Blockbuster trades, new imports shadow Pacman's defeat

10. FORTUNA’S DAD DIES 

We join San Miguel guard Jeric Fortuna in mourning over the sudden passing of his father this week.  Fortuna shared the bad news over his Instagram account.  “Dear Papa…I still can’t believe it. You may be gone physically, but you will always be in our hearts. There was not a day wherein I did not appreciate what you did for our family,” Fortuna, who used to play for UST, said.  “Thank you so much for taking care of us. You will always be my inspiration. Rest in Peace, Papa. I love you,” Fortuna added.

9. SINGING JUST GOT MORE LETHAL

San Miguel’s Arwind Santos is not the only one who can storm his way in the record industry. Rain or Shine’s Paul Lee will also launch his album this Saturday at Sta. Lucia Mall Activity Center in a meet and greet session with fans.  The album launch came after Lee released a rap song titled Angas, composed by Joven Tan. Maybe basketball has become too easy for these cagers nowadays that they are looking for something to challenge them big time. 

Purefoods’ Marc Pingris can’t be too busy for his wife, Danica.

Pingris still served as his wife’s date during the birthday of veteran actress Helen Gamboa held this Thursday.

The Pinoy Sakuragi and the rest of the Purefoods Star Hotshots have a game on Saturday, but it is good that Pingris lives by the mantra happy wife, happy life.

8. PINGRIS SNEAKS IN A DATE WITH WIFE AMID BUSY SKED

7. EAGLES BECOME DWARFS IN VEGASUAAP MVP Kiefer Raven and Jolo Mendoza of Ateneo were reduced to minions in their photo op with New Orleans’ Turkish player Omer Asik.

The Blue Eagles bumped into the seven-footer Asik since Ateneo is in Las Vegas for its yearly UAAP buildup in Camp Abunassar Gym.

How many can say that they had a selfie with an NBA stalwart in their lifetime? Well, count these Eagles as one of the lucky ones.

6. FIGHT IS NOT OVER FOR SINAGSinag Pilipinas, which copped the SEABA title in a dominating fashion, will have bigger battles ahead: the SEA Games in June to be held in Singapore and the FIBA Asia championships in September hosted by China.

While the SEAG gold is virtually in the bag, September’s FIBA Asia is the acid test since its predecessor, Gilas Pilipinas, finished second in the 2013 FIBA Asia tilt held in Manila in 2013. That silver medal finish earned the Philippines a slot in the 2014 World Cup—its first appearance in over four decades.

Gilas Pilipinas is composed of UAAP MVP awardees Kiefer Ravena and Rayray Parks, Kevin Ferrer, Marcus Douthit, Jiovani Jalalon, Russel Escoto, among others.

5. GREATFUL CHAMPS BOND WITH FANSRecently crowned PBA Commissioner’s Cup champions Talk ‘N Text (TNT) personally thanked their fans for support this week.

The meet and greet session was held in Robinson’s Galleria, with first-time champion Rob Labagala leading the way.

Labagala has never won a championship as a UE player in the UAAP and in the PBA until this year’s TNT championship conquest.

4. NLEX WELCOMES SYRIAN IMPORTSNLEX has officially welcomed Syrian imports in its fold: Quintin Alexander and Michael Madanly.

Alexander and Madanly are stalwarts of the Syria national team.

But it is Madanly who is more familiar with professional ball since he once played alongside Purefoods’ Commissioners’ Cup import Denzel Bowles for the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

These two would surely make a mean frontline alongside veteran and former national team player Asi Taulava.

3. GINEBRA SERVES MONGOLIAN COOKINGFan favorite Ginerba will serve something unusual for the PBA Governors' Cup: Mongolian import Sanchir Tungalag.

Tungalag is seen taking a swim ahead of his PBA debut.

That cooling down moment should get Tungalag going as Ginebra tries to live up to expectations of its talent-loaden lineup.

2. YOUNG GUN SALVA SENDS CHEERS TO SOL TRAINBarako Bull’s Nico Salva sent well wishes to his former teammate, Sol Mercado, who was traded to Ginebra for Joseph Yeo.

“Thanks for the help last conference. Goodluck! I could’ve gotten more money from you in our shooting contests. Hahaha,” Salva tweeted.

Mercado also responded with a ribbing: Hahaha. Four months and you only made 200! And you call yourself a shooter??? Keep working hard bro. Your time will come.

Mercado has been Barako’s third acquisition in less than a month next to Dylan Ababou and James Forrester, also from Ginebra.

1. PACMAN ON DEFEAT: GOD HAS GREATER PLANS

Eight division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao believes that his defeat is a will of God.

In his Instagram post, Pacquiao said “I thank God for guiding us thru our lives. His plans and ways are higher than us.”

We suggest that he instead attend to his pending work in Congress wherein the House Overseas Workers Affairs panel he heads is waiting for him to kickstart the probe on the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino who is in the death row in Indonesia because of drug trafficking.