s and early 2010s while for Oklahoma City (formerly Seattle) it is Shawn Kemp (1989–96), who amazed with his incredible melding of power and finesse.

So many legends, so many favorites and so much history. Such list could well go on. This is why I love the NBA.

 

Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld Senior Reporter covering the Sports beat.

msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Superior still

Considering Novak Djokovic‘s experience in defense of his Australian Open crown, “rally” doesn’t quite describe the work he did in order to win. While he claimed the opening set with aplomb, getting 80 percent of his first serves in and winning 80% of his second, it was clear that fellow finalist Dominic Thiem would not be an easy out despite early jitters. In fact, he played nowhere near as well as his opponent in the second and third sets. For the first time in a long, long while, and for the first time ever at Melbourne Park, he looked rattled, shaken, and all too ready to fold.

In retrospect, it didn’t help that Djokovic was meted a couple of crucial violations by chair umpire Damien Dumusois for failing to serve within the allotted 25 seconds. He had been using the time between points to compose himself and gather his thoughts in the face of Thiem’s productive push, only to be docked by the strict application of the rules. The resulting loss of poise put him on the defensive even more. And, at one point, he appeared deflated beyond the point of return; he lost an unprecedented six straight games, seemingly en route to a sound defeat.

If there is any player capable of coming back from an enveloping malaise, however, it’s Djokovic. Time and again, he has shown an uncanny knack for summoning hitherto-absent energy, and, over the weekend, he proved his capacity to flip the switch anew. He took a medical timeout prior to the start of the fourth set, and whatever positive thoughts he summoned during the break proved beneficial to his cause. Finally, the player that went seven of seven in Australian Open finals showed up, and none too soon. He certainly needed every bit of his best to keep Thiem at bay, and, in trademark fashion, strike when the opportunity presented itself.

Djokovic would go on to win the fourth set, and then fifth, to take his 17th major trophy. And in extending his streak of unbeaten matches at Rod Laver Arena to 16, he managed to convert a 1-2 deficit to triumph for the first time in eight tries. He also became the first player in the Open era to win across three difference decades. He may well find the feat duplicated soon, what with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer staying intensely competitive. At 32 and the youngest of the sport’s Big Three, however, he figures to be in the best position to wind up his career with the most number of Grand Slam titles.

To be sure, Djokovic is already being considered by quite a few quarters as first among equals. He’s definitely without peer Down Under, and because his serve — long underrated — has improved further with Goran Ivanisevic coaching him, he looks to be even more equipped to keep pace in the other majors. The next generation may be close, but, for now, he’s proving the old guard to be superior still.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Agents to help find suspected coronavirus carriers

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Charmaine A. Tadalan
Reporters

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will help find people suspected to be infected with a coronavirus strain that has killed hundreds in China and sickened thousands more.

In an order, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra asked government agents to help other agencies including the Health department in locating people who had come in contact with two Chinese nationals who arrived in the Philippines last month and who tested positive for the virus.

One of them has died, the first reported coronavirus death outside China. Both were from Wuhan City in Hubei province in China, where the virus was first detected.

The Justice department also ordered the NBI to investigate the “deliberate spread of misinformation and fake news” about the virus, and file charges against violators.

The bureau was given 30 days to build up a case and submit a report to the Justice department.

The DoH on Monday said there were 80 patients under investigation in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency as the virus spread to more than 20 countries, including the Philippines.

WHO cited the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it.

Mr. Guevarra said President Rodrigo R. Duterte had given no further instructions to the Justice department after an emergency meeting was held late Monday.

The government has banned the entry of foreigners from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Also yesterday, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III asked senators to strengthen the country’s quarantine law after a person suspected of having been infected with coronavirus refused to be admitted to the hospital.

He said authorities have assessed 58 out of the 331 passengers of the Hong Kong flight taken by the two Chinese nationals. Fifty-three passengers were under home quarantine.

Of the five people who did not show symptoms, only four agreed to be hospitalized, Mr. Duque said.

“There can hopefully be a legislative space to look into how we can strengthen the penal provisions of the quarantine law,” the Health chief said.

He added that authorities should be able to force people who refuse to cooperate to be quarantined.

Senators cited the slow progress in reaching all the passengers, which Mr. Duque traced to airlines withholding information.

Mr. Duque said the airlines, which had invoked the right to proviacy, were the ones contacting the passengers instead of the Epidemiology Bureau.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said the contact details could be retrieved from the Immigration bureau. Transport regulators could also order the airlines to cooperate, he said.

The Philippine Airlines refuted this, saying it and Cebu Pacific had turned over the data to health authorities.

Meanwhile, Rep. Sharon S. Garin, who heads the House economic affairs committee, said she would hold a hearing next week to assess the effects of the outbreak on tourism and the economy.

“We need to have safeguards,” she said. “Banning flights is not a solution in the long run. — with Genshen L. Espedido

Lawmaker seeks P2.4B versus virus

A CONGRESSMAN filed a bill on Tuesday seeking P2.4 billion in supplemental budget to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines.

Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda wants to allot P945,000 for surgical masks for people under investigation, P9.45 million for face masks of healthcare workers, P2.025 billion for personal protective equipment for health workers and P4.52 million for the repatriation of 40 repatriates from China.

“The amount appropriated shall be released by the Department of Budget and Management to the Department of Health (DoH) in accordance with budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations,” Mr. Salceda said. “The DoH shall issue the guidelines necessary for the proper procurement of these items.”

Quezon Rep. and health committee chairwoman Angelina D.L. Tan on Monday said DoH wanted a P1 billion budget to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The budget would help fund the operations of the bureaus attached to the DoH, she said. — Genshen L. Espedido

UK seeks inmate transfer agreement with Philippines

THE United Kingdom wants an agreement with the Philippines that will allow sentenced British convicts to go home and vice versa, a Justice official said on Tuesday.

“We met the British consul yesterday and he intimated their desire to enter into a transfer of sentenced persons agreement with us,” Justice Undersecretary Markk L. Perete said in a mobile-phone message.

The two countries will exchange drafts of the agreement once the British request is sent to the Philippine Foreign Affairs department, he said.

Mr. Perete said there are fewer than 10 Filipinos in British jails, citing Consul Martin O’Neill.

He also said they needed to verify the information to determine whether the UK request should be prioritized.

“Our priority remains the United Arab Emirates and other states where many Filipinos work or reside,” he said.

The Justice department concluded transfer, extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties with Saudi Arabia last year.

Mr. Perete said there are 91 Filipinos detained in Saudi Arabia and more than 1,000 are facing investigations for criminal cases.

The transfer deal allows Filipinos sentenced in other countries to serve their sentence in the Philippines. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

1st business park to rise in Tuguegarao City

THE NORTH Gateway Business Park, the first of its kind in Tuguegarao City, was launched Monday by developer Data Land Inc. with local officials. Cagayan Gov. Manuel N. Mamba lauded the 18-hectare complex for its potential economic contribution and thanked Data Land Chair Danilo D. Tamayo, who hails from the province, for investing in his hometown. In a statement in Filipino, Mr. Mamba said, “This puts the province in the map as a good place for investments.” Data Land, together with DDT Konstract, Inc., has various real estate projects in Metro Manila and Palawan. Tuguegarao is the capital of Cagayan and the regional center of Cagayan Valley.

P575M assistance distributed to Central Luzon rice farmers

RICE FARMERS in four provinces in Central Luzon will receive a total of P575 million under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Tuesday. The beneficiaries, who will get P5,000 each, consist of 115,000 rice farmers from Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar handed over cash cards from the Landbank of the Philippines and notices of cash grant from the Development Bank of the Philippines during the program’s launch held February 3 at the Dinalupihan Civic Center in Bataan. Mr. Dar also announced that Central Luzon will receive P1.6 billion in interventions this year through the DA Regional Field Office. These include assistance under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), Solar Power Irrigation System project for rice and high-value crops, Youth Agri-Entrepreneurship program, seeds, and other farm inputs. The interventions, he said, are intended to enable the agriculture sector attain a 2% growth target.

BATAAN
“Out of the P1.6 B, Bataan province will receive P276 M,” Mr. Dar said. The “1 Bataan Agriculture Innovation and Technology,” which forms part of the province’s commitment during last year’s Food Summit, was also presented during the event. The project includes a proposed private and public partnership (PPP) between the provincial government and Israeli firm Agrilever. The PPP venture, which will focus on precision farming, will involve technical assistance on vegetable drip irrigation technology, business and financing services, and modern processing facilities, among others. “Agri-modernization and agri-industrialization are the ways forward,” Mr. Dar said.

Davao taps good old-fashioned radio as another disaster management tool

IN THIS internet age when social media platforms have become a leading information source and communication tool, good old-fashioned radio remains a formidable device in remote areas — and anywhere during calamity situations. Tapping this force, Davao City launched on Monday a radio station dedicated to disaster management not just within the city but for neighboring provinces. “While the city government of Davao is already on broadcast television with the Byaheng Do30 television program, and we are active online with our social media accounts and Websites, we have yet to make a strong presence on radio,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said during the launching of Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5 FM). The station will broadcast real-time situationers as well as information campaign programs on emergency preparedness and response. Ms. Duterte said with the radio station, the city government now has another way of reaching all its 182 barangays and other provinces within the Davao Region. During the launch Ms. Duterte also signed an agreement with three provincial governors, namely: Davao Occidental’s Claude P. Bautista, Davao Oriental’s Nelson L. Dayanghirang, and Davao de Oro’s Jayvee Tyron Uy. The governors of Davao del Norte and del Sur, who are both not political allies of the four others, were not at the event. Ms. Duterte also signed a separate agreement with Brig. Gen. Ernesto Torres Jr., civil relations service chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), to establish DCDR as an AFP-affiliate station. Ms. Duterte said, “The correct information and ample preparations are our strongest defense against any calamity or crisis situation. And with this platform, we can ready our people better for any eventuality.” — Maya M. Padillo

RDC to endorse Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan expressway for feasibility study

A train car of the now defunct Panay Railway on display at a park in Iloilo City. The 117-kilometer railway system, constructed in the early 1900’s and closed down in 1983, used to transport agricultural produce and other cargo within Panay Island. — BW FILE

AN ELEVATED expressway that will connect the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan will be endorsed by the Western Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) to pave the way for a feasibility study.

“I was able to talk to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 Regional Director Lea Delfinado and she asked for the infrastructure committee of the RDC to endorse this in order for them to start to conduct the study for the feasibility study of the expressway,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-6 Regional Director Ro-Ann A. Bacal said.

Ms. Bacal said this infrastructure that will span across Panay Island is envisioned as a toll road, like the north and south luzon expressways.

She said the RDC will be pushing this as they await developments on the proposed Panay Railway, which was part of the national government’s first list of major projects under the Build, Build, Build program.

“We are still awaiting the move of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). We had several project proposals from DOTr but they said it is going to be a public-private partnership (PPP) undertaking but nothing concrete has taken place,” she said.

Businessmen and investors surveyed by the RDC expressed preference for an elevated expressway over a railway system as this would allow them an easier “door-to-door” movement of their products.

“When we talk to the businessmen, they are not so much keen on the railway because they want door-to-door. In the railway, you have to get the goods from the production area and put it to a truck and unload it to the railway, so there are many transfers,” Ms. Bacal said.

The RDC is also proposing that the expressway be designed to accommodate a metro rail transit system (MRT) in the future.

“We feel that there is going to be win-win situations whereby the design of expressway, that it can provide for the MRT in the middle or on the side of the expressway,” she said.

“We will see but we are very keen on the expressway.” — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

GenSan eyes more trade, tourism ties in the north with direct flights to Clark

GENERAL SANTOS City’s public and private sectors are aiming to boost trade and tourism ties in the country’s northern island following Monday’s launch of direct flights to and from Clark International in Pampanga. “When we took off this morning during the Clark-GenSan inaugural flight, that was just the beginning. We hope to provide more economic opportunities, jobs, and investments for GenSan,” Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera said during the Business Matching Session for Trade and Tourism with Pampanga’s business community. The meeting was held after the inaugural flight from General Santos landed in Clark. The chartered flights, initially set on a twice-a-week schedule, are served by Leading Edge Air Services Corp. “The business matching sessions saw new economic opportunities for GenSan’s food, tourism, agricultural, manufacturing, and other related industries,” Mr. Rivera said in a post on his social media page. In September last year, General Santos City signed partnership agreements with three Pampanga local governments — the cities of Angeles, Mabalacat and San Fernando — and Clark Development Corp. to promote business linkages. The initiative is part of the United States Agency for International Development’s Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth project.

Peso climbs on efforts to contain Wuhan virus

THE PESO continued to climb on Tuesday as markets heeded positive signals from China’s central bank, which said it will lend support to the economy amid worries on the coronavirus outbreak.

The local unit ended trading at P50.765 versus the greenback yesterday, appreciating by 3.50 centavos from its Monday close of P50.80 per dollar on Monday.

The peso opened at P50.85 against the greenback, which was also its weakest showing for the day. Meanwhile, its intraday best was at P50.725 versus the dollar.

Dollars traded declined to $953.9 million from $1.073 billion on Monday.

Analysts said the peso gained on Tuesday amid news that China has been making efforts to contain the Wuhan novel coronavirus.

“The peso exchange rate closed among the strongest in nearly three weeks…amid extraordinary efforts by China to contain the novel coronavirus, including infusion of liquidity into the markets since markets reopened yesterday (Monday), somewhat sending positive signals to the market,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a text message on Tuesday.

“The peso took its cue from the halt of the colossal sell-off in Chinese equities. Investors, for sure, are still gauging China’s efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus that has been feeding the uncertainty,” UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in a separate text message.

China’s central bank said on Tuesday that its huge liquidity injections through open market operations this week showed its determination to stabilize financial market expectations and restore market confidence, Reuters reported.

The remarks were published on the official WeChat account of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) after it injected a total of 1.7 trillion yuan ($242.74 billion) via reverse repos on Monday and Tuesday.

The central bank said the larger-than-expected liquidity injection should push money market and bond yields down, and reduce financing costs and ease financial pressure on small, micro businesses.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong reported its first death from the newly identified coronavirus on Tuesday, the second fatality outside mainland China from an outbreak that has killed over 420 people, spread around the world and raised fears for global economic growth.

The Hong Kong fatality brought the total death toll from the virus to 427, including a man who died in the Philippines last week after visiting Wuhan. Chinese authorities said the toll in China rose by a record 64 from the previous day to 425, mostly in Hubei province of which Wuhan is the capital.

The total number of infections in China rose by 3,235 to 20,438, and there were at least 151 cases in 23 other countries and regions.

For today, RCBC’s Mr. Ricafort said the peso may trade at around P50.65-50.90 versus the dollar, while UnionBank’s Mr. Asuncion sees the local unit moving within the P50.50-P50.80 range. — L.W.T. Noble with Reuters

PHL stocks snap losing streak on bargain hunting

LOCAL SHARES were able to recover on Tuesday after six straight days of decline due to bargain hunters taking center stage.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) loaded up 89.87 points or 1.25% to close at 7,226.90 yesterday, while the broader all shares index gained 37.06 points or 0.87% to 4,293.89.

“The market ended six consecutive days of losses by rebounding 1.26% as bargain hunters positioned in the market…,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Claire T. Alviar said in a text message yesterday.

She said after massive selling in the past days, investors “found it as an opportunity to put fundamentally sound companies in their portfolio at a bargain price.”

“The rally was also supported by the improvement of Philippine manufacturing PMI (purchasing managers’ index) in January at 52.1 from 51.7 in December last year,” Ms. Alviar added.

For Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan, the market’s rally was also affected by subsiding worries on the novel coronavirus.

“The market recovered slightly as investor woes regarding the coronavirus started to simmer down,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile message.

Hong Kong reported its first death from the newly identified coronavirus on Tuesday, the second fatality outside mainland China from an outbreak that has killed over 420 people, spread around the world and raised fears for global economic growth.

The total number of infections in China rose by 3,235 to 20,438, and there were at least 151 cases in 23 other countries and regions.

Like the PSEi, other Asian also started recovering yesterday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix indices both climbed 0.49% and 0.69% respectively, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 1.21% and South Korea’s Kospi index increased 1.84%.

Even China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai SE Composite indices advanced yesterday, jumping 2.64% and 1.34%, respectively.

Back home, most sub-sectors at the PSE also closed higher on Tuesday. Financials gained 35.49 points or 2.10% to 1,724.30; industrials added 156.15 points or 1.74% to 9,122.37; holding firms picked up 84.07 points or 1.22% to 6,958.81; services increased 8.50 points or 0.57% to 1,477.82; and property climbed 5.79 points or 0.15% to 3,799.01.

The sole loser was mining and oil, which dropped 44.43 points or 0.60% to 7,286.68.

Some 1.48 billion issues worth P9.61 billion switched hands yesterday, up from the 833.35 million issues valued at P5.87 billion in the previous session. Philstocks Financial’s Ms. Alviar noted this is also higher that the year-to-date average value turnover of around P6 billion.

More stocks increased than declined yesterday, 113 against 73, while 48 names ended unchanged.

Foreign investors, however, were still sellers, with net outflows ballooning to P2.23 billion yesterday from the P289.06 million seen on Monday. — Denise A. Valdez with Reuters

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