By WAYLON GALVEZ

Because of an ankle injury, Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone has ruled out guard Jayson Castro for the national team set to compete in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here.

Castro sustained the injury last week during a game between TNT KaTropa and NLEX. The result of his MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is already out and upon the recommendations of renowned sports physician Dr. Raul Canlas Castro requires rest.

“I talked to Dr. Canlas and he told me optimistically Jayson will be ready to start back in practice in one month and that is optimistically,” said Cone at the conclusion of practice session of the PBA-backed national team Monday night at the Meralco gym in Pasig City.

“In the meantime he’s going to need complete rest until that time. That’s coming to practice, not getting back in shape, extra rehab and getting his rhythm… most likely anywhere between five to six weeks would be his time.”

“That’s basically too late for us. Sayang,” said Cone.

Castro is part of the 15-man national team training pool from where Cone would select his final 12 for the biennial meet set Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

The list has already been submitted last month by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC).

Cone said they are still checking with the SBP if they can still replace Castro on the roster. Manila Bulletin reached out to SBP chief Al Panlilio but he was not available for comment at press time.

If not, the veteran mentor of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel said the remaining players would be enough for them to form a competitive team, particularly at the guard spot since LA Tenorio, Stanley Pringle, Scottie Thompson and Chris Ross are still part of the training pool.

“That’s the reason why we got 15, in case we got an injury, two or three, we’ll still have 12 guys that we can go with,” said Cone.

“If we can, we’ll probably replace if we can. We’ll look for somebody. We have a couple of guys in mind, but I don’t want to say it because I don’t want to get their hopes up that might happen for them. But I have four players in mind to select from (the PBA).”

Justin Brownlee, Cone’s import at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, joined the Gilas practice session, but he said it’s just a “one time thing” since the national team is undermanned.

On Nov. 4 and 11, the national team plays the San Miguel Beer ALAB Pilipinas in a tune game, and Chinese Taipei on Nov. 18, which is part of the Gilas Pilipinas build up for the SEA Games.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

HOUSTON – Houston Astros star pitcher Justin Verlander has won nearly every award Major League Baseball offers, but has endured epic frustration and futility on the sport’s biggest stage – the World Series.

The 36-year-old American right-hander is the first pitcher to lose his first five World Series decisions. His 5.73 earned-run average (ERA) is the fourth-worst of all pitchers with five or more World Series starts.

So when Verlander takes the mound for the Astros in Tuesday’s sixth game of Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final, he’ll have a chance to break his World Series curse or push it to epic levels.

The Astros ripped Washington 7-1 on Sunday to seize a 3-2 World Series lead and can capture a second title in three seasons for Houston with a game six victory.

Verlander dreams of destiny making his first World Series win a title-clincher.

”That would be a moment I would cherish in my career if that were able to happen,” Verlander said.

A loss would force a one-game winner-take-all showdown for the championship on Wednesday in Houston.

The Astros return to Verlander after he lost game two, suRrendering four runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings, including a homer to Kurt Suzuki.

It was so bad Verlander fell and threw the ball off his leg trying to make a fielding play.

”Excited to get back and play in front of our home crowd,” Verlander said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

At a young age, Alex Eala already figured out what she wants to become: That is to turn professional.

Starting next year, the 14-year-old Eala, No. 13 in the world in singles, said she will start competing in the pro circuit to beef up her ITF rankings.

“Yes I want to go pro, obviously it’s one of my goals so I think (starting next year) I will definitely be joining more pro tournaments,” said Eala.

The country’s most promising tennis player graced Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Amelie Hotel along with her father Mike Eala one day before she flies back to Spain.

Eala is a scholar at Rafael Nadal Academy where she is at Grade 9 at the American International School in Mallorca.

The elder Eala did confirm her charming daughter is already eligible to turn pro.

“The minimum age of playing for professional tennis is 14 years old, and Alex turned 14 last May,” said Alex’s father. “Ang tricky part there is you have to reach a minimum number of points before you can get to the main draw of the (pro) tournaments.

“So the plan for Alex if she gets to the top 5 of the juniors, you get wildcards to play in the tournaments. So this is more or less the thinking of how we can fast-tracked the rise in the tournaments sa pro. But definitely next year will be a good mix of junior tournaments and pro tournaments,” added the elder Eala during the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PACGOR).

“Junior tournaments will definitely be the four grand slams, and then sa pro, we still have to work out kung ano yung mga calendar ng tournaments na sasalihan niya.”

The Filipina teener skyrocketed in the juniors ranking, starting from 113 in January, after she captured the ITF juniors title in Cape Town in South Africa and then finished runner-up in ITF Osaka Mayor’s Cup in Japan.

“Those GAs (Grade A) tournaments certainly boosted my confidence because I know that I can compete in high level meets,” she said.

The tournaments were classified Grade A which are next level to the grand slams. Eala also barged into the second round of the US Open juniors competitions last September.

Her feat in Japan coincided with the tryouts for the Southeast Asian Games, but Eala said she will be open to representing the Philippines in future international meets.

“In the tournaments that I play usually I am the only Filipina, so I guess I represent the Philippines as well,” added the niece of former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala.

“But I will be honored to be part of the women’s SEA Games team. I will be very open to joining it in the future if I have future opportunities.”

Added Alex’s father, “That Osaka tournament was very crucial to get her to play the four grand slams next year.”

She steered the country to a fifth-place finish in the World Juniors Championships in Czech Republic. With Alexa Milliam and Jen Prulla, Eala accomplished the best finish for the Philippines in years.

Alex will still play in two tournaments before the end of the year, including one in Florida next month which is a Grade A meet.

“Hopefully, I can get my rankings a little bit higher by the end of the year,” she said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Members of the Philippine wushu team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games are hoping that they could familiarize themselves with the actual competition venue way ahead of the others.

Wushu in the coming SEA Games will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) from Dec. 1 to 3. The Philippines will host the biennial event from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Two-time SEA Games gold medalist Daniel Parantac said familiarity with the venue could spell the difference in their bid to deliver the gold.

“If we can train in the actual venue at least two weeks before the competition, it will be good for us. Actually, the earlier, the better,” he said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel in Manila.

Parantac, who won gold medals in taolu during the 2013 and 2015 SEA Games then finished fourth in 2017, added that as host, Filipino wushu officials and athletes must seize the opportunity.

“If we train in the venue two or three days before the competition, that’s not enough. We need to get used to the surface. Meron kasi surface na madulas and meron din makapit,” said Parantac during the forum where he was joined by fellow wushu athlete Agatha Wong, the reigning SEA Games champion in taolu, a subjective event (judging).

The Philippines will field 12 athletes in wushu, which offers 16 gold medals in sanda and taolu events. To gear up for the competition, they underwent four months of training in China.

They include Jessie Aligaga, Arnel Mandal, Carlos Baylon Jr., Francisco Solis, Clemente Tabugara Jr., Divine Wally and Jenifer Kilapio in sanda; and Thornton Sayan, Jones Inso and Johnzenth Gajo in taolu, aside from Parantac and Wong.

Wong, who is determined to keep her title, told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel and PAGCOR, that the China training will serve them well.

“China has the resources that no one else does. We improved a lot during our training there,” she said.

Wong, who had battled injuries to get to the top of her game, vowed to give her best.

“When we compete, we always give our best. We always assure ourselves of that. In this SEA Games, we will give our best,” she said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

SHENZHEN, China — Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the WTA Finals because of a right shoulder injury ahead of her scheduled round-robin match against top-ranked Ash Barty.

Alternate Kiki Bertens will take Osaka’s place against Barty later Tuesday.

“I’m disappointed to have to withdraw from the finals,” Osaka said in a statement. “This is not how I wanted to end this tournament or my season but I look forward to getting healthy and hope to be back here next year.”

The two-time Grand Slam title winner opened with a 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 win over Petra Kvitova in the Red Group.

Barty opened the round-robin stage with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 win over Belinda Bencic.

As an alternate, Bertens is eligible to advance to the semifinals, which is determined by match wins.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

University of Santo Tomas dethroned Ateneo 4-3 in a pulsating finish Tuesday morning to capture the UAAP Season 82  juniors baseball crown at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Pitcher John Regalado struck out Daniel Fabella with runners at second and third in the seventh and final inning as the Junior Golden Sox completed their comeback from an early 2-0 deficit and capture its second title in three years.

Regalado fanned 11 batters in a complete game outing to earn the Finals Most Valuable Player award.

The Junior Golden Sox bounced back from absorbing a 15-3 drubbing by the Blue Eaglets in the best-of-three opener last week by taking a 7-3 win in Game 2 last Saturday.

Coach Jeffrey Santiago’s team also produced three runs in the fifth inning that enabled UST to gain a 4-2 lead.

Ateneo’s Matt San Juan was named season MVP aside from claiming the Best Hitter and Best Slugger honors, but his bid to end his high school career with another championship was denied by UST.

San Juan was also forced to come in relief of lefty starter Zachary Urbina, who left after 3 2/3 inning due to a bleeding nose.

Leadoff man Marcel Guzman scored on a passed ball and San Juan doubled to score Fabella from second to help the Blue Eaglets jump aboard first.

But Brian Daniel Camarsi to send home Jester Tapia from second to narrow UST’s deficit to 2-1 in the third. Tapia earlier made it to third when shortstop Ateneo shortstop Kean Agcaoili made a wild throw from second in an attempt to complete an inning-ending double play.

Camarsi also hit bloop single with no outs allowed Alwyn James Pinero to score the tying run to set up the Junior Golden Sox’s onslaught in the fifth.

Mark Anthony Abella reached safely at first on a bunt following a fielding error to load the bases, Steven Dominguez put UST ahead on a sacrifice fly that scored Tapia from third and a fielding error by Agcaoili enabled Camarsi to make it 4-2.

Ateneo pulled one back in the bottom half of the fifth when Guzman tripled and scored on a passed ball.

The Blue Eaglets were down to their final out after Regalado struck out Agcaoili and De la Rosa, but Laygo reached second on the next at-bat when the ball rolled past shortstop Justine John Rosales.

Laygo later advanced to third on a passed ball while Guzman drew a walk and reached second during Fabella’s at-bat. But Fabella foul tipped Regalado’s pitch into the mitt of catcher Abella for the third strike, triggering celebrations from the UST faithful.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

LOS ANGELES— Kawhi Leonard is only four games into his tenure back home in Los Angeles, and Paul George is still several games away from his Clippers debut. Everybody is still getting to know each other on this reconfigured roster.

The Clippers have enough talent to keep stacking victories during this introductory process — particularly against teams like the Charlotte Hornets, who have even more work to do.

Leonard had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Lou Williams scored 23 points one day after his 33rd birthday in Los Angeles’ 111-96 victory over Charlotte on Monday night.

Montrezl Harrell scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Landry Shamet added 16 in the Clippers’ third win in four games to start a season with championship aspirations.

After following up their impressive season-opening victories over the Lakers and the Warriors with a shocking 130-122 loss to the Phoenix Suns two days ago, the Clippers managed to play enough defense in the second half to secure a comfortable win over the young Hornets.

Their last two performances have been nowhere near complete, but the Clippers are working through it.

“There’s so many things that we can get better in,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “And you just see them, like screening, timing, knowing where each other is at. There’s so many new parts on the floor, and I just feel like we’re nowhere near what we’re going to be. Not even close, and that’s a good thing. But during that time, you’ve still got to win games. You’re in the West. You’ve just still got to tick off wins.”

The Clippers pulled away with a 16-5 run spanning the final two quarters, stretching their lead to 96-79 with 7 ½ minutes to play.

Charlotte made an 11-2 surge, cutting the lead to single digits on Miles Bridges’ 3-pointer with 4:16 left, but Harrell and Williams made big shots down the stretch.

“We’ve got to come in every game with a defensive hat on first, and we did that tonight,” Leonard said. “It’s still early. We’ve got a long road ahead of us. We’re still building chemistry, getting to know each other on the floor. I wouldn’t say we’re there yet. We’ve got to keep going.”

Terry Rozier had 17 points to lead six Hornets scoring in double figures in the second game of a four-game trip.

Devonte Graham had 14 points and 12 assists, while Cody Zeller added 14 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte, which has lost three straight after a season-opening win over Chicago.

“I like the way we competed against two of the better teams in the league,” Charlotte coach James Borrego said. “We played even better tonight. Probably our best performance of the year defensively.”

Indeed, Charlotte appeared to have more favorable defensive matchups against these Staples Center co-tenants than they did against the Lakers.

But one night after the Hornets managed only 39 points in the second half of a loss to the Lakers, they scored only 42 in the second half against the Clippers.

“I feel like we’re growing,” Graham said. “Even (against the Lakers), I feel like we took a step. We came out tonight to fight and be aggressive, but they did a good job on us in the second half.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

SHENZHEN, China— Simona Halep saved a match point before beating Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 Monday at the WTA Finals.

Halep, a former No. 1 who won the Wimbledon title in July, saved the match point in the 12th game of the second set.

“Today was a challenge because she’s almost 10 years younger than me,” Halep said. “I was really proud of what I did after having a back injury for almost a month.”

After the tiebreaker, both players sought medical treatment. Halep had her foot treated while the 19-year-old Andreescu, the US Open champion, had a lower back problem. Andreescu also called for the trainer in the third set.

“I think she fought really hard,” Andreescu said. “I didn’t take my chances in the second set and after that my back really hurt.

“I’m just really pretty disappointed.”

Earlier, defending champion Elina Svitolina stretched her unbeaten run at the season-ending tournament into a new year, beating Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (12), 6-4 in her opening match.

Svitolina, the only player in this year’s field who has not won a title this season, was unbeaten in the tournament last year.

After exchanging service breaks in the first set, Svitolina converted her seventh set point. Pliskova also had a chance to take the first set, but she failed to take advantage of a set point at 9-8 in the tiebreaker.

“You tell yourself to stay in the moment,” Svitolina said of the lengthy tiebreaker. “You just try to play one rally at a time, to don’t rush. Even when I had the chances to finish the set, because there was few, I thought I could play better.”

After the tiebreaker, Pliskova struggled to stay in the match.

“I think that decided all match,” the Czech player said. “Even though I had some chances in the second set, too, it was a big part of the match, the first set.

“Everything what I just won was because I made a winner or because I was pushing her. Overall I think she didn’t give me many mistakes.”

Svitolina jumped ahead 2-0 in the second set and then broke again for a 4-3 lead.

Pliskova, who had won all three of her previous opening matches at the WTA Finals, leads the tour with four titles this season — winning in Brisbane, Rome, Eastbourne and Zhengzhou. She also leads the tour with most aces served at 481.

Halep and Svitolina are now 1-0 in the Purple Group, while Andreescu and Pliskova are 0-1.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

PARIS — Roger Federer has withdrawn from the Paris Masters to get some rest ahead of next month’s ATP Finals.

The 38-year-old Federer won his hometown Swiss Indoors title for the 10th time on Sunday. Federer’s fourth title in 2019 was the 103rd of his career.

Federer says he needs “to make sure not to strain myself because I want to play as long as possible on the ATP Tour. I’m sorry for my French fans, I’ll see them next year at Roland Garros.”

Seeded No. 3 in Paris, Federer will be replaced by a lucky loser in the main draw.

Federer has already earned a spot at the ATP Finals, which features the top eight players in the world.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Dwight Howard swatted the shot into the stands and playfully wagged his index finger, his famous smile visible to the back of the lower bowl at Staples Center.

And not for the first time Sunday night, thousands of Lakers fans rose from their seats and cheered for the single most reviled basketball player in Los Angeles for the past six years.

Hollywood loves a comeback story, but this big man’s redemption arc is almost too unbelievable for LA.

Six years after Howard spent one tumultuous season with the Lakers and then spurned them in free agency, his unlikely return to the team this year has begun with an even more improbable development.

Howard is playing superbly, and Lakers fans have already embraced him again after just three games.

Howard made an enormous impact off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds with four blocked shots in just 23 minutes.

And the way he did it — hustling, grinding and playing stellar defense — was wildly appreciated by Lakers fans who largely thought of him as the epitome of an NBA diva just a few months ago.

“I’m just grateful,” Howard said. “I think myself and the fans, we’ve been through a lot together. But just to be back here means a lot, so I’m just taking it all in. Every second, every moment on the court is valuable, and the fans enjoy when we go out there and put everything on the line.”

It’s difficult to overstate the about-face that has occurred for both Howard and Lakers fans. Howard’s every appearance in any uniform at Staples since 2013 had been greeted with deafening boos and vitriol — but in the Lakers’ first three games, he has earned multiple ovations for his selfless, energetic play.

“That’s why we brought him here,” LeBron James said. “We felt like when everyone else was writing him off, we could give him a great opportunity. We believed in him, and his word, and he’s making the most of it.”

It all goes back to 2012, when Howard joined the Lakers from Orlando and teamed up with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol on a potential superteam. Those Lakers foundered and crashed out in the first round after Bryant and Nash were injured while Howard struggled through a back injury.

After clashing with Bryant and reacting negatively to the Lakers’ championship-or-bust culture, Howard was so eager to leave LA that he signed with Houston for $30 million less than he would have made in the deal offered by the Lakers. LA’s fans took it personally.

The Lakers haven’t made the playoffs since, and Howard’s career never reached its former heights. He bounced from the Rockets to five more franchises, including two that waived him before he even played for them.

Howard is 33 years old now, and he missed all but nine games of last season with Washington after back surgery. A player who ranked among the league’s elite during the first decade of his career had been reduced to a journeyman with no clear future.

Howard thought deeply about the state of his career during his recovery, spent largely alone on his farm back in north Georgia.

“You don’t want to take anything for granted,” Howard said. “Surgeries, missing games, being out for seasons — every moment that you have on the court is valuable. Before I even had the opportunity to come to the Lakers, I just kept telling myself, ‘Wherever I’m at, whoever I’m playing for, when I step on the court, just give 110%. Even if it’s 2 minutes, 30 seconds, 15 minutes, just do whatever you can to help that team win.’ And now I’m coming back to the best team in the best city in the world, so I’m very thankful.”

When DeMarcus Cousins blew out his knee shortly after signing with the Lakers, they needed a second center to spell JaVale McGee and Anthony Davis.

Howard auditioned for the job, flying to Los Angeles for a workout and spending time in conversation with veterans. Howard insisted he had changed, and a championship was his only goal. While LA hated him, he still loved LA — and he would play any role for the chance to contribute to a good team.

After agreeing to a non-guaranteed contract that allowed the Lakers to cut ties with him before January, Howard has done everything he promised. His coaches and teammates are thrilled.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel called Howard’s effort against Charlotte “off the charts. He was a star in his role tonight, and that’s what we’re asking him to be. Not the superstar he was the first time around, but to be a role player and to be a star in the role.”

And when Vogel pulled Howard from Sunday’s game with a 16-point lead and a few minutes to play, Staples Center rose and cheered again.

“Obviously he wanted to redeem himself from the first stint,” James said. “But just being back on the floor, a guy that hadn’t played since last November, and the fact that he is a big contributor, I think it was just a big night for him.”

Source: Manila Bulletin