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Golden sports opportunities
Dominican Republic led by Karl Anthony Towns won over Gilas of the Philippines by a score of 87-81. I felt sad for our country. It should have been an easy win for us, for an outright berth to the Paris Olympics in 2024. If coached skillfully, our 2023 Gilas Five, the best basketball team the Philippines has ever assembled in over half a century, could have “slaughtered” the opposition. The team suffered from lapses in coaching, faulty substitutions and, worst of all, failure to execute to our best advantage the alley-oop arc passes to Kai Sotto. Many times in the past, I witnessed Sotto perform this move with amazing success. All the Gilas players led by Jordan Clarkson have the skill to make the arc pass for an alley-oop shot to the basket. But how can we have the alley-oop when Sotto was benched in the crucial quarter of the game? The fourth quarter belonged to us. What was surprising was why, with five minutes remaining, Sotto, our 7-foot-2 superstar, was not sent in to help control the board, to stop Karl Anthony Towns from scoring from long range, and to save our most precious player, Jordan Clarkson, from fouling out. With Kai Sotto out of the court, what I feared would happen did happen. The Dominicans controlled the board, 17 for them, only 3 for us. Towns went to town scoring, and Jordan Clarkson, in a desperate bid to stop him, fouled out. We lost the game and the outright berth to the Olympics in Paris in 2024. The Philippines–Dominican Republic game, the most watched last Friday, 25 August, established a new world record of 38,115 fans in attendance, surpassing the 32,616 that witnessed the US-Russia final at the 1994 World Cup in Toronto, Canada. Our defeat at the hands of Karl Anthony Towns and his team dashed any hopes of repeating or surpassing what happened seventy years ago. The world was sweeter then. That was once upon a time when bronze glittered like gold, when the Philippines in a stunning performance at the 1954 World Basketball Championship — now known as the FIBA World Cup — in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil beat France for third place to achieve the highest finish ever by an Asian team on the world stage. The 6-foot-3 center, Carlos Loyzaga, led the golden age of Philippine basketball back in the 1950s. His best record was that bronze finish in 1954 — to date the country’s, or any Asian country’s for that matter, best in global basketball. Loyzaga fired 19 points to steer the Herminio Silva-mentored Philippine squad to victory over France, 66-60. Still, let us celebrate the victory of the Dominican Republic. Playing basketball in a global setting is a celebration of humanity, regardless of faith, race, culture, belief, gender and ability. Basketball brings us together — to meet across borders and boundaries, to learn to compete as friends, to respect and trust one another even in opposition. After the game, Karl Anthony Towns was warmly congratulated by the Filipino fans, young and old alike, who shook his hand, saying, “Mabuhay ka Karl Anthony” (Long live Karl Anthony). The big tall man responded, “Salamat po. Mabuhay kayo lahat.” (Thank you, long live to all). The Dominican Republic may have captured the game, but the Filipinos captured the heart of its captain. Sport is always the winner! The post Golden sports opportunities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
WHAT IF… National U failed in must-win run to historic title
History lesson: From 1954 to now, National University only has two titles to show in UAAP Men's Basketball. The Bulldogs won it all in 1954 before going through a six-decade wait for another championship. The wait was finally over when the blue and gold side coached by Eric Altamirano and led by Gelo Alolino, Glenn Khobuntin, and Troy Rosario took home the trophy to Sampaloc. Without a doubt, it was a happy ending to a colorful story, but it was, also without a doubt, a shock to just about everybody. Sans back-to-back MVP Ray Parks Jr., National U wound up with a 9-5 standing at the end of the elimination round. That was pretty good, relative to the long-suffering squad, but that also meant they stood on level ground with University of the East. And if they were to get the better of the Red Warriors for the fourth-seed, they would then be matched up opposite top-seed Ateneo de Manila University and eventual MVP Kiefer Ravena and eventual Mythical selection Chris Newsome. The other bracket wasn't a slouch either as it featured a Far Eastern University with Mac Belo or a De La Salle University with Jeron Teng. Against all odds, though, the Bulldogs did it - coming out on top of UE, coming through against Blue Eagles twice, and claiming the crown in three games at the expense of the Tamaraws. At long last, Jhocson Street was to be the venue of a championship celebration anew. To do so, thought, they had to walk the knife's edge as, aside from the Finals, their first three games after the elims were all must-win. What if they failed there? What if, even in just one of those three tries, the odds proved to be insurmountable? While the Red Warriors, despite the presence of Roi Sumang and Charles Mammie, would remain to be a tall task, there's still a better than good chance that they still fall to Khobuntin, Rosario, and company. And so, we have the blue and gold moving on to a duel with Ateneo. On a high from staying alive, the Bulldogs have a good chance at still stealing the playoff game behind J-Jay Alejandro's breakout game. Game 2, however, should have been where, ultimately, their dreams were dashed. In the real world, National U eked out a two-point triumph over the Blue Eagles on the back of Alfred Aroga's 14-point, 12-rebound double-double. In the what if world, Ateneo shows them the door once and for all in the do-or-die game as Ravena comes out way more determined than his five-point, 2-of-10 effort in the first half. In the Finals, though, FEU gets the better of the Blue Eagles and wins the first of its back-to-back championships. Newsome still fails to graduate on the highest of highs, but at least, he gets to go out in the championship round. Ravena and Von Pessumal return for their fifth and final seasons hungrier than ever, but also fall short of going out on top. For National U, the waiting game continues - and with Khobuntin and Rosario graduating, making the Final Four in Season 78 wouldn't even be a certainty. They still do so, but will also still be booted out by Finals-bound University of Sto. Tomas. Just like the real world, the what if world will then see the exit of Coach Eric and the Bulldogs will be searching for a brand new mentor. It could have still been one-time NCAA champion coach Jamike Jarin, but it could also have been Jeff Napa who gets promoted after winning three titles in UAAP Jrs. What's certain is the National U Bulldogs would still be longing for its first championship since Ramon Magsaysay was President of the Philippines. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Saso, Pagdanganan seek redemption at Ford Championship
Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan are determined to bounce back from their recent LPGA Tour performances as they mix it up with the world’s best in the Ford Championship......»»
Philippines vows hosting readiness for men’s volleyball world championship
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NCAA juniors champ, Finals MVP Manalili basks on day full of wins
Finals MVP Jonathan Manalili helps power Letran to the NCAA juniors basketball championship, then scores another winning romp in the NBTC All-Star just a few hours later.....»»
Philippine men’s volleyball coach puts premium on performance for 2025 worlds
Philippine men’s national volleyball team coach Sergio Veloso said that performance will be the main factor in building the team roster for the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) men’s world championship next year......»»
Big Dome, MOA eyed for FIVB world meet
The Philippines will be the only second Asian country, next to Japan, to host the FIVB Men’s World Championship when the 32 best teams in the world converge on local soil to duke it out for the coveted volley crown on Sept. 12 to 28 next year......»»
Philippines to host Volleyball Men s World Championship 2025
MANILA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines is set to host the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Men's Volleyball Championship in 2025 after winning the bid on Wednesday night. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco welcomed the hosting opportunity, saying the country is looking forward to the success of the global sports event. "The Philippines' hosting of this global volleyball event bo.....»»
Philippines to host men s world volleyball championship in 2025
After the world’s best in men’s basketball in 2023, the cream of men’s volleyball is converging in the country next......»»
Manalili, Squires go for kill in NCAA juniors finals
Moses Manalili is expected to go all out and seal another championship for Letran as they battle University of Perpetual Help Wednesday in the NCAA Season 99 junior basketball finals......»»
Scorpions stretch UCAL title reign
Centro Escolar University went full throttle in the third quarter and dispatched Diliman College, 74-61, to extend its reign in the Universities and Colleges Athletic League-PG Flex Linoleum Basketball Championship yesterday at the Paco Arena in Manila......»»
Squires, Junior Altas begin title showdown
It will be championship experience versus hunger as Letran and University of Perpetual Help battle it out in Game 1 of the NCAA Season 99 junior basketball finals today at the Filoil EcoOil Arena......»»
Squires, Junior Altas begin NCAA title showdown
It will be championship experience versus hunger as Letran and University of Perpetual Help battle it out for the NCAA Season 99 junior basketball crown starting Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Arena......»»
Battle for crown jewel
It’s known as the PBA’s most prestigious championship and what makes this conference even more significant is the Philippine Cup stands as the last battleground of the season with the Governors’ Cup taking a break to leave the just-concluded Commissioner’s Cup the only other theater of basketball hostilities......»»
Junior Altas enter NCAA title conversation
For the first time ever, University of Perpetual Help has a clear shot at a breakthrough NCAA Season 99 junior basketball championship......»»
Computer Engineers-Tofil are Buildrite Cup 2023 champions
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Computer Engineers-Tofil were crowned the Architects and Enginners Basketball Club (AEBC) Buildrite Cup 2023 champions after eking out a hard-fought 60-57 victory against the Civil Engineers 1-Stopgap in their championship match on Saturday, February 17, at the CPA gymnasium. After a long and arduous campaign, the computer engineers emerged as.....»»
31-year wait ends: Adamson rules UAAP high school hoops over NU
Adamson pulls off a wire-to-wire triumph against NU in the sudden-death Game 3 to capture its first UAAP high school basketball championship since 1993.....»»
Squires begin 3-peat bid as NCAA juniors cage tourney fires off
Letran aims to replicate its magical championship run a year ago minus its former beacon of hope Andy Gemao as the NCAA Season 99 junior basketball unfurls Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre......»»
BPBL Season 2: Baby Webmasters complete dominant run, qualifies for national finals
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters will fly to Manila to represent Central Visayas in the Batang Pilipino Basketball League (BPBL) National Championships. This was after they defeated the equally determined University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers-Sherilin, 72-63, in their 18-under championship match last Sunday evening, February 4, in.....»»
Strong Group suffers heartbreaker in Dubai
Strong Group Athletics absorbed a heartbreaking, buzzer-beating defeat at the hands of Lebanon’s Al Riyadi, 77-74, to settle for a runner-up finish in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship yesterday at the Al Nasr Club......»»