#mo charlo

PBA IMAGES Pierre Henderson-Niles recalled the time when he and the late Bobby Parks shared a conversation about the PBA. “He told me about the league five or six years ago, before he passed away, that I need to try to get over here,” recounted the 28-year-old big man. Fast forward to Sunday and he joins the list of former Memphis Tigers players who is seeing action in the league. Jet-lagged and all, Henderson-Niles did all he could to help Rain or Shine get a 118-107 victory over Blackwater. Henderson-Niles just arrived early Saturday with only a short practice under his belt but that didn’t prevent him from contributing as he tried his best and accounted for 12 points, six rebounds, and a block in his PBA debut. “My first game was a good game,” Henderson-Niles, who replaced Mo Charlo, assessed. “I could’ve done a bit more because of the jet lag. I was a little bit tired and I just tried to fight and get over it.” Though he himself was not happy, coach Yeng Guiao is willing to give him more leeway as he sees a lot of potential in his fourth import this conference. “The potential is there and his upside is good,” he said. “We have a week or so to get him into game shape and jell with the team, but he’s a solid player. I like his post presence inside. He’s quick for his size, he’s deceptive and he’s not that slow. We want an import who can run with us because running game is still our game. We just need him to run and keep pace with us for six or seven minutes before we rest him. With him, we have a match against the other bigger imports.” And Henderson-Niles hopes to pay that trust forward. “Coach just told me to play my game, play defense, rebound, and have fun. I already knew coming in that I will provide the low post presence,” he said, as he hopes to make a good impression just like his former teammates Rob Dozier of Alaska and Shawn Taggart of GlobalPort. “Hopefully, I’ll play well here, get us far, get back next season, and keep on going,” Henderson-Niles said. The post Painters parade new import in win over Elite appeared first on Philippine Basketball Association. http://j.mp/1VfcAtX

PBA Media Bureau Rain or Shine will be bringing in the burly Pierre Hendeson-Niles as its newest import in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup, adding bulk to the squad that already features the heavyweight tandem of Beau Belga and JR Quinahan known as Extra Rice, Inc. Henderson-Niles will be the squad’s fourth reinforcement this conference. Standing between 6-6, 6-7 and weighing 270 lbs., Guiao sees Henderson Niles’ heavy frame an asset and he showed that in practice hours before landing on Philippine soil. “Kumuha ulit kami ng extra rice,” Guiao told InterAksyon.com in jest. Turning serious, the fiery mentor believes that Henderson-Niles can provide them the inside presence the team needs. “He reminds us of Jai Lewis (former Rain or Shine import). May kilos naman. I don’t think his heavy frame will be a liability. He has solid post moves and has decent shot from the outside, which is exactly what we needed,” added Guiao. According to Guiao, Henderson-Niles is in tip-top condition having just recently wrapped up his commitment with his stint in the NBA D-League. “Just last week lang, naglaro ito sa D-League,” said Guiao. “He looks fit.” Undrafted in the 2010 NBA Rookie Draft, Henderson-Niles played for the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League. Guiao believes bringing in a bigger import in Henderson-Niles is ideal for the Elasto Painters, who are making yet another solid push for a playoff bid. The team plays its final elimination game against Blackwater on Sunday where the new import will play significant minutes. “He will start, but we want to see his conditioning first,” added Guiao. “Although he looks good in practice, we want to see his game conditioning.” Govs’ Cup import choice As Henderson-Niles comes in, Rain or Shine had to let go of Mo Charlo who played decent games for the Elasto Painters. The has won four of five games with Charlo, the smallest import in the tournament, averaging 21.6 points, 9.2 boards and 3.4 assists. “It’s really tough to let go of Mo. We had our string of success with him,” Guiao said. “But you also have to anticipate the match up situations in the playoffs as we’re going to face bigger imports with bigger local line ups as well. “Hindi bale sana if we have a June Mar Fajardo or a Greg Slaughter in our line up, pwede na mag-stay sana si Mo. But we don’t have these kind of players, so it would be ideal to bring in a bigger import who could match up with bigger players.” Guiao said Charlo is not a bad import, but he had to make the decision as Elasto Painters had to sacrifice his overall talent for Rain or Shine’s need of an inside presence. But Guiao is not discounting the fact on bringing in Charlo for the Governors’ Cup, especially if first choice Wendell McKines isn’t available. McKiness, who proved to be instrumental in Rain or Shine’s playoff campaign last season, just came off from a solid season in Korea where he averaged 20.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. “Our first choice, of course, is McKine, but it depends if he’s available. Mo Charlo is also being considered kasi by that time, he’ll be able to match up well with the other imports who are smaller, so I think we’re going to see his potential more,” added Guiao. http://j.mp/1VeOMGN

PBA Media Bureau Rain or Shine import Mo Charlo played a steady game on Tuesday’s 116-94 win over GlobalPort, finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds. It was one of only a few times where Charlo was able to notch a double-double but the Elasto Painters have been enjoying success with him – winning four of their five games with him in the fold. With the playoffs looming, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao may have a decision to make about Charlo, although he isn’t quite sure whether he knows what to do just yet, preferring to wait until after the Elasto Painters’ final game against Blackwater. “We don’t want to make a final judgment since we won and we still have one game. But we are evaluating his performance,” Guiao told InterAksyon.com in an exclusive interview. Guiao is concerned mainly about whether the team can go all the way with their current reinforcement. “Yun talaga ang tanong, how far can this guy carry you? It’s not just his performance on a game to game basis, but how will he fare if we make it to the quarterfinals, the semifinals or the future match up if he’s going to fare well. That’s really the question,” he added. “It’s not enough that you win one game here, one game there. We want to make the semis, we want to make the finals. Of course, you also want to win the championship.” The fact that the team is successful with Charlo on board has made it easier for Guiao to delay making a choice. “We’re winning. We’ve won four of our last five games with him. How do you make a decision? Mahirap yun. You’re winning games and at the same time you’re looking at the future telling your self can this guy takes us far enough?” he shared. Guiao, as a veteran coach, understands the difficult position that imports find themselves in, especially with the pressure to win heightened during the playoffs. “No job is secure at this point, especially if you’re an import,” said Guiao, who is still considering the possibility of looking for a backup for Charlo. “It’s always an open option. Mayroon kang Plan A, Plan B. Tingnan natin, may isang laro pa kami and that would be a good time to make a decision. Going into the quarterfinals, we have some time in between. If you’re going to make a decision, you have to make a decision before the playoffs,” he added. http://j.mp/23dQucj

PBA IMAGES Rain or Shine and Phoenix both know now is the time to make their move if they hope to make the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. That’s precisely the reason why the Elasto Painters and Fuelmasters aim to translate their heightened sense of urgency into game-winning performance when they clash Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “We need to win our last three games to secure safe passage into the next round so every game is a big game for us,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. “We could probably afford a loss in our last three games, but we all know our chances would be much better if we can get a win in each of those,” said Phoenix coach Koy Banal. Only the top eight teams following the 11-game eliminations advance to the next round. Rain or Shine is currently tied for sixth, but a loss would slide it down to ninth and a tie with Star while Phoenix would take over the former’s place. The E-Painters would have been in a more comfortable position if not for their 103-114 loss to Tropang TNT last March 21, cutting short their winning run at three. Banal expects Rain or Shine to bounce right back. “If a good team like Rain or Shine is coming from a loss their opponent should be worried about how they are going to play in their next game,” he said. “So we’re expecting them to really come out strong against us tomorrow.” Phoenix is coming off a 124-120 overtime win over Blackwater just last Wednesday and Banal said his players’ mindset will be key. “The reminder is just to stay basic,” stated Banal. “No special gameplan. More than the physical aspect of the game we want to be ready mentally.” Paul Lee, who hurt his knee in the TNT game, is suiting up and ready to play but Guiao is more focused on how Mo Charlo would perform this time around. After a sterling 35-point debut, Charlo has averaged only 19 points the last two games while attempting a total 22 times in said outings. “I’m expecting our import to show better numbers than his last two games,” said Guiao. “His numbers dipped after an impressive debut so now is the time for him to recover his old form.” Phoenix has its own main weapon in Kevinn Pinkney, who has been averaging nearly 24 points and a little over 14 rebounds per game. But the likes of RR Garcia, JC Intal, Mac Baracael and Willy Wilson are also there to provide chief support. The post Phoenix, Rain or Shine in crucial tiff appeared first on Philippine Basketball Association. http://j.mp/1RMVjnK

PBA Media Bureau For the second straight game, Rain or Shine import Mo Charlo had limited shot attempts from the field. In the Elasto Painters’ game against the Mahindra Enforcer, Charlo only had 12 attempts from the field. On Monday night, he had even fewer, tallying only 10 attempts in a loss to Tropang TNT. Charlo finished with a respectable total of 22 points, although that still fell far short of the 35 points he produced in his debut game – where he helped lead his team to victory against the Philippine Cup champions San Miguel. Rain or Shine assistant coach Caloy Garcia, who handled coaching duties for the Elasto Painters in the absence of suspended coach Yeng Guiao, believes that the import has already responded by becoming more aggressive – although he could still be doing better. “It’s deceiving. He attacked the basket more than the last game, but I don’t think it counted on the field goal attempts when you attacked the basket,” Garcia said. “Siguro sa 16 free throws niya, about four or five times lang yung attacking the basket. But still he needs to attack more and take more shots.” But Charlo continued to struggle with adjusting to the PBA game. Against TNT, he was able to score more but failed to dish out a single assist in the contest. “I think medyo naninibago siya. He used to be a team player. Kasi in every league that he plays, maganda average niya sa assists at the same time yung rebounding and scoring. Pero tonight, we didn’t move the ball,” Garcia said. His Rain or Shine teammate, Paul Lee, believes Charlo needs to figure when he has the green light to be more of a scorer. “Feeling ko kasi sa pinaggalingan niya role player rin siya. Dito kasi kapag sinabing import kailangang gumawa ka ng malaki eh,” Lee said. “Siguro madaling resolbahan yun kung kailangang mag-take charge dapat tumira ka nang tumira.” “Pero sa team okay naman siya, pero hindi niya pa makuha kung kalian siya kailangang mag-drive. Kailangan niya lang ma-realize na kung kailangang umiskor, iiskor siya.” http://j.mp/1Rc0jTO

PBA Media Bureau Rain or Shine has had some import troubles in this conference but seems to have found their man in Mo Charlo, has been able to put the Elasto Painters back on the winning track. Rain or Shine is now on a three-game winning streak, which includes both of their games since Charlo arrived as the team’s third import after Wayne Chism and Antoine Wright. In the team’s last game against Mahindra, Charlo only scored 16 points on a modest 12 shots but did enough in the other departments – with eight rebounds and eight assists – to make his presence felt on the floor. Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao liked what he saw from his new import, although he would prefer Charlo to be more aggressive on the offensive end. “I told him that’s what imports do. If you take 12 shots, that’s less. You need to shoot more. But I’m impressed with his overall performance,” Guiao said. “He explained that he wanted to get his teammates more involved.” Guiao also noticed Charlo’s problems in adjusting to the officiating in the PBA. “He is still confused on what a foul is and what is not,” the coach added. “That’s the reason why there were several portions in the game where he didn’t want to challenge the shot anymore for fear that he might be called for a foul.” Despite those concerns, Guiao believes that Charlo has earned his spot on the team not only for this conference but the next. Charlo, one of the shortest imports in the tournament at 6-foot-3, will be eligiblt to play in the Governors’ Cup, which will have a 6-foot-5 height limit and Guiao is prepared to go to battle with him. “Definitely, we will stick with him. He deserves to stay and would stay on until the Governors’ Cup unless something drastic happens,” Guiao said. http://j.mp/1Zcwvbx

PBA Media Bureau Rain or Shine import Mo Charlo had a strong showing in his PBA debut and he has his coach considering keeping him here for a long time, possibly until the Governors’ Cup. Charlo is hoping that his 35-point, 13-rebound performance can help convince his team that it’s the right decision to make. “Hopefully, I made a great impression. I don’t want to leave. It’s a great country. The fans are great. I love it here so far so hopefully I could build a career here for many years to come,” Charlo told sportswriters. The 32-year-old import has been looking forward to having the chance to play here after hearing from friends, including controversial import Ivan Johnson, what the basketball scene was like in the country. “My friend, Ivan Johnson, he played here last year. I talked to him a lot and kept on telling him that I want to come out and play in the PBA,” he added. Charlo’s wish was granted when Rain or Shine suddenly found itself in need of a new reinforcement after reigning Best Import winner Wayne Chism got injured and his initial replacement, NBA veteran Antoine Wright, failed to impress and was sent home after a few games. So far, he has not disappointed as he led Rain or Shine to an important win that put them in a five-way tie for fourth to eighth places alongside Barangay Ginebra, NLEX, Mahindra and Blackwater, who are all carrying an identical 3-3 card. Rain or Shine has been in the league’s final four for the last eight conferences but that streak seemed like it would be put to the test after Chism went down with an injury. Should Charlo keep up the efficiency and enthusiasm, he could find himself hanging around until the third conference, especially as he measured at around 6-foot-3, well within the usual height limits set for the season-ending tilt. http://j.mp/1YGui7U

PBA Media Bureau New Rain or Shine import Mo Charlo played an inspired debut game for the Elasto Painters, sparking a comeback from as many as 19 points down before fighting through a case of cramps to lead his team to a 108-105 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Friday. The 33-year-old import, fresh off a short stint in Uruguay, scored 35 points – built around six three-pointers – but it was his effort and the intangibles he provided that was crucial for his team. “I didn’t expect us much. I know it’s his first game. I just want him to get comfortable. I also know he’s a great defender. Tyler Wilkerson was greatly defended by Mo. If Wilkerson is playing that way and June Mar (Fajardo) was there, it would have been a different story,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said after the game. “But he energized everybody. When we got down by 18 points, we just hung in there. We just waited for us to get his bearings back, but the import hit some big shots for us during that stretch and that brought us back in the game.” Charlo scored 24 of his points after the halftime break and even made some big plays on both ends of the floor despite battling cramps in the closing minutes of the game. After his impressive performance in this game, his coach now believes that Rain or Shine could make the injury to Wayne Chism that led them to hiring Charlo as a replacement somewhat of a blessing in disguise, especially if the experienced and efficient new import could lead them to big things. In fact, Guiao is considering keeping Charlo even until the third conference, especially as he measured as eligible for the season-ending tilt. “Pumasok siya sa 6-foot-5 eh. He’s a great option for us,” added Guiao. “Hindi ko alam kung susukatin pa siya ulit at hindi ko alam kung lalaki pa siya.” http://j.mp/1YGmPWD