MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic hit a fadeaway jumper with 2.4 seconds left to give the Denver Nuggets a 100-98 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Jokic had 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists to help Denver win its fourth straight game. Will Barton had 13 points, including a pair of 3s in overtime, and 12 rebounds. Paul Millsap scored all 14 of his points during a big third-quarter run and had 10 rebounds.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota. Towns sent it to overtime with a corner 3, but the Wolves shot a season-low 13.3% from 3-point range and 35.1% overall from the field.

Andrew Wiggins added 25 points in Minnesota’s third loss in four games.

76ERS 114, HORNETS 106
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 18 points and nine rebounds, Al Horford scored 15 points and Philadelphia beat Charlotte to snap a three-game losing streak.

Furkan Korkmaz scored 17 points and keyed a Sixers’ run in the third quarter in their return home from a four-game trip. Korkmaz hit a 3 with just 0.4 seconds left to beat Portland for the lone win on the trip.

Cody Zeller had 24 points for the Hornets.

PACERS 109, MAGIC 102

In Orlando, Domantas Sabonis had 21 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in Indiana’s victory over Orlando.

Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren scored 19 points each to help the Pacers win for the sixth time in seven games. Doug McDermott had 18 points and T.J. McConnell added 12 points and eight assists.

Evan Fournier scored 22 points to lead Orlando. Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 17 rebounds.

BUCKS 121, THUNDER 119

In Oklahoma City, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points and 16 rebounds to help Milwaukee rally and beat Oklahoma City.
Antetokounmpo scored 24 points in the second half. Eric Bledsoe added 25 points and nine assists for the Bucks, who have won five of six.

Dennis Schroder scored 25 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 22 for the Thunder, who had won three straight home games.

Oklahoma City’s Danilo Gallinari hit a 3-pointer with 32.3 seconds left to tie the game at 114, but Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez made a 3-pointer at the other end with 24.5 seconds remaining.

Gallinari missed a clean look at a 3, before Milwaukee’s George Hill made two free throws with 10.5 seconds left to put the Bucks in control.

CAVALIERS 108, KNICKS 87

In New York, Collin Sexton scored 31 points and Cleveland beat New York.

Kevin Love and Jordan Clarkson each added 17 points for Cleveland (4-5), which has its first winning streak of the season. The Cavaliers were coming off a 113-100 win over Washington on Friday.

Julius Randle had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Alonzo Trier added 13 points for New York (2-8).

SUNS 138, NETS 112

In Phoenix, Devin Booker scored 27 points and hit four 3-pointers, Ricky Rubio added a season-high 22 points and 12 assists and Phoenix routed Brooklyn.

Booker was 10 of 14 from the field, making 4 of 5 3-pointers, hit all three of his free throws and had nine assists.

Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points, rookie Cameron Johnson had a career-high 15. The Suns trailed just once, at 1-0.

The Suns won for the fourth time in five games and ended the Nets’ four-game winning streak in Phoenix.

Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 18 points. Kyrie Irving finished with 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting.

The Suns made 10 of their first 11 shots, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. Phoenix led by 20 points in the quarter.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

The national women’s baseball team erupted for 10 runs in the seventh inning to beat South Korea 14-7 Sunday and advance to the Super Round of the Women’s Baseball Asian Cup at the Panda Stadium in Zhongshan, China.

The Pinay batters went on an onslaught after being down 5-4 entering the top half of the last frame on their way to claiming their second victory in the team’s first major competition since being formed last year.

Jojielyn Bensirto produced four RBIs and Lealyn Guevarra and Clariz Palma had two apiece for the Philippines in a fitting follow-up to its 12-3 comeback win over Hong Kong in Saturday’s opener.

Against Hong Kong, the Philippines erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring four runs each in the final three innings.

Palma, who struck out six in a complete-game effort against Hong Kong, was named winning pitcher for the second straight day after hurling the last 2 2/3 innings in relief.

Coach Egay delos Reyes’ squad was facing Taiwan at presstime with a chance to complete a three-game sweep of Group B.

The Super Round starts on Wednesday with the top two teams advancing to the championship game.

Source: Manila Bulletin

LONDON (AP) — Dominic Thiem keeps getting the better of Roger Federer.

Thiem beat Federer 7-5, 7-5 Sunday in their opening match at the ATP Finals for his fifth win in seven meetings with the Swiss great — and third straight this year.

“To beat him, everything has to fit together. Today I think (that) was the case again,” Thiem said. “Every time, only playing against him is a big honor. Beating him is even better.”

Thiem broke in the opening game of the match and again for a 6-5 lead in the first set after Federer had leveled at 2-2.

The second set went with serve until Thiem broke at love for another 6-5 lead. Federer, a record six-time champion at the ATP Finals, then missed two break points in the next game before netting a backhand return on Thiem’s second match point.

Thiem also beat Federer at the Madrid Masters and in the Indian Wells final this year, but lost to him in the group stage at last year’s ATP Finals.

For Federer, the loss means there’s no room for another slip-up in his next two round-robin matches, against Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini. He’ll probably have to win both in order to reach the semifinals.

“It’s a normal tournament from here on forward,” Federer said. “Not allowed to lose anymore for me. That’s how it is every week of the year for the last 20 years, so from that standpoint there is nothing new there.”

Djokovic had a much easier start to the tournament, easing past Berrettini 6-2, 6-1 in their first round-robin match.

But despite a near flawless performance, Djokovic still found a way to berate himself.

Leading 4-0 in the second set against the Italian, Djokovic hit a backhand wide to concede a break to the Italian, and then angrily turned toward his player’s box and shouted out his frustration.

It was a clear sign that even at the end of another grueling season, Djokovic won’t tolerate any dips in his game as he pursues a record-equaling sixth ATP Finals title.

“There’s no other reasonable explanation (to that reaction) than trying to play as perfect as possible,” Djokovic said. “But I guess that’s me, you know.”

It was certainly the same Djokovic that the O2 Arena crowd has become used to seeing. Although the second-ranked Serb – who won four straight titles at the year-end event in London between 2012 and 2015 – only needed to hit a total of 10 winners in the match as Berrettini’s 28 unforced errors handed him an easy victory to start round-robin play.

Berrettini’s forehand was responsible for 18 of those errors, including two shots into the net to hand Djokovic the only two breaks of the first set.

After giving up that lone break to make it 4-1 in the second, Djokovic broke right back and then clinched the victory with an easy forehand putaway at the net.

“He missed a relatively easy forehand for him that gave me a break (in the first set),” Djokovic said. “And after that I started reading his serve better.”

Berrettini was making his debut at the event for the world’s top eight players and had never faced Djokovic before. He also said he struggled a bit with the speed of the indoor hard court at the O2.

“The ball is not jumping a lot, so it’s tough to mix, especially my forehand,” Berrettini said. “I think it’s better when I have a little bit more time and the ball takes more spin. I think I started the match pretty good, but he was just better than me today.”

The other four-man group features Rafael Nadal, defending champion Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitispas and Daniil Medvedev. They begin play on Monday.

Djokovic has a chance to overtake Nadal for the year-end No. 1 ranking with a strong showing in London. He trails the Spaniard by 640 ranking points, with a maximum of 1,500 points up for grabs.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Game Monday

(Olivarez gym, Parañaque City)

12 noon – Olivarez vs Diliman

Olivarez College guns for its first PG Flex Linoleum-Universities and Colleges Basketball League title against defending champion Diliman College Monday at the Olivarez gym in Parañaque City.

Game is at 12 noon with the Sea Lions seeking to ride on the momentum of a 64-62 Game 1 victory last Thursday for a sweep of the best-of-three finals.

A title win would also erase the stigma of two failed championship campaigns including last year where they yielded to the Diliman Blue Dragons 2-1.

The Sea Lions also made it to the finals in the inaugural edition four years back but lost to the Centro Escolar University Scorpions.

Olivarez coach Myk Saguiguit said his players have matured especially Jayboy Solis, who anchored the squad throughout this season that earned him the Most Valuable Player plum.

In Game 1, Solis steered the crew with 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Saguiguit, however, remains wary of Diliman and its championship experience.

“Diliman is a tough team so we can’t afford to relax. For us to win again, we have to be consistent from start to finish,” he said, also hoping that the home court advantage will play a big role.

Pointguard John Lester Maurillo is also expected to provide offensive reinforcements for Olivarez after finishing with 17 points highlighted by four triples, while Yani Elie takes over the paint after hauling 16 rebounds.

The top-seeded Blue Dragons, meanwhile, are not going down without a fight, expecting to regroup offensively after only two players scored in double figures.

They played catch up throughout Game 1 and ran out of time to turn things around.

The stalwarts of coach Rensy Bajar are also expected to toughen up their defense led by Kevin Ganjeto, Aldrin Ligon and Johnnel Bauzon to limit Olivarez’ scoring production.

The trio combined for 28 rebounds in Game 1.

Game 3, if necessary, will be on Thursday at the same venue.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

The chase for the remaining quarterfinal slots could be a wacky one as the PBA Governors’ Cup enters the final six playdates of the eliminations.

Five teams are already in while defending champion Magnolia is all but assured of making the next phase, leaving the rest of the field in survival mode.

Seventh-running Columbian controls its playoff destiny, NorthPort and Alaska are in tight spots while Rain or Shine, Phoenix Pulse and Blackwater fighting for survival heading into the homestretch.

But with most of the aforementioned teams facing teams at the top, those that can punch their tickets to the quarters may rely more on other’s misfortune than move up the latter the hard way in order to create some separation.

“It’s a 50-50 chance but it depends on the remaining games of the other teams,” said Columbian coach Johnedel Cardel about his team’s playoff chances.

The Dyip hold a 4-6 record with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel as their final elimination round assignment. An upset win may be enough to secure their place in the quarters but there’s a likelihood that a loss would not hurt their chances of making the final eight.

A 103-89 defeat to Meralco Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City forced NorthPort to join idle Alaska in a tie for eighth place at 3-6.

Alaska can overtake NorthPort with a win Wednesday against Phoenix, which is in danger of missing another playoff spot with a 2-7 mark. The Fuel Masters also play the Blackwater Elite on two days later.

Rain or Shine kept its chances alive after a stunning out-of-town victory over San Miguel Beer in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. At 3-7, the Elasto Painters have an outside chance of sneaking a quarters berth.

Problem is Rain or Shine will have to get past another fancied team in Meralco on its last elims campaign slated Nov. 17 in order to remain in contention.

Blackwater has a mathematical chance of snatching a quarters seat with its 2-8 card but a miracle looks like a far-fetched idea.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

ANTIPOLO CITY — Jericho Cruz scored a follow-up with one second left as NLEX completed another huge comeback Sunday to stun defending champion Magnolia 86-85 and clinch a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center here.

Cruz converted the winning basket after Kiefer Ravena missed a second free throw that would have tied the score at 85-all as the Road Warriors capped off a huge turnaround after being down by 26 points to remain on top of the standings with an 8-1 record.

NLEX’s rally came more than a month after erasing a 28-point deficit to escape with a 113-111 overtime win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Dubai.

“To pull through in those two games behind by 20-plus points, almost given up and still win the game and do it twice, baka may tama na rin kaming ginagawa,” said Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao.

Import Manny Harris scored 22 points, JR Quinahan posted 14 points and eight rebounds and Cruz added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists for three assists in the win.

Paul Lee hit a pair of big shots in the final minute for 24 points but the Hotshots dropped to an even 5-5 record.

Lee’s three put Magnolia ahead 83-80 with 35.0 remaining but Harris answered for NLEX by draining a three of his own, seven seconds later.

Lee used Ian Sangalang’s pick to get by Harris and Poy Erram to convert a layup for 85-83 Magnolia, 11.8 to go. Quinahan missed a go-ahead three on the next play before Cruz forced Hotshots import Romeo Travis to a jumpball.

Travis later argued that Cruz should have been called for a foul after an apparent elbow that sent the Magnolia reinforcement to the ground.

NLEX retained possession and Ravena was fouled by Mark Barroca with Magnolia in penalty, 2.3 ticks left. Ravena made the first one but missed the second try which led to Poy Erram failing to convert a tip-in.

But Cruz was at the right place and the right time and was able to retrieve the ball for the winning score.

The scores:

NLEX 86 — Harris 22, Quinahan 14, Cruz 13, Erram 7, Ravena 7, Galanza 6, Paniamogan 5, Soyud 4, Ighalo 4, Miranda 4, Baguio 0, Fonacier 0.

MAGNOLIA 85 — Lee 24, Sangalang 19, Travis 13, Barroca 10, Banchero 7, Pingris 5, Melton 4, Abundo 3, Reavis 0, Dela Rosa 0.

Quarters: 16-39; 29-51; 57-71; 86-85.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

The Philippines rallied from an early deficit to pummel Hong Kong 12-3 to begin its campaign on a high note over the weekend in the Women’s Baseball Asian Cup at Panda Stadium in Zhongshan, China.

Down 3-0 through four innings, the Pinay batters scored four runs each in the final three frames to win the first game of the team’s first major competition since being formed last year.

First baseman Charlotte Sales scattered four RBIs while Esmeralda Tayag drove in two runs for the Philippines, which is aiming at a top two finish in Group B and a spot in the Super Round.

The comeback gave plenty of run support for pitcher Clariz Palma, who struck five batters in a complete-game effort.

Palma allowed Hong Kong to score the first run in the first and two in the third before her teammates provided help with their bats.

Coach Egay delos Santos’ team was playing South Korea as of posting time Sunday with a chance to enhance its Super Round bid.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By WAYLON GALVEZ

After guiding San Beda University to a perfect 18-0 record in the elimination round, Calvin Oftana emerged as the season MVP after topping the statistical department in NCAA Season 95.

Oftana, a 6-foot-4 forward, edged Red Lions teammates Evan Nelle and James Canlas-Kwekuteye for the highest individual award with a 51.56 Player Average Value (PAV).

A native of Dumaguete City, Oftana averaged 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 shot blocks during the elimination round that saw the Red Lions complete a rare sweep.

Oftana, who is also part of the All-Defensive team, became the first San Beda player since American Sudan Daniel in 2010 to claim the MVP plum.

Joining Oftana, Nelle (45.39) and Canlas-Kwekuteye (45.33) in the Mythical Team are San Sebastian’s Allyn Bulanadi (45.28) and Lyceum of the Philippine University’s Jaycee Marcelino (43.94).

Justin Arana of season host Arellano University emerged as the Rookie of the Year, while Letran’s Fran Yu came out as Most Improved Player.

Arana is also on the All-Defensive Team alongside, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA’s Ben Adamos, Emilio Aguinaldo College’s JP Maguliano and San Sebastian’s JM Calma.

San Beda’s Cameroonian center Donald Tankoua, meanwhile, is the tournament’s Best Foreign Player, while his compatriot Mike Nzeusseu of the Pirates is the NCAA’s Best Defensive Foreign Player.

In the junior’s division, LPU’s John Barba bested his teammate McLaude Guadaña, San Beda’s Yukien Andrada and Justin Sanchez for the MVP plum.

The awarding for this year’s top individual achievers is scheduled Friday before Game 2 of men’s Finals between the Red Lions and the Knights at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Game Wednesday

(Mall of Asia Arena)

12 noon – UST vs FEU (women’s)

4 p.m. – UST vs UP (men’s)

University of Santo Tomas breathed life into its finals campaign on Sunday with an 89-69 victory over University of the Philippines in UAAP season 82 men’s basketball stepladder semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigers paced the game throughout behind the efforts of Soulemane Chabi Yo and Rhenz Abando to forge a knockout duel for the remaining finals berth on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Abando fired 17 points and collared seven rebounds even as Chabi Yo unloaded 17 points, 15 boards and four steals.

The win not only kept UST alive but also reaffirmed its mastery over UP following 85-69 and 84-78 elimination-round victories.

Three others also scored in double figures for the Tigers with Mark Nonoy pumping in 16 points, Sherwin Concepcion adding 12 and CJ Cansino contributing 12.

UST coach Aldin Ayo said it all boiled down to playing their roles.

“It’s all about execution. Lahat ng instructions ko sinusunod ng players. We were connected out there,” he said.

Inspired by their 81-71 win over Far Eastern University in the first stepladder round, UST continued its hot shooting behind the arc banked on Concepcion, Abando and Nonoy.

The Tigers rifled 11 three-pointers compared to the Maroons’ three treys.

The Maroons came as close as 70-61 in the last 4:38 of the game, but the Tigers erupted with a 15-4 blast highlighted by three triples from Concepcion and Nonoy for 85-65, 50 seconds left.

UP lost its fight with Chabi Yo sealing the game with a slam.

UST smoked the field early with a 14-of-31 shooting in the first half for 45 percent anchored on Abando, CJ Cansino and Renzo Subido.

The Tigers uncorked an 18-7 edge and padded the lead to 35-18 after six straight points from Cansino, Chabi Yo and Abando, 2:45 to go.

The España-based crew took a 41-24 advantage at the half highlighted by five triples, with Abando already firing 12 points and Cansino and Subido combining for 14 points.

In the second quarter, the Maroons only managed four field goals.

Juan Gomez de Liaño finished with 20 points, Bright Akhuetie had 19 points and 18 boards, and Ricci Rivero posted 12 points for UP but their efforts fell short.

Scores:

UST 89 — Abando 17, Chabi Yo 17, Nonoy 16, Concepcion 12, Cansino 11, Subido 8, Ando 4, Huang 2, Paraiso 2, Bataller 0.

UP 69 — Ju. Gomez de Liano 20, Akhuetie 19, Rivero 12, Paras 9, Webb 4, Ja. Gomez de Liano 3, Tungcab 2, Jaboneta 0, Mantilla 0, Manzo 0, Murrell 0, Prado 0, Spencer 0.

Quarters: 19-13, 41-24, 60-47, 89-69.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Games Wednesday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:30 p.m. — NorthPort vs NLEX

7 p.m. — Alaska vs Phoenix Pulse

ANTIPOLO CITY — Backup point guard Anjo Caram came out of nowhere to score a career-high 30 points as Meralco beat NorthPort 103-89 Sunday to secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center here.

Caram took into heart the role of having to step up with Baser Amer still far from 100 percent, hitting 11-of-15 shots including four three-pointers to emerge as the unlikely hero of the Bolts’ eighth victory in 10 outings.

Coach Norman Black flashed a wide grin with the performance of Caram, who entered the game averaging just 3.4 points in the previous nine games this conference.

“Anjo Caram was just awesome,” Black said. “He really gave us a lift and he pretty much guided this team’s victory.

“I wish he could do that every night because he was making shots all over the court,” added Black.

The performance also enabled Black to give Amer little playing time after missing Friday’s win over Columbian due to a groin injury.

Amer scored a conference-low two points and dished out four assists in 18 minutes.

Import Allen Durham had 26 points and 19 rebounds, Chris Newsome put up 17 points and seven rebounds and Raymond Almazan added eight points and seven boards in the Bolts’ fifth straight victory.

NorthPort fell to 3-6, allowing idle Alaska to gain a share of eighth spot entering the final 10 days of the eliminations.

Michael Qualls dropped 27 points and 10 rebounds while Christian Standhardinger added 20 points and nine rebounds before being ejected in the fourth with a second technical foul for approaching the technical officials’ table.

Scores:

MERALCO 103 — Caram 30, Durham 26, Newsome 17, Almazan 8, Pinto 8, Maliksi 6, Faundo 4, Hugnatan 2, Amer 2, Quinto 0, Jackson 0, Jose 0, Hodge 0, Jamito 0.

NORTHPORT 89 — Qualls 27, Standhardinger 20, Anthony 19, Mercado 9, Lanete 8, Taha 3, Ferrer 3, Elorde 0, Cruz 0, King 0, Escoto 0.

Quarters: 20-23; 50-45; 72-69; 103-89.

Source: Manila Bulletin