Senate Sports Committee Chair Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go led the lighting of the cauldron last Wednesday at SM Lanang in Davao City to signal the start of the torch run for the upcoming 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Go, during an interview after the event, reiterated the government’s commitment to support Filipino athletes in the upcoming games to bolster their chances of winning medals and in recognition of their hardwork in bringing pride to the country through sports.

“Ang gobyerno natin ay full support po sa ating mga atleta. One team tayo! We win as one! Go for the gold,” he said.
“Suportahan na lang po natin ang ating mga atleta. Sabi ko nga kanina sila ang ating mga bida, lalo na mga probinsyano, katulad nitong mga atleta natin from Davao,” Go said, expressing his admiration for the athletes, particularly those from Davao region representing not only the country, but also their hometown.

“I’m so proud of them, at sila po ang magdadala ng ginto para sa ating bansa. We are expecting na makukuha natin ang ginto, maraming ginto and hopefully mag-qualify sila sa Tokyo Olympics at makuha natin ang ating inaasam na gold doon,” he added.

In his message during the event, Go said that the journey of the torch from Davao City to New Clark City in Tarlac is symbolic in uniting the country in support of Filipino athletes as the Philippines hosts the regional sporting event for the fourth time.

“Maraming sinisimbolo ang torch na itatakbo natin mula ngayong araw dito sa Davao, patungong Cebu, patungong Manila, hanggang makarating ito sa New Clark City sa Tarlac,” he said.

Go also stressed that aside from unifying Filipinos to support our national team, the torch run calls for the closer integration and unity among countries in the Southeast Asian region, particularly in terms of sports development.

As for the preparation for the Games, Go said that the country is ready to host the festivities in the coming month.

“May mga 85 percent ready na po tayo. At sa susunod na linggo ay iikot ang house contingent, ‘yung House Committee on Sports, at titingnan nila ‘yung mga preparasyon,” Go said.

“At ako, bilang Chairman sa Senado ay sasama rin po ako, titingnan ko rin po, at sisiguraduhin natin na maayos ang preparasyon. At hindi lang po iyon, ang pinaka importante po sa amin ni Pangulong Duterte, magamit po ‘yung pera ng gobyerno sa tama up to the last centavo.”

To inspire Filipino athletes to do well in the SEA Games, Go said that additional rewards and incentives may be provided by the President to the competing athletes aside from the incentives that may be given to them as provided by law.

“Mayroon talagang nakalaan na incentive in every gold na napanalunan, silver at saka sa bronze. And aside from that, nakikita nyo naman po noong nakaraang buwan, ay tinanggap po ng ating mahal na pangulo sa Malacañang mismo ‘yung mga limang nanalo ng mga ginto at silver. Additional po ito pwera sa ibinigay ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) sa kanila ay nagbigay po ang ating Pangulo to encourage them and to boost their morale na laban tayo,” said Go.

Go bared that he recently co-authored Senate Bill (SB) 1086 which seeks to create the Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS), similar to Philippine National High School for the Arts and Philippine Science High School.
The PHSS is proposed to be built in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

“Dahil malapit ang ipapatayong paaralan sa world-class facilities, mahahasang mabuti ang galing ng mga batang atleta habang nabibigyan sila ng magandang edukasyon,” Go said stating that the PHSS will serve as the premier training center to develop the skills and talents of aspiring athletes while giving them quality high school education.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Games Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center)

2 p.m. – PhilHealth vs SSS

3:30 p.m. – AFP vs Ombudsman

5 p.m. – Malacañang-PSC vs DENR

Defending champion Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Malacañang-Philippine Sports Commission stake their unbeaten runs when they go up against separate rivals Sunday in the 8th UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports center.

AFP and Malacañang lead their respective group elims with 4-0 records but the latter will be put to the test when it faces newcomer but dangerous Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the lone Group B elims match at 5 p.m.

The DENR Warriors are undefeated in three games in the annual tournament for public servants, their latest win an 86-65 thumping of two-time champions Judiciary Magis.

Bidding to become the first back-to-back champions in the event organized by UNTV president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon, the AFP Cavaliers tackle the Ombudsman Graftbusters at 3:30 p.m. in Group A.

Another Group A match pits the SSS Kabalikat against the PhilHealth Plus with the former out to nail their first win in four games.

The Kabalikat tote a 1-3 mark in the event where the chosen charity of the champion team will be getting a tax-free P4 million prize while the runner-up’s foundation will receive P2 million.

Out to carry the load for Cavaliers are former Letran star Boyet Bautista, Dave Cordero and Eugene Tan while the Kamao will be bannered by Erick dela Cuesta, Joseph Roque and Jeffrey Punsalan.

The DENR Warriors will once again rely on the quartet of Ralph Lansang, Desiderio Ayson, Ed Rivera and Arturo Atablanco – all of them scored in double figures the last time.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Waylon Galvez

Defending three-time champion San Beda University finally got into some ‘game’ action Thursday when it played the Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors in a tuneup match that is part of the Red Lions’ preparation for the NCAA Season 95 Finals on November 12.

“We needed this one,” said San Beda’s sophomore guard Evan Nelle after the game at the school’s gym in Mendiola, Manila.

“The last time we played was like two weeks ago. Yes we’ve been practicing but playing the game is totally different. You get in to that game flow, you’re able to test some of the things you want to improve on. Like for its, it’s my decision making and defense.”

San Beda won against the Realtors 70-63, a team managed by Buddy Encarnado and handled by mentor Bong dela Cruz with ex-pros Jeric Teng, Nic Belasco and Kiko Adriano.

Fernandez played for Encarnado during his amateur days with the now defunct Philippine Basketball League, and when he turned coach, he called the shots for Sta. Lucia Realty that won the 2008 Philippine Cup title.

San Beda last played Oct. 17 when it downed Lyceum of the Philippines University 85-62 to complete a perfect record of 18-0 in the elimination round, which matched the achievement of LPU two seasons ago.

The feat also gave the Red Lions automatic finals berth.

That leaves the next three teams going through a stepladder playoffs to determine the second finals spot with No. 3 Letran facing No. 4 San Sebastian College-Recoletos in a knockout game on Nov. 5. The winner plays No. 2 Lyceum also in a do-or-die on Nov. 8 with a finals berth at stake.

Filipino-Canadian second year guard James Canlas-Kwekuteye said that while there is pressure to deliver a championship,  they are all focused to play in the Finals.

“Of course there is pressure, after what we accomplished in the elimination round. That’s why Game 1 is very important,” said Canlas-Kwekuteye.

San Beda mentor Boyet Fernandez said that despite a perfect record, there are things that he wants to see improvement on his team, foremost of which is defense.

There were games in the second round that the Red Lions needed to play catch-up after a slow start. Fernandez said they cannot do that in the finals.

“That’s what we are focused on,our defense,” said Fernandez. “Any team that we’ll face, we know it’s not going to be easy. That’s why I always tell my players that we have to give it out best, take extra effort in playing defense.”

San Beda takes a rest Friday and Saturday, returning  Sunday for practice until Tuesday. Fernandez said he hopes to get another tune up game on Wednesday.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

GM Wesley So dominated world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in two “slow rapid” games yesterday to move on the verge of becoming the first FIDE World Fischer Random Chess champion in Hovikodden, Norway on Friday.

So, born in Cavite but who now plays for the United States, was in control of Games 3 and 4 to win in 60 and 51 moves for a commanding 10.5-1.5 lead in the race-to-12 duel.

The first game ended in a draw while the second last Friday resulted in a triumph by So.

So will just have to get two points in the four “fast rapid” games and four blitz games.

A win in fast rapid is equivalent to two points and a draw to one point, while blitz victories are equivalent to one point and a draw to half a point.

If Carlsen, who is the concurrent world chess champion in both standard and blitz events of classical chess, manages to whip up a miraculous comeback and tie the match, he will play So in a tiebreak dubbed “Armageddon”.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Bianca Pagdanganan recalled her fierce form, firing a tournament-best eight-spiked, bogey-free 64 to rally from joint 63rd to a share of 27th after six rounds of the LPGA Q-Series at Pinehurst No. 9 in North Carolina Thursday.

Pagdanganan, who failed to get going in the first half of the two-part elims with two 74s, a 72 and a 70 at Pinehurst No. 6 last week to lay at joint 63rd, broke a run of backside pars with four straight birdies then hit two more at the front before capping her sizzling pair of 32s with an eagle on the par-5 No. 8.

“I finally got my ball striking together, but putting wasn’t there with me and today was the day that putts actually dropped. I really think it was a long time coming and definitely had to stay patient out there. I’ve been kind of desperate for a good round because I’ve been hitting good shots but couldn’t convert any into birdies. I can breathe a lot better and sleep a little better tonight,” said Pagdanganan, who emerged the surprise low medalist in State I in Rancho Mirage, California last August and rallied with a 64 in the final round to finish tied for eighth in Stage II in Florida last month.

With a 426 aggregate, Pagdanganan remained too far behind frontrunner Muni He of China, who slowed down with a 70 for a 410, but the ace Filipina shotmaker safely made the Top 80 cut after six rounds. She also boosted her bid for a Top 45 finish in the last 36 holes of the grueling eight-round qualifier for coveted LPGA Tour cards next year.

Dottie Ardina, meanwhile, slowed down with a 72 after a 69 for joint 30th at 427 while Clariss Guce fumbled with a 75 to slip to joint 46th at 431.

Korean Hee Young Park closed to within four of He with 412 after a 66 and Yealimi Noh of the US shot a 69 for a 417.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Waylon Galvez

The Philippines was given an opportunity to make it to the men’s 3×3 competitions of the Tokyo Olympics after securing a slot in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament set March 2020 in India.

FIBA named the Philippines as one of 20 countries that will play in the OQT during an event held Friday in Utsunomiya, Japan.

The country was later bracketed in Pool C of the OQT along with Slovenia, France, the Dominican Republic and Qatar.

Three Olympic berths are at stake in the OQT while the final slot will come from the FIBA Universality-driven OQT.

Host Japan, China, Russia and Serbia were given direct spots to the Tokyo Olympics.

“We’re very happy that the Philippines will be competing in the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament for a shot at making it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio.

“The 3×3 is an area where Filipino basketball players can really excel and we’re delighted that a Filipino basketball team will get to test their skills against the world’s best.”

Panlilio also lauded the efforts of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3, the league that accumulated most of the points through the staging of four events and the participation of several teams in multiple FIBA 3×3 Challenger and World Tour events.

“The SBP thanks all the private promoters that held 3×3 events especially Chooks-To-Go led by Ronald Mascarinas. We’re proud of the joint effort from the Philippines basketball community that helped us reach this goal,” Panlilio added.

In a separate statement, Mascarinas credited those who paved the way for the Philippines’ entry to the OQT.

“We are extremely happy with this development,” said Mascarinas. “But we could not have done it without the combined efforts of everyone.

“We would like to thank the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas headed by chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan and president Al, the numerous private promoters, all the players from Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3, and, of course, the Filipino people who supported us for the last nine months.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

ATLANTA — Kendrick Nunn is enjoying the best start of any undrafted player in NBA history. The rookie is taking the Miami Heat along for the ride.

Nunn scored a career-high 28 points to add to his record-setting start and Miami beat Atlanta 106-97 on Thursday night, giving the Heat two wins over the Hawks in three days.

Nunn’s 112 points are the highest total through the first five games for any undrafted player in NBA history. Connie Hawkins of the Phoenix Suns scored 105 points in his first five games of the 1969-70 season.

“It’s surreal a little bit,” Nunn said. “… All I needed was the opportunity.”

Nunn, a 6-foot-2 guard from Oakland University in Michigan, scored 14 points in the third quarter. He began his career with 24 points against Memphis on Oct. 23, and he has kept shooting. He has scored at least 24 points three times in Miami’s first five games.

“He can shoot it,” Hawks rookie Cam Reddish said. “I have a lot of respect for that guy.”

Another record-setting rookie, Tyler Herro, had 17 points. Herro scored 29 points off the bench in the Heat’s 112-97 win over Atlanta on Tuesday night to set a franchise record for a rookie reserve.

The rookies have helped Miami (4-1) enjoy a strong start.

Nunn and Herro are feeding off Jimmy Butler, who had 11 assists while scoring only five points. He added nine rebounds, six steals and blocked three shots.

The Heat had 29 assists with only 13 turnovers.

“To tell you the truth, that was winning basketball today,” Butler said.

Nunn was impressed by Butler’s play, especially the assists.

“That’s huge, for your star player to be unselfish like that,” Nunn said.

Butler had 21 points in his Heat debut on Tuesday night, but said he doesn’t have to score big to do his job. “I’m not here to score 50 points or whatever. … If we win, I’m good.”

Reddish filled in at point guard for Trae Young, who was held out with a sprained right ankle.

Jabari Parker led Atlanta with 23 points. DeAndre Bembry had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Miami held a lead of 18 points, but Atlanta made a late comeback attempt.

Bembry’s steal and basket cut Miami’s lead to 94-88 midway through the final period. Following a timeout, Meyers Leonard sank two 3-pointers for Miami, followed by a Nunn layup, for a 102-88 lead. Leonard had 16 points.

Reddish had nine points with four assists and only one turnover. Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said Reddish had a good start before crossing the “fine line between playing with good pace and playing too fast.”

Reddish, who joined De’Andre Hunter as rookie starters, said “I feel like I learned a lot tonight, especially at that position. I’ve got to slow down and let the game come to me.”

Pelicans beat Nuggets for first victory

Jahlil Okafor scored 26 points, Brandon Ingram added 25 and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107 on Thursday night for their first victory in five games this season.

Ingram has scored at least 22 points in each of his first five games for New Orleans after coming over from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jrue Holiday added 19 points and seven assists after missing the previous two games because of a sprained left knee. Frank Jackson had 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nuggets with 15 points in his NBA debut. Jamal Murray and Jerami Grant each had 14 points, and Nikola Jokic added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Denver has lost two straight after opening 3-0.

The Pelicans led the final three quarters.

New Orleans benefited from improved shot selection. The Pelicans attempted at least 41 three-pointers in each of their first four games, but they reduced that to 33 on Thursday and made a season-high 46 percent. New Orleans shot 53 percent overall from the field.

The Nuggets made just 7 of 26 3-pointers.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

The racial transformation of the Springboks into a team where six black players, including skipper Siya Kolisi, will face England in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final has been tortuous and hard-won.

There have been highs like the elevation last year of Kolisi to be the first black Test captain of a South African national team that for 90 years chose only whites.

There have also been lows, most recently when star lock Eben Etzebeth was accused of assaulting and racially abusing a homeless black man before flying to Japan for the World Cup.

Etzebeth, who captained the Springboks two seasons ago after first choice Warren Whiteley was injured, denies the allegations.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is adamant that there are no racists in his charge, telling AFP that “I would not tolerate racism in my squad.

“I can guarantee you that this team is a nice, close-knit one, and there will never be something like that (racism).”

But the coach had to turn firefighter after celebrations following a mammoth pool win over 14-man Italy triggered social media fury.

Six white reserves excluded black starter Makazole Mapimpi from a huddle and the immediate reaction on social media was that the winger had been racially shunned.

In fact, the ‘bomb squad’, as the reserves label themselves, always celebrate separately from the starting players.

Mapimpi, a contender for leading try-scorer in this World Cup with five, backed the reserves on Twitter only to be branded a “sell-out”.

Racial quotas

Twitter is the preferred battlefield when black and white South Africans go to war over the Springboks, who are seeking a World Cup hat-trick following 1995 and 2007 triumphs.

When Kolisi suggested this year that deceased former state president Nelson Mandela would not have backed Springbok racial quotas, he was also slammed for being a “sell-out”.

The 27-year-old, born into poverty in an eastern Cape township, does not enjoy being called the first black Test captain of the Springboks.

“That is not a description I find natural,” he admitted to AFP. “I’m privileged to captain a team that represents all South Africans.”

Kolisi was born during the death throes of apartheid in 1991 and three years later multiracial elections ushered long-time political prisoner Mandela to power.

Mandela, who loved boxing, later played a key role in defusing demands from elements within the ruling African National Congress party that the emblem of a leaping Springbok be dumped.

The political icon reasoned that the Springboks were dear to South African whites and he wanted to foster national unity in the aftermath of the divisive apartheid era.

He arrived at the 1995 World Cup final in Johannesburg wearing a replica of the shirt of skipper Francois Pienaar and a mainly white crowd chanted “Nelson, Nelson, Nelson”.

Mandela later presented the trophy to Pienaar after a dramatic extra-time triumph over arch-rivals New Zealand, and all seemed well with South African rugby.

As blacks who previously hated the Springboks, seeing them as a symbol of apartheid, danced in the streets around Ellis Park, hopes were high that a new, multiracial team would be born.

‘Unity and inclusivity’

Winger Chester Williams, who died recently of a heart attack, was the lone black in the 1995 winning team, an unacceptable situation given only 10 percent of the population was white.

But when the Springboks conquered the world again in France 12 years later, there were just two black starters, wingers JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana.

Despite growing government anger at predominantly white teams, a succession of Springboks coaches ignored emerging black stars, preferring inferior whites, some well past their prime.

Ahead of the 2003 World Cup, where the Springboks made a timid quarter-finals exit, forward Geo Cronje was kicked out of the squad for refusing to share a room with a black team-mate.

Cronje represented a group who longed for the old days when whites represented the country and blacks played among themselves without any international recognition.

Leading rugby analyst Mark Keohane quit as media manager of the 2003 squad soon after the Cronje scandal, describing his time with them as “an awful experience”.

Keohane believes the 2019 World Cup Springboks are the most united he has observed with players respectful of differing cultures and races.

“They are all about unity and inclusivity. They are all about being South Africans. They are about what is possible in the future and not about what was pitiful in the past,” he wrote.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

LOS ANGELES— Kawhi Leonard scored 38 points, Montrezl Harrell added 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers beat San Antonio 103-97 on Thursday night, handing the Spurs their first loss.

Leonard — who sat out Wednesday’s game at Utah due to load management — also grabbed 12 rebounds for his first points-rebounds, double-double this season. It is also Leonard’s first double-double in three meetings against the Spurs, where he played seven seasons (2011-18).

Leonard also has scored 30 or more in three of his first five games with the Clippers, who he signed with as a free agent during the offseason.

The game was close for the first 28 minutes, before the Clippers took control with a 9-1 run to take a 64-55 lead with 6:55 remaining in the third quarter. Leonard — who had 25 points in the second half — scored five of his 10 third-quarter points during the rally, including a dunk after a steal of DeMar DeRozan at midcourt.

San Antonio got within five (80-75) at the end of the third quarter before the Clippers scored 11 of the first 13 points in the fourth quarter with nine coming from Leonard.

The Spurs scored six straight points to get within 97-93 with 2:34 left, but could not get closer.

DeRozan, a Los Angeles native, led San Antonio with 29 points and Derrick White added 20.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

SHENZHEN, China — Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty reached the semifinals in her debut appearance at the WTA Finals, beating Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2 Thursday to finish with a 2-1 record in the Red Group.

Barty, the first Australian woman to earn year-end No. 1 ranking, won her first Grand Slam trophy at the French Open in June and then reached the top of the rankings.

“I feel like I executed really well tonight,” Barty said on court. “Overall, I knew I had to come out here and play aggressively, and play to win.

“I’m really excited to have another chance to come out and play here on this beautiful court.”

Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the semifinals after Kiki Bertens retired in their match with the Swiss player leading 7-5, 1-0.

Bencic, like Barty, is making her WTA Finals singles debut.

“It’s pretty amazing, especially (because) I made it @ the last minute,” said Bencic, the last to qualify for the eight-player field. “I’m through the group (even though) I lost the first match here.”

Barty will next play either Karolina Pliskova or Simona Halep in the semifinals, while Bencic will face defending champion Elina Svitolina.

Barty saved all four break points she faced in the first set and broke Kvitova’s serve in the fifth game. The Czech player posted 20 unforced errors in the opening set.

In the first game of the second set, Barty broke Kvitova’s serve on her third break point and quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Kvitova, who won the season-ending title in her debut in 2011, finished the round robin 0-3 for the second consecutive year.

“When it came to the deciding points, she always played better than me,” Kvitova said. “I think the serve didn’t help me at all today.”

Bertens entered the tournament as an alternate after Naomi Osaka withdrew on Tuesday with a right shoulder injury.

The Dutchwoman, who would have moved onto the semifinals if she had beaten Bencic in the match, had her blood pressure taken on the court. She was teary-eyed when she decided to stop.

“I didn’t feel well on court,” Bertens said. “I had some problems with my stomach. The energy was not there and I was a little bit dizzy. It was just too much to continue.”

Also Thursday, Bianca Andreescu withdrew from the tournament with a left knee injury. She will be replaced by Sofia Kenin for the final round robin match on Friday against Svitolina.

“I had a scan Thursday to check my knee after last night’s match, and unfortunately the results show that I need to withdraw,” Andreescu said. “I’m very disappointed to not be able to finish the year on my terms, but I am hopeful I will have more chances to play here in the future.”

Kenin, who was guaranteed $125,000 as an alternate, will now earn at least $165,000 as a participant. If she wins her match against Svitolina, she will earn an additional $305,000.

Prior to Kenin’s inclusion, it was the first women’s year-end final in the 49-year history of the tournament not to feature an American in either singles or doubles.

Source: Manila Bulletin