|
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Sayson: The Heat’s cold spot
By Homer Sayson
Second Overtime
CHICAGO – Rico Rentuza, Jonas Asis and Coy Avila make up The Firm, a small cluster of young and brilliant lawyers slowly making a name for themselves in Cebu.
Outside the courtroom, where they full-court press their clients’ legal woes away, Rico and the boys are just another of those NBA faithfuls.
Francis Javelosa (franjavel@yahoo.com) of the Rentuza law firm played the role of a snitch last week and revealed to me via e-mail that his peers are “all basketball enthusiasts and readers of your column.”
Francis admits that he doesn’t always share my opinions, but he remains fond of Second Overtime: “The metaphors are entertaining, your descriptions precise. It is as if your words spring into live action. There came a point when my purpose in buying Sun.Star was only to read your column. Anyway, I’m a Heat fan and I’d like to know about the latest additions to their roster as well as their potential to take Miami further next season.”
I have good news for you Francis, the kind that could make you match Michael Jordan’s mega bright smile, watt for watt: Shaq will remain in Miami for the next five years. And while I’m pecking this piece, the Heat are still printing some of the money needed to pay the 7-foot-1 giant’s $125 million contract.
The Heat also re-signed Udonis Haslem, an undersized but very able power forward who earned his stripes last regular season by averaging 10.9 points in 80 games. Udonis plays defense like a maniac, and despite only 6-foot-8, he plucks rebounds at an amazing 9.1 per game.
Unfortunately, there’s also bad news in Miami as the team lost free agent Keeyon Dooling to the Orlando Magic. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound Dooling was Dwayne Wade’s right hand at point, norming 5.2 points and 1.8 assists per. Although his play, especially in the playoffs, was sometimes erratic, Dooling allowed Wade some needed rest during games.
The Magic offered Dooling $10 million for three years. The Heat didn’t match, leaving their roster with a scar as deep as a Sanciangko street pothole. If the Heat can’t find a back-up point guard for next season, Wade would be forced to play more than his average of 38.6 minutes per game.
Obviously, those increased minutes are not good. Especially so when team defenses are beginning to be extremely physical in trying to stymie D-Wade.
But Miami is determined to find an understudy who can emulate some of Wade’s excellence. This off-season, the Heat are eyeing Earl Watson, who is averaging 7.7 points and 4.5 assists per game for the Grizzlies. But the 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard’s price tag is too steep and negotiations are ongoing.
If the 26-yeard-old Watson’s services remain unaffordable, Miami will likely go after Steve Blake, a 6-foot-3 and 172-pound veteran. Blake, 26, normed 4.3 points and 1.6 assists for the Wizards last season.
With Larry Brown expected to take his restless feet to New York, the Heat are prohibitive favorites to represent the East in the 2006 NBA Finals. But that could change if Wade doesn’t get help manning the point. Stay tuned, Francis.
SAD PUPPY. Stefan Aaron Flora (stef_flora@hotmail.com) has a little problem: “I’m an avid fan of your columns. They are fun to read and are filled with interesting things. But I’m a manager of a company and part of my job is getting relocated to different locations in the country. Right now I’m being transferred to Cagayan de Oro. While in Mindanao, where can I find your articles so I can read them?”
If you can’t find a copy of Sun.Star Cebu in CDO, log on to the Internet, Stef. Go to www.sunstar.com.ph and click Cebu. Click sports and you’ll find my meanderings Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
A newspaper in Cagayan asked me to write a sports column for them sometime ago, Stef, and if I had taken the gig, you would have had a front row seat of Second Overtime in Mindanao. Anyway, Cagayan is one of the beautiful places I dream of visiting one day. Have fun there, send me a postcard.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
(July 27, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
