Rookie Rankings: Comeback and payback

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The elimination round has come to a close but the massive logjam at the sixth spot has delayed the semifinal round. With that said, here are the best rookies in the 2012 PBA Governor’s Cup.

(Note: Best this week cutoff is games not before June 24, 2012)

Game starts now.

10 MAGI SISON / EXPRESS
NEW ENTRY
2.0PPG • 3.6RPG • 0.4BPG
Best this week: 6 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks (L VS PET)
I guess these stats were the reason why Sison upstaged Mark Barroca in the list. Hopefully this can be his ticket to have a more productive sophomore career.

9 RUDY LINGGANAY / TIGERS
LAST WEEK: 9
4.0PPG • 1.9RPG • 1.0APG
Best this week: 5 points and 2 rebounds (L VS BME)
Not much of a factor this week but I’m guessing he will be during Powerade’s attempt to steal a spot in the Top 6.

8 GILBERT BULAWAN / BOLTS
LAST WEEK: 6
5.2PPG • 3.0RPG • 0.3APG
Best this week: 6 points and 6 rebounds (W VS POW)
He was valuable against Powerade and he could have helped Meralco beat Barako Bull. Still, I doubt if he’ll return back to obscurity.

7 MAC BARACAEL / ACES
LAST WEEK: 7
7.2 • 2.9RPG • 0.3APG
Best this week: 4 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist (W VS A21)
It’s a bad way to end his rookie season but at least the Aces won. Besides, Baracael is off to other things like sealing the win for the country in the upcoming SEABA championship.

6 DYLAN ABABOU / KINGS
LAST WEEK: 5
5.8PPG • 3.1RPG • 0.6APG
Best this week: 7 points, 1 rebound and 1 block (L VS TNT)
As long as Mark Caguioa continues to out produce every Ginebra not named Cedric Bozeman, Ababou and Maliksi will continue to languish in the bench.

5 ALLEIN MALIKSI / KINGS
LAST WEEK: 8
8.1PPG • 2.1RPG • 0.4BPG
Best this week: 6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block (W VS BAR)
His stats got a huge shot in the arm via a much needed win against Barako Bull. I guess if Maliksi and Ababou can pile points and rebounds on a consistent basis, the future will be bright for them.

4 JAMES SENA / EXPRESS
LAST WEEK: 4
5.8PPG • 5.3RPG • 2.0APG
Best this week: 2 points and 1 assist (L VS PET)
After weeks of praise, Air21 decides to do the opposite and bench Sena. I don’t know what Sena did to get placed on the doghouse but at this point, the Express got owned by Alaska and almost won against Petron.

3 PAUL LEE / ELASTO PAINTERS
LAST WEEK: 3
14.3PPG • 2.6RPG • 3.5APG
Best this week: 18 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists (W VS TNT)
Paul Lee returned from a six quarter time off and then went nuts. If you saw how he matched Jayson Castro’s insane shooting in the second half, then expect that as a preview for his semifinal showing.

2 JV CASIO / TIGERS
LAST WEEK: 2
10.6PPG • 2.7RPG • 6.4APG • 0.7SPG
Best this week: 23 points, 2 rebounds and 9 assists (L VS BME)
This is the explosion we have been waiting for JV although, it could have been better if Casio’s scoring barrage translated into a win. Hopefully Casio beats Barako Bull and survives Meralco to still get that shot for the Top Rookie plum.

1 CHRIS LUTZ / BLAZE BOOSTERS
LAST WEEK: 1
12.6PPG • 4.1RPG • 4.0APG
Best this week: 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists (W VS A21)
Last week I was questioning his ability to translate his high-scoring with his team’s wins. Whenever Lutz scores big, Petron loses. Against Air21 he showed his top-scoring form and this time the Blaze Boosters came out victorious. So that serves as payback to what I wrote last week. Although… Lutz had a lot of help with Air21’s inability to close the game and Alex Cabagnot’s late-game heroics to close out the Express’ season.

Hey!

Here’s something I have never done before.

This season, this is the first time I will do a Rookie Rankings list without a B-Meg Llamados player. I’ve been calling it for some time now and well… you can’t blame Tim Cone for trusting Josh Urbiztondo and Jonas Villanueva more.

But then again maybe Mark Barroca will explode in the semis… as is the other guys?

When will Marcio Lassiter return?

By the way, I’m now going to do a separate list for my season rookies.

Find out next week!

GAME OVER!