By Jan Carlo Anolin

The odds were in favor of former Ateneo Lady Eagle Gretchen Ho after having been selected as one of the torchbearers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch relay.

Ho took her excitement on Twitter, announcing the news together with a photo posing in front of the Youth Olympic Park in Singapore.

“As the result of a rigorous screening process, you have been officially selected as a torchbearer for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay!” the announcement read.

GREAT NEWS TO END 2019.

Guess who’s going to be a torchbearer at the @Tokyo2020 Olympics??? This is every athlete’s dream!!! I. Just. Can’t. Wait. For the new year to begiiiin! #tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/MW2DWqSIwL

— Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) December 28, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

A report by ABS-CBN News disclosed that around 10,000 torchbearers are expected to join the relay.

The athlete-turned-media personality later clarified that she is not the country’s official flagbearer. “Will definitely be a proud Filipino there though.”

With the theme “Hope Lights Our Way,” the torch relay will kick off on March 26, 2020 in Fukushima Prefecture with all 47 prefectures covered to showcase the various “cultural and scenic attractions of the regions.”

According to the Games official website, “the flame will traverse Japan for a total of 121 days.” It also aims to pay homage and show solidarity with victims in the regions still recovering from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

On March 12, the flame will be lighted up in ancient Olympia, Greece and will arrive at the Matsushima Airbase in Miyagi prefecture on March 20.

The Games will begin on July 24, 2020.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James isn’t about to be drawn into a social media spat with teammate Kyle Kuzma over critical comments from Kuzma’s trainer.

James, speaking to reporters on Saturday in Portland ahead of the Lakers’ NBA game against the Trail Blazers, said he’d spoken to Kuzma, and wasn’t bothered by the social media remarks of trainer Clint Parks apparently comparing James unfavorably to Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Kuz came to me yesterday at practice and told me what’s going on, and that was it,” James said.

“I really don’t care for someone’s trainer or whatever the case may be. Everyone can have their own opinion.

“Any time someone wants to get some notoriety, they can throw my name in it and people are going to pick it up. That’s why you asked me about it. My name was in it. I’ve never met the guy. I don’t know the guy. I couldn’t care less about the guy.”

Kuzma, who is averaging 11.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game off the bench for the Lakers this season, confirmed he had addressed the matter with James.

“I just told him I can’t control what another man says,” Kuzma said of his conversation with LeBron.

“Obviously I don’t feel that way. Everybody knows that me and ‘Bron have a great relationship … and I left it at that.”

The drama comes with the Lakers on a four-game losing streak, with James battling a groin contusion suffered in a collision with Patrick Beverley in the team’s Christmas Day loss to the Clippers.

Despite the skid, the Lakers went into Saturday’s game at Portland leading the Western Conference with a 24-7 record that put them ahead of the Denver Nuggets.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder has been fined $25,000 for intentionally making contact with a game official, the NBA announced on Saturday.

The German player received a technical foul for the incident, which occurred with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter of Oklahoma City’s 104-102 overtime victory over the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday.

Schroder, irked that officials failed to call a foul on Charlotte’s Cody Zeller, batted the forearm of referee CJ Washington.

Schroder came off the bench to score 24 points in the victory.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Zach Randolph, who starred on the “grit and grind” Memphis Grizzlies teams that made seven straight NBA playoff appearances from 2011-2017 called time on his 17-year career on Saturday.

The big man nicknamed Z-Bo announced his retirement on Twitter the day after scoring eight points in 15 minutes on the floor for the Sacramento Kings in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.

“I gave this game my all, and it gave everything back and more,” the 38-year-old tweeted.

Randolph selected 19th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2001 NBA draft, ends his career with 18,578 points and 10,208 rebounds.

He was a two-time All-Star and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after the 2003-04 season.

After leaving Portland he played for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Grizzlies and Kings.

His parting statement thanked all of those teams for contributing to his “incredible journey.”

“Special thank you to the Memphis Grizzlies and the entire city which I will forever call my home,” added Randolph, who teamed with Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Tony Allen on Memphis teams that became known as some of the toughest in the league.

He helped the Grizzlies to their first playoff series win in 2011, when the stunned the San Antonio Spurs. They reached the Western Conference finals in 2013.

The Grizzlies announced in 2017 that they will retire Randolph’s jersey.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Luka Doncic had 31 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in his ninth triple-double of the season and the Dallas Mavericks routed the Golden State Warriors 141-121 on Saturday night.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 18 and Seth Curry added 17 off the bench for the Mavericks. They snapped the Warriors’ four-game winning streak.

D’Angelo Russell had 30 points and eight 3-pointers in the first half but injured his neck after falling and colliding with Dwight Powell during the third quarter. Russell returned for the start of the fourth, but the Warriors were down by 19 at that point. He finished with 35 points and six assists and shot 13 for 21.

The Mavericks pulled away when Russell was out, outscoring the Warriors 45-24 in the third quarter. Hardaway made a deep 3 with 6:55 left in the third to give the Mavericks an eight-point lead that would only grow as the game went on.

HEAT 117, 76ERS 116, OT

MIAMI — Jimmy Butler made the second of two free throws with 2.3 seconds left in overtime, giving Miami a wild victory over Philadelphia.

Butler finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help improved its NBA-best home record to 15-1 and move back into second place in the Eastern Conference. He was fouled by Al Horford as he tried a jumper for the lead, missed the first foul shot and then connected on the second.

Tobias Harris had a good look at a 3-pointer as time expired, but his shot from the right corner hit the rim and bounced away.

Miami got a one-point win for the second straight night, after topping Indiana at home Friday. Philadelphia lost by one for the second straight night, after falling at Orlando on Friday — the first time the 76ers have lost consecutive games by a single point since Jan. 25 and 27, 1995.

Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia.

LAKERS 128, TRAIL BLAZERS 120

PORTLAND, Ore— Kyle Kuzma scored 24 points, LeBron James had 21 points and 16 assists, and Los Angeles Lakers snapped a season-long four-game losing streak.

Kuzma highlighted a strong performance by the Lakers’ reserves, who provided 72 bench points. Portland’s bench scored 36 points.

Anthony Davis added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers.

Damian Lillard had a game-high 31 points for Portland, which dropped its third straight. Hassan Whiteside had 19 points and 16 rebounds.

RAPTORS 113, CELTICS 97

BOSTON — Kyle Lowry scored 30 points, Serge Ibaka had 20 and Toronto snapped Boston’s five-game winning streak.

Patrick McCaw and Fred VanVleet each added 18 points to help defending champion Toronto avenge a loss on Christmas and send Boston to its second loss in 15 games at home this season.

Kemba Walker led the Celtics with 30 points, and Jaylen Brown had 17.

Playing their first game since losing by 16 to the Celtics on Wednesday — the first NBA game in Canada on Christmas — the Raptors never trailed in breaking a two-game losing streak.

Toronto was without two of its top four scorers due to injuries — Pascal Siakam (groin) and Norman Powell (left shoulder subluxation). The Raptors also were missing center Marc Gasol (left hamstring). All three were injured Dec. 18 at Detroit.

ROCKETS 108, NETS 98

HOUSTON — James Harden had 44 points and 10 rebounds and Houston built a big early lead and withstood a late rally from Brooklyn.

Houston has won five of six games, with its only loss coming against Golden State on Christmas.

Russell Westbrook and the Nets’ Taurean Prince were both ejected with about 20 seconds to go when they started yelling at each other after Prince fouled Westbrook.

Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 17 points and 11 assists.

BUCKS 111, MAGIC 110

MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton scored 21 points and NBA-leading Milwaukee overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence for the second straight night.

Antetokounmpo, the NBA MVP last season, also missed the Bucks’ victory Friday in Atlanta because of back soreness.

Middleton also had seven assists and five rebounds to help the Bucks improve to 29-5 overall and 16-2 at home. Ersan Ilyasova, starting in place of Antetokounmpo, had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Evan Fournier led Orlando with 23 points.

NUGGETS 119, GRIZZLIES 110

DENVER— Nikola Jokic scored a season-high 31 points and had 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season and 35th overall, leading Denver past Memphis.

Will Barton added 20 points and Jamal Murray and Mason Plumlee each had 15 to help the Nuggets win for the eighth time in nine games. Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 20 points.

BULLS 116, HAWKS 81

CHICAGO— Lauri Markkanen had 25 points, Zach LaVine added 19 and Chicago nearly led wire-to-wire against short-handed Atlanta.

Battling an illness and questionable until a few hours before the game, Markkanen was 8 for 14 from the field, making 4 of 9 3-pointers. The Bulls have has won three of four.

John Collins had 34 points for the NBA-worst Hawks. They have dropped 10 straight for the second time this season.

PELICANS 120, PACERS 98

NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Ingram scored 24 points, Jrue Holiday added 20 and New Orleans won its third straight.

JJ Redick scored 15 points, and Lonzo Ball added 13 for New Orleans. Aaron Holiday scored 25 points for Indiana.

KNICKS 107, WIZARDS 100

WASHINGTON— Julius Randle scored 30 points and equaled a season high with 16 rebounds, Bobby Portis added 17 points and New York.

It was the Knicks’ second straight victory, just the second time this season they’ve won two straight. Both wins have come on the road. Isaiah Thomas and Jordan McRae each scored 20 points for Washington.

SPURS 136, PISTONS 109

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan had 29 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 25 points and 12 rebounds and San Antonio hit a season-high 18 3-pointers.

San Antonio was 18 for 35 from 3-point range, including a career-high five by Aldridge. San Antonio set a season-high with 42 points in the third quarter, fueled by a 25-9 run.

Andre Drummond had 21 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit.

SUNS 112, KINGS 110

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Devin Booker had 32 points and 10 assists and Phoenix held off Sacramento to snap an eight-game losing streak.

Kelly Oubre Jr. added 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Ricky Rubio had 21 points and eight assists.
Buddy Hield scored 23 points for Sacramento. The Kings have lost six straight.

CAVALIERS 94, TIMBERWOLVES 88

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Darius Garland and Collin Sexton each scored 18 points and Cleveland overcame an NBA season high-tying 29 turnovers to hold off Minnesota.

Tristan Thompson added 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers.

Jeff Teague scored 18 points for Minnesota.

JAZZ 120, CLIPPERS 107

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Jordan Clarkson added 19 points in his second game with his new team, and Utah beat the Clippers.

Clarkson, who was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, came off the bench to shoot 7 of 13 from the field. The Jazz shot 48.6% from 3-point range to win for the seventh time in eight games.

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and Paul George added 19 for the Clippers.

The Jazz scored the last 11 points of the game to seal the victory, holding the Clippers scoreless over the final 3:35.

The Clippers made just four field goals in the fourth quarter.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Field Level Media-Reuters

One week after leaving the University of Memphis to prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft, potential No. 1 overall pick James Wiseman hired Excel Sports on Friday to serve as his agents.

The move, first reported by ESPN and confirmed by Forbes, ends Wiseman’s NCAA eligibility.

On Dec. 19, the 7-foot-1 freshman center withdrew from Memphis in the middle of a 12-game NCAA suspension. The college governing body had ruled that he and his family received impermissible benefits.

The NCAA determined that Memphis coach Penny Hardaway — before he was hired by the university — provided $11,500 to help Wiseman and his family move from Nashville, Tenn., to Memphis in 2017.

The top overall recruit in the Class of 2019, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in three games with the Tigers.

Wiseman would have been eligible to return to the Memphis lineup on Jan. 12, but instead he is now free to start gearing up for the NBA draft, scheduled for June 25 at Barclays Center in New York.

Excel Sports’ basketball client list includes Kevin Love, Nikola Jokic, Blake Griffin, CJ McCollum, Hassan Whiteside and Andre Drummond, according to Forbes.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Jared Dillinger admitted having mixed emotions going into the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals as he faces former team Meralco for the first time as a member of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Dillinger will now be on the other side of the fence after he and the Bolts lost to Ginebra in Game 7 of the 2017 Governors’ Cup Finals held before a record crowd of 54,086 at the Philippine Arena.

The 35-year-old forward said that while he still carries sentimental feelings about his time with the Bolts, he also understands that there’s business that needs to be done.

“Being in the MVP Group for almost 10-11 years, I’m not gonna lie to you and say that it’s just gonna be another game,” Dillinger said after Ginebra held practice at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Ortigas.

Dillinger played for Talk ’N Text from 2008-2013, winning five championships, before joining Meralco in 2013 after a three-team, five-player trade with Barako Bull.

“I have a lot of memories there, a lot of respect for Meralco and for the MVP Group,” he added. “But again, I couldn’t be happier to be here with San Miguel Corporation. They’ve given me the opportunity to play and just for that alone, I’m gonna put my blood, sweat and soul.”

He added: “So regardless of whoever’s on the other side, I’m gonna battle. I’m gonna battle, for sure.”

Dillinger signed with Ginebra last June after being placed in the unrestricted free agent list by Meralco. He had played just five games after missing the whole duration of the Commissioner’s Cup due to a nagging quad injury.

He logged a total of 31 minutes since debuting for Ginebra last Nov. 15 against the Columbian Dyip and played all four games of the Kings’ semifinal series win over the NorthPort Batang Pier, posting five points in 12 minutes in Game 1.

“It’s pretty difficult,” he said. “But I’ve been putting my time in, I’ve been doing extra work on the side, trying to learn and soak up as much as I can and I’m gonna stay ready. If coach’s gonna call my name, I’m ready and that’s how you treat it.”

Having Dillinger should give Ginebra more ideas on how to beat Meralco, given his familiarity with coach Norman Black’s system. Dillinger, however, stressed that there’s no need for him to provide inputs.

“Coach Cone and all the coaching staff, they’ve been coaches for a long time. So they’re experienced in their level and their IQ is a lot higher than mine, so I think they know what to do,” said Dillinger.

“If they ever do ask me something, yeah I’ll say my two cents. But you know, his (Cone) job as a coach is to coach us and my job is to play so I’m just gonna play.”

Dillinger recalled how he and his former Meralco teammates discussed about trying to get back in the Finals. While it did come to fruition, Dillinger won’t be on their side this time.

“We’re on group chats and we talk and we were saying earlier in the season that how great it would be if we all play each other in the Finals again. And lo and behold, we’re now here,” he said.

“It’s great. It’s cool that it’s the third time playing in four years. So it’s gonna be a great series.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

He was the Fun Guy. The board man who got paid. He overcame injury to reclaim his rightful place as one of the very best basketball players on the planet. He conquered the NBA world for a second time, bringing a championship to Canada. And then he joined the Los Angeles Clippers, ready to start anew.

“What it do, baby?”

For Kawhi Leonard in 2019, there finally is an answer to his infamous question: He did everything, without talking much.

Leonard is The Associated Press’ male athlete of the year for 2019, comfortably winning a vote by AP member sports editors and AP beat writers. He becomes the fifth NBA player to win the award, joining Larry Bird (1986), three-time recipient Michael Jordan (1991 through 1993), three-time recipient LeBron James (2013, 2016, 2018) and Stephen Curry (2015). The award has been made annually since 1931, and Simone Biles was announced Thursday as the women’s recipient for 2019.

Leonard was the NBA Finals MVP for the second time, leading Toronto to its first championship — five years after he first smudged his fingerprints on both trophies with the San Antonio Spurs. He wound up leaving the Raptors in the summer for the Clippers, returning to his native Southern California and turning the historically woeful franchise into one of the top teams in the league.

“The ride was fun,” Leonard said earlier this month on his return trip to Toronto, summing up his year with the Raptors. “I had a great time.”

By now, it’s no secret that Leonard is a man of few words.

He is not a man of few accomplishments.

He received more than twice as many points in the balloting as any of the other 18 vote-getters. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was second, followed by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tennis star Rafael Nadal and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

“Kawhi’s pretty steady,” said San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, Leonard’s former coach with the Spurs. “He’s not a big talker. He doesn’t try to find the limelight or anything like that. He’s just a good guy who wanted to be good.”

Somewhere along the way, he became great.

Leonard was the best player in last season’s playoffs, after a regular season where he missed 22 games mostly because of what has become known as “load management” — the fancy term used on nights when he would sit out to rest. Leonard missed most of the 2017-18 season with the Spurs because of a complicated leg issue, and the NBA said last month that he is still dealing with “an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee.”

He was limping at times in the playoffs, but it didn’t matter. He averaged 30.5 points and 9.1 rebounds in the postseason, his 732 points in last year’s playoffs ranking as the third-most in any NBA playoff year. In the biggest times, he came up the biggest — 15 points in the fourth quarter to carry Toronto past Milwaukee in the series-turning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, and 17 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against Golden State to put the Raptors on the cusp of the title.

And, of course, he made The Shot: the four-bounce-off-the-rim, at-the-buzzer jump shot from the corner to beat Philadelphia in Game 7 of the second round.

“Without a doubt,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse mused during the playoff run, “the best thing about this thing is that somehow I wound up on the sideline getting to watch this guy play up close.”

Leonard performed at that lofty level even while dealing with a major distraction. During the NBA Finals, it was revealed that Leonard filed a federal lawsuit against Nike and claimed the footwear and apparel giant was blocking him from using a logo that he believes he owns.

“There’s a lot of guys that are like, ‘Look, I’m going to find a way to win and in a seven-game series I’m going to get the best of you in the end,’” said Miami’s Jimmy Butler, who was with Philadelphia last season and saw up-close what makes Leonard tick. “But he’s definitely up there. Your respect just grows. Push, pull, whatever he’s got to do. … He’s going to find a way.”

During the playoffs, Leonard’s “I’m a fun guy” quote that he offered on his arrival in Toronto became a meme and a marketing slogan. So did his “Board man gets paid” line. And after the Raptors won the title, Serge Ibaka’s video of Leonard went viral — they were in the back of a car, on the way to the parade, and Ibaka teed him up for the next unforgettable saying.

“Fun Guy, what’s up baby?” Ibaka asked.

The answer was classic Leonard. Short, sweet, to the point.

“I’m playing to have fun and try to be the best player I can be,” Leonard said. “I’m happy with myself and what I have done in my career and I’m just going to keep on from there. It’s not about me being famous or want to have more fame than those guys. It’s about me playing basketball and having fun on the floor.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Evan Fournier scored 20 points and Orlando survived a collapse from the free throw line in the final minute in the Magic’s 98-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Aaron Gordon had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando. Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris each had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Embiid missed a desperation 30-footer at the buzzer.

Orlando led 93-83 after Gordon’s dunk with 1:49 left in the game, but it was far from over. The Magic were 5 of 11 from the free throw line in the final 1:30. That included four misses in the final 30 seconds.

Philadelphia’s last four field goals were 3-pointers that gave the visitor’s a chance at winning. Embiid hit the last of them with 5.1 seconds to play that cut the Sixers’ deficit to 98-97.

Ben Simmons then stole the inbounds pass at the Magic end of the court and gave it to Embiid, who launched his desperation shot as the buzzer sounded.

HEAT 113, PACERS 112

MIAMI — Goran Dragic scored in the lane with 6.8 seconds remaining to cap a wild finish and Miami beat Indiana to improve to an NBA-best 14-1 at home.

Dragic’s shot was the third by Miami on the go-ahead possession, after Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn both missed but the Heat were able to grab offensive rebounds. Aaron Holiday had a chance to win it for Indiana, but his 10-footer with about a second left bounced away.

Butler scored 20 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 15 rebounds, including the offensive rebound that set up Dragic’s shot. Dragic had 14 points.

Aaron Holiday scored 17 points for Indiana.

BUCKS 112, HAWKS 86

ATLANTA — Khris Middleton scored 23 points, Ersan Ilyasova had season highs of 18 points and 17 rebounds and NBA-leading Milwaukee overcame Giannis Antetokunmpo’s absence to beat Atlanta.

Antetokunmpo, the league MVP last season and second-leading scorer this season, sat out because of back soreness. He watched from the bench as his teammates helped Milwaukee improve to 28-5.

The Hawks lost their ninth straight to drop to a league-worst 6-26. They lost guard Trae Young, the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer, to a right ankle sprain late in the second quarter.

CELTICS 129, CAVALIERS 117

BOSTON— Jaylen Brown matched his career high with 34 points and Boston beat Cleveland for its fifth straight victory.

Jayson Tatum had 24 of his 30 points in the first half, Enes Kanter added 14 points, and Kemba Walker had 13 to help Boston improve to 13-1 at home.

Kevin Love matched his season high with 30 points and had seven rebounds for Cleveland.

THUNDER 104, HORNETS 102, OT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, Dennis Schroder added 24 and Oklahoma City beat Charlotte in overtime for its fifth victory in six games.

Chris Paul had 10 of his 16 points for the Thunder in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Terry Rozier scored 26 points for Charlotte.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

LONDON — Fallon Sherrock’s run at the darts PDC World Championship ended in the third round on Friday with a 4-2 defeat to 22nd-seeded Chris Dobey.

The 25-year-old Sherrock became the first woman to win a game in the tournament when beating Ted Evetts before following it up by stunning No. 11 Mensur Suljovic.

But Dobey proved too strong, fighting back from 2-1 down in sets to set up a clash with Glen Durrant in the fourth round.

Sherrock was cheered throughout by the crowd at a raucous Alexandra Palace, with supporters singing “There’s only one Fallon Sherrock.”

Dobey made his scoring count, averaging 101.09 to Sherrock’s 90.45, while he also hit eight maximum 180s compared to Dobey’s 11.

Sherrock is a former runner-up at the women’s world championship.

Organizers decided for the first time last year to allocate two of the 96 places in the world championship field to women. Previously, women could attempt to qualify for the event, but now spots are guaranteed.

Source: Manila Bulletin