Alex Cabagnot Explained

Alex Cabagnot
Position:Point guard / shooting guard / head coach
League:PBA
Team:Converge FiberXers
Number:5
Nationality:Filipino
Birth Date:8 December 1982
Birth Place:Quezon City, Philippines
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lbs:180
High School:Eagle Rock (Los Angeles, California)
College:
Draft Year Pba:2005
Draft Round Pba:1
Draft Pick Pba:2
Draft Team Pba:Sta. Lucia Realtors
Career Start:2005
Coach Start:2016
Years1:2005–2007
Team1:Sta. Lucia Realtors
Years2:2007–2009
Team2:Coca-Cola Tigers
Years3:2009–2010
Team3:Burger King Whoppers
Years4:2010–2014
Team4:San Miguel Beermen / Petron Blaze Boosters
Years5:2014
Team5:GlobalPort Batang Pier
Years6:2014–2021
Team6:San Miguel Beermen
Years7:2021–2023
Team7:Terrafirma Dyip
Years8:2023–2024
Team8:Goyang Sono Skygunners
Years9:2024
Team9:Taiwan Mustangs
Years10:2024–present
Team10:Converge FiberXers
Cyears1:2016–2019
Cteam1:UP Fighting Maroons (skills coach)
Cyears2:2024
Cteam2:Bacolod City of Smiles
Awards:

Alexander Cabagnot Jr. (born December 8, 1982) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Converge FiberXers of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He plays the point guard position. Alex once had a rivalry with Mark Caguioa for the Eagle Rock High School scoring record.[1]

Professional career

He was drafted by the Sta. Lucia Realtors, but after playing 2 seasons he was dealt to the Coca-Cola Tigers along with the aging Kenneth Duremdes and Ricky Calimag in exchange for Denok Miranda, Manny Ramos and Coca-Cola's 2007 second round draft pick.

Cabagnot led all rookies during his rookie year in scoring (10.3 points per game), assists (4.7), steals (1.1) and minutes played (28.1). He was third in the league in the assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5) behind Jimmy Alapag and Johnny Abarrientos.

On January 5, 2010, he was traded to the Burger King Whoppers along with Wesley Gonzales, for Gary David and Chico Lanete. He played for several games with Burger King, finishing at the 8th spot of the 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup. During the off-season of the 2009–2010 Fiesta Conference, he was traded to the San Miguel Beermen, for Mike Cortez.

As a Beermen, Cabagnot quickly emerged as the starting quarterback for the team. Cabagnot dropped game winning shots during eliminations earning his nickname "The Crunchman". He did it on Alaska Aces, B-Meg Derby Ace Llmados scoring a basket on crucial possession. During game 1 of the 2010–2011 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series against the crowd favorite Ginebra Gin Kings, Alex made a clutch basket leaving the Gin Kings with only over a second. This nailed the series to a 1–0 lead in favor of the Beermen. SMB eventually won the duel in six games 4–2. In 2011, Cabagnot together with Arwind Santos and Danny Ildefonso lead Petron Blaze Boosters to a Governor's Cup title by hacking out a 4–3 decider in 7 games, thus foiling the Grand Slam bid of Talk N Text & captured his first PBA crown as a player.

On February 18, 2014, he was part of a complex four-team, seven player trade which sent him to GlobalPort. With his new team, he reunites with old teammate Jay Washington and provided veteran leadership.[2] He said, "(The trade) came a little bit as an 'I-didn't-see-it-coming,' but when it did sink in, I just have to be a pro, go to the next team and try to do what I did with Petron and my other teams before".[3] On June 11, 2014, Cabagnot almost recorded a triple-double for GlobalPort Batang Piers as he racked up 19 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists but in a losing effort to the Air21 Express.

On October 26, 2014, Cabagnot recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in a win over the Barako Bull Energy Boosters.

During the playoffs of the 2014–15 PBA Philippine Cup, Alex Cabagnot was traded back to San Miguel for Sol Mercado.

On October 14, 2016, Cabagnot was recognized during the PBA Leo Awards Night as he was named to the PBA Mythcial Second Team.[4]

On June 21, 2019, during the 2019 Commissioner's Cup, Cabagnot scored a conference-high 31 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 6 assists in a win over the Alaska Aces. He led the Beermen in a much-needed win as they now have a record of 2–3 for the conference.[5]

On November 13, 2021, he was traded to the Terrafirma Dyip for Simon Enciso.[6] On December 18, he suffered a torn achilles tendon during a game against the NLEX Road Warriors which ended his season.[7]

On April 14, 2022, he signed a two-year contract extension with Terrafirma.[8] On October 19, 2023, he became an unrestricted free agent after being released by the team.[9]

On December 18, 2023, he signed with the Goyang Sono Skygunners of the Korean Basketball League, replacing Joshua Torralba as the team's Asian import.[10]

On August 5, 2024, Cabagnot returns to the PBA where he signed with the Converge FiberXers.[11]

PBA career statistics

As of the end of 2022–23 season[12] [13]

Season-by-season averages

|-| align=left | | align=left | Sta. Lucia| 35 || 28.1 || .349 || .266 || .681 || 3.3 || 4.7 || 1.1 || .3 || 10.3|-| align=left rowspan=2| | align=left | Sta. Lucia| rowspan=2|45 || rowspan=2|33.3 || rowspan=2|.424 || rowspan=2|.322 || rowspan=2|.703 || rowspan=2|3.5 || rowspan=2|6.4 || rowspan=2|1.3 || rowspan=2|.2 || rowspan=2|10.9|-| align=left | Coca-Cola|-| align=left | | align=left | Coca-Cola| 37 || 33.8 || .343 || .360 || .667 || 3.0 || 4.6 || 1.1 || .2 || 11.0|-| align=left | | align=left | Coca-Cola| 32 || 37.0 || .356 || .240 || .667 || 3.6 || 5.3 || 1.4 || .4 || 10.8|-| align=left rowspan=3| | align=left | Coca-Cola| rowspan=3|50 || rowspan=3|23.0 || rowspan=3|.376 || rowspan=3|.250 || rowspan=3|.693 || rowspan=3|3.6 || rowspan=3|5.5 || rowspan=3|1.0 || rowspan=3|.3 || rowspan=3|10.2|-| align=left | Burger King|-| align=left | San Miguel|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel / Petron| 54 || 30.2 || .395 || .321 || .728 || 4.2 || 5.8 || 1.0 || .4 || 9.7|-| align=left | | align=left | Petron| 46 || 35.5 || .390 || .384 || .745 || 3.6 || 6.2 || 1.1 || .3 || 13.4|-| align=left | | align=left | Petron| 47 || 32.2 || .407 || .321 || .747 || 3.7 || 5.1 || 1.2 || .2 || 11.9|-| align=left rowspan=2| | align=left | Petron | rowspan=2|34 || rowspan=2|35.6 || rowspan=2|.378 || rowspan=2|.311 || rowspan=2|.696 || rowspan=2|4.4 || rowspan=2|6.2 || rowspan=2|1.3 || rowspan=2|.2 || rowspan=2|13.1|-| align=left | GlobalPort|-| align=left rowspan=2| | align=left | GlobalPort| rowspan=2|52 || rowspan=2|29.5 || rowspan=2|.366 || rowspan=2|.350 || rowspan=2|.705 || rowspan=2|4.5 || rowspan=2|4.7 || rowspan=2|.8 || rowspan=2|.1 || rowspan=2|11.1|-| align=left | San Miguel|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel| 56 || 32.5 || .404 || .342 || .745 || 3.6 || 4.0 || 1.0 || .1 || 14.3|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel| 56 || 35.8 || .386 || .339 || .765 || 5.5 || 4.5 || 1.3 || .1 || 16.2|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel| 51 || 34.0 || .375 || .276 || .795 || 4.6 || 5.4 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.8|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel| 56 || 29.9 || .383 || .325 || .790 || 3.3 || 3.7 || 1.2 || .1 || 13.3|-| align=left | | align=left | San Miguel| 12 || 29.6 || .401 || .250 || .711 || 3.8 || 3.8 || .8 || .0 || 12.6|-| align=left rowspan=2| | align=left | San Miguel| rowspan=2|17 || rowspan=2|23.9 || rowspan=2|.390 || rowspan=2|.208 || rowspan=2|.743 || rowspan=2|3.3 || rowspan=2|3.0 || rowspan=2|.4 || rowspan=2|.0 || rowspan=2|10.5|-| align=left | Terrafirma|-| align=left | | align=left | Terrafirma| 20 || 25.1 || .306 || .250 || .667 || 3.6 || 4.9 || .5 || .1 || 8.0|- class=sortbottom| align=center colspan=2 | Career| 700 || 31.6 || .381 || .317 || .728 || 3.9 || 5.0 || 1.1 || .2 || 12.1

Off the court

In December 2019, Cabagnot, along with his cousin Cris Gopez, established Fil-Am Nation Select, a program where young players with Filipino lineage can know more about Philippine basketball in the hope of bringing them over to play in leagues or even with Gilas Pilipinas.[14] Aside from basketball, they have expanded the program to include volleyball, football, ice hockey, and baseball.[15] [16] Among the basketball players Fil-Am Nation has handled include college standout Zavier Lucero and pro Sedrick Barefield.[17] [18]

Cabagnot and Gopez also handle a basketball recreation league, Edge Basketball International, that boasts Atlanta Hawks draftee Onyeka Okongwu as one of its former players.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Cabagnot looking to future as newest member of UP coaching staff. ABS-CBN Sports. September 4, 2016. September 4, 2016.
  2. Web site: Petron/San Miguel set to trade Alex Cabagnot to GlobalPort for Sol Mercado – SPIN.PH. Snow. Badua. February 17, 2014.
  3. Web site: GlobalPort new boy Alex Cabagnot admits he didn't see trade coming – SPIN.PH. Richard. Dy. February 19, 2014.
  4. News: PBA Leo Awards 2016 Winners & Nominees (Complete List) . PinoyBoxBreak . October 18, 2016 .
  5. Web site: Alex Cabagnot keys crucial win by San Miguel vs. Alaska. ABS CBN News. June 21, 2019. July 12, 2019.
  6. News: SMB sends Cabagnot to Terrafirma for Enciso . PBA.ph . November 13, 2021 . November 13, 2021.
  7. News: Gerry . Ramos . December 18, 2021 . OUCH! Alex Cabagnot suffers torn Achilles in NLEX game, says coach . Spin.ph . April 15, 2022.
  8. News: Gerry . Ramos . April 15, 2022 . Alex Cabagnot signed to a new contract by Terrafirma . Spin.ph . April 15, 2022.
  9. News: Gerry . Ramos . October 19, 2023 . Veteran Alex Cabagnot turns unrestricted free agent . Spin.ph . October 19, 2023.
  10. News: Matthew . Li . December 18, 2023 . Alex Cabagnot replaces Josh Torralba as Goyang Sono import . Tiebreaker Times . December 18, 2023.
  11. News: August 5, 2024 . Welcome to the #PurpleNation, Alex Cabagnot, our new Converge FiberXers player! . Facebook.com . August 5, 2024 .
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20161116164900/http://www.pba-online.net/profile/Alex-Cabagnot/3/
  13. https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Alex-Cabagnot/Summary/40318#International
  14. Web site: Leongson . Randolph B. . April 30, 2020 . Cabagnot's group sets up platform to identify cream of Fil-Am crop . January 31, 2023 . Spin.ph . en.
  15. Web site: Reyes . Kate . March 27, 2021 . Cabagnot's Fil-Am scouting group adds ice hockey to their prospects radar . January 31, 2023 . Spin.ph . en.
  16. Web site: Times . Tiebreaker . 2021-12-23 . Fil-Am Nation holds tryouts for Baseball NT . 2023-01-31 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
  17. Web site: Garcia . John Mark . February 18, 2022 . Top Fil-Am recruit Zav Lucero a UPMBT ‘game-changer’ . January 31, 2023 . Tinig ng Plaridel . en-US.
  18. Web site: Li . Matthew . May 13, 2022 . Sedrick Barefield to miss PBA Draft . January 31, 2023 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
  19. Web site: Reyes . Kate . November 27, 2020 . NBA rookie Onyeka Okongwu trained in Alex Cabagnot's youth league . January 31, 2023 . Spin.ph . en.