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Valenzuela lights ‘Tree of Hope’
Celebrities graced Valenzuela City’s “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony over the weekend which also marked the beginning of a three-month-long celebration of the 400th Founding Anniversary of the city. The occasion was held at the Valenzuela City People’s Park with no less than popular Yuletide singer Jose Mari Chan, Patrick Quiroz and Itchyworms spicing up the rites that set the Christmas spirit of the Valenzuelanos. The “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony is a yearly tradition focusing on a 50-foot tree, along with several decors and installations. It has been long-running since 2004. This year, the lighting ceremony is coupled with another historical commemoration — the kick-off celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of the City of Valenzuela. It is a modern Pinoy Christmas theme bridging the past and future, as a herald to 400 years of history and progress. Mayor WES Gatchalian were joined by SM Supermalls president Steven Tan and CDO Foodsphere Inc. assistant vice president Jason Ong in lighting up the “Tree of Hope” this year. Dedicating the Tree of Hope, the city also welcomed PWD children and teens as the primary beneficiaries for this year. Likewise, students from the city’s state universities the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela Technological College or VALTECH (formerly named ValPoly) also participated in the event. Mayor Gatchalian extended his warm greetings and emphasized the meaning of the “Tree of Hope.” “For our ‘Tree of Hope’ Lighting tonight, may this event not be a symbol of hope, but also serves as a reminder that the light that has guided over the past 400 years, will be the light that shall guide us in the future,” he said. Joining the event were Vice Mayor Lorie Natividad-Borja, Mayoress Tiffany Gatchalian, City Councilors Ricarr Enriquez, Gerald Galang, Niña Lopez, Sel Sabino-Sy, Mickey Pineda, Atty. Bimbo dela Cruz, Louie Nolasco, Marlon Alejandrino, SK Federation president, Councilor Goyong Serrano, and Liga ng mga Barangay president, Councilor Jonjon Bartolome. The PWD children and teens performed a meaningful doxology to start the event right. To further make this a night to remember, the local government invited the Christmas icon, Jose Mari Chan, to sing his signature song, “Christmas in Our Hearts” while setting the “Tree of Hope” and the fireworks alight. A colorful and dashing fountain display provided the finishing touches to the ceremonial night. Days after the event, multiple attractions in the city such as the Valenzuela City Family Park, WES Arena, Fatima Avenue, and Polo Family Park were also set to illuminate their Christmas installations. Meanwhile, some of the anticipated huge events for the upcoming months are as follows: Oktoberfest, Polo Fiesta activities, Mass at San Diego de Alcala Church, Casa de Polo blessing and inauguration, Industry Summit, Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela Awarding, Cultural Night, Valenzuela’s coffee table book launch, a visit from delegates of Bucheon, South Korea, Food Fiesta and a Christmas Bazaar. These activities in line were all open for the Pamilyang Valenzuelanos. The post Valenzuela lights ‘Tree of Hope’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Valenzuela city lights ‘Tree of Hope’, celebrates 400th founding anniversary
Welcoming two momentous events in one, the City of Valenzuela commenced the “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony at the Valenzuela City People’s Park over the weekend and was graced by special guests: Jose Mari Chan, Patrick Quiroz, and Itchyworms. Alongside, the ceremony also marked the beginning of a three-month-long celebration of the 400th Founding Anniversary of the city. The “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony is a yearly tradition of the city, setting the Christmas spirit early for the Valenzuelanos. This traditional lighting of the 50-foot tree, along with several decors and installations, has been long-running since 2004. This year, the lighting ceremony is coupled with another historical commemoration — the kick-off celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of the City of Valenzuela. It is a modern Pinoy Christmas theme bridging the past and future, as a herald to 400 years of history and progress. Mayor WES Gatchalian were joined by SM Supermalls President Steven Tan and CDO Foodsphere Inc. Assistant Vice President Jason Ong in lighting up the Tree of Hope this year. Dedicating the Tree of Hope, the city also welcomed PWD children and teens as the primary beneficiaries for this year. Likewise, students from the city’s state universities the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela Technological College or VALTECH (formerly named ValPoly) also partake in the event. The historical evening occurred at the heart of the city, the Valenzuela City People’s Park, where many of its residents gathered to witness the gleaming lights from the display. Mayor Gatchalian extended his warm greetings and emphasized the meaning of the Tree of Hope. “Sa ating ‘Tree of Hope’ Lighting ngayong gabi, nawa ito ay hindi lamang maging simbolo ng pag-asa, kung hindi rin magsilbing paalala, na ang liwanag na gumabay sa ating sa nakalipas na apat na raang (400) taon, ay siya ring liwanag na gagabay sa ating hinaharap (For our ‘Tree of Hope’ Lighting tonight, may this event not be a symbol of hope, but also serve as a reminder that the light that has guided over the past 400 years, will be the light that shall guide us in the future)." Joining the event were Vice Mayor Lorie Natividad-Borja, Mayoress Tiffany Gatchalian, City Councilors Ricarr Enriquez, Gerald Galang, Niña Lopez, Sel Sabino-Sy, Mickey Pineda, Atty. Bimbo Dela Cruz, Louie Nolasco, Marlon Alejandrino, SK Federation President, Councilor Goyong Serrano, and Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jonjon Bartolome. The PWD children and teens performed a meaningful doxology to start the event right. To further make this a night to remember, the local government invited the Christmas icon, Jose Mari Chan, to sing his signature song, “Christmas in Our Hearts” while setting the Tree of Hope and the fireworks alight. A colorful and dashing fountain display provided the finishing touches to the ceremonial night. Following days after the event, multiple attractions in the city such as Valenzuela City Family Park, WES Arena, Fatima Avenue, and Polo Family Park were also set to illuminate their Christmas installations. A post-lighting concert took place at the Valenzuela City Amphitheater wherein special guests, Patrick Quiroz and the band, The Itchyworms, livened up the stadium. Valenzuelanos jammed with some of their iconic songs, concluding the monumental night on a strong note. Getting the ball rolling, the tree-lighting occasion is one of the city’s main festivities for its 400th founding anniversary tribute. The day of the commemoration is 12 November, following Pueblo de Polo’s founding date, 12 November 1623. Back-to-back celebration awaits the city with Polo Fiesta and Casa de Polo inauguration as two of the grand slated events at Valenzuela400 this month. Meanwhile, some of the anticipated huge events for the upcoming months are as follows: Oktoberfest, Polo Fiesta activities, Mass at San Diego de Alcala Church, Casa de Polo blessing and inauguration, Industry Summit, Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela Awarding, Cultural Night, Valenzuela’s coffee table book launch, a visit from delegates of Bucheon, South Korea, Food Fiesta, and a Christmas Bazaar. These activities in line were all open for the Pamilyang Valenzuelanos. For the past 400 years, the City of Valenzuela sought several developments and innovations — and it has never stopped evolving. From an agricultural provincial town of Polo to a highly urbanized, industrial, and liveable city, this notable transition led Valenzuela to be recognized as one of the progressive cities in the country. The post Valenzuela city lights ‘Tree of Hope’, celebrates 400th founding anniversary appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Valenzuela City kicks off joint Christmas and 400th-anniversary celebration
Welcoming two momentous events in one, the City of Valenzuela held its annual “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony at the Valenzuela City People’s Park on 30 September, an event graced by special guests Jose Mari Chan, Patrick Quiroz and Itchyworms. The ceremony also marked the beginning of the three-month-long celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of the city. The “Tree of Hope” lighting ceremony, a city tradition since2004, sees the lighting of a 50-foot Christmas tree and the installation of holiday decor to set the Christmas spirit early for Valenzuelanos. This year, the lighting ceremony is coupled with another historical commemoration — the kick-off celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of the City of Valenzuela. It is a modern Pinoy Christmas theme bridging the past and future. Mayor Wes Gatchalian was joined bythe CDO Foodsphere and SM Supermalls in lighting up the Tree of Hope this year. The city also welcomed PWD children as the primary beneficiaries of the event, along with students from PLV and VALPOLY. Singers from PLV performed Christmas carols, while the local government invited Christmas icon Jose Mari Chan to sing his signature song, “Christmas in Our Hearts”, while the Tree of Hope was lit amid fireworks. A colorful and dashing fountain display provided the finishing touches to the occasion. Multiple attractions in the city such as Valenzuela City Family Park, WES Arena, Fatima Avenue and Polo Family Park are also set to turn on their Christmas installations in the coming days. A post-lighting concert took place at the Valenzuela City Amphitheater where guests Patrick Quiroz and The Itchyworms livened up the crowd. The city's 400th founding anniversary celebration happens on 12 November, following Pueblo de Polo’s founding date of 12 November 1623. Back-to-back celebrations awaits the city with the Polo Fiesta and Casa de Polo inaugurations as two of the grand events slated for #Valenzuela400 this month. Other huge events unfolding in the following months include the Oktoberfest, Polo Fiesta activities, Mass at San Diego de Alcala Church, Casa de Polo blessing and inauguration, Industry Summit, Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela Awarding, Cultural Night, Valenzuela’s coffee-table book launch, a visit from delegates of Bucheon, South Korea, Food Fiesta, and a Christmas Bazaar. Over the past 400 years, the City of Valenzuela has never stopped evolving. From an agricultural provincial town of Polo, it has become a highly urbanized, industrial and livable city, recognized as one of the progressive urban centers in the country. Thus, reaching four centuries of growth and progress is a milestone worth celebrating for all Valenzuelanos, and an inspiration to continuously commemorate and honor the rich history that established the city. The post Valenzuela City kicks off joint Christmas and 400th-anniversary celebration appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NBA Draft prodigy Wembanyama set for commercial bonanza
Victor Wembanyama is only 19 and has not played a minute in an NBA jersey but the French teenager is poised to land an array of lucrative deals likely to make him one of the most commercially successful athletes in history. Wembanyama will take center stage at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn on Thursday when the gifted 7ft 4in (2.24m) center widely viewed as a once-in-a-generation basketball talent is set to be chosen with the number one pick by the San Antonio Spurs. Already, Wembanyama is being tipped to potentially land an improved $100 million contract with US sporting goods behemoth Nike, eclipsing the $90 million offered to LeBron James when he entered the league in 2003. If the $100 million figure comes to fruition, it would be the biggest contract ever handed to a player who has not yet played in the NBA. Sonny Vaccaro, the legendary 83-year-old marketing executive who signed Michael Jordan to Nike and Kobe Bryant to Adidas, believes Wembanyama's unique talent could command "historic" riches. "This is unique. But a deserved unique," Vaccaro told AFP. "In my lifetime of evaluating and making financial prices for athletes, I've never seen anything like it. This kid will make history." Nike, which already has a deal with Wembanyama, has hinted at its strategy to make the Frenchman a global superstar. "Think (Victor Wembanyama) will change basketball? Think bigger," Nike wrote in a social media post after this year's draft order was revealed last month. Wembanyama's mammoth Nike deal will likely be the first of many, according to Steve Rosner of 16W Marketing, who predicts multi-million dollar deals in areas such as trading cards and other derivative products. Unique endorser "Victor is going to be one of those guys that are going to be able to have a nice endorsement portfolio before he ever plays a second in the NBA," Rosner said. "Because of all the promotion and the hype coming up leading up to this, he'll be a unique endorser as well, as far as being able to have these deals in place before he steps on an NBA court." In decades gone by, such a commercial bonanza for a foreign NBA player would have been unthinkable. Overseas stars such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol aroused little interest among sponsors. "Madison Avenue prefers an American guy," consultant Marty Blackman remarked in 1995 when commenting on how Olajuwon had failed to earn the sort of endorsement deals enjoyed by American players despite leading Houston to a second straight NBA championship. Victor Matheson, a professor at Holy Cross University, says that began to change in 2002 when China's Yao Ming entered the league. "Yao Ming was important, because not only was he a big name within the US, but he really opened up the Chinese market to the NBA as well," Matheson said. Today, the NBA's overseas fan base is larger than the entire population of the United States. According to Forbes magazine, Giannis Antetokounmpo, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and an NBA champion in 2021, earns more in off-court deals -- $45 million – than the salary paid to him by the Milwaukee Bucks of $42 million. "Victor can open up new markets," Matheson said. Rosner said Wembanyama's international profile is also likely to make him an attractive pitchman for multinationals such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's or Visa, who all signed deals with Yao. A world game now Twenty years ago, playing for a small-market NBA team such as San Antonio could have potentially diminished Wembanyama's commercial appeal. However, Vaccaro believes the global reach of the NBA and the rise of streaming and social networks have changed the dynamic. "It's a world game now, so it doesn't matter really," said Vaccaro. It may take time for Wembanyama to fully maximize his earning potential, though. The French prodigy and his entourage are in no hurry to cash in immediately. Wembanyama's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, who has represented numerous French NBA stars such as Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier, says the priority is basketball. "What we're trying to do, first of all, is make Victor rare," Ndiaye told ESPN. "We don't want him all over the place. We don't want to have 20 partners," Ndiaye said. "Victor is rejecting some rich, million-dollar deals right now because he wants to focus on basketball." Commercial partners, meanwhile, may also be reluctant to "give away the entire company to a player who actually hasn't played a single minute in the NBA", Matheson said. "I suspect they're going to be looking for a little bit more." Rosner, however, believes that if Wembanyama delivers on the court, commercial deals will be a formality. "Once he does everything on the court, then everything off the court will follow," Rosner said. Matheson echoed that position, stating that ultimately Wembanyama's fortune will be maximized through his achievements on the hardwood. "The reason that Jordan has become a billionaire is not that he signed one good deal but because his play over almost two decades meant that he could re-sign that deal and re-sign that deal and re-sign that deal," Matheson said. "In order to make LeBron James or Michael Jordan sort of money, it's not about signing that first deal. It's about showing what you can do actually on the court." The post NBA Draft prodigy Wembanyama set for commercial bonanza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Paat bucks cramps, leads Crossovers past Titans
Mylene Paat did not let cramps stop her from carrying Chery Tiggo on her back as it repulsed Choco Mucho, 29-27, 18-25, 25-16, 25-20, yesterday to stay unbeaten in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena......»»
Suns hold off Bucks for 2-0 lead in NBA Finals
The Suns took Game Two against the Milwaukee Bucks, 118-108, at the Phoenix Suns Arena in Arizona on Thursday (Friday, Manila time) to go up 2-0 in their best-of-seven series......»»
Giannis injured as Hawks down Bucks, even series
NEW YORK (AFP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a knee injury as the Milwaukee Bucks slumped to a series-leveling defeat against the Atlanta Hawks in their NBA Eastern Conference finals clash on Tuesday. An all-round offensive effort from the Hawks secured a 110-88 victory at the State Farm Arena to square the best-of-seven series at 2-2. […].....»»
Hawks down Bucks to level series; Giannis injured
New York—Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a knee injury as the Milwaukee Bucks slumped to a series-leveling defeat against the Atlanta Hawks in their NBA Eastern Conference finals clash on Tuesday (Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Philippine time). An all-round offensive effort from the Hawks secured a 110-88 victory at the State Farm Arena to square the best-of-seven […] The post Hawks down Bucks to level series; Giannis injured appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Tanduay Rum gets Milwaukee Bucks treatment in Wisconsin
Tanduay will begin distributing its products throughout Fiserv Forum, the Bucks' arena, the surrounding Deer District, and in The MECCA Sports Bar & Grill......»»
Heat oust depleted Bucks to reach NBA East finals; Lakers down Rockets, up 2-1
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs on September 8, 2020 at The Field House in Orlando, Florida. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP) MIAMI (AFP) — The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the NBA Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, beating top-seeded Milwaukee 103-94 as injured Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched from the bench. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic finished with 17 points apiece as six Heat players scored in double figures and Miami completed a 4-1 series victory in a bruising encounter against the league’s top defensive team. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points. Antetokounmpo — tipped to scoop a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award this season — aggravated his sprained right ankle in the first half of the Bucks’ game-four overtime victory over the Heat. The Bucks declared him inactive less than an hour before tipoff on Tuesday. The loss of Antetokounmpo, who averaged career highs of 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game this season, was a huge blow for the Bucks, as they tried to do what no NBA team has done before: come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game playoff series. It’s the second straight campaign that the Bucks built the best regular-season record only to come up short in the playoffs. In 2019 they fell to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. The fifth-seeded Heat will face either the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors for a place in the NBA Finals. The Celtics lead their series against the defending NBA champion Raptors three games to two. Butler, who added 10 rebounds and six assists and was a perfect eight-for-eight from the foul line, said the Heat’s impressive 8-1 record so far in the playoffs means nothing now. “All of that is behind us now,” he said. “We’ll wait and see who we get out of Toronto and Boston and then we’ll lock in on that. “But it’s zero-zero now, we’ve got eight more to get.” The Heat trailed 28-19 after a chaotic first quarter in which they committed six turnovers leading to nine Bucks points. They trailed by as many as 13 in the first period, but settled down in the second, out-scoring the Bucks 33-18 to take a 52-46 lead into halftime. But Milwaukee, with Middleton leading the way, refused to go away. After going scoreless for more than six minutes in the third period the Bucks put together an 8-0 run to pull within five points. Trailing 73-65 going into the final period, the Bucks trimmed the deficit to four multiple times, but the Heat’s depth finally proved too much. “Obviously they missed their MVP,” Butler said. “But we knew we were going to have to get one out of the mud and I think this was the one.” Antetokounmpo said he felt “lost” as he was unable to contribute. “Mentally it was a battle, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust your teammates and that’s what I decided to do,” he said after the Bucks medical staff persuaded him not to risk further injury by playing. LeBron leads Lakers LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, drives the ball against Ben McLemore #16 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AFP) In Western Conference action, LeBron James scored 36 points and Anthony Davis added 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers powered to the finish in a 112-102 victory over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers grabbed a 2-1 series lead and James notched an NBA record 162nd career playoff win. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teams,” said James, who won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teammates and some great coaches.” James Harden scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists and Russell Westbrook added 30 points for Houston in a back and forth battle that saw 16 lead changes. The Lakers’ reserves scored 42 points, with Houston’s only points off the bench the 16 of Jeff Green. Rajon Rondo, who scored 21 off the bench for Los Angeles, hit back-to-back three-pointers and came up with a steal and layup as the Lakers surged ahead with a 17-5 scoring run to start the fourth quarter. After putting up 64 points in the first half Houston scored just 38 in the second and the Lakers posted their second straight win of the series. There was a frightening moment in the fourth quarter, as Robert Covington and Davis collided as Davis rose for a rebound. Davis’s elbow appeared to hit Covington in head and he left the court holding a bloodied towel to his face, while Davis was hurting from Covington’s elbow in his side......»»
Antetokounmpo, Bucks hold off Celtics in restart opener
By The Associated Press LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo converted a tiebreaking three-point play with 1:28 left on an overturned call that kept him in the game and helped the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 119-112 on Friday night. Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the Bucks’ first game in the restart. Milwaukee improved the NBA’s best record to 54-12 and moved within a victory of clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight year. Boston overcame a poor start to tie it at 107. Antetokounmpo was then called for a charging foul, appearing to negate his basket and giving him a sixth foul. The call was changed to a blocking foul on Boston’s Marcus Smart after review, and Antetokounmpo made the free throw to make it 110-107. Khris Middleton then knocked down a 3-pointer for a six-point advantage. Middleton added 18 points for the Bucks, who played without Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton while they work on their conditioning after testing positive for the coronavirus. Marvin Williams sat out with a strained left groin. Smart scored 23 points for the Celtics and Jaylen Brown had 22, but star forward Jayson Tatum had a nightmarish restart. He had five points on 2-for-18 shooting — though he actually only made one basket. Kemba Walker scored 16 points but played just 19 minutes as the Celtics look to keep the All-Star guard healthy after he’s been battling a sore knee. TRAIL BLAZERS 140, GRIZZLIES 135, OT CJ McCollum scored 33 points, teaming with Damian Lillard for 11 of Portland’s 16 in overtime, and the Trail Blazers pulled out a desperately needed victory to resume their season by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 140-135 on Friday. Lillard finished with 29 points and nine assists to help the Trail Blazers boost their hopes for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Carmelo Anthony added 21 points as Portland moved within 2 1/2 games of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. McCollum started fast, scoring 19 points in the first half, and finished strong with two crucial 3-pointers in overtime. The first one to open the extra period gave Portland the lead for good, and he added six assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 33 points and rookie Ja Morant added 22 points and 11 assists for Memphis. Memphis rallied from a 13-point, third-quarter deficit to take an 11-point lead, then gave it away almost as quickly. When the Grizzlies recovered to take a 112-103 lead with 6:01 left in regulation, it appeared the Grizzlies might pad their lead in the standings. Instead, Anthony’s 3 with 37.5 seconds left tied it at 124 and Morant fell on a last-second fast break, sending the game to overtime. MAGIC 128, NETS 118 Evan Fournier scored 24 points, Nikola Vucevic had 22 and Orlando picked up where it left off before the NBA season was suspended, beating Brooklyn. Playing as the designated road team not far from their arena, the Magic looked right at home at Disney — whose name they wear as their jersey patch. They extended their winning streak to four and moved back ahead of the Nets into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn also won its last three before the stoppage, but the decimated team that returned is a shell of the one that beat the Lakers in Los Angeles in its final game. The Nets are missing Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and Taurean Prince after they tested positive for the coronavirus. They are already playing without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who had season-ending surgery. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 24 points for the Nets. SPURS 129, KINGS 120 DeMar DeRozan scored 17 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help San Antonio beat Sacramento. Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and assistant Becky Hammon stood for the national anthem while the remainder of the coaches and players for both teams knelt. DeRozan shot 10 of 13 and had 10 assists, and the Spurs shot 53.3% from the field. Derrick White matched a career high with 26 points in San Antonio’s first game of the restart. The Spurs needed to find offense because LaMarcus Aldridge, the team’s No. 2 scorer, had shoulder surgery in April and will not play in the restart. De’Aaron Fox scored a career-high 39 points for the Kings. SUNS 125, WIZARDS 112 Devin Booker scored 27 points, Deandre Ayton added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Phoenix beat Washington. Booker made all nine of his free throws and the Suns hit 30 of 32 from the line. They shot 52% from the field, with Ayton hitting two of three 3-pointers and going 11 of 14 overall. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Jerome Robinson added 20 for the Wizards on coach Scott Brooks’ 55th birthday......»»
LeBron James group touts sports venues as mega-voting sites
By BILL BARROW Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — If basketball icon LeBron James gets his way, NBA arenas and other sports venues around the country will be mega polling sites for the November general election. James and his voting rights group, formed this spring with other black athletes and entertainers, are joining with other professional basketball leaders and Michigan’s top elections official to push for mega voting sites to accommodate in-person balloting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. More Than A Vote, the James organization dedicated to maximizing Black turnout in November, shared its plans with The Associated Press on Wednesday after the Detroit Pistons became the second NBA franchise to announce plans to use its arena for voting later this year. In Georgia, Fulton County elections officials this week approved the Atlanta Hawks’ proposal to use State Farm Arena as a polling site. Plans call for the arena to serve as a countywide early voting site ahead of Election Day. The idea, which comes after Kentucky used large facilities in its June 23 primary, is to use large spaces that allow for in-person voting while still enforcing social distancing guidelines. It also underscores the attention on the mechanics of voting amid the pandemic, with the intensity already reflected in both President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden warning that state and local officials have the power to “corrupt” the election. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson called her “partnership” with the Pistons an “blueprint for other teams and leagues seeking to advance our common goal of protecting access to the vote for all.” Lloyd Pierce, head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, said the arrangement in his city ensures “high turnout” in a safe environment. Benson, Pierce and David Fizdale, former New York Knicks head coach, will advise NBA franchises and arena management entities around the country on how to replicate the existing deals. The Milwaukee Bucks also confirmed they are willing to use their home arena as a voting site in the most populous city in the key battleground of Wisconsin. The coordinated push is a turnabout, of sorts, in the often-partisan jousting over voting procedures. Some Democrats panned Kentucky elections officials for limiting in-person June primary voting in the state’s two most populous counties to Louisville’s Exposition Center and the University of Kentucky football stadium in Lexington. Voting rights advocates argued in federal court that the plan, part of culling voting sites statewide amid coronavirus concerns, would harm minority voters. A federal judge rejected their claims, and voting proceeded without the melee that some advocates had forecast. Now, Benson, a Democrat, is pushing the arena model not as an example of potential voter suppression, but a way to fight it. “One of our greatest challenges in protecting voters’ access to democracy this November is identifying accessible locations where citizens can safely vote in person,” she said. Amid COVID, that could outweigh potential logistical difficulties of large sites. Lines for such venues can still be long — just as with normal polling locations — as was seen in Lexington at some points on primary day. Voters also could face traffic jams or public transit hiccups given the number of people involved. General elections also have considerably larger turnout than primaries. Nonetheless, there’s a growing bipartisan push for large-venue voting. NFL executive Scott Pioli last week presented the National Association of Secretaries of State a plan for widespread use of professional and college sports facilities. James’ group is officially nonpartisan. But the NBA star has been open about its emphasis on the Black community, where Trump faces intense opposition for his white identity politics. James has not endorsed Biden, but he endorsed Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016. In Milwaukee, meanwhile, the Bucks owners, the Lasry family, are major Democratic Party donors. Bucks executive Alex Lasry helped lead the effort that landed the Democratic National Convention in the city. .....»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
Creamline still team to beat
Creamline’s dramatic, come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed that it’s still the superpower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.....»»
Rest of PVL catching up to perenially dominant Cool Smashers?
Creamline’s dramatic come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed it remained the team-to-beat in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference......»»
Angels rebound, Crossovers roll on
Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo carved out contrasting wins over Capital1 Solar Energy and Nxled, respectively, and stayed in the thick of the fight for the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena last night......»»
Philippine women s ice hockey back with a bang, trounces Kyrgyzstan in IIHF tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey reintroduced itself to the international stage Sunday night with a convincing 7-4 victory against hosts Kyrgyzstan at the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup at the Bishkek Arena......»»
Boulevard Holdings sells 1.5-B shares to ownership group
Boulevard Holdings advised that its stockholders approved a measure to increase BHI’s authorized capital stock from 17 billion shares to 18.5 billion shares, and to sell the 1.5 billion shares to a company called Puerto Azul Landn Inc., which is also owned and controlled by the Panlilio family......»»
Ariel Villasanta tries to sell Mommy Elvie s urn to Boss Toyo — with freebies
Comedian Ariel Villasanta tried to sell his mother Elvi's urn to Boss Toyo. .....»»
Cool Smashers eye solo PVL lead
Creamline guns for the solo lead while Cignal seeks a share of it as the two collide in a battle of the giants Tuesday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena......»»