By Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he thinks it will be at least May before any decision can be made about resumption of the 2019-20 season that was shut down amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

”Essentially, what I’ve told my folks over the last week is that we just should just accept that, at least for the month of April, we won’t be in a position to make any decisions,” Silver said Monday in an interview that was live streamed on the NBA’s Twitter account.

”And I don’t think that necessarily means on May 1 we will be,” he added.

The NBA was the first major US pro sports league to halt games, shutting down the season on the night of March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert became the first NBA player to test positive for the virus.

The NBA regular season was set to end on April 15, with the playoffs due to start on April 18 heading toward the June NBA Finals.

With continuing uncertainty over how the virus will continue to spread and when it might be contained Silver said no decision had been made as to whether to try to complete the regular season or possibly go straight to the playoffs.

Nor has the league homed in on scenarios such as staging a tournament-style playoffs in a single location, in one recent report possibly Las Vegas.

”I don’t want to leave the suggestion that we’re not doing everything we possibly can to restart under the right circumstances,” Silver said.

He noted, however, that once play can resume, the options won’t be unlimited.

”I will say, as I look out into the summer there does come a point where we would start impacting next season,” he said.

Silver said the league was still considering resuming play without fans, whether in NBA arenas, at practice facilities or in a single site tournament-style playoffs.

One report suggested the league was considering Las Vegas for such a tournament.

”There’s been a lot of conjecture about various cities and places that might hold a tournament,” he said. ”We’re in listening mode right now. We’ve been contacted by many of those jurisdictions to ask what our level of interest is.

”But there’s just too much unknown right now.

”The health of everyone involved in the NBA has to come first.”

Silver said he didn’t imagine when he made the call to shut down the league on March 11 that much of the United States would soon be under shelter-at-home orders as COVID-19 cases and deaths shot up in hubs including Seattle and New York.

”There wasn’t any of the widespread view that our country would in essence be entirely shut down over the next several weeks,” he said.

”The fact is sitting here today, I know less, in a way, than I did then.”

Silver noted that the NBA, and sports in general, were among the first US businesses to cease operations as health authorities counseled social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

He said he told President Donald Trump, who held a conference call with Silver and other major US sports league leaders on Saturday, that he believed ”all the leagues share this view that we would love to be part of the movement to restart the economy.

”Of course that can’t come in a way that would compromise safety,” he added.

While Silver remains concerned about the economic effect a more extended shut down will have on 55,000 people employed in the NBA — many of them on a game-day basis — he also said the increased use of technology for virtual meetings and such had led the league to explore ”more virtual ways that people could experience the game.

”How can we now think about opportunities using this downtime to re-express this experience for our fans?” Silver said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Reuters

Online bookmakers, already hit by the stoppage of live sports due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, suffered a further setback when the results of an NBA 2K20 video game tournament were leaked online.

The tournament features 16 current NBA players, seeded according to their past performance playing the game, battling one another from the comfort of their homes.

But despite the first-round games appearing to be played live when they were broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 2, they were actually pre-recorded.

“It became clear that somebody knew something, and that the results had been leaked,” David Strauss, head oddsmaker at MyBookie.ag, told Reuters.

“That’s a nightmare scenario for us. When a result is compromised, we close the lines and look for the info ourselves.

“It’s almost always in the forums or on Twitter.”

He added they were able to limit their losses by suspending betting.

The income of some betting companies has dropped by as much as 80% after the coronavirus pandemic brought global sport to a virtual standstill, forcing organizers to cancel, postpone or suspend events scheduled this year.

The lack of live action means many people have switched their focus to NBA 2K games, where a computer controls both teams.

When a wave of bets were placed on 16th-seeded Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones to beat top-seeded Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, which he did 78-62 on Friday, it became clear that those placing bets knew something.

“We initially made Durant the favorite to win the tournament but when …. the bets were completely one-sided toward Jones, it became obvious that someone knew the outcome of the game,” said SportsBetting.ag odds manager Robert Cooper, whose company lost a sum in the low five figures on the opening round.

NBA 2K did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The tournament’s second round features Patrick Beverley, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Andre Drummond, Rui Hachimura, Montrezl Harrell, Trae Young and Jones.

The winner will select a charity to receive a $100,000 donation – which will be made by 2K, the NBA and the NBA Players Association – to support the coronavirus relief efforts.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Former World Youth Championship campaigner Karl Victor Ochoa swept all his 15 games to reign supreme in the Chestropolis Arena done online Monday night.

Ochoa, 29, was a cut above the rest as he raked in a total of 56 points, 20 points ahead of eventual second placer Johnny Balquin of Cagayan de Oro, who finished with 36 points, to rule the event organized by Chesstropolis IQ Chess Club headed by National Master coach Roland Joseph Perez.

It was the third triumph for Ochoa in the last two days after also having won 2nd Golden Mind Arena the same day and another Chesstropolis Arena leg the day before.

In the Golden Mind tilt, Ochoa wound up with 51 points ahead of Letran standout Mark Daluz, who ended up with 50 while finishing with 37 in the Chesstropolis event over younger brother Kyle with 32.

In between, Ochoa was fifth in the Rising Pheonix Qualifier 4 that was topped by Asian Para Games gold medalist FIDE Master Sander Severino.

Ochoa, however, is training his sights on ruling an NCFP Bullet Championship leg after he only placed 10th in the third leg won by International Master Joel Pimentel.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

During his heyday, two-division world champion Gerry Peñalosa took on all comers, going even in the lion’s den in his daring quest to win a third world title in as many weight classes.

But the coronavirus is one opponent Peñalosa is not willing to test.

Not even in a light sparring session.

In fact, Peñalosa is so intimidated by the virus that originated in Wuhan that he hasn’t been out of his residence in Paranaque in more than three weeks.

Peñalosa, now 47, and retired from the fight game since 2010, has refrained from sneaking out the gate to check how the rest of the world is reacting to the pandemic.

“Delikado talaga (It’s really dangerous),” said Peñalosa in an interview with the Manila Bulletin.

Peñalosa, who left boxing with a 55-8-2 win-loss-draw record with 37 KOs and collected two world titlebelts—the World Boxing Council super-flyweight and World Boxing Organization bantamweight—has assigned someone to purchase the basic necessities his family needs.

Peñalosa has had advance notice before the government ordered a lockdown on March 15.

“When I saw him in the second week of March, Senator Manny [Pacquiao]told me that the President (Rodrigo Duterte) was seriously considering a lockdown,” said Peñalosa.

Anticipating the mad rush to the supermarket by the public the moment an announcement is made, Peñalosa went on a shopping spree.

“I went to the grocery and got what my family needed for two weeks,”said Peñalosa.

But it didn’t take long before Peñalosa used up his stockpile.

As his stash started to diminish, Peñalosa instructed his errand boy to reload.

Still, Penalosa feels for those who doesn’t have enough for grocery items.

“Naaawa ako sa mga taong na-sideline ng pandemic (I feel for those workers who were sidelined by the pandemic),” said Peñalosa, who won the WBC 115-lb title in Tokyo in February 1997 and the WBO 118-b plum in 2007 in Sacramento, California.

“Sa mundo ng boxing, kawawa ang mga boxers na umaasa lang sa bawat laban gaya rin ng mga trainers,” he said.

“Yung iba naman na kahit walang laban ay kahit paano ay kumikita kahit paano kasi nagtuturo sila sa mga fitness gyms.”

But with the lockdown in effect and the government looking to extend it to at least 15 more days or until the end of the month, these gyms will continue to be shut temporarily.

In a show of bravado in 2009, Peñalosa ventured into hostile territory, meeting Puerto Rican power-puncher Juan Manuel Lopez in Bayamon and losing when Freddie Roach decided that the Filipinosouthpaw had absorbed enough punishment.

A victory over Lopez would have given Peñalosa a third world title in as many weight divisions.

Over a decade later, and up against another formidable foe – COVID-19 – Peñalosa finds no need for Roach to step in. This time, he’s not taking any chances, throwing in the towel even before the opening bell.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By WAYLON GALVEZ

The Philippine Sports Commission has reminded national athletes and coaches to ‘strictly observe’ guidelines of the lockdown to avoid being infected by  COVID-19.

In a letter to national sports associations, the PSC reiterated these measures are being undertaken during the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine to stop the spread of the virus.

The PSC directed to “avoid non-essential travel, avoid close person to person interaction and practice 1-2 meter distancing at all places of convergence, keep yourself hydrated, well nourished with adequate sleep to boost immune system and stay at home.”

The last part of the PSC’s call to “stay at home” was emphasized after reports reached the sports agency that members of the national team are not violating the order.

“May mga reports tayo na natanggap na may mga lumalabas maski hindi naman para sa kanilang essential needs. We’re still verifying it, pero naglabas na din agad ang PSC,” said national training director Marc Velasco when contacted Tuesday by Manila Bulletin.

“It’s a call for them, the NSAs, to remind their athletes and coaches to please observe, follow the guidelines. It’s a reiteration of our previous message to them as the government continues with its efforts to flatten the curve.”

Velasco said that like other individuals, some athletes and coaches tend to assume there is less danger now since it has been three weeks since President Duterte announced the ECQ.

However, the PSC official said that should not be the case.

“Lagpas three weeks na kasi e, so may mga iba relax na relax, may tendency na ganun e. But we have to maintain the ECQ call of the government. That’s why we are calling to the NSA, please – it’s a general reminder to all the athletes and coaches – follow the guidelines,” said Velasco.

“These next two, three weeks will be crucial for all of us, for the whole country in our fight against Covid-19. We have to stay home as much as possible, stay safe with our families.”

Velasco said that the virus has not affected members of the national team, saying: “Malinis ang ating record. Maski nasa kanya-kanya silang tahanan, walang may sintomas.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

 

By WAYLON GALVEZ

For the past three weeks, PBA players have used their social media pages as a platform to encourage people to stay safe and healthy as the country continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their posts include calls for support to frontliners and people in need of assistance especially food, appeal for people to remain in their homes and show their respective training regimens to stay in shape.

These workouts are not just encouragements, but also a way to be ready once the league announces its return.

What about the coaches?

Well, almost all believe in the Greek saying that “A sound mind is in a sound body,” reason why PBA mentors do their own workouts despite the Luzon-wide lockdown.

The demands of preparing a team for the Philippine Cup, which began a month ago before it was halted, and the rigors of doing game plans is welcome stress to a coach. Minus the challenging stuff – scrimmages, scouting, strategizing, viewing films, brainstorming with assistants – coaches have to work overtime to fill up gaps.

Here are six coaches and their routine during this lethargic period:

 

 

TIM CONE

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

22-time champion

I really try to stay busy and keep my mind and body active. I spend most of the mornings working on a couple of writing projects while taking a short break to do a light workout.

Every other day or so, I’ll make time for an hour to call my daughter or son in the States on Viber to check on how they’re doing. My son is in San Francisco, while my daughter is in Washington, D.C.

Then after lunch, I make it a habit to watch and break down one NBA game in replay, picking out a team that I want to investigate – how they handle the pick and roll defense, how they transition into their offense, what are their multiple actions, their out-of-bound plays, etc., and I store it for later use and study. I also have a couple of Twitter basketball sites that I visit, and I have watched one of the free on-line seminars.

In the early afternoon, I spend a little more time working out – jump roping, band-work, etc. Then at 4:30, I work with my son in our small shooting court. He’s 14 and nearly 6-foot tall, so he has a chance to be a player. We work mostly on form shooting and balance and occasionally on ball handling.

Then, in the evening after dinner, I read fiction or sometimes listen to John Maxwell leadership audiotapes. Before drifting off to sleep, I’ll watch a little TV with my wife.

The very important moments of the day, though, are the lunches and dinners I have with my wife and son.

 

NORMAN BLACK

Meralco Bolts

11-time champion

I’ve been watching lots of YouTube games, NBA games and even old PBA games they’ve been showing on PBA Rush. I’m just like everybody else, just basically trying to keep myself busy.

I try to look at a lot of films, which is actually just a normal thing – because that’s part of the job being a coach. We always watch tapes, try to learn, try to pick up new things. Luckily for us we have the Internet, where we can pick up new ideas.

I also keep in touch with the players, I keep on reminding them ‘stay in shape’ as best as they can. Engage themselves in some type of activities at home. I told them to keep track on their weight – less playing time if they gain weight.

For me, I didn’t gain weight. As you know, I’m a physical fitness fanatic, even without the lockdown, I workout six days a week.

 

LEO AUSTRIA

San Miguel Beer

8-time champion 

The moment na sinabi sa amin ng PBA na cancel muna pati ensayo, naisip ko na at least two weeks or probably a month bakante tayo.

Talagang ako I really gave time to my health. You know naman na in the past five years halos nasa championship kami every conference, yung expectations sa amin of winning a title nanjaan palagi. So in the past five years nanjan yung stress. Wala halos pahinga. Ngayon, I devoted it sa rest, eating the right food and exercise.

But of course, I’m always thinking about our game plans. Ngayon mas madaling magisip kasi refresh and recharge e. Iniisip ko na now ano ang mga gagawin kapag balik ensayo na kami.

Ako binabalikan ko yung last game namin when we won against Magnolia to start our Philippine Cup campaign. We’re inspired kasi with that victory. Alam mo naman wala si June Mar Fajardo, but we were able to win.

Ano yung mga ginawa namin na maganda in that game, and what are the things that needs to be polished.

I personally call my players, reminding them to maintain their condition by doing lost of things on their training and to stay focused. Hindi rin kasi natin alam kelan ang balik ng PBA. So kapag sinabing balik na, ready kami.

Of course yung first five years ko sa team, yung eight championships namin it’s always in my mind – kumbaga fresh pa lahat sa akin yan. Kaya kung ano yung mga bagay na nakatulong sa amin para manalo, lahat yan iniisip ko ang kasama sa preparation for every game.

Nanonood din ako ng mga games – NBA, FIBA, and iba pang liga abroad. I try to observe what they’re trying to do.

Ang kaibahan lang ngayon talaga is yung stress, yung pressure nawala ng konti – kasi wala kang iisipin na game tomorrow. After two weeks, parang nabawasan nga yung ‘putting’ buhok ko.

 

YENG GUIAO

NLEX Road Warriors

7-time champion

Sa kakapanood ko ngayon ng YouTube, binabalikan ko yung mga games nung last World Cup. Hindi lang mga laro natin, pinapanood ko din yung ibang mga games like Argentina-France.

Dahil nga wala basketball sa TV (live)… or NBA, pinapanood ko din yung mga matches ng teams sa Europe, yun ang mga pinapanood ko. Ang daming napupulot, so parang lalo nadagdagan yung knowledge, it stirs your creativity.

Ang dami pa palang improvement and concepts, ang daming materials and maraming mapupulot pa. Sa tagal ko na na I’ve been coaching, parang iniisip mo nalaman mo na lahat.

Pero maski alam mo na yung isang bagay, there are other ways pa din yung mga ibang coaches in doing it. So puwede mong magamit, kaya now parang gusto mo na agad makabalik uli and magamit sa ensayo.

I think one way to cope in this situation, now that we are all in community quarantine, it’s not just we actively stay physically fit but mentally. So for me, that’s what I’ve been doing now in this situation.

I try to stay both mentally and physically active.

 

CHITO VICTOLERO

Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok

1-time champion

Of course araw araw nagwo-workout. Kasi kung maganda ang katawan, I mean kapag physically fit ka, makakapag-isip ka ng maayos.

Medyo nakapahinga and na refresh din ngayon habang naka quarantine tayo.

Maisip mo yung gusto mo ma-achieve or gusto mo maalis sa system. Madami ka actually na naiisip now na situational when it comes to the game. After workout, saka ko ginagawa yung mga yun.

Pinapanood ko yung mga dating games namin, and then I take notes. Ako binabalikan ko yung mga games namin last year, or noong 2018. Papanoorin ko tapos analyze.

May mga tapes ako na dinala dito sa Bulacan (Sta. Maria) and after ko panoorin yun, after ko ma-review, pinagaaralan ko ano mga positives, ano pwede maimprove para sa campaign namin this season, lalo ngayong Philippine Cup.

 

LOUIE ALAS

Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters

Madalas na tinatawagan ko yung mga assistant coaches ko, team doctors. Tinatanong ko sila palagi about the condition of the players. Of course, health wise and yung physical condition nila kasi hindi natin alam kelan ang balik ng PBA, so ready dapat lahat.

Halos everyday din ako mismo tinatawagn ko yung mga players ko and kinukumusta ko sila and their families. Siyempre iba yung panahon ngayon with the health crisis we’re facing now.

Actually pati ball boys kinukumusta ko din, tinatanong ko sila about their health… kasi pagbalik namin sa ensayo dapat pati sila ok din. Pinaghahandaan na din namin yung pagbabalik ng PBA, kaya sabi ko sa players tuloy-tuloy lang ang training sa bahay – at least ready kami.

I’m in touch with the trainers and players. Ang tingin ko kasi diyan, dapat kapag sabihin ng PBA na bukas or next week laro na, ready kami. Hindi yung parang back to zero ka.

For me, ang nabago lang sa ngayon – as a coach – yung lockdown. But as far as the things that I’m doing together with the coaching staff, ganun pa din naman and wala naman halos nabago.

Kagaya ng mga ginagawa naming before, I’m sending them clips (through email) that they’ll breakdown and edit, and then ibabalik nila sa akin with notes. Well, mas dumami lang ngayon yung pinadadala ko sa kanila.

Ang hindi lang talaga nagagawa ngayon is maglaro ng basketball, pero kung ano iyung mga bagay na ginagawa namin as coaches, ganun pa din naman. Trabaho pa din kami as coaches.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Philippine chess mourns the passing of international arbiter Gene Poliarco on Sunday due to cardiac arrest while on his way to the hospital in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

He was 77.

Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales relayed the news to the PH online chess community after receiving it from Poliarco’s son, Louie.

“Your memories will be with us always as legend!” Gonzales said. “In one way or another, (he) helped established and directed the shape and form of Philippine chess.”

Poliarco had been a chess arbiter for more than 40 years and was active in tournaments organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

He last conducted an arbitration seminar at the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence last year.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said everything is possible with regards to the schedule of the 45th season currently on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He and members of the Board of Governors, led by chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT KaTropa, are due to discuss the matter through video conference on Tuesday to see what steps the league can take in light of the pandemic that has forced parts of the country to undergo an enhanced community quarantine.

Marcial said there’s likelihood the league can retain a compact three-conference calendar, a two-conference season and even a single conference, depending on when things get back to normal.

“Pwedeng i-adjust hanggang April next year, pwedeng one conference, pwedeng two conferences. Depende sa sitwasyon kaya anything is possible,” Marcial told the Manila Bulletin.

The PBA initially ruled off the prospect of reducing the number of conferences due to factors concerning commitments on television, sponsors and venue partners.

While he has since opened up on a reduced calendar, Marcial insists these factors will play a deciding role on the season’s future.

“Madaming factor yan, yung sa TV at sponsors. Madaming aasikasuhin dyan, pati venues. Adjust lahat kasi.”

The fate of other league-related activities are also expected to be tackled in the online meeting.

One of which is the possible cancellation of the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup which held three playdates prior to the decision to suspend the games last March 11.

The likely comes as 11 of 12 teams participating in the developmental tournament are school-based, namely University of Santo Tomas, Letran, La Salle, Centro Escolar University and Mapua.

The PBA has employed a three-conference since its inception and 1975 before shifting to a two-conference schedule during the 2004-05 season for the next six years.

It reverted back to the three-conference calendar in 2010 and has continued with the original format since.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

Life before the lockdown for Manny Pacquiao was a blur.

During the pre-coronavirus world, Pacquiao made it a point to attend to his Senate duties since he had no scheduled fight in the foreseeable future.

Whenever he wasn’t on the Senate floor, Pacquiao would either be attending a political meeting or immersed in monitoring the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

But the COVID-19 pandemic has turned Pacquiao’s daily routine upside down.

In the past, Sunday was the only day of the week when he made himself available to his five kids although there were a few times when this wasn’t the case.

The past three weeks, Pacquiao has remained at home in their Dasmarinas Village residence.

From somebody whose time with family is divided at best, Pacquiao is now making up for lost time.

“The last time I went out was when we (Senate) worked on the P270-billion that will soon be given to the people,” said Pacquiao.

That was March 23 and since then, Pacquiao hasn’t been out, opting to remain indoors to spend quality time with Jinkee, Jimwell, Michael, Queenie, Princess and Israel.

“This has never happened to us because I was always out,” said Pacquiao, 41, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and reigning World Boxing Association welterweight titlist.

“Bumabawi talaga dahil we’ve been bonding very well the last three weeks,” said Pacquiao, who, at one point, dared the four kids to try ginamos (bagoong), a fermented shrimp paste that is a staple in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“This is what we ate when we had nothing to eat,” said Pacquiao in between bites of steamed bananas dipped in Ginamos on his social media account.

Turning to his passion, main passion that is boxing, Pacquiao told the Manila Bulletin that he is looking forward to the day when everything gets back to normal.

“I’m just waiting for this (pandemic) to subside and then I will plan my next fight.”

Told about the possibility of hanging up his gloves in the event he fails to land a fight in 2020, Pacquiao insists retirement is not on his radar screen just yet.

“Malakas pa tayo and I feel young,” said Pacquiao, whose last fight shocked the boxing world when he beat previously undefeated Keith Thurman, ten years his junior.

“Wala pa, hindi pa tayo mag-retire,” he added.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

Patients showing mild symptoms of COVID-19 are ready to be housed and treated at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) said Monday.

The NAS was turned into a makeshift hospital in a matter of days in anticipation of a rise in cases of the coronavirus with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority taking charge during the transformation.

The NAS, which was refurbished in time for last year’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games, can accommodate 110 beds.

“It’s ready to be turned over to the Department of Health and the AFP-Medical,” said PSC national training director Marc Velasco.

The PSC doesn’t have any role in operating the venue, according to Velasco, noting that the PSC’s only participation in the endeavour was providing the site.

The military will be tasked to secure the NAS during the operations.

Aside from the NAS, the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, less than 300 meters away, is being eyed to house PUMs and PUIs as the government steps up its drive to contain the virus.

Source: Manila Bulletin