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Inoue, Ancajas size each other up ahead of title clash
Reigning WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue wore his poker face in Thursday’s final press conference and said the nicest things about his Filipino challenger Jerwin Ancajas......»»
Brownlee formula
The issue surrounding Justin Brownlee is a major blackeye to Philippine basketball. It is yet another heartbreaker for Filipinos, who were hoping and praying to see the national team reassert its dominance in the international arena. For the longest time, the Filipinos had struggled internationally. In the Asian Games, for instance, the Philippines emerged victorious in its first four editions — 1951 in New Delhi, 1954 in Manila, 1958 in Tokyo, and 1962 in Jakarta before suffering a string of frustrating finishes. The closest we got to the gold medal was in 1990 when the Basketball Association of the Philippines tasked the Philippine Basketball Association with assembling a team that would reclaim our Asian glory. It was a tall order at the time as the Philippines was coming off a bitter setback at the hands of Malaysia in the 1989 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur. The BAP knew that only an Asian crown would soothe the pain of a nation craving revenge. But it didn’t happen. Coached by Robert “Sonny” Jaworski, the team bannered by Allan Caidic, Benjie Paras, Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim, and Chito Loyzaga surrendered to powerhouse China featuring Shan Tao and Ma Jian in the gold medal match. Eight years later, Tim Cone was given the marching orders to assemble another star-studded squad to represent the country in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998. But like Jaworski, his bitter coaching nemesis at the time, Cone was also unsuccessful as his Centennial Team had to settle for bronze behind China and South Korea. In the next edition in Busan in 2002, hopes were high. Despite a sudden coaching change after American mentor Ron Jacobs suffered a stroke in the final stretch of preparations, Jong Uichico was still able to form a solid team that had a mix of Filipino-foreign stars like Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, and Rudy Hatfield, as well as homegrown stars like Olsen Racela, Kenneth Duremdes, and Danny Ildefonso. But fate wrote a cruel script. The Philippines was ahead, 68-66, in the final 23.9 seconds of the semifinal clash against South Korea. A victory would have sent the Filipinos to the gold medal match against China, while a setback would relegate them to a battle for bronze against Kazakhstan. Racela was at the charity stripe for a chance to ice the game and seal the victory. But he missed both free shots. In a shocking — and heartbreaking — turn of events, Korean gunner Lee Sang Min buried a long three-pointer off a broken play at the buzzer that sent the host country to the finals. The players were crushed while a river of tears flowed through the streets of Manila as the entire country couldn’t believe how merciless the basketball gods could be. Since then, Philippine basketball has been reduced to a mere footnote in Asian basketball. We bombed out of the medal podium in Doha in 2006 and Guangzhou in 2010. We even suffered international embarrassment when head coach Chot Reyes instructed naturalized player Marcus Douthit to shoot at our own basket in Incheon in 2014. In 2018, a legitimate National Basketball Association campaigner, Jordan Clarkson, came along and was billed as the hero who would save Philippine basketball. But he was unsuccessful. The Filipinos’ string of misfortunes continued as Gilas Pilipinas settled for fifth place. Then here came Brownlee, tapped to see action as a naturalized player in the Hangzhou Asian Games. The 35-year-old American was tasked to power a team already familiar to him — guys he had been playing with for more than five years. The coach — Cone — had been his mentor since he arrived in Manila in 2016 and led Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to six PBA titles while winning three Best Import honors. There was no honeymoon period to speak of. He hit the ground running. The result was impressive as Brownlee dropped 36 points to lead Gilas Pilipinas to a razor-thin 84-83 win over Iran in the quarterfinals, before dropping back-to-back three-point bombs in their miraculous 77-76 victory over host China in the semifinals. The Filipinos won their first gold medal in 61 years following a 70-60 victory over Jordan in the final, but an asterisk was attached to the victory after Brownlee tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance linked to the use of cannabis. At this point, it is unknown whether Brownlee will contest the findings or how long his possible suspension will be. What is clear is that Brownlee made a tremendous impact on Philippine basketball as he proved that the best way to win an international title is to field a naturalized player who is very familiar with the Filipinos’ style of play. Brownlee may not be as exciting and flashy as Clarkson or as tall as Douthit and Blatche, but he knows Philippine basketball like the back of his hand. It’s time for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to create more Justin Brownlees by recruiting young foreign players who are willing to stay in the country for a longer period — not just to earn and play as imports in the PBA — but to win the hearts and minds of these basketball-crazy Filipinos. Brownlee’s professional career is in great peril, and we may not see him don the Gilas or Ginebra jerseys again. But we should always remember his most significant contribution to Philippine basketball. Nope, it wasn’t the incredible play he delivered against China or how he stood his ground against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the powerful Jordanians that led to the country’s first Asian Games title in 61 years. His most important contribution was the idea that to gain international success, the federation must recruit a naturalized player not based on skills, height, or popularity but on his love, respect, and dedication to the country he wishes to represent. The post Brownlee formula appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Clarkson weirded out by booing from home crowd
The home crowd booing Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes ahead of the Philippine team’s FIBA World Cup clash against Italy at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Tuesday is “weird,” according to star Jordan Clarkson......»»
Women s World Cup roundup: Spain, Switzerland coast to wins
(Photo credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports) Spain sprinted ahead of Costa Rica with an own goal in the 21st minute and never looked back in a suffocating start to its Women's World Cup bid Friday in Wellington, New Zealand. Spain outshot Costa Rica 45-1 in the 3-0 win, netting all three goals in a rapid-fire six-minute stretch during its Group C clash. Aitana Bonmati scored two minutes after the own goal, and a defle.....»»
Bad trip by Jerusalem
It’s been more than a week but Filipino promoter JC Mananquil was still hurting from Melvin Jerusalem’s heartbreaking loss of his world title. Speaking from Los Angeles where he has been staying since the third week of May, Mananquil thought Jerusalem was doing just fine until the roof began to cave in starting the fourth round of his clash with mandatory challenger Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico in Indio, California. “It was really weird because of how he was doing (in the first three rounds) and it suddenly changed,” Mananquil said. Jerusalem was actually in the thick of the fight during the first nine minutes of action then began to slide starting the fourth frame until he was forced to quit on his stool going into the eighth round. “The change of culture could be one thing and the short time (he was in the US),” he added. Jerusalem set foot on American soil ten days before the 27 May showdown with the undefeated Collazo. The Bukidnon-born fighter set up a training camp in Cebu for a month and transferred to Japan where he stayed for four weeks before returning to Cebu. ‘The change of culture could be one thing and the short time (he was in the US).’ Originally, Jerusalem was planning to fly to Los Angeles in the first few days of May but his visa could only be delivered sometime mid-May. His trainer Michael Domingo said Jerusalem couldn’t sleep well and was still jet-lagged by the time he fought at the Fantasy Springs Casino and Resort. No wonder, there is ample reason why Manny Pacquiao travels to the US way, way ahead of a scheduled fight. Aside from the lack of time to get used to the new time zone, Jerusalem seemed to be super happy to be in the US that he lost focus. Well, there have been some fighters who came to the US on short notice but still performed and won their fights. But it doesn’t work that way often. Jerusalem’s one clear example. The post Bad trip by Jerusalem appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Good things come with babies’
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 36-year-old leader of the main opposition Pheu Thai party, was given a rock star welcome as she returned to the campaign trail for the first time since giving birth less than two weeks ago. The daughter of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra fulfilled a promise to get back on the campaign trail after giving birth on 1 May. Paetongtarn has been first or second in surveys of voters’ preferred choice of prime minister and her Pheu Thai party — the latest incarnation of the political movement founded by her father — is leading most opinion polls. “I believe that good things come with babies, so this is a blessing for my family,” she told reporters at Bangkok’s Praram 9 hospital on 3 May. A heavily pregnant Paetongtarn was a near-constant presence at campaign rallies in searing tropical heat until just a week before giving birth. The baby, named Prutthasin Sooksawas and nicknamed “Thasin” in honor of her father, is Paetongtarn’s second. Napisa Waitoolkiat, a political analyst at Naresuan University, said the pregnancy and birth might help win over swing voters. Emilie Pradichit, of feminist human rights organization Manushya, said she had sent out a strong message in a patriarchal society. “By actively participating in the electoral process, while also sharing about her pregnancy, she is breaking barriers, Pradichit told Agence France-Presse. “It challenges the notion that pregnancy and motherhood are incompatible with political careers.” Voters are predicted to deliver a heavy defeat to the government of former army chief and coup leader Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, with Pheu Thai and the rival opposition Move Forward Party leading the final polls. Paetongtarn, the daughter of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra — himself ousted in a coup — arrived to an electric atmosphere at Bangkok’s Impact arena. “May 14 will be a historic day where Thailand will change from a junta rule to a democratic rule,” she told around 10,000 supporters clad in Pheu Thai’s signature vivid scarlet colors. Sunday’s election is a clash between the opposition, fired up by the youth-led pro-democracy street protest movement of 2020, and the older conservative royalist-military establishment embodied by Prayut. Pheu Thai, which draws on a deep well of support from rural voters in the northeast, is well ahead in the polls, but winning most seats in the lower house is no guarantee of taking power. The prime minister will be chosen by the 500 elected members of parliament and 250-strong senate — whose members were appointed by Prayut’s junta, stacking the deck in favor of army-linked parties. The Shinawatra family’s bitter tussle with the royalist-military establishment has been at the center of Thailand’s rolling political drama. Thaksin was removed in a 2006 coup, and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra by Prayut’s putsch in 2014, and some analysts are skeptical that the military will release its grip on power now. The post ‘Good things come with babies’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PM Imran Khan’s arrest sparks clash, protest call
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was arrested Tuesday sparking a clash between his supporters and police, plus a call for protest. Khan was arrested during a court appearance in the capital Islamabad for one of dozens of cases pending since he was ousted from office last year. “Imran Khan has been arrested in the Qadir Trust case,” the official Islamabad police Twitter account said, referring to a graft case. Local TV stations showed chaotic scenes outside the court as hundreds of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party supporters clashed with security officers. Officials from PTI immediately made the call for protest against his arrest, which comes a day after the military warned him against making “baseless allegations” after he again accused a senior officer of plotting to kill him. At a weekend rally in Lahore, Khan repeated claims that a senior intelligence officer Major-General Faisal Naseer was involved in an assassination attempt last year during which he was shot in the leg. The military’s Inter-Services Public Relations wing said in a statement that “this fabricated and malicious allegation is extremely unfortunate, deplorable and unacceptable.” “This has been a consistent pattern for the last year wherein military and intelligence agencies officials are targeted with insinuations and sensational propaganda for the furtherance of political objectives,” it said. Pakistan’s government has said the assassination attempt was the work of a lone gunman, who is now in custody and who confessed in a video controversially leaked to media. Khan rejects those findings and insists authorities have refused to accept his attempts to file a so-called first information report with police identifying the real culprits. Khan repeated his allegations in a video statement released ahead of his court appearance Tuesday, saying that “there is no reason for me to fabricate the facts.” ISPR said it reserved the right to “take legal course of action against patently false and malafide statements and propaganda.” Khan faces dozens of charges that were brought against him since he was ousted — a tactic analysts say successive Pakistan governments have used to silence their opponents. Pakistan’s military, the world’s sixth largest, holds undue influence over the nation. It staged at least three coups since the country gained independence in 1947 and ruled for more than three decades. The post PM Imran Khan’s arrest sparks clash, protest call appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Ice’ Trae: Young nails last-gasp stunner as Hawks beat Celtics
Trae Young nailed a last-gasp three-pointer as the Atlanta Hawks stunned the Boston Celtics 119-117 to keep their Eastern Conference playoff series alive on Tuesday. Young drained a 29-footer with just 1.8 seconds remaining to silence Boston's TD Garden and ensure a game six back in Atlanta on Thursday. Young, who finished with 38 points, 13 assists and four rebounds, said the Hawks had been determined to extend the series following the suspension of key guard Dejounte Murray. Murray was suspended after a clash with a referee after game four on Sunday. "We were missing a big piece of ours and we want him to play game six, so we want to go back home and have him with us," Young said of Murray. "I didn't feel there was any pressure on me. Obviously we were without (Murray) but we all had to step our game up another level -- not just me, we all did tonight. Total team win." The Celtics, leading the series 3-1, had looked to be cruising to victory after dominating for most of the second half to lead by 13 points midway through the fourth quarter. But with Boston poised to wrap up a 4-1 series victory, Young and the Hawks took over with a startling late rally in the closing minutes that whittled away the Celtics lead. Young nailed back-to-back three-pointers to level the scores at 111-111 with 2:42 remaining and then hit three free throws to help Atlanta take a 114-113 lead. Robert Williams handed Boston a one-point advantage to make it 115-114 to the Celtics with 25.6 seconds left on the clock. But a rash foul by Boston's Marcus Smart presented Young with two more free throws to edge the Hawks into a 116-115 lead. Young then had a nervous moment after conceding a foul on Derrick White, who shot two free throws to put the Celtics 117-116 ahead with 7.3 seconds left on the clock. Young however responded superbly, calmly bringing the ball up court before launching a pullup three-pointer to give Atlanta a 119-117 lead before Boston's final desperate last attack fizzled. Young's 38-point tally included 16 in the fourth quarter, while John Collins provided offensive backup with 22 points. Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 18 points. Boston's scoring was led by Jaylen Brown with 35 points while Jayson Tatum added 19. Four other Boston players finished in double figures. The post ‘Ice’ Trae: Young nails last-gasp stunner as Hawks beat Celtics appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lady Spikers go for twice-to-beat
League-leading De La Salle University sets its sights on securing a Final Four twice-to-beat advantage in a clash with Adamson University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Ahead of the pack sporting a 10-1 win-loss record, the Lady Spikers only need to hurdle the Lady Falcons in their 2 p.m. encounter to assure themselves of a Top 2 finish with just two weeks left before the elimination round closes. On the other hand, Adamson, which shares the second to fourth spot in the standings with an 8-3 card tied with idle University of Santo Tomas and defending champion National University, shoots for a semis berth. La Salle bounced back mightily from a sorry four-set setback at the hands of UST before the Holy Week break with a convincing, 25-15, 25-16, 25-16, win over University of the Philippines last Sunday. Rookie Angel Canino is expected to show the same aggressiveness she displayed in the Lady Spikers’ first round win over the Adamson, 22-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-19, last 19 March when she dropped 21 points. Aside from Canino and usual scorers Thea Gagate, Fifi Sharma and Jolina dela Cruz, La Salle has also a new weapon in rookie opposite spiker Shevana Laput. The 6-foot-1 winger made an immediate impact in her first start last game as she poured in nine points. But despite their height and depth advantage and with the semis bonus within reach, Lady Spikers assistant coach Noel Orcullo doesn’t want his players to look too far ahead. “We need to continue the right things we are doing. Just take it one game at a time. Our mindset right now is to finish the second round the right way,” he said. The Lady Falcons are fresh from a 25-16, 25-19, 20-25, 27-25, victory over University of the East last Saturday. Adamson will rely on Kate Santiago, Trisha Tubu, Lorene Toring and setter Louie Romero to get back at La Salle. Meanwhile, Far Eastern University tries to salvage its semis bid in a must-win game against Ateneo de Manila University at 12 p.m. Holding a 5-6 card, the Lady Tamaraws need to sweep all of their remaining three games wish that one from the Lady Falcons, Tigresses and Lady Bulldogs won’t reach nine wins to force a playoff for the last Final Four seat. FEU beat Ateneo in five sets in the first round. Both teams are coming off setbacks with the Lady Tamaraws bowing down to the Lady Bulldogs in straight sets while the Blue Eagles missed the semis for the first time in 14 years after losing to the Tigresses in four frames. A win by Ateneo (4-7) will put the semis race to a close. In men’s play, Ateneo (5-6) and FEU (6-5) at 10 a.m. while La Salle (6-5) and Adamson (1-10) meet at 4 p.m. The post Lady Spikers go for twice-to-beat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ginebra s Brownlee, Hollis-Jefferson of TNT trade praises ahead of finals clash
The imports of PBA Governors’ Cup protagonists Barangay Ginebra and TNT had nothing but good words for each other as they look forward to their finals matchup on Easter Sunday......»»
Youngsters take spotlight in Ironkids
The future of local triathlon takes center stage ahead of the cream of endurance racing crop as they clash for top honors in four individual categories set over new distances in the IRONKIDS Philippines today at the Azuela Cove here......»»
Brazil sweats on Neymar return ahead of South Korea World Cup clash
Brazil head into Monday’s World Cup last-16 tie against South Korea preoccupied by the health of the great Pele and with coach Tite wondering whether to recall the Selecao’s current number 10 Neymar after an ankle injury. Tite used his press conference prior to Friday’s final group game against Cameroon to wish Pele a speedy […] The post Brazil sweats on Neymar return ahead of South Korea World Cup clash appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
High morale but tempered with caution for BaliPure ahead of Creamline clash
On the eve of the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders’ match with the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Open Conference of the Premier Volleyball League, the former are on a tempered high......»»
Experience, size vs hunger, pride
Fancied Serbia yesterday unleashed a strong finishing kick to beat the Dominican Republic in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, 94-76, ahead of today’s clash with Gilas Pilipinas......»»
Neymar reaches milestone but PSG held ahead of Man Utd showdown
Neymar scored his 50th league goal for Paris Saint-Germain but warned the Ligue 1 leaders needed to improve quickly as they prepared for a crunch European clash with Manchester United by drawing 2-2 with Bordeaux on Saturday. The world’s most expensive player scored a penalty to cancel out an early Timothee Pembele own goal and […] The post Neymar reaches milestone but PSG held ahead of Man Utd showdown appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Newcomers Maharlika Manila stun Stallion Laguna in PFL clash
Despite falling behind, 0-1, in the first 45 minutes of the match with Ibrahim N'Dour putting Stallion ahead at the 28th minute, Maharlika was able to storm back with two goals after the halftime break......»»
Seeking civility in groups as views clash on Facebook
As division roils the country ahead of the US presidential election, Justine Lee is out to "Make America Dinner Again" and foster understanding in the process......»»
China, UK clash over fate of Hong Kongers
China promised Thursday to take countermeasures against Britain if it presses ahead with plans to extend citizenship rights to Hong Kongers after Beijing imposed a sweeping security law on the restless financial hub......»»
NBA: James triple-double pulls Lakers past Grizzlies
LeBron James returned from a one-game absence to post a 23-point triple-double on Wednesday and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 136-124 NBA victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. James sat out the Lakers’ come-from-behind double-overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday with a sore left ankle. READ: NBA: Giannis tows Bucks over Thunder .....»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»