By Jonas Terrado

Justin Brownlee finally arrived on Thursday to reinforce San Miguel Alab Pilipinas’ campaign in the ASEAN Basketball League.

Justin Brownlee, center, joins fellow imports Nick King and John Fields after his first practice with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas on Thursday. (Photo from Charlie Dy)

Coach Jimmy Alapag confirmed that he had a meeting with Brownlee before practice to discuss the reason why the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel resident import kept missing his flights since agreeing to join Alab almost two weeks ago.

“He had some personal matters that needed to be taken care of in the US, which we respect,” Alapag said. “Just glad he’s ok and we’re excited to have him back with the team.”

Alab was forced to play with two imports in Nick King and Sam Deguara after Brownlee failed to show up against the Kuala Lumpur Dragons and the Saigon Heat.

Owner Charlie Dy even issued an ultimatum, saying that the team will search for another import if Brownlee fails to arrive on the eve of the Feb. 29 deadline for teams to make roster changes.

But now that he’s in town, Alab can now focus on trying to turn things around in its rollercoaster ABL campaign.

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Look at their smiles. DANGEROUS. – #alabpilipinas

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Alab also has another new signing in former Columbian Dyip reinforcement John Fields, who replaced Deguara.

Alapag will have a longer period to integrate Brownlee and Fields into his system after the ABL was forced to reschedule Alab’s games against Saigon and Hong Kong Eastern on Sunday and Tuesday as a preventive measure against the novel coronavirus disease.

Alab’s next game is on Wednesday opposite Taiwanese side Formosa Dreamers at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial reminded players to seek the permission of their mother ballclubs and the league in order to avoid being sanctioned for joining in non-sanctioned games known as “Ligang Labas.”

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial reminded players to seek the permission of the league their mother teams before playing in non-sanctioned games. (PBA Images)

Marcial made it known after issuing a memo in reaction to team-imposed suspensions of Alaska’s Vic Manuel and Magnolia’s Jio Jalalon for playing in a recent “Ligang Labas” game in Laguna.

Their teams have suspended Manuel and Jalalon for one week while Marcial warned both players of heftier sanctions if similar incidents happen in the future.

The PBA chief said players getting caught in these games face either a minimum fine of P50,000, suspension or both.

“Kailangan magpaalam sila sa team at magpaalam sila sa PBA,” Marcial said during the second staging of the PBA Media Day at Okada Manila in Paranaque City.

“Pwede kong taasan ang pina. Pwede ko rin silang i-suspend o pareho para protektado din yung mga players,” added Marcial.

Marcial also said such participation could also endanger their contracts, especially players entering free agency.

One case was Rain or Shine guard Ping Exciminiano, who hurt his Achilles while playing in a tournament minus the blessing of the Elasto Painters management.

Excimianiano was due to sign an extension with Rain or Shine.

An insider said the injury forced the team to wait for Exciminiano to heal before the two sides can agree on a new deal.

“Delikado kasi sa UPC (Uniform Players Contract) nakalagay na pwede mawala sa iyo yung kontrata,” Marcial said.

There have been instances that players were allowed by teams to play in non-PBA games, namely Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga.

Belga was allowed to play for Mighty Sports Philippines during its title run in the Dubai Invitational Basketball Championship.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By WAYLON GALVEZ

The one-year contract that incoming sophomore Bobby Ray Parks Jr. signed with TNT KaTropa is a ‘win-win’ situation for both sides as the Fil-Am guard gets a chance to prove himself once again.

TNT KaTropa’s Ray Parks Jr. (PBA Images)

That is what TNT governor and PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas said after an agreement was reached between the two sides with Parks reportedly set to receive a maximum monthly pay of P420,000.

“I think the guy wants to prove himself… one-year contract to really prove himself, to show his capability and his real potential. It’s (also) good enough for us to take a look at him again,” said Vargas.

“I think that’s a win-win situation for us.”

Drafted second overall in 2018 by Blackwater, Parks’ previous contract which was inherited by TNT recently expired. Parks was dealt by the Elite to the KaTropa in the Governors’ Cup last season.

He averaged 12.2 points with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals with the KaTropa, and overall had 19 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in two conferences of his rookie year.

Parks missed the Philippine Cup and only joined the Elite during the Commissioner’s Cup as he opted to finish his commitment with the ALAB Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL).

Vargas said the one-year deal with Parks would be evaluated after the season, where he hopes the son of the late Bobby Parks – a seven-time PBA Best Import – gets comfortable with the TNT system.

“We get to know him better, and he gets to know what Talk ’N Text is all about, its values and its on mission and he shares that with us. A year is enough,” said Vargas.

Asked if a longer deal was offered, Vargas said yes.

“It was part of the negotiation…. we did that, then it was back and forth. We both agreed that one year is a good position,” he said. #pba

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas believes the wide variety of viewing platforms makes the league “healthy and growing.”

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas believes the league, which enters its 45^th season next week, is healthy and growing as far as viewership is concerned.

Though gate receipts declined by four percent last year, Vargas said the availability of various platforms such as TV, radio and mobile have allowed the public to get better viewing access of the games.

“We’re looking at 2020 as a turnaround,” said Vargas. “It may not be in the gates (receipts), but on other areas. We will reach outside the region. We are growing.”

Last season alone, the league’s social media presence and reception increased to 25 percent with its highest online viewership of 3.5 million views during a Meralco-Ginebra game.

Game 1 of the Governors’ Cup finals also pitting Meralco and Ginebra drew 3.2 million online viewers while the triple overtime game between NLEX and Northport were watched by 1.5 million viewers via livestream.

Cignal/TV5 President Robert Galang, right, here talking to MB Sports’ Kristel Satumbaga, sees a need to expand the broadcast quality of the PBA for viewers across the world through several platforms. (TST)

Cignal/TV5 president Robert Galang said they are expanding on their broadcast quality to give in to the viewer’s demands by providing new camera angles, super slo mos, more graphics, statistics and analysis during the games.

They are also going to make the league’s presence known in several platforms such as the mobile app, Cignal Play, where viewers can access programs on-the-go.

The games will also be covered over radio via Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM.

“Akala lang natin bumababa ang TV viewership, but actually, lumalaki ito. Nag-iiba lang ng platforms na ginagamit, hindi lang basta sa bahay,” Galang said.

“It’s exciting because we have a lot of things in store for the viewers as sports, being the No. 1 pillar of the content that we provide to the Filipino viewing public. The way we look at it, it’s not only about the Filipinos in the country, but Filipinos worldwide.”

Meanwhile, Marcial said they are doing their best to improve their gate receipts by providing huge discounts on ticket prices, as well as, bringing the games to other venues like the refurbished Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Taft, Manila and Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

“Kausap namin ang fans. Sabi nila mataas ang presyo (of tickets). Pero ginagawan na natin ng paraan yan,” said Marcial.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

The national baseball team will be having a prominent name in next month’s 2021 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers with the addition of former NFL quarterback turned Minor League baseball player Tim Tebow.

Tim Tebow while playing baseball in the Minor Leagues. (File photo)

Tebow confirmed his decision to suit up for the Philippines after playing for the New York Mets in a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros in a Spring Training game in Port St. Lucie, Florida where he struck out but reached base in his only at-bat.

“To be able to represent them will be really cool — really, really cool,” Tebow said as quoted by Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. You don’t get a lot of chances to represent people or places that mean something to you.”

Tebow is eligible to play for the Philippines under WBC since he was born in Makati City to American missionaries in 1987.

Grateful and excited to play for team Philippines in the @WBCbaseball… the country I was born in and somewhere that is near and dear to my heart!

— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) February 26, 2020

The WBC allows players to represent nations where they are born, one of the less-stringent rules of the competition as compared to the strict regulations imposed like in the Olympics and by basketball governing body FIBA.

Philippine Amateur Baseball Association Chito Loyzaga said it contacted Tebow with help from Major League Baseball about the possibility of representing the country in the Qualifiers slated March 20 to 25 in Tuczon, Arizona.

The Philippines is in Pool 2 along with Czech Republic, Spain, New Zealand and Panama in a double-elimination format. The Nationals open their campaign on March 20 against Czech Republic.

“PABA reached out to him through the assistance of MLB and its Baseball network,” Loyzaga told the Bulletin.

.@TimTebow will play for his birth country of the Philippines in the @WBCbaseball qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/nGq21KssZq

— New York Mets (@Mets) February 26, 2020

Tebow became a familiar figure after winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy award in 2007 while playing quarterback for Florida in the US NCAA.

He played quarterback for four NFL teams, including a stirring performance for the Denver Broncos during the 2011 season while taking part in charitable endeavors in the Philippines.

Tebow made the switch to baseball in 2016 where he has spent the past five seasons in the Minor Leagues, including last season for the Mets’ Triple A affiliate Syracuse Mets.

MLB observers see little chance of Tebow making the Majors this year, though he homered for the Mets in Tuesday’s Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Reuters

MOSCOW – Maria Sharapova, the Russian five-time Grand Slam champion who became one of the highest paid sportswomen in the world, announced her retirement at the age of 32 on Wednesday.

FILE PHOTO: Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates after defeating Sabine Lisicki of Germany in their semi-final match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London June 30, 2011. (REUTERS/Eddie Keogh/File Photo)

Florida-based Sharapova, whose Wimbledon victory in 2004, aged 17, propelled her to superstardom, broke the news in an article for magazine Vanity Fair.

Her decision is hardly a major surprise as she has struggled with injuries and poor form since returning from a 15-month drugs ban in 2017, the result of testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.

The former world number has played only two matches this year, losing in the first round of the Australian Open, with her ranking sliding to 373.

“Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible,” she said.

“After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain, to compete on a different type of terrain.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Kaya-Iloilo retained possession of top spot in Group H despite battling Singapore’s Tampines Rovers to a scoreless draw Wednesday night in the AFC Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Kaya-Iloilo’s Jalsor Soriano and Marwin Angeles, 8, defends Tampines Rovers stirker Jordan Webb during their AFC Cup match. (Photo from AFC)

Finding the back of the net proved to be elusive for Kaya even as its goalkeeper Michael Casas produced a second straight clean sheet highlighted by dazzling save minutes before the second half injury time.

The result kept Kaya and Tampines on level terms at four points each, with the Philippines Football League side holding the tiebreaker on goal difference.

Both clubs are also a point clear of Indonesia’s PSM Makasaar which defeated Myanmar’s Shan United 3-1 in the group’s other match at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Shan United, which fell 2-0 to Kaya two weeks ago in Yangon, has yet to score a point in two matches.

WATCH | @kayafc 0-0 @TRFCStags

Both sides keep a clean sheet and stay undefeated in #AFCCup2020. pic.twitter.com/ypLtlKnfSd

— #AFCCup2020 (@AFCCup) February 26, 2020

Kaya’s best chance to score came in the 28th minute but Jayson Panhay’s left-footed free kick several yards from the box curled wide right.

Mohana Madhu almost put the visitors ahead four minutes after the restart but Casas calmly batted the ball away.

Tampines striker Boris Kopitovic also had a chance to score the winner in the 86th but Casas made a leaping save to keep the score tied late in the second half.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Wake Forest Demon Deacons players and fans storm the court after defeating the Duke Blue Devils in double overtime 113-101 during their game at LJVM Coliseum Complex Tuesday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (AFP)

 By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons pulled off a major home victory at the expense of seventh ranked Duke Blue Devils 113-101 in a double overtime upset in US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball at the LJVM Coliseum on Wednesday (Philippine Standard Time).

It was the second road loss for the Blue Devils to an unranked team this week, getting beaten by the North Carolina State Wolfpack last February week 88-66.

The Demon Deacons were trailing in the final minute of regulation, but Brandon Childress capped off his 17-point performance with a clutch three to tie the game at 79 and send it into overtime.

The two teams went head to head in the first extension but it was the defense of the Wake Forest in the second OT that brought them to victory. Duke was held to only four points in the 2OT — all earned from the free throw line — while Wake Forest scored 16.

Olivier Sarr led Wake Forest (12-15 record) with 25 points while Chaundee Brown had 24.

Duke (23-5) had five players in double figures led by Wendell Moore’s 25 and Tre Jones’ 24 in a lost cause.

Meanwhile, No. 2 Baylor Bears bounced back from a home loss with an 85-66 win over the Kansas State Wildcats.

Baylor dominated the game from the get go, posted a 50-24 advantage at the end of the first half and never looked back.

The win enabled the Bears (24-2) to bring themselves closer to, and possibly take back the leadership from, top ranked Kansas University Jayhawks (24-3) who beat them last Sunday.

In other games, No. 24 Michigan State Spartans prevailed over No. 18 Iowa Hawkeyes 78-70; No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats defeated Texas A&M Aggies 69-60; No. 4 Dayton Flyers demolished George Mason Patriots 62-55; No. 15 Auburn Tigers pounced on Mississippi Rebels 67-58; Oklahoma Sooners shocked No. 22 Texas Tech Red Raiders 65-51; and No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs routed Colorado State Rams 66-60.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – LeBron James outgunned Zion Williamson as the Los Angeles Lakers returned to action just 24 hours after the searing emotion of Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.

James, who earlier Tuesday said he was ”emotionally a wreck” following Bryant’s death last month in a helicopter crash, scored a season-high 40 points in a 118-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Staples Center.

On Monday, the venue had hosted a star-studded memorial to Bryant as the Lakers and Los Angeles bade a wrenching farewell to one of the city’s most beloved sporting figures.

However, James and the Lakers swiftly got back into the winning groove on Tuesday in a free-flowing contest against a Pelicans side led by number-one draft pick Williamson.

The hulking 19-year-old New Orleans star once again served notice of his talents with a 29-point display as the Pelicans pushed the Lakers all the way.

James admitted afterwards he had been impressed by Williamson’s performance after a Lakers win which extended their lead at the top of the Western Conference.

”Every game is going to be an opportunity for him to get better and a learning experience for him,” James said of Williamson.

”But the kid is special man. They got a good one in him,” added James, who also had eight rebounds, six assists and seven turnovers in his 34 minutes on court.

Anthony Davis added 21 points for the Lakers with Danny Green (17 points) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (15) also reaching double figures.

Former Lakers power forward Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans scoring with 34 points.

The Denver Nuggets are five games behind the Lakers in second place in the Western standings after cruising past the Detroit Pistons 115-98 on Tuesday.

50th win for Bucks 

Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 points as the Milwaukee Bucks bagged their 50th win of the season with a 108-97 defeat of the Toronto Raptors.

In a potential preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks laid down a marker with a dominant second-half display to claim victory at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.

Victory was sweet for the Bucks, who lost to the Raptors in last season’s Eastern Conference finals at the same venue despite being the top seeds heading into the playoffs.

Antetokounmpo later admitted last season’s game-six defeat at the venue had preoccupied him.

”You always remember the last time you play here, the problems you had,” Antetokounmpo said. ”It was definitely on my mind.”

The Raptors had led 52-50 at halftime, but Milwaukee took a grip on the contest with a superb third-quarter performance to open up a double-digit lead.

The Bucks outscored the hosts 34-19 in the third, and although the Raptors closed to within seven points with two minutes remaining, a superb three-pointer from Antetokounmpo to make it 104-94 helped the visitors close out the win.

”We just come out and try to do our job,” Antetokounmpo said. ”We have a winning culture. It doesn’t matter if you are hurt, or tired — the next guy up is ready to go.

”Everybody wants to play, everybody wants to win, and that’s why we win games.”

Reigning NBA MVP Antetokounmpo finished with 19 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists with four turnovers.

Khris Middleton led the scoring for the Bucks with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Eric Bledsoe (17 points) and Brook Lopez (15) also cracked double figures for Milwaukee.

The Bucks are already assured of their playoff berth after building the best record in the NBA at 50-8 to lead the Eastern Conference ahead of second-placed Toronto.

The Raptors meanwhile fell to 42-16 but remain firmly on track for a postseason spot.

Cameroonian international Pascal Siakam led the scoring for Toronto with 22 points while Fred VanVleet had 14 points.

The Boston Celtics remain in third place in the Eastern Conference after a 118-106 defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers. Jayson Tatum scored 36 points for the Celtics in the win.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

Francis Casey Alcantara, left, and Jeson Patrombon will lead the Philippine Davis Cup against Greece set on March 6 to 7 at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila. (MB File Photo)

Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon will spearhead the Philippine Davis Cup team against a Greek squad boasting of world No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas in their World Group II playoff tie.

The best-of-five, two day affair will take place on March 6 and 7 at the Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila where the Filipinos seek home-court advantage.

According to the Davis Cup website, the PH team will be composed of Alcantara, Patrombon, Eric Olivarez Jr., AJ Lim and Ruben Gonzales.

The Greeks, for their part, will have 2019 Australian Open semifinalist Tsitsipas and his younger brother Petros, Michail Pervolarakis and Markos Kalovelonis.

Team captains for PH and Greece are Chris Cuarto and Dimitris Chatzinikolaou.

Cuarto admitted facing the Greeks powered by a world-class player like Tsitsipas will be daunting, but remained positive that they can still pull of the tie victory.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is ranked No. 6 in the world, will banner Greece in the Davis Cup World Group II playoffs. (AFP)

“We’ll make the most out of our matches,” said Cuarto. “Looking at their lineup, it’s going to be very hard and tough.”

Alcantara and Patrombon established themselves as the best Southeast Asian men’s doubles players after winning the gold medal at the 2019 SEA Games against teammates Gonzales and Treat Huey last December.

Alcantara, Patrombon and Gonzales are veterans in the Davis Cup scene. Gonzales, the most senior in the group, has played 15 ties since 2010 with a doubles ranking of 227.

Patrombon has seen 11 ties since 2011, while Alcantara has been with the squad since 2009 with an ATP doubles ranking of 535.

Lim, meanwhile, has played in four ties since 2017 while Olivarez will be debuting with the crew.

As for Greece, all four players have pro rankings with Tsitsipas also at No. 85 in the ATP doubles. Pervolarakis and Kalovelonis are ranked No. 423 and 717, while Petros is at No. 1163.

Under the new format, 12 home-and-away ties in World Group II playoffs will be played at the same time in the World Qualifiers and World Group I playoffs.

The 12 winning nations from the World Group II playoffs will compete in the World Group II ties in September along with the losing nations from World Group I.

Losing nations in World Group II, meanwhile, will compete in the Regional Group III in June/July or September.

Source: Manila Bulletin