I could not think of a better title than the one above to describe these two teams. It basically comes from a song “Maginoo Pero Medyo Bastos”. But on this case, I am separating it in order to make it a distinct characteristic of each team.

Allow me to explain.

Team Pogi are the Maginoo team. When they play, you do not see much emotion. They are generally the nice guys on the league. They do not talk trash. They do not run over opponents and stand over them when they are down. They are pretty quiet too except Joseph Brimon and Michael Humphrey who led the bench talk.

GJ Eva, Conrad Wolfe, Nilo Concepcion, CJ Pineda, Lego, Cupid Musa, Mark Lim, and Gerald Areja are a silent ones.

But, what do they say about the silent ones though?

The Astig Boys are the Bastos team. Not literally the R-18 or MA bastos, but rather on how they disrespect the other teams when they play. They got the best 1-2 punch down low with Rommel Calaguas and Aldrin Acuna. They got the 3 best guards in the league on Cris Dapon, Noel Bagalso, and Aldrich Acuna running the break plus leave him open long enough, Ads Acuna will shoot the dagger 3 on you. This is not to downplay the other members on the team.

Blink and you will trip with Jesse Lee Roque. Anyone who knows him long enough will understand what I mean. He protects the ball pretty well but if you are not watching him with the ball, you will be in a surprise. Then, you got Chris B. The enigmatic player from Oklahoma. You never know when he will go off offensively. Then you got the other supporting cast – Phoenix and Tito Galing and Mitchell Salas who made leaps and bounds on their game.

It will be an interesting matchup, nonetheless. And it will come with full of surprises.

But, two more days we will find out if the premise is true.

As The DUB League Volume 3.0 is approaching the end of the season, many of the star players from each team did not play in Week 6 due to a conflict in scheduling. The expectation for the Week 6 matchups were still great knowing that the non-star players will be able to show their playmaking skills.

With Mother Nature also not cooperating in Week 6, a heavy overnight downpour hit Dallas and continued on until mid morning. Many of the players who were supposed to play either got stranded or probably slept through the cold weather, the comforting sound of the rain, and the temptation of not traveling through the dangerous storm.

With all signs pointed to canceling Week 6, the show did go on. And fortune favors those who were bold enough to came and made games happen.

The Good

After living behind the big shadows of his father, Aldrin, and his brother, Aldrich, Ads Acuna came out as the biggest winner of Week 6 in their win over Team Pogi while tallying 32 points to lead all scorers. The game was close throughout the first half only for Team Pogi to let the dam burst when Ads came out firing with 5 3-pointers in the opening minutes of the second half. Four of these 3 pointers were in the same spot. The Astig boys came out firing also and dominating the lowly Team Pogi in all categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Ads probably have the secret genes of a super baller and it just manifested in Week 6. Special mention to Chris B, Noel Bagalso, Cris Dapon, Jesse Roque, Phoenix Galing, Mitchell Salas, and Rommel Calaguas for braving the bad weather and compete. Will the hot streak continue on Week 7?

The Barakos main players came in to ball in Week 6. Neil Bagalso, Mico Mercado, and Yuhenyo Giron called it as a good warmup before their games later in the afternoon. Mico scored 22 points while Yuhenyo tallied 13 points en route to a decisive 60-43 victory over the Balut All Stars who were playing again undermanned. Melchor Dupale looked like he is finally hitting his stride from the long range hitting 3 3-point bombs. Neil Bagalso was solid with 11 points and John Dahan had a terrific defensive game. Will they continue to run and bulldoze their opponents?

Balut All Stars came to the game undermanned but that did not prevent them from competing and getting close the entire game until fatigue set in. It was very commendable for the Baluts as they had been understaffed the 5 of the 6 weeks but that did not stop them from competing and giving their blood, sweat, and tears every time they set their foot on the floor. This is what every young basketball player must strive to be. Have no fear. Play your game. Play it like it is your last.

The Underdogs were the usual feature in the Good category as they were rolling on another win over the heavily flavored Kambing Inc team who were playing without their stars – Jeffrey Duria, Ronnie Tallud and Andrei Malacapay. Aldwin Brotonel led the game in points for the Underdogs while Oliver Poblete had his best rebounding game with 10 rebounds. The game was close but the firepower for The Underdogs were just too much in this game. Will this carry over in the playoffs if the two teams face again?

The Bad

Team Pogi is sliding off the standings while losing their last 3 games. The team could not take a break. With CJ Pineda hobbling on one and a half knee and the team out-of-sync, it was near impossible for them to win over the Astig Boys. Gerald, GJ, and Mark played a solid game but the Astig firepower were just too much to stop. Will the slide end this weekend as they play the might Juan and the Senior Citizens?

This was borderline Good and Bad but I will just put this in the Bad section so I have something to write here. Senior Citizens came early with 5 players fighting the severe thunderstorm and torrential rain to face the defending champions Kuya Cats. This would have been the first time for both teams to face together after the offseason breakup. It was just too bad that the game ended up on a day where too many things were happening. The Gods have deprived us of a very good game!

Kambing Inc only had 4 players to play in the game but they all performed amazingly. They kept the game close but lose their composure in the second half when The Underdogs breezed by them. Neil Cristobal (9 rebounds) and Bombi Toves led the team with 21 points a piece while Von and James contributed 8 and 6 points, respectively. We haven’t seen the last of the Kambings don’t we?

The Ugly

If the Kuya Cats informed the league that they would not show up in their game, then the schedule could have moved up and the cash-strapped league did not have to pay to officials for that game. But, the league understands that there were commitments made and scheduling conflicts plus the Mother Nature was not so friendly in Week 6. We did miss a good game though. But hey, at least the folks present were able to play a pickup game prior to their own games.

Mother Nature was not so generous that day. If there was no league game, I would just slept through until 12 noon. The weather was perfect for sleeping but not for traveling and playing basketball. Hopefully, we will get the same weather after November 18th when all the games are over.

As The League enters Week 6, there were many things that we need to look back and learn from in the last weekend’s games.

This also might be the first week where many of the leagues stars will not be playing on Week 6’s games due to a two-day tournament that takes place on October 28th.

As they say, the show must go on. Week 6 will be the time for the bench players to shine and play the game of their lives.

The Good

After 5 weeks of play, Kambing Inc looked very impressive as they let Team Pogi “bites the dust” in their Week 5 matchup. As usual, the Jeffrey and Ronnie show was on full steam with Ronnie being more of a facilitator on the Kambing’s roaring offense. Andrei Malacapay turned up into his best game of the season grabbing 4 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals. Do not get deceive by the number of points but marvel at the mere presence of Andrei in the paint makes the Gwapings had second thoughts driving into the lane for scoring opportunities.

Kuya Cats, just like the Kambing, were roaring like Lions in their drubbing of the Barakos who were on a two game losing streak. Led by CJ Luna’s shooting and Frankie Mesa occupying the paint, the ‘Cats showed that they are still the team to beat in this league at par with the Kambings. Gil Mandabon added a solid game along with young studs Matea Mandabon and Devan Mesa. Can the streak continue as they face the Senior Citizens on Week 6?

Since the Astig Boys changed their starting lineup with Cris Dapon at the PG position, the team had been unstoppable. Rommel Calaguas started the game while Aldrin Acuna came off the bench giving them a solid 1-2 punch in their big man rotation. Aldrin Acuna also had another solid game leading the Astigs with 16points while stopping Juan Gutierrez in their win over the Senior Citizens. Noel Bagalso, Aldrich Acuna, Phoenix Galing, and Ads Acuna all shined in their win on Week 5. Will they have enough in their tank as they face Team Pogi on Week 6?

Even with a 0-5 record, you have to applaud what the Balut All Stars had done so far. Even with the lack of manpower, they were always in a striking distance to win the game. High IQ basketball is what this team is showing and it was very evident in their loses. They were able to execute and keep the game close. Eric Pranivong had been a rebounding machine while Cyrel Legaspi had full command to launch their offensive attack. Jingson Morales and CK Arcilla were supporting both in offense and defense. Nervin Metrillo and Loven Villanueva makes the big baskets when needed. The best part of it all, Richard Osay, was showing no signs of slowing down. He had been on fire the last few games. Will they finally get their first W of the season on Week 6?

The Underdogs rebounded from their OT loss to the Senior Citizens in Week 4 and won their matchup vs the Balut All Stars in their OT win in Week 5. Rodfil Camacho, Aldwin Brotonel, Al Bae, and Kyle Aguirre were sensational right at the gates and were able to stave off the Balut All Stars flirtation for their own first win of the season. Rodje and JR were providing the much needed young legs on offense while Philip, Dennis, and Aris were the OGs of the team guiding them and keeping them composed throughout the game. Will they be able to win over the depleted Kambing Inc in Week 6?

The Bad

Barakos had been reeling since their Week 1 win over Team Pogi. They cannot seem to find their rhythm and it shows. The lack of movement of the basketball had been nagging the Barakos. On Week 1, they seem unstoppable as they hit shot after shot over Team Pogi. Neil Bagalso had been silent the past few games while Mico Mercado’s production was getting invincible as the season dragged on. The only shining light so far was Yoneo Gamalinda who had been looking like peak YMG hitting 3 pointers after 3 pointers to get the Barakos in the game. Additionally, Yuhenyo Giron had been balling and was showing more facets of his game. Will they be able to bounce back on Week 6 given that most of their starters will be playing in the weekend tournament in Dallas?

Team Pogi is another team that was hard to pinpoint. Right now, they are a middle-of-the-pack team and worst if they play without Michael Humphrey and Joseph Brimon. The team did not have a very dynamic offense and can fall into stagnation as the game progressed. They always fall behind early in the game and trying to climb back out of the quicksand that they put themselves into. Will they be able to find their stride against the Astig Boys on Week 6 without Humph and Joseph? Will CJ Pineda’s knees be right again? Will GJ and Gerald be running like mad dogs for the win?

The Ugly

It is really hard to make a writeup for the Senior Citizens in this category. But in Week 6, being put in this category may be well-deserved. Juan Gutierrez carried the team with 33 points and gotten brutally mugged by Rommel and Aldrin every time he tried to score a basket. Orlando Glory was able to contribute 10 points and Ahwin has 7 points but not much production from the other players after that. They were sorely missing Lito Matildo’s fastbreak and 3 point shooting as well as his rebounding prowess. Those were just “warm ups” with regards to the on-court incident that happened late in the game when Juan lose his cool and passed the ball to the referee who took offense from it and called in a technical.

As I’ve been saying the past couple of weeks, the referees were really spotty. They seem unable to adjust to the way the group plays basketball. It is not a “No Blood No Foul” kind of game but it sure looked like it the past couple of weeks.

The league wanted to ensure that nobody gets hurt and that tempers were controlled by briefing the referees each game. However, this was not the case and there were no corrective measures were done on the officiating crew’s side. Will they improve their game calling on Week 6?

The DUB League Week 6 will be shown live in the Dallas United Ballers facebook page starting at 915am on October 28th, 2023.

The Good

Unstoppable Kambings? After Week 4, Kambing Inc seems to be unstoppable as they cruised to their 4th consecutive win against the Balut All Stars who only fielded 4 players to compete due to scheduling conflicts. Jeffrey Duria and Ronnie Tallud had been a formidable 1-2 punch for the Kambings while also garnering support from their standout Bombi Toves as the third option (sometimes 2nd option). Parading a lineup with almost no weakness, the Kambings are heavy favorites to win it all. But, will anyone would be foolish enough to stop them? Raise your feet people!

Not Your Typical Underdogs? The Underdogs were supposed to be, as their team name implies, Underdogs in their matchup against the Senior Citizens who were sporting Juan “The Juggernaut” Gutierrez, Aaron “Triggerman” Cua, and Orlando “BlackMamba OG” Glory. The ‘Dogs were without their primary scorer and rebounder, Rodfil Camacho, for the second straight game due to conflicts in work schedule. However, Al Bae and Kyle Aguirre came up big in that game and keeping the Seniors on their toes the whole game. They came back from 22 points down and forced an overtime against the Seniors. Is there trouble in Paradise for the Senior Citizens?

Meaningful Change with High Value Win? The Astig Boys were roaring ever since they moved Cris Dapon to do PG duties and won their second consecutive game. Aldrich Acuna anchored the offense with 23 points, 4 rebounds en route to a 62-53 victory of the Barakos. Aldrin Acuna and Rommel Calaguas controlled the paint the entire game and keeping Mico Mercado and Bryan Lim at bay with 5points and 2 points, respectively.

Only Way is Up? Kuya Cats bounced back after their loss to the Astig Boys in Week 3. With so many weapons at their disposal, the ‘Cats were able to stave off the rally from Team Pogi with their hot shooting beyond the arch. Dillon Pineda made consecutive 3 pointers in the final minutes of the game to keep the Pogi at bay. Gil Mandabon also hit a timely 3 pointer to ice the game. Devan Mesa also set the tone early with consecutive 3 pointers and finished the game with 12 points. Matea Mandabon also had a solid game with 10 points. If the ‘Cats play their bench like this, the only way is UP!

The Bad

Age Catching Up? Team Pogi had been dealing with personnel issues and were fielding their bench as the starting five. It had been a good ride winning 2 consecutive games against contenders until Week 4 when they faced the offseason favorites and defending champions, Kuya Cats. Michael Humphrey was sensational with 28 points and 8 rebounds while Joseph Brimon tallied 11 points and 8 rebounds on a losing effort. The game was very closed until the final minutes when Dillon Pineda was left wide open and hit consecutive 3 pointers to seal the game. Meanwhile, missed opportunites and unable to make open shots became the downfall of the Gwapings.

Trouble in Paradise? This was basically the theme for the Senior Citizens when they played against The Underdogs in Week 4. They started hot and shooting from all cylinders relying on Juan “The Juggernaut” Gutierrez, Aaron “Triggerman” Cua, and Orlando “BlackMamba OG” Glory. The Seniors were up by 22 points early in the game only to struggle in the second half vs Al Bae and Kyle Aguirre’s fastbreak attack and defense. Juan also looked like he got tired late in the second half. The game was salvaged, however, by Orlando Glory who hit the regulation tying 3 pointer to send the game into OT and hit the first 3 pointer to start the OT period. The biggest shot of the game came from Angelo “Cardo Dalisay” Dela Cruz when he hit an open 3 pointer to keep the game away from The Underdogs.

The Ugly

Missing Identity? The Barakos were on a two game losing streak and cannot seem to find their rhythm. After an explosive first game, the Barakos were now loss and trying to find their team identity. Mico Mercado and Bryan Lim had been struggling. The bright spot for the team was that their guards Yoneo Gamalinda, Yuhenyo Giron, and Neil Bagalso were still consistent. Will the team ever find their mojo again during the season? What will be their game plan on Week 5?

Balut In Standings? The Balut All Stars fielded 4 players in the last two weeks and the team had been struggling mightily with personnel issues. While the team put up a good fight in each of the games, it was very evident that it affects the team psyche in general. They pretty much keep the game close with intelligent, high IQ offensive plays and terrific defense but they ran out of gas in the end. Will we see them have more players in Week 5? Will they be able to get their first win of the season?

The Officials Suck! Since Harry Stone decided to change the way we get referees it had been hit or miss for us. Two weeks ago, the league had to scramble and find officials to call the game after their assigned officials canceled at the last minute. On Week 4, the same officials who canceled came in late while the other one did not even bother to come. The calls were spotty on Week 4 as there was only one calling the game. Derek Richardson, the official who called our first 2 season will come back but Mike Mendoza won’t be here until Week 6.

The DUB League Volume 3.0 Week 3 was one for the books. There were a lot of surprises in throughout the day. There were also heated exchanges between players. Top rated teams got beat surprisingly.

All is still good somehow in the DUB Land and we are looking forward to Week 4.

The Good

Astig Boys finally won their first game against the once invincible Kuya Cats. The entire team dug deep and relied on their savvy veteran Aldrin Acuna to bring the win home with a roaring 7 to nothing run to close the game in the final period. Noel Bagalso was also sensational with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks in an all-around effort that kept the Kuya Cats on their heels the entire game.

Team Pogi also notched another win against the younger Underdogs team led by Michael Humphrey’s 19 points. But, it was CJ Pineda’s penetration and missed free throws ultimately sealed the game for Team Pogi. Nilo Concepcion also found his younger form as he tallied 8 points where 4 of those came from a fastbreak field goal or free throw.

Senior Citizens also finally found another weapon in Lito Matildo and Orlando Glory who had 8 points and 18 points, respectively. Lito who had been shooting hot in multiple leagues had been quietly hit his 3 pointers in a timely manner. Orlando Glory showed his younger form last weekend as he finally found his range and rhythm. Bhon Filomeno hit the timely 3 pointer to seal the game for the Grumpy Old Men. Juan Gutierrez needs no explanation and accolades.

Kambing Inc continued to roll after Week 3. Who can defeat them? The team had been on a 3 game winning streak. It was a brutal game where the top teams fought tooth and nail until the goats finally came out victorious led by Kambing Bros Jeff Duria and Ronnie Tallud. But, the main guy who set the tone on the second half was James Bandolon who bulldozed the Barakos.

The Bad

Much had been said about the young core of The Underdogs. However, they had been hit by a bug lately. Aldwin Brotonel suffered an apparent ankle injury while playing pickup basketball. Kyle Aguirre had not been able to show up last weekend. Additionally, Al Bae disappered in the second half tallying zero points after a scorching first half.

The Barakos also fell on this category as they were defeated by Kambing Inc in a sensational manner. They can’t seem to find the focal point of their offense. In spite of their youth and athleticism, they lacked sized and were bullied by the linebacker in James Bandolon. The bright spot, however, was Yoneo Gamalinda who garnered 14 points while Mico Mercado disappeared in the offense after a sensational Week 1.

The Ugly

It was really hard for me to put this team in this category. In my mind, they played really well against the Senior Citizens and almost beat team with 4 people. However, teams cannot beat Juan even with a complete lineup. CK Arcilla and Richard Osay exploded with their best games of the season with 25 points and 20 points, respectively. It was a very admirable attempt on behalf of the team. The outcome may had been different if it they had another person or two to support the 4 players.

Kuya Cats showed a kink in their armor last weekend in their lost to the Astig Boys. In spite of their advantage on paper, they were not able to capitalize it against the Astig Boys who were missing their young stud in Aldrich Acuna. Frankie was unstoppable in the paint and was a very good decoy in many plays finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. The problem, however, may be the lack of cohesion within the team and the roles that they need to play in order to function like a well oiled machine. Don’t count ’em out though. They are still the team to beat and it will be so until the season ends in November.

Officiating was also somewhat spotty but overall majority of the teams were satisfied with it. They were pulled into the league last minute as our scheduled officials canceled out last minute. I will say, however, that I might bring them back in some form in the future.