By Jonas Terrado

Gilas Pilipinas is hoping to benefit from its upcoming participation in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament that will be held two weeks before the start of the 30th Southeast Asian Games on home soil.

The national cagebelles of coach Patrick Aquino are slated to face host New Zealand, South Korea and China in Group A of the Asia-Oceania tournament set Nov. 14 to 17 in Auckland.

The top two teams in the group advance to next year’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

While the odds are stacked against them, Aquino wants to see his team take advantage of the experience in order to prepare for SEA Games which opens Nov. 30.

Basketball competitions, however, won’t start until Dec. 4.

“Well they are the best of Asia and Oceania and giving our very best and competing with them will make us more prepared for the coming SEA Games,” Aquino said.

It will be Gilas’ second major tournament after placing seventh in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Bangalore, India.

Aquino is likely to field the same roster from the Asia Cup, though Claire Castro may join the squad for the Auckland tilt provided she gets a release from Far Eastern University.

Among the notable players who stood out in the Asia Cup were Afril Bernardino, Gemma Miranda, Kelly Hayes, Janine Pontehos and Ana Alicia Castillo.

Bernardino was Gilas’ top scorer during the tourney with an average of 11.8 points per game.

Gilas has been busy since the Asia Cup, holding regular practices while also trying to help the Philippines secure a spot in the OQT of the women’s 3×3 division by competing in numerous tournaments.

“We’ve been practicing since we got back from India. At the same time we are also doing 3×3 events for the ranking points in the Olympics. Kaya medyo busy talaga kami,” Aquino said.

“We hope that we can compete well for the coming pre-qualifying and a good preparation for the SEA Games,” added Aquino.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Waylon Galvez

Filipino weightlifter Vanessa Sarno won two gold medals and a silver in the 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships Thursday in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Sarno, a 16-year-old native of Bohol, bagged the gold medal in the 71-kilogram in the women’s category after lifting 209 kg and then added another gold in the 91 kg in the snatch event.

Ju Hyang U of the host nation took silver with 204 kg, while Uzbekistan’s Nigora Suvonova settled with the bronze after lifting 192 kg. Ju and Suvonova also finished with the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the snatch event of the 91-kg division.

Sarno failed to achieve a three-gold haul after she placed second to settle with a silver medal in clean and jerk after lifting 118 kg in the 91-kg category. Ju pocketed the gold with 119 kg while Suvonova had 108 kg for the bronze.

Two other Filipinos bets won medals as Chariz Macawli bagged a silver and a bronze while Rosegie Ramos had a bronze.

Macawli earned a silver medal in the 40-kg by lifting 116 kg total and 66 kg in the clean and jerk, and the bronze medal with her 50 kg total in snatch), while Ramos took the bronze in the 49-kg class with a 76 kg lift in snatch.

Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz said she is pleased that more and more weightlifters are given opportunities to compete abroad and most of these young athletes are bringing honor to the country.

“Of course masaya kasi napapansin na ngayon yung sports ng weightlifting. Nakakatuwa na maraming mga young athletes ang umaangat na yung laro, ang hopefully mas marami pa ang dumating,” said Diaz.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman and Milwaukee Brewers standout Josh Hader were named Major League Baseball’s Relief Pitchers of the Year on Saturday.

Chapman, a 31-year-old Cuban-born US left-hander, won the American League award and Hader, a lanky two-time All-Star, took the National League award for a second consecutive year in voting from a nine-member panel of retired Hall of Fame relievers.

Chapman made 37 saves this season, his seventh time in eight seasons with 30 or more, and struck out 85 batters in 57 innings with a 2.21 earned-run average (ERA).

He became the second Yankee to win the award after Andrew Miller in 2015, allowing opponents only a .185 batting average.

Hader became only the second player to win in back-to-back years after Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen in 2016 and 2017.

As Milwaukee’s primary closer once ace Corey Knebel underwent Tommy John tendon replacement surgery, Hader made 37 saves with a 2.62 ERA, allowing foes only a .155 batting average and leading all major league relievers with 138 strikeouts.

American League runners-up were Oakland’s Liam Hendriks and Houston’s Roberto Osuna. National League runners-up were San Diego’s Kirby Yates and San Francisco’s Will Smith.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

SHENZHEN, China— Ashleigh Barty of Australia is ready to cap off the most successful season of her career with a first appearance in the year-end WTA Finals.

Barty achieved a number of career firsts this season, winning a Grand Slam title at the French Open, earning the No. 1 ranking and leading Australia to the upcoming Fed Cup final.

“It’s been an incredibly consistent year across all surfaces, across all continents in the world,” Barty said. “I feel like (I’ve) played an exceptional level of tennis.”

The WTA Finals, which debuts its scheduled 10-year run in Shenzhen on Sunday, is welcoming more members of the younger generation to the $14 million event that features the top eight players in the world and the richest payday.

The singles winner is guaranteed at least $4.1 million, which makes it the biggest tournament paycheck for men or women in the sport. If the WTA Finals champion goes undefeated in round-robin matches, she’ll earn $4.725 million in prize money.

The 23-year-old Barty is joined in Shenzhen by 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu of Canada, who won her first Grand Slam trophy at the U.S. Open last month; 22-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan, the 2018 U.S. Open and 2019 Australian Open champion; and 22-year-old Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, the last player to qualify for the field.

Only Osaka of the four has played in the WTA Finals, losing all three of her round-robin matches in her debut last year. Although she’s arrived tired from winning titles in Osaka, Japan, and Beijing, she’s hoping to have a better showing than in 2018.

“I think last year, the end of the year was just so hectic for me, and I didn’t really remember anything,” Osaka said. “Honestly, by the time I got here, I was just so tired.”

Barty, Osaka and Bencic are featured in the Red group, along with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic. Andreescu is in the Purple group with reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep of Romania, Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic and defending champion Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

Many are suggesting one of the younger players will hoist the trophy. Serena Williams, at No. 9, didn’t make the field. But Barty doesn’t believe the players have an advantage over their competitors.

“In my opinion, I don’t think there ever is a favorite,” Barty said. “I think everyone is deserving to win that’s in the draw. On any given day, anyone can be beaten. That’s the beauty of sport, there are no certainties.”

Andreescu seems remarkably mature and capable of handling all the notoriety that’s come with her recent U.S. Open victory. This week will provide her initial test in dealing with star status at an elite event.

“I found that I deal pretty well under pressure,” said Andreescu, who finished the season 48-5 and was 8-0 against top 10 opponents before losing to Osaka in Beijing this month. “Don’t ask me how. I think my game just elevates to another level unconsciously, which I’m really grateful for. I think that’s why I play my best against the top players. That was more when I was an underdog, so let’s see how it is now.”

On Sunday, Osaka will try to improve her career record to 2-0 over Kvitova, while Barty and Bencic meet for the first time. On Monday, Andreescu will face Halep for the first time.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

BASEL, Switzerland — Roger Federer delighted his hometown fans by cruising past Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in the Swiss Indoors semifinals on Saturday.

Seeking a 10th career title in Basel, the 38-year-old Federer will play 20-year-old Alex de Minaur in Sunday’s final.

“That’s what you do with a home court advantage,” said Federer, who has reached the final 13 straight times he has played the Swiss Indoors. “They enjoy when I’m playing good tennis and it pushes me to play even better.”

De Minaur, a wild card, advanced by beating big-serving American Reilly Opelka 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) in a meeting of unseeded players.

Both finalists have won three titles this season, though for De Minaur these are the only three of his career so far while Federer is chasing his 103rd.

Serving for the match, Federer saved the only break point he allowed the seventh-ranked Tsitsipas.

Federer clinched two points later with a leaping volleyed winner approaching the net after Tsitsipas struggled to handle a strong first service.

Top-seeded Federer broke the Tsitsipas service at 2-2 in the first set, and created set point chances with a delicate angled drop volley for a winner. He clinched by firing an ace down the middle.

Federer broke again to begin the second set, taking his chance with a powerful forehand winner down the line.
Victory lifted Federer to a 50-8 record in 2019. It’s his third straight year of 50 wins since an injury-ravaged season ended early in 2016.

De Minaur, ranked No. 28, has won all four of his semifinals this season. He went on take the title each time, at Sydney, Atlanta, and Zhuhai, China.

He also improved to 4-0 this season against the 37th-ranked Opelka, who stands at 6-foot-11 (2.10 meters).
Opelka hit 26 aces to top 1,000 for the year and overtake John Isner for the ATP lead.

“Probably the most important thing is not to get frustrated,” De Minaur said. “You’ve got to know that he’s going to serve at least 40, 50 aces against you.”

Federer and De Minaur, who was born in February 1999, four months after the Swiss great played his first match at Basel, have never played each other on tour.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

INZAI CITY, Japan — Tiger Woods shot 4-under 66 in the third round of the rain-hit Zozo Championship on Sunday to widen his lead to three strokes over local favorite Hideki Matsuyama.

Because torrential rain washed out play on Friday, the second round of the PGA Tour’s first tournament in Japan was moved to Saturday.

To make up for the lost day, the players started the fourth round immediately after finishing the third to get in as many holes as possible.

After a bogey on the par-4 first hole, Woods carded six birdies at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club course to finish three rounds at 16-under 194. His only other bogey came on the par-5 14th.

Matsuyama stayed in contention with a 65 that featured six birdies against a lone bogey.

Woods, who has led from the opening round, is making his first start in his 23rd season on the PGA Tour, needing one victory to reach 82 wins and tie the career record held by Sam Snead.

Any holes they can’t get in Sunday will be played on Monday morning.

Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked player in the field, fired a 63 that included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, six birdies and a lone bogey, and was in seventh place.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 30 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 20 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-122 for their first win in the series in more than three years.

Phoenix (2-1) snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Clippers and won for the first time since losing starting center Deandre Ayton to a 25-game suspension after he tested positive for a diuretic.

The Suns had a 15-point lead midway through the fourth quarter before Los Angeles’ Lou Williams made things interesting with back-to-back 3-pointers.

The Clippers pulled within six on Kawhi Leonard’s 3-pointer with less than two minutes left, but the Suns’ Tyler Johnson responded with his own 3-pointer to stop the rally.

The two teams were tied at 55 at halftime, but the Suns pushed to a 91-85 lead after three quarters largely thanks to the unlikely combo of Frank Kaminsky and Jevon Carter, who combined for 17 points during the rally.

Carter started in the absence of Ricky Rubio, who missed the game because of a knee injury suffered on Friday against Denver. The second-year pro finished with eight points and six assists in 33 minutes.

Kaminsky finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. It was an impressive bounce-back win for the Suns, who lost to the Nuggets by one point in overtime on Friday.

Los Angeles (2-1) was led by Montrezl Harrell’s 28 points. Leonard added 27 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Phoenix controlled most of the first half, but settled for the halftime tie after the Clippers closed the second quarter on a 6-0 run.

Hawks edge Magic behind Trae Young’s 39-point game

Trae Young wants the ball when the game is on the line. He knows he’s expected to be Atlanta’s big-time player.

Young scored 39 points, including Atlanta’s last eight, to continue his hot start and the Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 103-99 on Saturday night.

When asked how he flourished in the final minutes, Young said: “That’s what makes big-time players what they are. They step up in big moments.”

Young, who had 38 points in Atlanta’s season-opening win at Detroit, again carried the scoring burden for the Hawks. Atlanta had no other player with more than 10 points.

The second-year point guard added nine assists and seven rebounds.

Young took over the game after Orlando led 96-95. His baseline reverse layup gave the Hawk the lead. Following a tying free throw by Aaron Gordon, Young’s layup again gave the lead back to the Hawks.

Young added a long, fallaway 3-pointer, stretching the advantage to 102-97 with 25 seconds remaining. He celebrated with a shimmy strut toward the other end of the court.

“He’s clutch, man,” Hawks forward John Collins said. “He just has that clutch gene. Guys like him take the shots down the stretch and just expect them to go in.”

The Magic couldn’t find a way to stop Young.

“I tried to stay in front and make him shoot over top of me,” said Markelle Fultz. “He shot it. Just got to slap him on the butt and say, ‘Good shot.’”

Young’s 38 points against Detroit were the most in a season opener since Dominique Wilkins’ 39 against the Nets in 1986. Young led NBA rookies with nine 30-point games last season, and now he already has two.

“Whatever it takes,” Young said. “I’m just glad we’re winning.”

In a matchup of 21-year-old point guards, Young had 17 first-half points. Fultz finished with 12 points.

Evan Fournier led Orlando with 23 points. Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 10 rebounds. D.J. Augustin had 14.
While Young sank 5 of 10 3-pointers, Orlando made only 5 of 31.

“You can’t win an NBA game shooting 17% from the 3,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. The actual figure was 16.1%.
“We’re all pros,” Gordon said. “We got to make those shots.”

The Hawks’ 9-2 run to open the second half included Young’s back-to-back trademark one-handed floaters. He added a steal of Gordon’s pass and a 3-pointer for a 61-52 lead — Atlanta’s biggest of the game.

Atlanta led 85-84 before Augustin’s four free throws and Michael Carter-Williams’ powerful jam gave Orlando a 90-85 advantage.

Atlanta twice pulled even on shots by Young. His long 3-pointer tied the game at 90, and his jumper knotted the score at 94-all.

Jabari Parker and Kevin Huerter each had 10 points for Atlanta.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

CHICAGO— Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, OG Anunoby added 17 and the Toronto Raptors spoiled Chicago’s home opener by beating the Bulls 108-84 on Saturday night.

The defending NBA champions went on a run in the second quarter to take a 48-40 halftime lead and pulled away for their 10th straight win over the cold-shooting Bulls.

Anunoby hit three 3-pointers, and Serge Ibaka added 18 points and seven rebounds. Fred VanVleet scored 16 as the Raptors shook off a loss Friday in Boston.

The Bulls see themselves as playoff contenders coming off a 22-60 season that ranked among the worst in franchise history. But they hardly looked the part, shooting just 30.2% overall and 9 of 35 on 3s.

Wendell Carter Jr. led Chicago with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 11 after averaging 26.5 over the first two games. Lauri Markkanen struggled again, finishing with nine points for the second straight night. The 7-footer from Finland shot 3 of 10 after going 4 for 15 in a loss at Memphis.

It didn’t help Chicago that Otto Porter Jr. missed most of the second quarter after taking what appeared to be an inadvertent elbow to the face while drawing a charge against Stanley Johnson.

Porter spent several minutes lying face down as blood poured out, leaving a puddle on the court. He went straight to the locker room with the team’s medical staff to get stitches and returned to start the second half.

By then, the Raptors led by eight after outscoring Chicago 17-4 over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the second quarter.
Marc Gasol and Kyle Lowry hit consecutive 3s.

Anunoby added another from beyond the arc to bump it to 62-46 with 7:47 left in the third, and the Raptors remained in control the rest of the way.

Spurs edge Wizards behind Demar DeRozan’s clutch shot

In San Antonio, DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points, including the game-winning basket in heavy traffic in the final seconds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Washington Wizards 124-122 on Saturday night.

Davis Bertans, traded from San Antonio to Washington in the offseason, made all five of his 3-point attempts and scored 23 points against his former team.

The Spurs recorded their 20th straight home victory over Washington with some late heroics.

Using a screen by LaMarcus Aldridge near midcourt, DeRozan drove to the basket and spun in a layup between Rui Hachiumra and Thomas Bryant, putting the Spurs up with 5.5 second remaining.

Bradley Beal attempted to force overtime with a driving layup, but Derrick White blocked his shot and grabbed the ball as the buzzer sounded.

Aldridge led the Spurs with 27 points. Dejounte Murray had 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and Bryn Forbes added 16 points.

Beal had 25 points and Hachimura added 16 points for the Wizards.

Hachimura was stripped of the ball on a drive to the basket and had it go out of bounds off his left knee with the Wizards up 112-109 with 5 minutes remaining.

The Spurs then went on a 7-2 run before Bertans hit his fifth 3-pointer, tying the game at 118-all.

The biggest lead of the game was nine points, by the Spurs in the second quarter.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Alex Bregman smashed a grand slam home run and Jose Urquidy threw five scoreless innings Saturday as the Houston Astros ripped Washington 8-1 to pull level in the World Series.

Bregman blasted a towering ball that curled just inside the left-field pole off Nationals reliever Fernando Rodney in the seventh inning to give the Astros their final margin as they equalized Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final at 2-2.

“I was just trying to hit the ball in the air and drive in a run and I ended up driving in four,” Bregman said. “What a great team win. We did a great job today coming out and applying pressure.”

Urquidy allowed only two hits while striking out four, the 24-year-old Mexican right-hander tossing 45 of his 67 pitches for strikes to baffle Washington batters.

The host Nationals will start game-one winner Max Scherzer in game five Sunday against Houston’s Gerrit Cole, whose loss in the opener was his first defeat since May after a 19-0 run in 25 starts over five months.

“We haven’t hit the last couple days but I have confidence we will bounce back and get some big hits tomorrow,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.

“We can’t do nothing to change what has happened. Let’s get ready for tomorrow. Don’t think ahead of the next game. Focus on the here and now.”

Game six will be Tuesday in Houston, where game seven will be played Wednesday if needed.

The Astros, seeking a second title in three seasons, are trying to become only the fourth club to drop the first two games at home and rally to win the World Series.

The Nationals are trying to win the first title in the club’s 50-year history and the first crown for Washington since 1924.

“This is what it’s all about. It’s a beautiful thing — two teams battling it out,” Bregman said. “We got great pitching, great offense. Has been fun so far, want to keep it rolling.”

Bregman became the first third baseman to drive in five runs in a World Series game.

Chirinos homers again

Houston seized a 2-0 lead in the first inning on consecutive singles by Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, Bregman and Yuli Gurriel but Robinson Chirinos hit into a bases-loaded, inning-ending double play to limit the damage for the Nats.

Chirinos redeemed himself in the fourth when, after Carlos Correa walked, he smashed a two-run homer into the left-field stands for a 4-0 Astros lead.

It was the third playoff homer and second round-tripper of the World Series for the 35-year-old Venezuelan catcher.

Urquidy, only the third Mexican-born starter in World Series history and the first right-hander from his homeland, silenced Washington bats early.

But when the Astros removed him in the sixth inning, Washington battled back.

Astros reliever Josh James walked Gerardo Parra and Adam Eaton before being replaced by Will Harris, who surrendered an infield single to Anthony Rendon to load the bases.

Juan Soto grounded out to first base to drive in Parra with the only Nationals run, but Harris struck out Howie Kendrick to end the inning.

Houston responded in the seventh when Kyle Tucker walked, took second on a walk to George Springer and third on a Brantley single that loaded the bases for Bregman’s four-run blast.

Washington only managed one hit after that over the last three innings, although left fielder Soto denied a final Astros run by throwing out Chirinos at the plate in the ninth.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

HOUSTON — James Harden scored 29 points and Russell Westbrook added his second straight triple-double with 28 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 126-123 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Westbrook hit two clutch free throws to give Houston the three-point lead with 6.1 seconds remaining. Josh Hart missed a 3 at the buzzer to give Houston the win.

Houston worked through occasional chemistry issues, frequently turning the ball over on errant passes. Westbrook and Harden combined for 12 turnovers, with Harden leading the game with eight. Harden was 2 of 18 from the 3-point line after going 1 for 8 in the opener. He was 8-for-29 from the field, but was 11 of 12 from the free throw line.

The Rockets bounced back after a 117-111 season-opening loss to Milwaukee on Thursday night.

Brandon Ingram gave Houston’s defense fits, scoring 35 points while adding a game-high 15 rebounds. Lonzo Ball had 18 points on 4 of 9 shooting from 3.

New Orleans is off to its first 0-3 start since the 2016-2017 season.

The Pelicans were without point guard Jrue Holiday, who is day-to-day with a left knee sprain. Hart started in Holiday’s place, scoring 23 points in 34 minutes. The Pelicans are already without top draft pick Zion Williamson, who is expected to miss the first six to eight weeks of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee.

For the last play of the third quarter, Westbrook found Austin Rivers for a corner 3 to cut New Orleans’ lead to 100-97 entering the fourth quarter.

The Rockets opened up the final quarter on an 8-0 run, capped off by a thunderous two-handed dunk by Westbrook in transition to put Houston up 105-100.

The Rockets led 29-24 at the end of the first quarter, but the Pelicans had a better second quarter and entered halftime tied at 61.

In the final play of the first half, Harden was unable to cleanly get a 3 off at the buzzer in a heavily defended shot attempt. After the horn sounded, Harden slammed the ball off the court in frustration, only for it to come back hit him in the mouth.

Cavaliers top Pacers, Tristan Thompson makes first 3

In Cleveland, Tristan Thompson scored 25 points and made his first career 3-pointer, Kevin Love scored 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers played well in a 110-99 home-opening win on Saturday night, giving first-year coach John Beilein his first NBA victory.

The Cavs opened their 50th season by honoring their past — and especially the 1990s — throughout the game. The present looked more promising.

Love was much more involved than during an opening-night loss at Orlando on Wednesday, adding 13 rebounds and nine assists. Thompson also had 13 rebounds, Collin Sexton scored 18 and rookie Darius Garland 12, making a key 3-pointer down the stretch to slow Indiana’s comeback.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 30 and had 10 assists to lead the Pacers.

The Cavs blitzed the Pacers to open second quarter, going on a 26-4 run. They made seven of 10 3-point attempts in the quarter and outscored Indiana 39-20 in the period to open a 65-48 halftime lead.

One of Love’s 3s put Cleveland up 21, and the Cavs showed excellent patience while moving the ball from side to side to look for better shots. Shot selection has been something Beilein, the former Michigan coach, has been harping on and his team seems to be listening.

But it was Thompson’s stunning 3-pointer in the first quarter that got the Cavs going.

Thompson, who has been working on his range in practice, hadn’t attempted a 3 since the 2016-17 season, when he pulled up and dropped a 27-footer — his first make from beyond the arc in 642 games. He had been 0 for 9 on long attempts in eight-plus seasons.

Source: Manila Bulletin