By Jan Carlo Anolin

Shareef O’ Neal, son of Lakers legend and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille, got his tattoo done to pay homage to the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

Shareef first revealed the work-in-progress in a Wednesday tweet before Bleacher Report unveiled it on Thursday.

The leg tattoo featured Kobe’s iconic fadeaway shot and his retired jersey numbers ‘8’ and ‘24’ on the right part.

The phrase ‘MAMBA MENTALITY’ is written on the left side with Kobe’s logo – “The Sheath” – underneath.

Shareef O’Neal got tattoos honoring Kobe and Gigi

(via @SSJreef) pic.twitter.com/1ZWryw0wO7

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 5, 2020

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Growing up, Shareef is known to have a close relationship with Kobe. His father and Kobe led the Lakers to three-peat NBA titles from 2000 to 2002.

Shareef, who announced his transfer from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) recently, was vocal in social media on his close ties with Kobe.

“You always wanted me to be the best I could be… you always made sure I was happy, you put me before you put yourself and when we had our moments you made me feel like I was great,” the 20-year-old O’Neal said in an Instagram post last Wednesday.

View this post on Instagram

You always wanted me to be the best I could be.. you always made sure I was happy, you put me before you put yourself and when we had our moments you made me feel like I was great … 8|24 ❤️ 2 . I love you , I thank you , I miss you ❤️

A post shared by Shareef O'Neal (@shareefoneal) on Jan 28, 2020 at 8:08pm PST

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Aside from Shareef, Lakers teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis made their tattoos known to the public the past week.

Kobe, 41, Gianna, 13, and seven other passengers perished in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, Los Angeles last Sunday.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

The Philippine Taekwondo Association has yet to receive an advisory from host country China on the status of the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament scheduled in April following the health scare of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

PTA official Stephen Fernandez said Thursday that the Asian Federation has already written the organizers inquiring about the tournament’s status after several countries including the Philippines implemented a temporary travel ban to and from China.

“With what’s happening around the world, wala pang advise,” Fernandez said.

The Asian Qualification is scheduled on April 10 to 11 in the city of Wuxi, around 700 kilometers from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The tournament stakes two slots on each weight division.

Some international tournaments that China is hosting this month have already been postponed or move to another country including the Asian Oceania Olympic Qualification in boxing in Wuhan, Olympic women’s basketball qualifier in Foshan, Olympic women’s soccer qualifier in Nanjing, and Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in Hangzhou.

The basketball and soccer qualifiers will now be held in Belgrade, Serbia and Sydney, Australia, while the boxing qualifier will be in Amman, Jordan. The Asian Indoor Athletics meet was cancelled until further notice.

“For the last couple of years kasi, dun ginagawa ang qualification. Very active ang China sa hosting ng mga tournaments, so we’ll see how they will handle this situation,” Fernandez said.

Despite the development, Fernandez said the athletes remain focused on their training in the country.

“Tuluy-tuloy naman ensayo nila para kung sakaling malipat, handa naman tayo,” he said.

Taekwondo has been one of the sports with strong chances of producing Olympic qualifiers for the past years, showing its strength at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games with eight gold, nine silver and four bronze medals.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Gilas Pilipinas will miss the services of PBA stars Christian Standhardinger and Japeth Aguilar due to various reasons for the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers slated later this month.

Standhardinger said he’ll skip the two qualifying games against Thailand and Indonesia to rest his recurring problem on his left knee while program director Tab Baldwin said Aguilar and his wife, the former Cassandra Naidas, are scheduled to go on a long overdue honeymoon.

Baldwin and Mark Dickel, who was assigned to call the shots on an interim basis, admitted that their absence leaves them worried about the lack of big men Gilas has for upcoming window.

“Obviously, what’s a little bit alarming is that it seems that all of our issues are resting with our big men,” Baldwin said after Gilas’ first practice at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside the Ateneo campus.

“It’s tough to play without your big men. But obviously, we’ll be a team that will be identified by energy because of the youth there and speed, but we better learn and learn how to play together. And that’s the coach’s task,” added Baldwin.

Christian Standhardinger, Marc Pingris and Poy Erram also in attendance but were excused from taking part in the session. | via @jonastsinelas pic.twitter.com/KOdh5WHIcn

— Manila Bulletin Sports (@mbsportsonline) February 6, 2020

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Fifteen players on the pool took part in the first session under the watchful eyes of Dickel, with Baldwin also putting in his inputs. Also in attendance Sandy Arespacochaga, Alex Compton and Topex Robinson who were named as assistant coaches for the first window.

Players who took part are PBA cagers Kiefer Ravena, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario and CJ Perez and amateurs Isaac Go, Matt and Mike Nieto, Rey Suerte, Allyn Bulanadi, Jaydee Tungcab, Thirdy Ravena, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso and Dwight Ramos.

Marc Pingris, who will serve as elder’s statesman of the pool, Poy Erram and Kobe Paras also attended practice, albeit from the sidelines observing the proceedings.

Matthew Wright had a scheduling conflict while Ray Parks Jr’s status remains in limbo due to his ongoing contract negotiations with TNT KaTropa.

Gilas opens its bid to secure one of the two Asia Cup slots in Group A against Thailand on Feb. 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before heading to Jakarta to take on Indonesia three days later.

Also part of the group is South Korea, which Gilas won’t face until the second window in November.

“They gonna be difficult games for us,” said Dickel. “We gonna have to approach it like we’re playing teams that are capable of beating us because if we don’t come in ready, we can be in trouble.”

Gilas will hold daily practices in order to speed up its preparation for the competition.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jan Carlo Anolin

The Harbor Day School in California retired Gianna Bryant’s No 2. jersey Wednesday night to honor the daughter of the late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, who both perished along with seven other passengers in a helicopter crash.

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, revealed the tribute on Instagram and shared a photo of Gianna’s framed jersey on display during a ceremony at the school’s gym.

“My Gigi. I love you! I miss you,” Vanessa wrote. “You’ve taught us all that no act of kindness is ever too small. Mommy is still and will ALWAYS be so proud of you mamacita.”

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My Gigi. I love you! I miss you. You’ve taught us all that no act of kindness is ever too small. Mommy is still and will ALWAYS be so proud of you mamacita. ❤️#2

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Feb 5, 2020 at 6:19pm PST

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Vanessa posted several videos showing the students sharing stories how Gianna set as a role model in sports and as a student council member.

Another snippet showed students performing “Memories” by Maroon 5.

It was also revealed that the school prepared a book titled “The Mambacita Stories” which narrates 44 stories about Gianna.

The 13-year-old Gianna, nicknamed “Mambacita,” was known to follow the footsteps and continue the legacy of Kobe – the “Black Mamba.”

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A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Dec 29, 2019 at 7:54pm PST

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View this post on Instagram

#mambacita ✈️

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Jan 15, 2020 at 8:52pm PST

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Joshua Parks, one of the school’s coaches, said Gianna, just like Kobe, was “one of the fiercest competitors he’d ever seen.”

“She definitely represented the ‘Mamba Mentality’ every time she stepped on the floor,” Parks said as reported by NBC News.

Kobe and Gianna were on their way to the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball camp when their helicopter crashed outside Los Angeles.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Waylon Galvez

Games Monday (The Arena, San Juan)

8:30 a.m. – St. Benilde vs JRU (Junior’s)

10 a.m. – St. Benilde vs JRU (Men’s)

12 noon – St. Benilde vs JRU (Women’s)

2 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs San Beda (Women’s)

3:30 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs San Beda (Men’s)

5 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs San Beda (Junior’s)

Lyceum of the Philippines University kept its semifinal hopes alive following a straight sets win against Mapua 25-21, 25-11, 25-16 in NCAA Season 95 volleyball Thursday at The Arena in San Juan.

Ciamelle Wanta came through with 12 points and 10 digs to lead the Lady Pirates, while Monica Sevilla and Alexandra Rafael each scored 11 points.

Lyceum’s win forced a tie with Jose Rizal University for fifth place on 3-4 cards, three games behind San Beda (4-2) in the race for the last Final Four berth.

The Lady Pirates need to win their last two matches, including the Feb. 14 duel with the SBU Lady Red Spikers, to force a playoff for the No. 4 spot.

LPU mentor Emil Lontoc said they’ll do everything they can to get that opportunity.

“Basta every game, naghahanda lang naman kami. We will do our best, ipapakita namin na yung team ay talagang may chance para sa top four,” said Lontoc.

The Lady Cardinals, meantime, dropped to 1-6, their losing skid now at five games.

Alissa Magallanes led Mapua with eight points, including two service aces, while Lorraine Barias scored three of her six points from the service zone to go with eight digs and three receptions.

In the men’s division, Alfredo Pangulong, John San Andres and Raje Hizon combined for 36 points as Mapua improved to 4-3 following a 27-25, 25-18, 25-18 win over LPU.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Kai Sotto drew interest from another US NCAA Division I school Thursday after being visited by coaches from Boston College.

The 7-foot-2 cager posted on Twitter a photo showing him alongside Boston College coach Jim Christian and assistant Billy Wuczynzki, who visited Atlanta to talk with Sotto and his family.

“Humbled and appreciate that @BCMBB (Boston College) Coach Christian and @CoachWU (Wuczynzki) came and met my family and we spoke about the future,” Sotto said.

Humbled and Appreciative that @BCMBB Coach Christian and @CoachWU came and met my family and we spoke about the future. pic.twitter.com/QlZfSsGpXM

— Kai Sotto (@kzsottolive) February 5, 2020

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Boston College is the fifth university to express interest in Sotto after Auburn, Georgia Tech, DePaul and Georgia as the Las Piñas City native continues to make a good impression with his prep stint with The Skill Factory in Atlanta.

Located in Newport, Massachusetts, Boston College plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference where it faces prominent NCAA teams Duke and North Carolina.

Boston College currently holds a 5-7 record in the ACC.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

Putting premium on the safety not only of athletes and delegates but the entire nation as well, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Thursday strongly recommended that the ASEAN Paralympics scheduled in March be postponed owing to the worsening Wuhan coronavirus epidemic.

PSC chairman Butch Ramirez told the media during a briefing that a board resolution has been passed calling for the postponement of the ASEAN Paralympics.

Ramirez said proceeding with the hosting would endanger the well-being and safety not only of those taking part but the country as well with visitors from neighboring countries and Chinese technical officials participating.

The ASEAN Paralympics was supposed to take place in March at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, where the 2019 Southeast Asian Games was held.

“Common sense dictates that we should not proceed with the holding,” said Ramirez, adding that he received a directive from Malacañang on Wednesday.

Though it is not the Philippines’ call to decide on the matter, the PSC’s stand on the issue should weigh heavily on the decision that will be made by the head of the ASEAN Paralympics.

Mike Barredo, who heads the Philippine Paralympic Committee, is traveling to Bangkok on Friday to relay the message of the Philippine government and determine what moves to take.

As host, the Philippines is spending for the holding of the biennial sportsfest and it would be very difficult to proceed with the event without crucial government backing.

The PSC also scrapped the National Sports Summit scheduled Feb. 27-28, the Philippine National Games in May and events and activities that require the participation of 40 or more.

The postponement and cancellation of sporting events in Asia have been happening the past few weeks as the Wuhan medical situation continues to take the spotlight across the globe.

In China alone, several Olympic qualifying tournaments and similar events have been either postponed or scrapped, including qualifying events in boxing and women’s football and the Asian Indoor Athletics championships.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Spanish center Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 30 points and powered the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors to a club-record 12th consecutive triumph on Wednesday by beating Indiana 119-118.

The 30-year-old Congo-born big man sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining to cap a game-ending 11-0 Raptors run as the Raptors rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit.

“The key is we keep our composure during the game. We just didn’t give up. We kept digging and digging,” Ibaka said.

“We have the mindset of ‘Don’t give up.’ We don’t point the fingers when things go bad. We stay together and I think that’s what makes us special.”

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry scored 32 points, passed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds while Cameroonian star Pascal Siakam added 25 points and nine rebounds for the reigning NBA champions.

Toronto, which trailed 69-50 early in the third quarter, improved the third-best record in the NBA to 37-14.

Ibaka, who won his first NBA title with Toronto last year in his 10th league campaign, was bolstered by Raptors coach Nick Nurse to keep firing 3-pointers even though he was only 1-for-7 from beyond the arc until hitting the decider.

“I missed a couple open threes earlier. Coach told me keep shooting with confidence and moving the ball,” Ibaka said. “That gave me a lot of confidence.”

Nurse likes what he has seen lately from Ibaka, saying: “He is getting better. He has been really good. He’s way more than pick, pop and shoot.”

Paul George and reserve guard Landry Shamet each scored 23 points to lead eight double-figure scorers from the Los Angeles Clippers in a 128-111 home victory over Miami.

Heat star forward Jimmy Butler left after scoring 11 points in 26 minutes with a strained right shoulder.

Serbian center Nikola Jokic’s triple double of 30 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists sparked the Denver Nuggets over host Utah 98-95, although Jamal Murray led the visitors with 31 points.

Jokic hit a go-ahead jumper with 59 seconds remaining and Murray sank two free throws with five seconds to play while Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

Jayson Tatum netted 33 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics over visiting Orlando 116-100. Frenchman Evan Fournier led the Magic with 26 points.

Atlanta All-Star guard Trae Young scored 32 points and passed off 11 assists to power the Atlanta Hawks over host Minnesota 127-120, dealing the Timberwolves a 13th consecutive defeat.

German guard Dennis Schroder scored 30 points off the bench to power Oklahoma City over visiting Cleveland 109-103.

Andre Drummond scored 31 points and grabbed 19 rebounds while Reggie Jackson added 25 points to lead Detroit over visiting Phoenix 116-108.

Brooklyn’s Caris Levert had 23 points and eight assists in the Nets’ 129-88 rout of visiting Golden State.

Ja Morant’s 21 points led six double-digit scorers for Memphis in a 121-107 victory at Dallas, while Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis had 32 points and 12 rebounds in a losing cause.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Kansas City Chiefs players and coaches celebrated their Super Bowl victory over San Francisco with supporters on Wednesday with a two-mile downtown parade and pep rally.

“This is the most beautiful scene I’ve ever witnessed in my life,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said. “I love this city to death. I promise you from here to the end, I cherish every moment with y’all and I promise you everybody here feels the exact same way.”

The Chiefs won their first Super Bowl title in 50 years on Sunday by rallying in the fourth quarter to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20.

Kelce, whose older brother Jason gave a popular speech two years ago when the Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their Super Bowl triumph over New England, drew huge cheers for his emotional speech.

“I’m wearing about half the beers I’ve been trying to drink,” Kelce said. “It has been a long time coming. We had to fight for our right to party.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who captured his first NFL crown, was praised by Kelce for waiting 21 years for the victory.

“That’s how long this has been turning for my guy Andy Reid….and what did we do? We unleashed a can of whoopass on everybody,” Kelce said.

Reid told the crowd that they should prepare for a similar jubilant bash in 2021.

“Next year, we’re coming right back here,” Reid said. “One more time baby.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Swiss center Clint Capela moved from the Houston Rockets to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a reported massive 12-player, four-team deal ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

Multiple reports Wednesday outlined a major talent swap involving the Rockets, Hawks, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves as clubs make final transfers to set rosters for fights to reach the playoffs or improve their chances at a title run.

In the deal, according to ESPN and The Athletic websites, the Rockets get 3-point shooting forward Robert Covington and forward Jordan Bell from the T-Wolves, adding an outside scoring threat to star guards James Harden, the NBA scoring leader, and Russell Westbrook. Houston also landed a 2024 second-round NBA Draft pick.

Capela, who has been sidelined in the past few games with a sore heel, and Brazilian big man Nene went from the Rockets to Atlanta, which was looking for centers.

The Nuggets obtained Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier and Noah Vonleh from Minnesota plus injured Rocket Gerald Green and Houston’s 2020 first-round NBA Draft pick.

Minnesota obtains Denver’s Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez — a Spanish forward — and Jarred Vanderbilt plus Atlanta’s Evan Turner and a 2020 NBA Draft first-round pick from the Hawks.

ESPN reported the Hawks will release forward Chandler Parsons to create the roster space needed to complete the massive deal.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the deal might not be finalized until the NBA trade deadline and could yet be expanded to include other teams interested in assets as part of deals with the clubs or players involved.

Houston will have wing talent that can hit from the outside and bolster the defensive side for the Rockets, while Atlanta All-Star guard Trae Young now has multiple big men to partner with inside.

Covington averages 12.8 points and 6.0 rebounds this season while hitting an average of 2.3 3-pointers a game, shooting at 34.6 percent from beyond the arc this season and 35.8 percent for his career.

Capela, 25, is averaging 13.9 points and a career-high 13.8 rebounds a game.

The Rockets also seek a center to utilize in specific situations against Western Conference big men such as Utah’s Rudy Gobert or Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, but Houston will play a small and fast lineup much of the time.

Source: Manila Bulletin