Phone Pals are loaded

By Rey Joble
People's Journal
September 21, 2007

There’s a problem Talk N Text coach Derick Pumaren is facing in the coming 2007-2008 PBA season.

And it won’t come from their rivals but rather his own players.

“I admit there may be a little problem with evenly distributing the players’ time on the floor, but that is one problem I welcome,” said Pumaren.

“Kaysa naman tumitingin ka sa bench na wala kang mahugot, di ba?”

The re-entry of national team standouts Asi Taulava, Jimmy Alapag and Ren-Ren Ritualo has certainly made the Phone Pals fully loaded.

Now the team that fell few hours away from winning their second league title have definitely become the odds on pick this season.

Professionalism and dedication above anything else, are the most important ingredients to finally nailing the big one.

“These guys are all professionals. I believe each one will be willing to subvert himself for the good of the team,” he stated.

In the absence of Taulava, Alapag and Ritualo, guys like Mac-Mac Cardona, Jay Washington, Don Carlos Allado, Yancy de Ocampo and Donbel Belano stepped up and proved their worth.

These, aside from the good program they nurtured from going to the San Antonio Spurs camp, have definitely put the Phone Pals on top of the list of basketball experts.