Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo / Eric Christian Smith)

By the Associated Press

HOUSTON— Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and had a triple-double before fouling out and his supporting cast held on to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 117-111 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night in a star-studded opener featuring the last three MVPs.

Antetokounmpo, the MVP last season, fouled out with about five minutes remaining. He had 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Brook Lopez made two free throws with about a minute left before a layup by Russell Westbrook. But Lopez made a fadeaway shot to leave Milwaukee up 115-109 with 39 seconds remaining.

James Harden added a pair of free throws before Ersan Ilyasova made a jump shot with about 15 seconds to go that sent many fans heading to the exits.

Some had wondered what would happen with the pairing of the two ball-dominant guards in Harden and Westbrook after the 2017 MVP was traded from Oklahoma City for Chris Paul this summer.

In their first game together with the Rockets both filled up the stat sheet, but they were unable to come away with a win after leading for much of the game.

Westbrook had 24 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, Harden, the 2018 MVP, added 19 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds. He was 2 of 13 from the field, 1 of 8 on 3s and made 14 free throws without a miss.

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook celebrates his dunk during the second half of the team’s NBA  game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo / Eric Christian Smith)

Trae Young leads Hawk past Pistons

Trae Young feels like a veteran as he enters his second NBA season. That’s news for the rest of the league.

Young had 38 points and nine assists and the Atlanta Hawks opened the season with a 117-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

“I’m a lot more comfortable than I was at this point last year,” Young said. “Obviously, I’m not a rookie anymore and I felt great out there tonight. Once I hit a couple shots, I knew it was rolling.”

If anyone at Little Caesars Arena doubted how good Young was feeling, he made it clear midway through the second quarter, hitting a 3-pointer from the edge of the Pistons logo at half court.

“I knew it was deep, but I didn’t realize I was on the logo until someone told me at halftime,” he said. “Ever since high school, I’ve known when I was in range and let it go.”

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young makes a layup during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo / Carlos Osorio)

John Collins added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jabari Parker had 18 points.

Vince Carter checked in for Atlanta with 6:52 left in the first quarter, becoming the first player to see action in 22 NBA seasons.

“Vince stabilizes this team,” Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said. “Our starting lineup has about half as many years as he does, and we’ve got a bunch of guys who weren’t even born when he started. He didn’t have a basket tonight, but the boxscore can’t show you everything he did to help us win.”

Derrick Rose led Detroit with 27 points, and Andre Drummond had 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Drummond had 32 points and 23 rebounds in Detroit’s season-opening victory on Wednesday in Indiana, but the Hawks scored 60 points in the paint.

“I thought we came out tonight with a laissez-faire attitude defensively, and they took the game to us,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “We had a good game last night, but that didn’t mean a hill of beans tonight.”

Drummond, who played 78 minutes in just over 24 hours, didn’t think that was the problem.

“I really didn’t have time to ease myself into the game, but this was just a tough night for us overall,” he said. “We’re NBA players. There’s no excuse for the way we started the game.”

Young’s four-point play with 3:43 left in the first half gave him 26 points — the highest-scoring half of his career — and put the Hawks up 58-51.

Rose, though, scored 15 points in the half and Langston Galloway’s late 3-pointer gave Detroit a 63-60 halftime lead.

The teams stayed close for most of the quarter, but back-to-back dunks by Parker — one over Thon Maker — put Atlanta up 88-79. Parker added two free throws, giving him 18 points, and the Hawks took a 91-81 lead into the break.

De’Andre Hunter’s 3-pointer extended Atlanta’s lead to 97-83 with 8:47 to play. Detroit scored the next four points before the game was delayed for several minutes because of the clock failure.

The Pistons narrowed the lead to 98-92, but a pair of Rose turnovers helped the Hawks scored the next seven points and take a 13-point lead with 4:47 to play.

Detroit got the margin to single digits, but Young’s three-point play with 1:33 wrapped it up.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Letran’s Jerrick Balanza, left, drives to the basket during a tune up game against Diliman College at the Aero Center in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Games Nov. 5 (The Arena, San Juan)

10 a.m. – San Beda vs CSB-LSGH (Jrs)

1 p.m. – Lyceum vs SSC-R (Jrs)

4 p.m. – Letran vs SSC-R (Srs)

Letran head coach Bonnie Tan emphasized that a solid defensive effort is the main weapon against what he considers a ‘matured’ San Sebastian College-Recoletos squad in the NCAA Season 95 stepladder playoffs.

The third seeded Knights take on the No. 4 ranked Stags in a knockout on Nov. 5, and the way Tan sees it, Letran needs to be on the same page in terms of its game plan – particularly on the defensive end.

“San Sebastian is a very matured team,” said Tan, who made special mention on SSC-R gunner Allyn Bulanadi.

“They have players like Bulanadi, who I think is ready for the next level after college,” he said.

“Together with other veterans, their first five unit gets heavy minutes. So that’s our focus, defend them. If we limit them, I think we have a good chance of winning the first stage of the stepladder.”

Letran coach Bonnie Tan, left, talks to his players after a tune up game against Diliman College at the Aero Center in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)

The match s scheduled at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The winner of the game moves to the second stage and takes on second seeded Lyceum of the Philippines University – finalist the last two years – on Nov. 8 at the same venue.

Already waiting in the finals is defending three-time champion San Beda University, which topped the elimination round with an 18-0 record that gave the Red Lions an outright finals berth.

Game 1 of the best-of-three finals series is on Nov. 12 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.

Letran and SSC-R split their elimination round head-to-head, with the Stags winning in overtime in the first round 102-101 last Aug. 20, and the Knights avenging that loss via a masterful 99-82 win in the second round last Sept. 20.

Letran guard Jerrick Balanza, one of three graduating players for Letran, said the previous results no longer counts. He expressed confidence their second meeting allowed them to figure out the Stags.

“Gawin lang namin iyung lahat ng ipagawa ni coach and tamang execution,” said Balanza, who leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game with 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the elimination round.

“Ako kasi confident ako sa lahat ng ginagawa namin, sa amin ibibigay ito (win). Pinagtutuunan din namin ng pansin dito iyung defense.”

“Kasi yung offense dadating na lang iyun kapag maganda iyung dinipensa namin. Hindi namin iniisip yung score basta madepensahan namin sila, magawa namin yung trabaho namin sa court, OK kami.”

Letran put to test its preparation for the playoffs in a tuneup match opposite Diliman College Thursday at Aero Center in Quezon City. The Knights came out victorious 88-74 against a team with two imports.

Letran’s Larry Muyang, right, tries to post up during a tune up game against Diliman College at the Aero Center in Quezon City. (Waylon Galvez)

Larry Muyang, who averages 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds, said they were given three days off after that game but has since resumed practice last Monday.

“Sa amin ayaw namin mabakante, kasi alam naman natin na matagal pa yung laro,” Muyang said.

“Siguro gusto rin ni coach Bonnie na lahat nung pina-praktis namin, ma-apply namin sa tune up para pagdating sa game hindi kami nangangapa.”

WATCH:

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Games Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. — Columbian vs Phoenix Pulse
7 p.m. — NLEX vs TNT KaTropa

Unbeaten TNT KaTropa seeks a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals when it battles NLEX in a matchup between the top two teams in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

TNT KaTropa’s KJ McDaniels and NLEX’s Manny Harris. (PBA Images)

The KaTropa go for their eighth win of the conference in the match set at 7 p.m. while aiming to become the first team to gain the quarterfinal bonus in the season-ending conference.

TNT is expected to once again have its hands full, especially against an NLEX side almost assured of a quarters berth with a second-best 5-1 record.

Adding intrigue to the contest is the expected duel between former NBA players KJ McDaniels of TNT and Manny Harris of NLEX.

McDaniels continues to carry TNT this conference with averages of 36.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 4.0 blocks.

He played a key role in TNT’s latest victory last Friday, dropping eight points in overtime to beat Alaska 99-93 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Harris, meanwhile, made a strong impression in his debut last Oct. 16 when he dropped 45 points to power NLEX over Columbian 117-111, also in Antipolo.

TNT’s Troy Rosario and NLEX’s Kiefer Ravena are keen on continuing their impressive showing.

Rosario is ranked second in the team in scoring with an average of 18.6 points and almost won Player of the Week honors from the PBA Press Corps for the second straight week.

Ravena has emerged as one of the league’s top players, making up for lost time after his lengthy FIBA ban with numbers of 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.5 steals.

Columbian shoots for solo sixth in the standings in the 4:30 p.m. opener against Phoenix Pulse, which will parade new import and ex-NBA cager Alonzo Gee.

The Dyip try to move past the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok and NorthPort Batang Pier in a tie at 3-4 and boost their chances of making the quarters for the first time since the 2016 Governors’ Cup.

Rookie CJ Perez and import Khapri Alston are determined to help Columbian recover from back-to-back losses, including Sunday’s 113-107 decision against San Miguel Beer.

BREAKING: Alonzo Gee @GeeAlonzo will suit up as our import for this Friday’s game against Columbian Dyip.

Let’s get it, Zo! #FightToThePhoenix pic.twitter.com/31q0HqSf8q

— Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters (@fuelmasters) October 23, 2019

Gee, who had NBA stints with the Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans, will try to improve Phoenix’s record of 2-5.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

Filipino world title challenger Edward Heno left Manila two weeks ago without any fanfare.

Filipino challenger Edward Heno comes in at 108 lbs during the official weighin for his crack at Mexican champ Elwin Soto’s WBO light-fly diadem in Indio, CA.

After his shot at Mexican Elwin Soto’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight title Thursday night (Friday morning in the Philippines) in Indio, California, Heno intends to head back to the Philippines in style.

Filipino challenger Edward Heno

Fighting for a world title for the first time, Heno faces a daunting task in dethroning Soto as the WBO 108-lb king in their scheduled 12-rounder at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino.

During the official weighin, Heno scaled in at the division max of 108 lbs. The heavy-handed Soto, making the first defense, came in at 107.6 lbs.

Heno, who is the reigning Orient-Pacific champion, looked ripped and ready after spending some time working out in Las Vegas.

If victorious, Heno will become the fifth reigning Filipino world champion alongside Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire, Jerwin Ancajas and Pedro Taduran.

Soto had won the crown by posting a dramatic 12th round KO of Angel Acosta last June.

Soto was way behind the cards when he staggered Acosta badly, forcing the referee to immediately step in.

Armed with a 15-1 record with 11 KOs, Soto is the prohibitive betting favorite at -430 ($430 wins $100); Heno is a +310 ($100 wins $310).

Managed by Marty Elorde and represented by Sean Gibbons in the US, Heno will receive instructions in the corner from The tandem of Erbing Penalosa and Ruel Durano.

Source: Manila Bulletin