De Vance under scrutiny

by Noli Cortez
Malaya
October 19, 2007

Throw out all the hype and hard sell, clear up the table and bring on the microscope. It’s now time to start differentiating the facts from the propaganda and scrutinize Joe Devance for what he truly is.

Welcoat diehards could not be faulted for insisting the former University of Texas-El Paso standout, the top pick in the rookie draft, could be what the doctor ordered for the Dragons who had a woeful maiden season last year, winning a grand total of seven out of 36 games.

Expectations are high the 6-foot-7 forward-center, who debuts today against Coca-Cola in the Smart PBA Philippine Cup at the Astrodome could be the answer to the Dragons’ search for a stabilizing factor.

Defending champion Ginebra and dangerous Red Bull square off in the other game but the limelight will be on Devance who faces his first real acid test.

Coke has also vastly re-tooled in the wake of an overall finish last season that was just a rung above Welcoat.

Aside from acquiring Mark Isip and Cesar Catli from Sta. Lucia Realty, the Tigers also acquired Mark Telan in a trade and drafted former amateur hotshot Ronjay Buenafe to back up mainstays Ali Peek and John Arigo and ex-Realtors Kenneth Duremdes and Alex Cabagnot.

With the Tigers now armed to the teeth in practically every position, it will be the job of Devance, veteran Nic Belasco and center Jay-R Reyes to shoulder the brunt of the load for the Dragons.

Devance, a former PBL MVP, led all scorers in the pre-season with an average hovering at the 30-point plateau.

Totally cognizant of the pressure on his prized rookie, Welcoat coach Leo Austria said the rest of his team, like Rob Wainwright, Jojo Tangkay, Denver Lopez, Ryan Arana and his other big man, Adonis Sta. Maria, should share the load.

"Malakas nga ang starting frontline namin, pero hindi pa kami kumpleto at pinakamalaking question pa rin kung sino ang pamalit," Austria admitted yesterday.

"In that case, kailangang mag-step ang iba pang players, hindi lang sila Joe, Nic at Jay-R. We will try our best. This game will be a gauge of what we really are," he added.

Ginebra will play without Mark Caguioa, nursing a shoulder injury, and Rafi Reavis, who has yet to fully recover from a shoulder injury.

Despite their absence, Red Bull is still expected to have its hands full against the defending champions since the Bulls themselves have lost a lot of their own firepower in guard Larry Fonacier and Enrico Villanueva, both traded to San Miguel last season.

Some comfort can be had by the George Chua-owned franchise by the fact Caguioa was–and still is–the most fearsome offensive weapon in the league.

"When the schedules came out, I immediately looked at them and was glad when I saw we will be playing Ginebra early," related Mick Pennisi, the center-forward who missed the entire Fiesta Cup last season due to his national team stint.

"It will be good to do battle with them when they’re not yet complete, because when they are, it will be extremely tough."

The formula for his team winning its usual share of games has also been laid out by the wily 6-foot-9.

"Our defense should always hold up," he said. "It is only through defense that we could win since we don’t have that many offensive weapons now as before."