By Kristel Satumbaga

Game Monday

(Olivarez gym, Parañaque City)

12 noon – UB vs Olivarez

University of Batangas and Olivarez College battle for the remaining finals berth Monday in the PG Flex Linoleum-Universities and Colleges Basketball League at the Olivarez gym in Parañaque City.

Match is at 12 noon with the winner arranging a best-of-three finals showdown against defending champion Diliman College starting Thursday.

The Diliman Blue Dragons, which needed only a victory to advance due to their top seeding, squeaked past fourth seed Centro Escolar University Scorpions 64-63.

Needing to beat No. 2 Olivarez Sea Lions twice in the semifinals, the third-ranked UB Brahmans came full force last Monday to prevail 89-80 and keep their finals hopes alive.

In that match, five players scored in double figures including JJ Caspe and Raoul yemeli, who had 16 points each apart from merging for 16 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals.

Caspe and Yemeli are expected to lead the squad on both ends once again, along with other double-digit finishers Joseph Torres, Mart De Ramos and Don Tabol.

Torres also fired 16 points including three triples, while De Ramos and Tabol chipped in 11 points apiece.

Olivarez, meanwhile, hopes homecourt advantage will play a big role in finishing what it failed to do the last time with the all-around plays of Jayboy Solis, Ace Lavariaz and Lance De Leon at the forefront.

Solis has been consistently delivering double-digit numbers including a 23-point production the last time on top of 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Lavariaz and De Leon added 15 and 11 points in a failed attempt.

Olivarez, however, needed to polish its plays after committing 26 errors the last time that had UB converting it to 27 points.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Meralco produced a second straight lopsided win over a San Miguel Corporation-owned ballclub Sunday after rolling past Barangay Ginebra 101-77 in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Allen Durham delivered 39 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Bolts snapped Ginebra’s four-game winning run while gaining the third quarterfinals berth with a 6-2 record.

Rookie Bong Quinto had 13 points and five rebounds, Chris Newsome posted 11 points and nine rebounds while Raymond Almazan added 10 points and nine reboards in a fitting sequel to their 127-99 demolition of the San Miguel Beermen last Oct. 27.

The Bolts also moved a half-game behind co-leaders NLEX Road Warriors and TNT KaTropa, teams sporting identical 7-1 slates.

“AD (Durham) came out and gave us a really good job,” said Meralco coach Norman Black. “He really set the tone for us at the start of the game and the rest of his teammates followed.”

Justin Brownlee was held to 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists as Ginebra dropped to a tie for fourth spot with the Beermen at 5-3.

Ginebra holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its 129-124 win over SMB last Oct. 13.

LA Tenorio was the only other double-digit scorer for Ginebra with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

The scores:

MERALCO 101 — Durham 39, Quinto 13, Newsome 11, Almazan 10, Amer 8, Caram 5, Pinto 5, Faundo 4, Hodge 2, Maliksi 2, Jackson 2, Salva 0, Jose 0, Jamito 0.

GINEBRA 77 — Brownlee 18, Tenorio 12, Pringle 8, Aguilar 8, Mariano 7, Thompson 6, Dela Cruz 6, Slaughter 5, Caguioa 4, Caperal 2, Sargent 1, Chan 0.

Quarters: 26-15; 53-32; 77-53; 101-77.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

The PBA Commissioner’s Office on Sunday officially approved the trade that will allow TNT KaTropa to acquire the services of star rookie Ray Parks Jr. from Blackwater in exchange for Don Trollano, Tony Semerad and a first round draft pick in 2021.

TNT team manager Gabby Cui and Blackwater team governor Silliman Sy confirmed the league approval first reported by Spin.ph, giving the PBA Governors’ Cup co-leader KaTropa an additional firepower in Parks.

Parks joins TNT after playing just 23 games with Blackwater. The third pick in last year’s PBA Draft joined the Elite after signing a two-conference contract before the start of the Commissioner’s Cup.

The former UAAP and ASEAN Basketball League MVP averaged 22.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals in the Commissioner’s Cup and 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals in the Governors’ Cup.

TNT is banking on Parks to boost its title chances in the season-ending conference, especially with team captain Jayson Castro out for at least four weeks with an ankle injury.

The KaTropa are currently tied for the lead with the NLEX Road Warriors at 7-1.

It was Blackwater’s third trade in more than two weeks which began when it sent Mike DiGregorio to TNT in exchange for Brian Heruela.

The Elite also dealt Allein Maliksi and Raymar Jose to the Meralco Bolts for veteran KG Canaleta, Mike Tolomia and second round picks in the 2020 and 2022 Draft.

Trollano leaves the TNT after making significant improvements since being traded from Rain or Shine in March 2018.

The former Adamson star is averaging 11.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists this conference.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Games Wednesday
(Cuneta Astrodome)
4:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Blackwater
7 p.m. — Phoenix Pulse vs Magnolia

Alaska put itself in a good position to sneak a quarterfinals berth after beating NorthPort 106-99 in the resumption of the PBA Governors’ Cup which came on the day Chris Banchero was officially traded to Magnolia.

Import Franko House had 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Vic Manuel produced 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Aces improved to 3-6 in the game held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Aces also moved a half-game behind the Batang Pier in the race for the eighth and final quarters spot.

But much of the focus came after the final buzzer when coach Jeffrey Cariaso confirmed the trade that will send Banchero to the defending champion Hotshots in exchange for Rodney Brondial and Robbie Herndon.

The league approved the deal minutes after Cariaso’s postgame interview, paving the way for Banchero to join a Magnolia side that already has backcourt players Mark Barroca, Jio Jalalon and Justin Melton.

Banchero did not see action or wasn’t even at the venue as per request of the Hotshots management.

“Chris Banchero’s a really good player. He’s done a lot for us here at Alaska,” said Cariaso, insisting that it was his and the coaching staff’s decision to deal Banchero.

“But in all honestly, siya din lang ang gusto ng iba so siya din yung medyo tradable sa amin,” added Banchero.

Banchero leaves the only team he has played since being drafted in the first round of the 2014 Draft. He made four finals appearances and was a runner-up for the Best Player of the Conference during last season’s Governors’ Cup.

Brondial will play for his fifth team since also making his pro debut in 2014 while reuniting with Cariaso, who for a brief time was his coach at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

The trade could give Herndon the opportunity to shine after playing limited minutes since his PBA debut in 2018.

Rookie Abu Tratter posted 17 points and nine rebounds and Jeron Teng posted 13 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Aces, who have won three of the last four after a 0-5 start.

Christian Standhardinger scored 37 points with 16 rebounds and five assists while import Michael Qualls dropped 35 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and four blocks but NorthPort dropped to 3-5.

The loss denied NorthPort a chance to tie overtake idle Columbian (4-5) for seventh spot.

The scores:

ALASKA 106 — House 23, Manuel 23, Tratter 17, Teng 13, Enciso 8, Casio 7, Racal 6, Thoss 4, Ahanmisi 4, Pascual 1,  Ayaay 0.

NORTHPORT 99 — Standhardinger 37, Qualls 35, Anthony 8, Lanete 8, Casio 7, King 5, Ferrer 3, Taha 2, Elorde 1, Cruz 0, Escoto 0.

Quarters: 28-29; 53-48; 83-76; 106-99.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jan Carlo Anolin

Margielyn Didal bolstered her Southeast Asian Games and Olympic preparations by bagging two gold medals in separate skateboarding events recently in California.

Didal topped the Exposure All Women’s Skateboarding Championships at Huntington Beach and the Ladies Day at The Berrics in Los Angeles.

The 20-year-old Cebuana native won the Exposure All Women’s event for the second straight year, according to the Facebook account of the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association of the Philippines Inc.

The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medalist seeks to clinch an Olympic berth to be held in Tokyo next year as well as a podium finish at the 30th SEA Games late this month.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Adamson University stayed alive after tripping twice-to-beat-armed University of Santo Tomas 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-20 in UAAP season 82 girls’ volleyball stepladder semifinals at the Blue Eagle Gym Sunday.

Kate Santiago delivered 13 points on 10 attacks for the Baby Falcons while Rochelle Lalongisip added 10 points including four service aces and 19 digs.

The rubber match is set on Wednesday at the Paco Arena.

Adamson University has hurdled two straight do-or-die matches, including last Wednesday’s 25-20, 25-21, 25-14 win over La Salle-Zobel.

Tied at 12 in the fourth set, the Baby Falcons went on a 7-1 run to put the game out of reach with a 20-13 advantage.

“Yung maturity ng mga bata na gusto nila manalo, nandoon. Nakikinig sila, they are not stopping because they want the win. Yung level na yun ang sa tingin kong factor kaya kami nanalo kahit puro errors,” said Adamson coach Lerma Giron.

The Baby Falcons also found some help from their substitutes Raisa Ricablanca and Jen Villegas, who contributed with 12 and nine points, respectively.

“Yun ang bilin ko sa kanilang lahat, once na pinasok sila, they have to perform kasi yung ilalabas puro errors, so once they step in, they have to perform and good thing, they stepped up,” said Giron.

Renee Peñafiel paced the Junior Tigresses with 12 points while Regina Jurado and Jullana Carreon each had 10 points.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol are likely to suit up for the Philippines in the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament slated March 18 to 22 in India.

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 commissioner and program director Eric Altamirano said Munzon and Pasaol are shoo-ins for the OQT as the country’s two highest-ranked players.

FIBA rules state that OQT participants must have at least top 10 players on its roster. Munzon tallied 475,860 points while Pasaol produced 420,940 as of the FIBA cutoff date Oct. 31.

“Obviously, we need to have the top ten players in the country, especially the top two. Joshua and Alvin are most likely going to be part of the team,” Altamirano said during a thanksgiving event held Saturday night to mark the country’s OQT entry.

Other players who are in the country’s top 10 are Santi Santillan (349,220), Karl Dehesa (339,860), Troy Rike (333,580), Dylan Ababou (296,380), Chris de Chavez (262,820), Franky Johnson (261,990), Roosevelt Adams (209,220) and Leo de Vera (161,670).

Two slots are given to the top 50 players or Philippine players with minimum number of ranking points, though Chooks and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas will seek clarification on both criterias.

All top 50 players participated in the first season of the Chooks 3×3 league which staged four tournaments,

“From there, we need to clarify the rules regarding who can be the rest of the team,” said Altamirano. “As soon as we clarify the rule in terms of the composition of the team, we are not discounting the possibility of getting players outside of our league, including the PBA.”

The Philippines earned a slot in the OQT after making the top 24 rankings. The Filipino cagers were bracketed in Pool C alongside France, Slovenia, Qatar and the Dominican Republic.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Juvic Pagunsan marked his return to the Philippine Golf Tour in grand fashion, posting a couple of records to claim the Order of Merit crown at the close the milestone 10th season of the country’s premier circuit recently.

The smooth-swinging Pagunsan vied in just five of nine tournaments and won four in consecutive fashions – both tour records – as Asia’s former No. 1 amassed earnings of P2,070,000 to edge multi-titled Tony Lascuña by mere P78,070 after the latter, a four-time OOM titlist, finished with P1,991,930.

Pagunsan, who also captured the OOM crown with a dominant performance in 2011 before making Japan his base, was actually on a break from the region’s most lucrative circuit when he signed up for the second leg of this year’s circuit in Bacolod.

He came out of the P2.5 million event a winner by seven over Rufino Bayron, scored an expected four-stroke romp over James Ryan Lam in the P3 million tournament in his hometown in Negros Occidental, foiled Michael Bibat in sudden death in Iloilo, another P3 million event, then came away with an eight-stroke victory over Lascuña in tough conditions at Riviera, a P2.5 million tournament, before resuming his campaign in Japan.

He came back to compete at PGT Del Monte but struggled in the second round, failed to mount a comeback in the last two days and wound up eighth. But Lascuna fell short of his rally he spiked with a sweep of the last two legs at Apo and South Pacific and missed nailing a fifth OOM title.

Dutch Guido Van der Valk, winner of the kickoff leg in Cebu, finished third in the PGT OOM with earnings of P1,234,575, followed by Pueblo de Oro leg winner Reymon Jaraula (P1,173,324), Michael Bibat (P1,128,416), Ira Alido (P1,023,950), Del Monte stage champion Jhonnel Ababa (P928, 605), 2017 OOM winner Clyde Mondilla (P680,083), Keanu Jahns (P627,316) and Rufino Bayron (P584,075).
The 41-year-old Pagunsan also ruled the seventh leg of the third season of PGT Asia, winning over Lascuna no less via playoff at Summit Point to likewise put himself in the PGT Asia OOM mix with a number of tournaments still to be played early next year.

He is currently at No. 6 with cumulative winnings of $20,735 in three tournaments with Lascuna, who became the first Filipino to win a PGTA event in Taiwan with a victory in Nan Pao Open last month, leading the race with $38,950 with CAT Open winner Aussie Tim Stewart in second with $32,570.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Bianca Pagdanganan floundered at the finish but her closing 78 still netted her a berth in next year’s LPGA Tour as she wound up tied at 38th after eight rounds of the LPGA Q-Series at Pinehurst No. 9 in North Carolina Saturday.

Safely within the Top 45 plus ties cut at joint 18th heading to the final day of the gruelling elims, Pagdanganan fell off the standings with a 38 start and found herself in danger of missing it altogether when she cracked under pressure and dropped four strokes in a three-hole stretch from No. 15 of Pinehurst No. 9.

But the country’s spearhead in the SEA Games closed out with a gutsy par for a 78, barely gaining the coveted card with a 576 total for joint 38th with five others finishing tied at 41st at 577.

Pagdanganan thus became the latest Filipina to join the LPGA Tour although former card holder Dottie Ardina fell short of her bid with a 579 total after a closing 74 for 48th.

Clariss Guce also skied to a 77 and wound up tied at 56th. Ardina and Guce settled for Symetra Tour spots.

China’s Muni He capped her run of under-par rounds throughout the Q-Series with a 710 and took the low medalist honors with a 551, three strokes ahead of Korean Hee Young Park, who pooled a 554 after a 70 with American Yealimi Noh snatching third place with a 557 after a 69.

A bogey-free, eagle-spiked 64 in the pivotal sixth round put Pagdanganan, the Asian Games bronze medalist, in the mix and a scrambling 72 virtually assured her of an LPGA card Friday.

But a double-bogey on No. 3 and a bogey on the sixth in the final round somehow hinted at the coming off a challenging day for the Gonzaga U product, who double bogeyed the par-5 15th and bogeyed the next two holes.

It was, however, a sorry finish for Ardina, who bogeyed two of the first six holes, recovered the strokes with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 but dropped out of the cutoff line with another double-bogey on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 13.

She birdied the par-3 17th but ran out of holes in her comeback bid.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

MANHATTAN BEACH, California—Had it not been for the near-fatal accident that struck Errol Spence, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach would have preferred to sign up Spence as Manny Pacquiao’s next foe.

Although he doesn’t have the authority to pick, Roach believes Spence is not that invincible, and that Pacquiao is highly capable of handing him his first loss.

“I would have liked Spence against Pacquiao and I watched his last two fights and he hasn’t looked that great. I think that (Spence) is a good fight for Manny but unfortunately accidents happen,” Roach said in an interview with a couple of Manila-based scribes.

Spence, the International Boxing Federation champion, “was very lucky” according to Roach, to have survived a car crash in his native Arlington, Texas, last month that saw his white Ferrari Spider flip over thrice.

With Spence (26-0 with 21 KOs) indisposed after suffering injuries, the choice is now down to the two Garcias and Roach is more inclined to get Danny.

“Danny Garcia, Much better fighter. Mikey’s coming off a loss. He lost his last fight. How can you put somebody who is coming off a loss?”

The last fight of Danny (35-2 with 21 KOs), meanwhile, took place in April and he was victorious against Adrian Granados.

Mikey (39-1 with 30 KOs) was beaten lopsidedly by Spence last March in Texas. Pacquiao’s camp is looking at a March date and Roach swears “it’s a great date for Pacquao as long as I can have him for six weeks.”

“A six-week training camp is a lot better than eight. Manny trains hard. And six weeks is lot better than eight because he burns out (if he trains for eight weeks).”

Pacquiao (62-7-2 with 39 KOs) scored his most dramatic victory in years last July when he dealt the younger and fresher Keith Thurman his first defeat to retain the World Boxing Association crown.

Source: Manila Bulletin