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Warriors hit 2 milestones in escape over Jazz
Klay Thompson delivers a scoring feat despite coming off the bench after 727 consecutive starts as Warriors coach Steve Kerr picks up win No. 500 in a heart-stopper.....»»
Abueva fined P.1 M for mocking SMB coach
The PBA slapped Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva with a hefty fine of P100,000 for making a gesture mocking San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent in Sunday’s Game 2......»»
Abueva fined P100k for Gallent mockery
The PBA slapped Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva with a hefty fine of P100,000 for making a gesture mocking San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals last Sunday......»»
Altas tap Racela new head coach
Olsen Racela officially signed in as University of Perpetual Help’s new basketball coach Thursday night with high hopes of finally cracking the Final Four after coming close to achieving such in Season 99......»»
Rondae’s bro to join TNT?
There’s another Hollis-Jefferson playing basketball and he might be coming to reinforce TNT as the second import and his brother Rondae’s teammate in EASL. TNT interim head coach/team manager Jojo Lastimosa said yesterday the process of securing Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson’s FIBA clearance is underway to bring him in from Europe......»»
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......»»
Bronze result in VTV Cup fires up Choco Mucho
The Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ third place finish in the VTV Cup in Vietnam last August will serve as an inspiration for the team coming into the upcoming Premier Volleyball League conference, its head coach said......»»
Cone not giving up on Abueva and co. s Asiad status for Gilas
Two days before Gilas Pilipinas flies to China, the status of Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Jason Perkins, Mo Tautuaa and Stanley Pringle for the Asian Games is still up in the air, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone said......»»
Working on it : Abueva, Perkins uncertain for Gilas in Asiad, says Cone
Nothing is certain yet regarding the inclusion of Calvin Abueva and Jason Perkins in the final 12 of Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games, national team head coach Tim Cone said......»»
Cone says Romeo a revelation
After only three days of practice, Gilas head coach Tim Cone is amazed at how Terrence Romeo has blended with the team getting ready for the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou. Cone said yesterday while Romeo may not be a revelation to fans who know what he can do, he’s been surprising everyone in the gym......»»
Abueva, Romeo among familiar faces joining Gilas holdovers in Asiad practice
Gilas Pilipinas, under newly installed head coach Tim Cone, started preparations for the upcoming Asian Games as they held their first training on Monday......»»
Gilas seeks Asiad clearance for Perkins, Abueva
Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone said the team is hoping that Jason Perkins and Calvin Abueva would be part of the Final 12 for the Asian Games......»»
Gilas will dig for gold in Hangzhou
Despite the difficult circumstances, Gilas Pilipinas interim coach Tim Cone stressed the Nationals won’t be aiming small in the coming Asian Games in China......»»
Reyes confident in having better version of Clarkson for Gilas FIBA World Cup bid
A “much improved” Jordan Clarkson will be leading Gilas Pilipinas in the coming FIBA World Cup, head coach Chot Reyes said......»»
Chip coming for World Cup
The man known as Machine Gun during his celebrated career in the Philippines is coming back here with Team USA on coach Steve Kerr’s staff for the FIBA World Cup......»»
Philippines coach Stajcic steps down after Women’s World Cup exit
Philippines coach Alen Stajcic has left his post after the national team's exit from their first Women's World Cup, the Philippine Football Federation said on Tuesday. The Philippines have shaken off their status as regional minnows since Stajcic's appointment as coach in late 2021 -- they have jumped from 68 in the FIFA rankings to a best-ever 46th. The Philippines were not expected to get out of their group, but caused a major upset by beating co-hosts New Zealand for a historic first World Cup win before a 6-0 defeat to Norway on Sunday ended their adventure. The Philippine Football Federation said Stajcic and assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte had "decided to explore other options" at the end of the World Cup campaign. "Coach Alen Stajcic's appointment as Philippine Women's National Team head coach brought women's football in the Philippines to new heights and hope," PFF president Mariano Araneta said in a statement. "Coach Alen showed full dedication to hone the Filipinas into a fighting team. He will long be remembered as the coach who trained and dared the team to win at any international competition," Araneta said. Under Stajcic, the Philippines made the semi-finals of the Women's Asian Cup in early 2022, where they lost to South Korea but secured a historic World Cup berth. They followed it up with bronze at the Southeast Asian Games last year, then won the regional AFF Women's Championship on home soil. Stajcic was a major reason for the Philippines' improvement. He brought a wealth of experience after a playing and coaching career in Australia. He coached Australia at the 2015 World Cup and took the Matildas to as high as fourth in the FIFA rankings, but was dumped despite guiding them to the 2019 tournament. After the Philippines' loss to Norway, Stajcic said he was "proud of the heart and spirit" of the team, but ducked questions about his future as coach. "We will reflect on that for now and in the coming days we will start making plans for the future," he said. The post Philippines coach Stajcic steps down after Women’s World Cup exit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Clock ticking on Gilas
There’s only almost a month left before the FIBA Basketball World Cup but Gilas Pilipinas has yet to train with a complete roster. Various problems have hounded the national squad. In fact, barely a few days after the announcement of the 21-man pool, rising star Carl Tamayo pulled out, saying that he needed to rest following a grueling campaign in the Japan B League. Injuries further marred the formation of the squad with Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Ray Parks, and naturalized player Justin Brownlee begging off from the training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna, while AJ Edu showed up hobbling with an ankle sprain that he sustained in a workout in Brisbane. Still, Gilas, with a depleted roster, left for Estonia and Lithuania. Their training went well where they faced top collegiate, national, and club teams from Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Lithuania. But shortly before flying back to Manila, Scottie Thompson, one the team’s most versatile players, crashed with yet another injury as he hurt his finger in the final stretch of the camp. The injury was so severe that it could take six to eight weeks for him to recover, practically reducing him to a mere spectator when the World Cup unwraps on 25 August. Then, shortly after their return from Europe, gunner Jordan Heading also withdrew due to a nagging back injury that needs therapy in the United States. But coach Chot Reyes never lost hope. After all, Kai Sotto had returned to the country following a two-game stint in the National Basketball Association Summer League, while Jordan Clarkson was scheduled to arrive based on his earlier commitment that he will join Gilas training six weeks before the World Cup fires off. But as of last Friday, both Sotto and Clarkson had yet to play a single minute with Gilas Pilipinas as it heads for a crucial four-nation pocket tournament in China next week. Their continuous absence is not only a major concern for Reyes, but also for their teammates, who are obviously getting impatient and demoralized for training with a crippled roster for over a month now. There is no doubt that Sotto and Clarkson are the best Filipino players in the world right now. But Sotto seems too busy chasing his dream of becoming the first Filipino to play in the NBA, while Clarkson just signed a new contract with the Utah Jazz that would make him richer by more than $50 million in the next four years. When Sotto showed up to Gilas training on Thursday, he just talked to Reyes and asked for a few more days of rest as he sustained a back injury in his final game in the Summer League. Meanwhile, Clarkson’s initial agreement with the federation appears to have fizzled out as Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio admitted that they were still in the “middle of negotiations,” something that should have been done three or four months ago. Reyes has to make a decision quickly. The World Cup is coming up and time is no longer on his side. He has to devise a backup plan — a Plan B — before the support of this basketball-crazy country for this massive and very expensive mission completely erodes. If he has to drop Sotto and Clarkson from his plan, so be it. The important thing is that he comes up with a solid preparation and a game plan that is built around those who have been training regularly. At this point, what Reyes and Gilas Pilipinas need are not the best dribblers, the best passers, or the best defenders. They don’t even need the tallest or the quickest players. What they need are players who are committed. Players who are willing to play for the flag and put the country ahead of their personal goals and ambitions. Players who are armed with big fighting hearts. The clock is ticking on this Gilas squad. Reyes should grab the ball and deliver the dagger before the time expires. The post Clock ticking on Gilas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
California Academy standouts commit to UE
University of the East has received the much-awaited commitments from five of the top high school volleyball prospects in the game today. Casiey Dongallo, Jelaica Gajero, Kizzie Madriaga, Grace Fernandez, and Claire Castillo from California Academy will join the Lady Warriors. All five student-athletes will be eligible to play starting UAAP Season 86. The quintet made their commitments to Strong Group Athletics founder Frank Lao and head coach Jerry Yee on Tuesday at Gloria Maris Restaurant Greenhills in San Juan. Lady Warriors team manager Jared Lao expressed, "Having the Cali Babies commit to our team is such a crucial part of our rebuilding process. We all know what they can bring to the table, and as a team, we are very excited to have them be part of our journey." UE has also tapped California Academy head coach Obet Vital to be one of the assistants of Yee. Over the past three years, California Academy has made a name for itself as one of the country's top high school volleyball programs. Under the guidance of Jerry Yee and later on, Vital, the Cal Babies were able to hold their own against Premier Volleyball League teams in the 2021 PNVF Champions League for Women, finishing in fifth place. It earned Dongallo and Gajero invites to join the pool of the Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team. California Academy then dominated the 2023 PNVF Under-18 Girls' Tournament and the Shakey’s Girls Invitational Volleyball League. During the PNVF U18 tournament, Madriaga was named the Best Setter, while Dongallo was the MVP of the Shakey's tournament. Gajero was recognized as the Best Outside Spiker, Fernandez as the Best Libero, and Madriaga remained as the Best Setter. UE is coming off a last-place finish in UAAP Season 85, ending with a 1-13 record. The post California Academy standouts commit to UE appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Husband’s tears of joy cap Vondrousova’s ‘impossible’ Wimbledon fairytale
Marketa Vondrousova said her husband's unexpected show of emotion after Saturday's shock Wimbledon final victory against Ons Jabeur was the perfect end to her "impossible" triumph. Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon as she stunned the Tunisian world number six on Centre Court. The 24-year-old held her nerve in a tense 6-4, 6-4 win, securing her first major title four years after losing her only previous Grand Slam final at the French Open. So unexpected was her Wimbledon run that the world number 42 told her husband Stepan Simek to stay at home in Prague to look after their cat Frankie, until a pet sitter was found to allow him to travel to London for the final. Twelve months after their wedding, Simek cried tears of joy when he saw Vondrousova after the match. "I think when I came to the box, he cried. I saw him after and he cried a lot," Vondrousova said. "It's amazing, tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary. "That's the first emotion I saw from him over eight years. I think he cried on the wedding day also, but that was it!" With the family cat clearly a major figure in the Vondrousova household, the champion said her pet would get a reward after missing out on the party at the All England Club. "I'm going to buy her some good fish. She's with the cat sitter now. My mom is coming tomorrow to watch her," she said. "She has to wait for us. She doesn't really care what's happening." The outpouring of emotion from Vondrousova's family was triggered by her unlikely journey to Wimbledon glory. She had endured two serious wrist injuries that stalled her promising career since losing the 2019 French Open final. Hampered by her injuries, Vondrousova was reduced to watching her best friend Miriam Kolodziejova attempt to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw last year. "I had a cast last year at that time. I was a tourist here. When I was coming back, I didn't know if I can play at that level again. This seems impossible," she said. 'I couldn't breathe' Given her previous poor form on grass, Vondrousova had no expectations of a long run in this year's tournament. "I didn't play well before on grass. It's unbelievable. Nobody would have told you that I even had a chance to win," she said. "I was unseeded. It's such a crazy journey. I can't believe it." With the Centre Court roof closed due to high winds in London, Vondrousova was able to take advantage of the conditions better than Jabeur. "I was really happy they closed the roof because it's very different than in the windy weather. We practice in Prague in winter indoors. I always play good indoors," she said. Learning from the experience of her French Open final thrashing by Ash Barty, Vondrousova battled to keep her composure as the pressure mounted. "I couldn't breathe. I was thinking to myself, 'Just be over'. I was like crazy nervous," she said. "I just tried to stay calm and keep it together. It was such a relief when I put the match point in." With her place in Wimbledon history assured, the tattooed Vondrousova will turn her attention to some celebratory body art alongside her coach Jan Mertl. "I'll choose for him. Maybe we'll get the same one. We talked before the tournament and he said, 'Yeah, so maybe if you win a Grand Slam, then I'll do it'," she said. "I'm just going to made him do it. I'll show you guys on Instagram after." smg/dj © Agence France-Presse The post Husband’s tears of joy cap Vondrousova’s ‘impossible’ Wimbledon fairytale appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Paranada, three more Fil-foreign recruits, link up in UST
Kyle Paranada banners the four Filipino-foreign players coming to the University of Santo Tomas as the Growling Tigers continue to build their squad under head coach Pido Jarencio. Paranada averaged 11.64 points, 4.21 assists, 2.86 rebounds, and 1.64 steals in 23 minutes for UE last year in UAAP Season 85 as the Red Warriors missed the Final Four with a 5-9 win-loss record. He will sit out the upcoming UAAP Season 86 via residency but he will be available for two seasons. Ashon Andrews will play for the Tigers after only playing three games in the preseason with the University of the Philippines. Geremy Robinson Jr., son of former PBA import Geremy Robinson, will try his luck in UST after riding the bench last season at De La Salle University. Robinson Jr. will be eligible for four more playing years in the UAAP. Leland Estacio averaged 3.6 points on 40 percent shooting from three, and 1.6 boards in 11.8 minutes in his sophomore year for West Valley College in Saratoga, California, and will play for UST for two years. Jarencio stressed UST is also gearing up for future seasons, something rival schools like La Salle, UP, and defending champion Ateneo de Manila University have been doing. "This is a preparation for the future and I am happy with the bond they are sharing. This is proof that they believe in the system we want to execute here in UST," Jarencio said. "They're joining the team now so that they can understand the system. Once they play, they'll be ready." This new batch of Tigers will join the likes of Nic Cabañero and SJ Moore as they seek to forget last year's 1-13 record in UAAP Season 85. The post Paranada, three more Fil-foreign recruits, link up in UST appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»