By WAYLON GALVEZ

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone considers Indonesia and Thailand as the teams expected to give the Filipinos a good fight in the 30th Southeast Asian Games here.

Cone pointed to the improvement of the two teams over the years with better competitions in the region through the ASEAN Basketball League and with the two nations bringing in naturalized players for the biennial meet set November 30 to December 11.

“We know they have naturalized players,” said Cone.

Based on a scouting report Cone and his coaching staff received, Indonesia will parade Lester Prosper, a 6-foot-10 center who played for the Columbian Dyip in the last PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Prosper has been tabbed by Indonesia mentor Rajko Toroman – the Serbian coach who called the shots for the original Smart Gilas Pilipinas from 2009 to 2011 – to be the team’s naturalized player after plans to have Denzel Bowles (another former PBA import) did not materialize.

Thailand, for its part, hasn’t settled on anyone yet but Cone said he expects the Thais to bring in reinforcement for the biennial meet.

The national team, in an updated grouping, is now with Vietnam, Myanmar and Singapore in Group A, while Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia are in Group B.

Gilas plays Singapore on opening day December 4, takes a break the following day then tackles Vietnam on December 6 and Myanmar on December 7. The semifinal is December 10 and the gold medal game is December 11.

The top two teams from each group will clash in the crossover semifinals.

In the previous SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, the Philippines defeated Singapore in the semifinals 68-60, and downed Indonesia in the championship game 94-55.

Thailand settled for the bronze medal with a 65-55 win against Singapore in the battle for third place.

Meanwhile, the once a week Monday practice session of the national team was called off by Cone. Though he did not mention the reason, a source said it was due to the tight scheduled of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Several teams are either fighting for spots or jockeying for positions in the ongoing season-ending conference. The league has its final elimination play date Wednesday, before the daily quarterfinal playoffs begins Sunday.

The PBA takes a break for the SEA Games, and then resumes with the semifinal playoffs middle of December.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Slumping TNT KaTropa has two options to secure the twice-to-beat advantage when it battles San Miguel Beer in the final playdate of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations on Wednesday.

The KaTropa can do it conventional way by scoring a victory over the Beermen or lose by a single point without allowing the latter to snatch the much-needed quarterfinal bonus.

TNT holds a 7-3 record while San Miguel has a 6-4 card going into their match at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, which finished the elims at 7-4, is already assured of the twice-to-beat incentive since it has the tiebreaker edge in case of any ties.

Ties between two teams will be resolved through its head-to-head meeting in the elims while a quotient system is used in case of at least a three-way tie.

San Miguel, on the other hand, needs a win to snatch the bonus away from TNT, which was primed to become the first twice-to-beat team after seven straight wins before dropping its last three assignments.

There’s no need for a rocket scientist to determine the race for the last quarterfinals berth being disputed by Alaska and Columbian.

Alaska, with a 4-6 record, needs to beat NLEX also on Wednesday to punch its ticket to the quarters. A loss, however, sets up a playoff between the Aces and Dyip on Friday.

Columbian finished the eliminations at 4-7 after dropping its final three outings.

Rain or Shine also went 4-7 but is eliminated from contention due to an inferior quotient.

Meanwhile, NLEX (8-2) is assured of the top seed in the playoffs regardless of the outcome of its match against Alaska while Meralco (8-3) can finish as high as second or as low as third.

Victory puts TNT either at second or third depending on the outcome of the NLEX-Alaska duel, Ginebra can go third or fourth while defending champion Magnolia (6-5) is already the No. 6 seed in the playoffs.

NorthPort, which gained a quarters berth at 5-6 after Sunday’s upset of Ginebra, may go seventh with an Alaska or otherwise fall to eighth spot in the quarters.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Game Tuesday

(Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai)

10 p.m. — Syria vs Philippines

The Philippine Azkals aim to get a favorable result against Group A leader Syria in their FIFA World Cup/AFC Asian Cup second round qualifiers match at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

Kickoff is set at 10 p.m. Philippine time with the Azkals facing a tall order against a Syrian side that has won all four matches since the qualifying phase began in early-September.

One of those wins came at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City when Syria recovered from conceding an early goal to win 5-2.

But the Azkals have never lost since, posting two wins and a stunning draw against second-running China.

Last Thursday, the Azkals downed Maldives 2-1 to draw level with China at seven points apiece.

Iain Ramsay and Patrick Strauss accounted for the two goals to secure the win for the Philippine side.

Ramsay, Strauss, Stephan Schrock and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge will look to prevent Syria from getting another win at their expense.

Omar Al Somah is expected to continue his hot for Syria, scoring seven goals in the second round. He produced a brace in their first meeting with the Azkals.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Organizers assured that the skateboarding venue will be ready in time for the 30^th Southeast Asian Games that the country is hosting late this month.

Skateboarding and Roller Sport Association of the Philippines president Monty Mendigoria said the venue is 99.5 percent ready and that the national team seeing action in the biennial meet has already been practicing since last week at the Tagaytay street and park courses.

Some athletes including Asian Games champion Margie Didal will be arriving on Wednesday from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to resume their training this weekend. Joining Didal are Kiko Francisco and coach Daniel Bautista.

Fil-American Cristiana Means will also arrive next week from Oregon.

Jeffrey Gonzales, who trained overseas, has already been practicing with the local-based team as well as the 4-man downhill skateboarding squad led by Jaime Delange and Abigail Veloria.

The competition will be held on Dec. 3 to 8 in Tagaytay with eight gold medals at stake in the Park, Street, Game of Skate and downhill events.

Other participating countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Second seed Lyrden Laborte dismantled Miles Aguilar 21-8, 21-6 to open his title bid in the 2019 SMART National Badminton Open on a high note over the weekend at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

The win arranged the 15-year-old Laborte into the third round of the men’s singles open against Christian Selga a 16-21, 21-16, 21-15 winner over Vinz Zafra.

Former national team member Gerald Sibayan also made his title bid felt with victories over Aaron Prieto 21-7, 21-13 and Guillian Rodriguez 20-22, 21-14, 21-10.
Also advancing were ninth seed John Yabut, who downed Roswell Licong, 21-13, 21-19, and Michael Cudiamat, who won via default over Joshua Morada.

Third round action is heating up at press time bannered by top seed Ros Pedrosa, as well as the women’s singles and men’s doubles.
The tournament serves as a test event for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games badminton competitions.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Despite missing three tournaments, Princess Superal still kept her Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit crown, anchoring her latest feat on a victory, two runner-up finishes and four top 10 efforts in the just concluded seventh season of the country’s premier ladies circuit.

The former US Girls’ Junior champion actually needed to endure a long winless run before finally hitting paydirt at John Hay where she also reigned, then as an amateur, in the circuit’s inaugurals in 2013 in record fashion.

But before recording her first and only win last July, Superal had placed second at Splendido and Manila Southwoods, turned in fourth and fifth place finishes at The Country Club Ladies Invitational and Beverly Place, respectively, and ended up seventh at Pradera Verde and Mt. Malarayat.

Counting her joint 21st place stint at Manila Golf, Superal earned P1,164.604, edging 2017 OOM winner Pauline del Rosario, who also missed a number of events but still finished second with P955,082, including a runaway victory at Royal Northwoods.

Former Junior World champion Daniella Uy, who rallied to salvage joint fourth in the closing leg at the Party Golfers in Taiwan, placed third with P920,644 in winnings followed by 2016 OOM titlist Chihiro Ikeda (P836,745) and Southwoods leg winner Thai Thanutra Boonraksasat (P613.744).

“This is sweet and it means a lot to me,” said Superal, adding that she actually didn’t expect to score a repeat given the quality of competition where the Thais reigned at Manila Golf (Arpichaya Yubol), Mt. Malarayat (Nemittra Juntanaket) and Boonraksasat (Southwoods) with Korean Hwang Min Jeong winning at Splendido and Summit Point.

“It was really surprising but I promised to do better and try to win more tournaments next season,” added Superal, who will be trying to match Cyna Rodriguez’s three-peat feat from 2013-15.

Superal shared the spotlight with sister Eagle Ace, who bagged the best amateur title, and PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa, also the GM of TCC, named as the best host venue following its successful staging of the first TCC Ladies Invitational which featured no less than the then world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of South Korea.

Juvic Pagunsan had earlier clinched the PGT OOM diadem by posting a couple of records, vying in just five of nine tournaments and winning four in consecutive fashions. But the region’s former No. 1 missed the awards rites as he was in his base in Japan priming up for the rich Dunlop Phoenix Open starting Thursday in Miyazaki. Receiving his award was brother Mario.

Rounding up the LPGT OOM top 10 are Dottie Ardina (P703,000), Thais Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro (P643,777), Chakansim Khamborn (P530,586), and Yupaporn Kawinpakorn (524,070) and Hwang (P483,676).

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

Games Thursday

(San Juan City Gym)

2 p.m. – PhilHealth vs Malacañang-PSC

3:30 p.m. – DENR vs Agriculture

5 p.m. – AFP vs NHA

Judiciary and Philippine International Trading Corporation bested their respective rivals and advanced to the crossover second round of the 8th UNTV Cup held over the weekend at the Pasig City Sports Center.

The two-time champions Judiciary Magis leaned on the solid all-around game of former PBA player Warren Ybanez to beat the Philippine National Police Responders, 78-72, and took the fourth and last 2nd round berth in Groub B elims with a 2-3 record.

With the win, the Magis joined unbeaten Department of Environment and Natural Resources (5-0), Malacañang-Philippine Sports Commission (4-1) and National Housing Authority (3-2) into the second round of the tournament organized by UNTV president and CEO Daniel Razon for public servants.

The PITC Global Traders, on the other hand, clobbered the Ombudsman Graftbusters, 87-70, in Group A to likewise march into the second round with a 3-2 mark.

Advancing earlier from Group A are defending champion Armed Forces of the Philippines (5-0), Dept. of Agriculture and the PhilHealth Plus.

Five Judiciary players scored in double figures with Regilito Malinao knocking in 13 while Ybanez and two others chipped in 12 points each. The PBA veteran also had six rebounds and five assists.

Leading PITC was former Letran player Aloysius Taplah who scattered 26 points apart from pulling down three rebounds.

In the second round, Group A teams face Group B teams in a single round with the top two teams claiming outright semis berths while the bottom two will be eliminated.

The third to sixth finishers play another round with the best two placers marching into the semis.

 

The scores:

First Game

PITC  87 – Taplah 26, Vasallo 17, Juan 12, Regalado 11, Martin 10, Lopez 8, Gecale 3.

OMBUDSMAN 70 – Ignacio 21, Franco 17, Sanchez 8, Del Rosario 7, Palacio 5, Casidsid 4, Ojerio 4, Lasam 4.

Quarters: 21-23, 45-39, 69-54, 87-70

Second Game

JUDICIARY 78 – Malinao 13, Serrano 12, Ybañez 12, Tolomia 12,  Salamat 10, Dela Cruz 9, Dionisio 6, Puno 4.

PNP 72 – Tolentino 21, Omiping 17, Serrano 10, Cabrera 7, Elopre 3, Misola 5, Decema 2, Abaya 2.

Quarter s: 19-16, 39-34, 55-51, 78-72

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

Centro Escolar University, Chiang Kai Shek College and Miriam College retained their division titles over the weekend in the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) season 50 basketball tournament.

CEU clobbered San Beda Alabang 79-36 to sweep their best-of-three finals series in the seniors division on Sunday, following up its 86-61 Game 1 win the day before. It was the Lady Scorpions’ ninth straight title.

Chiang Kai Shek College, meanwhile, captured the juniors crown for the fourth straight year with 94-27 and 83-48 victories at the expense of De La Salle Zobel in their best-of-three affair.

In the midgets level, Miriam completed a three-peat after beating St. Paul Pasig twice 57-56 and 57-43.

Jenina Ann Solis led the individual winners with the Most Valuable Player award in the seniors division along with Finals MVP and teammate Opeyemi Lawan. Other MVP awardees were CKSC’s Karl Ann Pingol (season) and Kristine Cayabyab (finals) in juniors, and Miriam’s Maria Graciella Reyes in the midgets level.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

There’s no stopping the 30th Southeast Asian Games from pushing through, the Phisgoc said yesterday.

Phisgoc chief operating officer Tats Suzara said the Athletes Village at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac is set to welcome the first batch of occupants on Sunday, less than a week before the SEAG formally opens on Nov. 30.

The Phisgoc is likewise running a simulation of the Athletes Village Dining Hall on Thursday, proof that the biennial sportsfest the country is hosting is proceeding as scheduled.

Suzara said the opening of the country’s first Athletes Village should kick off what is being targeted as a landmark event in Philippine sporting history.

“We want this not only to be the biggest SEA Games but be well-hosted as well,” said Suzara during the broadcast launch of Sama Sama sa Sea Games of TV5 and Cignal.

Last week, the Phisgoc worked closely with the MMDA and Dept. of Transportation during a traffic simulation from Pasay City to the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, site of the opening ceremonies on Nov. 30.

“It took us just an hour, which is fast considering the starting point,” said Suzara, noting that there is an exclusive lane for SEAG delegates.

Meanwhile, Janes Basas, TV5 head, said action during the event will be enjoyed on all platforms.

Several top sportsmen are also being tapped to lend expertise in the coverage, according to TV5.

The mainstream sports will be featured on free TV with basketball and boxing leading the way owing to its immense popularity.

Source: Manila Bulletin

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Nick Folk kicked three field goals and Julian Edelman executed a trick play as the New England Patriots clinched their 19th straight winning NFL season with a 17-10 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday.

Wide receiver Edelman threw a pass for a touchdown and quarterback Tom Brady was 26-of-47 for 216 yards for the Patriots, who are now just one winning season shy of the Dallas Cowboys’ all-time record of 20 in a row, a run that began in 1966.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was 20-of-40 for 214 yards and a touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert but the Eagles dropped to 5-5 and had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Both teams were coming off a bye week for the showdown, which was a rematch of the thrilling 2018 Super Bowl which the Eagles won 41-33 to claim the team’s first Super Bowl victory.

The Patriots rebounded mightily with Brady leading the team to a gritty Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams earlier this year.

On Sunday, the Patriots took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and marched 84 yards in 10 plays, capped by a deception move as Edelman received a lateral from Brady and tossed a 15-yard touchdown to Phillip Dorsett.

James White converted the two-point conversion run for a 17-10 lead in front of a crowd of 69,700 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Folk booted field goals of 35, 22 and 39 yards for the Patriots’ first-half points.

Brady was 11-of-25 in the first half, setting a dubious career high for most incompletions in the first half with 14.

Philadelphia starting right tackle Lane Johnson left the game with a concussion.

The Eagles got the ball back one last time in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter but a final ”Hail Mary” desperation throw was knocked down as time expired.

Elsewhere, Lamar Jackson threw for four touchdowns and produced 308 total yards as the Baltimore Ravens clobbered the Houston Texans 41-7 in a high-profile matchup between a pair of rising quarterback stars.

Jackson went head-to-head with former college rival Deshaun Watson. Jackson beat out Watson for the Heisman Trophy as top college player in 2016, becoming the youngest ever recipient of the award at 19 years and 338 days old.

Jackson caught fire in the second quarter on Sunday, orchestrating two long second-quarter scoring drives that provided Baltimore a 14-0 half-time lead en route to a sixth consecutive win.

The Texans, who dropped to 6-4, had previously squandered three trips into Baltimore territory in the first quarter before mounting a desperate march late in the first half, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 43-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin