We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Lumpia, pancit key in Magpayo s coaching for US NCAA Div. 1
Mike Magpayo was not born and bred in the Philippines, but he is Filipino through and through. The Filipino-American head coach of University of California-Riverside remains proud of his roots - roots that are, actually, big pieces to the puzzle in his first time coaching in the big leagues. "Relationships are huge for me," he said in Coaches Unfiltered. "That's how I am in life and that's how all of us Filipinos are - we love to be around people, we love to talk to people." For Magpayo, establishing and then reinforcing bridges with players is the first step to success. From a tight bond between coaches and players, everything else will follow. Since Day 1, the founder and president of the Asian Coaches Association has been making sure of that tight bond with the help of Filipino food. "I love to invite them to my house. Like Thanksgiving, my mom's making all that food and I get our players to my house and they love it," he shared. He then continued, "They eat my mom's food and they love everything - lumpia, pancit, everything. So that's my thing, relationships are huge for me." And so, through meals of lumpia and pancit, Magpayo gets closer and closer to his players - and that will be the foundation for their hoped for continued contention. And who knows, that may very well just the big boost to propel them to March Madness. "We're not competing with Kentucky (in recruitment), that's not our goal. Our goal No. 1 is to win the Big West (Conference) because if you win the Big West championship, you're gonna go to the NCAA tournament," he said. He then continued, "We're just putting together the best group of young men we can find and my hope is for them to have great attitude and great work ethic and be really, really proud to be in UC-Riverside." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo. .....»»
Meet the trusted trainer making sure Thirdy s true focus is on Japan
Thirdy Ravena will have to play guard for San-En NeoPhoenix in Japan's B.League. "He can play shooting guard. He can play small forward," Phoenix Co., Ltd. President Kenjiro Hongo said in his native tongue in the three-time UAAP Finals MVP's introductory press conference last Friday. "We will also try him at point guard. He will be a key player for us this season." Only, Ravena has been, for the most part, a forward in his time in Ateneo de Manila - both Jrs. and Srs. - and has only dabbled at the 2-spot for times under head coach Tab Baldwin. As it turns out, though, the 6-foot-2 all-around player has long been prepping and priming for this. And he has been doing so with the help of a trusted trainer - Jolo Tamayo of True Focus. "We have been doing things he has never done before because he's trying to become a point guard or a shooting guard. That's why we focused on ballhandling and improved his perimeter shooting to make him a deadly three-point shooter," he said. For Tamayo, it's no surprise at all that Ravena is getting the golden opportunity to showcase his skills abroad as, from the very start, the latter has proven his discipline and determination to the former. "Thirdy is very humble and hardworking. He trains as if he was an underdog and is always hungry for improvement," the youthful trainer said. Tamayo then recounted two inspiring instances of Ravena's fire and desire to be better. "One time, we were doing a drill and his nose was bleeding, but he didn't stop until the drill was over. I was so in awe because I thought he would relax when he realized (what was happening to his nose), but he still gave his 110 percent," he said. "Another instance was during the holidays when the gyms were closed early and since he came from Antipolo, I thought he wouldn't be able to train. But he said, 'Kahit dyan lang tayo sa harap ng kotse. Basta makapag-training,'" the founder of True Focus said. "We still trained in the parking lot until 12 midnight. That's how thirsty Thirdy is in training and I think this is what separates him from the rest of the competition. With all those, Tamayo just feels fortunate to have the golden opportunity to help Ravena spread his wings even further. "We were just introduced by a common friend and, to be honest, I thought it was a long shot for us to work with Thirdy," he shared. He then continued, "We were just lucky that Thirdy was free one day and he gave us a chance to show how we make things work." Even better for True Focus, having Ravena with them gives them just the boost they need to keep moving forward with their program. In particular, this is all more than enough proof for Tamayo that he is on the right path after he had to take a detour in his playing career because of an ACL injury. "This is all very fulfilling because I never had a trainer who made me better. I'm still chasing my dream to be a basketball player, but I'm very ecstatic because while doing so, I could help other young players achieve their dreams and become better in the sport they love," he said. The guard-turned-trainer once suited up for Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the NCAA Jrs. from 2015 to 2017 before a knee injury sidelined him. While on the shelf, he used all the time he had in his hands to learn tips and tricks to improve his game - tips and tricks that until now, he's sharing with students of True Focus. While their no. 1 student is now headed to Japan, Tamayo said his education with them is far from over. "We can always try out new things like virtual training and coaching, but of course, everything would still depend on Thirdy's availability. For me, I'll just watch his games in Japan and shares insights on what we need to tweak," he said. He then continued, "I will always be here to support him and once he comes back here after Japan, I'm sure he'll be a beast - a beast that will still want to be better." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
PNVF forms coaching sataff for world meet
Seasoned coach Dante Alinsunurin will make a comeback as one of the deputies for the national men’s team as host Philippines pulls out all the stops to parade a competitive squad against the best of the best in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025......»»
Tai Bundit eyes Spikers Turf title with Criss Cross King Crushers
Returning head coach Tai Bundit is setting the bar high in his first coaching stint back in the Philippines after three years, as he takes the reins over at new Spikers Turf team Criss Cross King Crushers......»»
Cone admits getting outcoached by San Miguel counterparts as Ginebra gets boot
After being swept in the semifinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone tipped his hat to the coaching staff of the San Miguel Beermen......»»
Dorog takes full-time time coaching role with Farm Fresh
Justine Dorog is transitioning to coaching “full-time,” the volleyball player said, as she was named as the Farm Fresh Foxies’ assistant coach......»»
Cone: Gilas coaching stint still up in the air
There is “nothing definite” yet with Tim Cone being Gilas Pilipinas head coach, the multi-titled mentor said Friday......»»
Tim Cone says ‘nothing definite’ as SBP searches for Gilas coach
Tim Cone admits he has been in talks with the SBP regarding the Gilas Pilipinas coaching job, but refuses to go into specifics as he leaves it to the federation to make the announcement.....»»
The Daily Guardian: Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Potential Interest in Bill Belichick and the Pressing Time Constraint
Title: Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Faces Uncertainty in Coaching Staff Evaluations Subtitle: Potential Shifts in Head Coach Position Add Intrigue to Cowboys’ Future (Word.....»»
Strong Group eyes Dubai title with Dwight Howard on board
Dwight Howard's addition to the Philippines' Strong Group side will give the team a huge boost both offensively and defensively, head coach Charles Tiu said......»»
Olsen Racela accepts Altas coaching job in principle
Olsen Racela is set to return to the collegiate ranks to coach, as he has agreed "in principle" to coach the Perpetual Help Altas, he said on Friday......»»
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......»»
Golden Tigresses turn back Lady Knights on Almadro s Letran coaching debut
University of Santo Tomas spoiled the debut of new Letran coach Oliver Almadro with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 win to stay unbeaten in the 2023 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship.....»»
SB19: ‘Yan ang Coach Stell namin!’
Following multiple awards, sold-out concerts and the recently concluded PAGTATAG world tour, Stell Ajero of SB19 continues to be “booked and busy.” Ajero, the main vocalist and lead dancer of the global P-pop group SB19, said his co-members are all-out in supporting his solo gig as The Voice Generations coach despite their group activities. In an interview with Boy Abunda during “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” on 12 September, Abunda asked the singer-songwriter about SB19’s reaction when he was offered to be one of the coaches of The Voice Generations. “Sabi nila sa’kin, ‘Stell, kapag hindi mo pa tinanggap ang project na ‘yan, hindi namin alam kung anong gagawin sa’yo (They said, “Stell, if you won’t accept this project, we don’t know what to do with you),” Ajero said. Before the GMA offer, he explained, he had been very selective in accepting solo projects because he wanted to prioritize group projects with SB19. However, the 28-year-old vocalist told Abunda that all he needed was the push and encouragement from SB19 and his loved ones. “With the help of my group, my team, my family, sila ‘yung nagpakita at nagparamdam sa akin na [I] really deserved that spot. ‘Kunin mo na. Binigay nila ‘yan sa’yo kasi alam nilang kaya mo at dapat mong tanggapin nang buong puso (With the help of my group, my team, my family, they made me feel I really deserved that spot. The project was offered to me since they knew I could do it, so I should accept it wholeheartedly).” In a separate video, the four other members of SB19 — Justin, Pablo, Ken and Josh — were profuse in their praise for Ajero, attesting to his passion for excellence and fun but committed attitude toward work, which they said would be of immense benefit to the artists he’d be handling on The Voice Generations. “Yan ang Coach Stell namin! (That’s our Coach Stell!),” said SB19’s leader Pablo. Despite coaching for The Voice Generations and the possibility of being offered more solo activities, Ajero vowed that SB19 will always be his main priority. Asked about his mentorship style, Ajero said he wants to keep it simple and chill while also remembering his roots when he was starting out. “I give them time to adjust at isapuso muna nila kung ano ‘yung sinabi ko… Ayoko po kasi nila maramdaman ‘yung pressure from me as their coach (I give my artists time to adjust and take what I said to heart. I don’t want them to feel pressured as their coach),” he said, explaining that he doesn’t want to stress his talents to be perfect from the get-go. Viewers may tune in every Sunday to watch Ajero’s entertaining and substantive coaching in The Voice Generations, along with award-winning singer and dancer Billy Crawford, Parokya ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda and Asia’s Limitless Star Julie Anne San Jose as his fellow coaches. The post SB19: ‘Yan ang Coach Stell namin!’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Our team
The 19th Asian Games have yet to start, but Gilas Pilipinas is already winning the hearts and minds of Filipinos. Gilas coach Tim Cone swept local fans off their feet when he allowed them to watch their joint training session with the Gilas Women team last Thursday at the PhilSports Arena. After their workout, San Miguel Corporation director Alfrancis Chua gave the fans five minutes to have their pictures taken with their basketball idols. But when Cone approached Chua, he suddenly changed his mind and increased the allotted time to 15 minutes. Seeing Gilas — a collection of the country’s most popular and wealthiest athletes — go out of their way to mingle with fans is truly heartwarming. And it won’t be the last time they will see their basketball heroes as Cone has invited them anew to watch their friendly match against Changwon LG Sakers on Friday. But just a few weeks ago, this beautiful bond between Gilas and their fans was unthinkable. Gilas struggled to gain public support during the country’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup. At the same time, their head coach, Chot Reyes, was being bashed and heckled mercilessly due to their forgettable performance. Fans questioned Reyes’s integrity as a coach, especially when he benched Kai Sotto in their first game against the Dominican Republic. He was also criticized for relying too much on National Basketball Association star Jordan Clarkson, raising speculations that he was unprepared for the world’s biggest and most prestigious basketball event. The fans inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum made their presence felt. They booed Reyes during the player introductions against Italy, prompting some of his players, like Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando and Clarkson, to rush to his defense. Even Reyes’s outfit didn’t escape the eyes of the public. Social media exploded with insults, adverse reactions, and comments after Reyes flaunted an ultra-expensive Thom Browne suit during their game against Angola. The money he spent, reportedly around P200,000, wasn’t worth it as Gilas suffered a 70-80 loss to the Angolans, dealing a major blow to their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. But his manner of coaching and posh outfit were not the only reasons Reyes struggled to deodorize his public image. When Gilas was preparing for the World Cup, Reyes shut the doors of their practice facility to fans and sportswriters. Instead of making the team available, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas assigned a media liaison who disseminated information and narrated what was happening through short videos and photos regularly posted on social media. That was the practice when Gilas trained at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, as well as when they were in Estonia and Lithuania. Gilas also played friendly matches against Ivory Coast, Mexico, and Montenegro at the PhilSports Arena with no one but a very few team staffers and federation officials in attendance. With the friendly matches being inaccessible, sportswriters had to resort to checking the social media pages of Gilas’s opponents and the SBP to get information and avoid the wrath of their editors. They jokingly called it “socmed journalism.” That’s why the appointment of Cone as Gilas’ head coach is a breath of fresh air. The 65-year-old Cone may be an American, but he knows the importance of gaining public approval. In fact, he started his career as a villain in the eyes of the masses after engaging with the charismatic Robert Jaworski in numerous coaching battles. But he let his coaching do the talking as he led Alaska to a grand slam in 1996 before winning another triple crown with San Mig Coffee in 2014. At Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the most popular professional team in the country, Cone further cemented his reputation as a well-loved, well-respected coach when he turned the likes of LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee into fan favorites. Now, Cone is at the helm of Gilas Pilipinas, armed with a mission of not only winning an Asian Games medal but also bringing the national players closer to the public. It’s a tough order. But Cone is carrying it out to perfection. The post Our team appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Quo Vadis Gilas?
Over the past week, basketball crazy FIBA co-host Philippines has been the mecca for world basketball. Hordes of foreign basketball fans eager to support their teams have trooped to our country, and along with thousands of local fans, including yours truly, have endured the hardships of hours long traffic, bewildering weather of humidity, heat and massive rainfall melding intermittently all within the day enroute to the venues, just to witness live the World Cup’s top hoopsters. Despite what I felt were atrociously expensive tickets for the lower box sections, being an incorrigible basketball fanatic, I just felt that I could not pass up the chance to be part of the once in a lifetime World Cup experience, particularly since I would be in the company of family friends, businessman basketball-sportscaster Dominic Uy who shared his insightful off-court commentaries and who was responsible for getting us some great seats, my erstwhile golfing partner Cookie la’O who had partnered with me decades back to bag the prestigious Mango Tee Tournament championship in Alabang, and my son-in-law, noted New Balance shoe designer Gabe la’O, who flew all the way from New Hampshire to watch some top-notch games. Never mind that they are all as La Salle Green as can be but their youthful energies in cheering their hearts out for every basket, block, steal and mad breakaway was infectious. I watched the US-Greece and Gilas-Italy games live and the experience did not disappoint. The highlights of those games in consonance with the tremendous roars of the fans will be replayed in my memory bank over and over again for a long time to come. But, of course, like all true-blue basketball aficionados, recounting and analyzing the wows of a won game and the what-ifs of a heartbreaker and the future of Gilas is par for the course. So here goes. Despite the four heartbreaking defeats to the Dominican Republic, Angola, Italy and South Sudan, the last game of Gilas winning against the undisputed Asian champion, China, has given us a slight glimmer of hope, again, to have a chance to make it to Paris next year. Although the win was masterfully achieved as a team effort, undoubtedly it was Jordan Clarkson who practically carried Gilas on his shoulders with his hot 3-point shooting in the third quarter. Even China’s coach Sasha Dordevic and NBA star Li Kaier of the Minneapolis Timberwolves pointed to Clarkson as the main reason for their never-before lopsided loss to Gilas. Because of this win, Gilas is ranked 24th out of the 32 participating countries, enough to allow us to participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and so the buzz over Gilas’ chances continues. What changes are needed? As far as the team composition is concerned, unless there are injuries, I believe the current line-up is as good as it can get. All are unquestionably standouts. On the other hand, as far as the coaching leadership is concerned, Chot Reyes already declared immediately after the win over China that he is stepping down because the incessant social media abuse from his critics has been “brutal” for him and his family. Kudos to Chot for his service to the country and for making this move rightly expected of any leader who has not delivered on the goals. The options, however, are limited. And worse, there is an extremely short timeline to make the choice because the Asian Games starts on 23 September. Tab Baldwin of course is the popular clamor, but the UAAP season begins as well this September and I don’t think he will leave the Blue Eagles coachless. Also it seems that there could be some pushback from certain SBA and PBA quarters who might not be too keen on Tab’s up front in your face style. Tim Cone is my own bet because not only is he an equally great coach but also for continuity since he is already in the Gilas coaching staff. Regardless of the choice, however, the problem of conflicting schedules of the players with their home teams will continue to be an obstacle to building a Gilas team that needs to be properly honed with significant playing time together. PBA and SBP will have to somehow firmly reach an understanding, otherwise Gilas fans will have to face up to the reality of more heartbreaks. Quo Vadis Gilas? Until next week… OBF! For comments, email bing_matoto@yahoo.com The post Quo Vadis Gilas? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cone as Gilas coach: Count me out
Tim Cone’s mind is on Barangay Ginebra, not Gilas Pilipinas’ coaching job......»»
Sto. Tomas takes Petro Gazz coaching reins
The Petro Gazz Angels have named Ateneo men’s volleyball coach Timmy Sto. Tomas as their new head coach......»»
Gilas also pinning hopes on crowd in battle vs ‘heavyweights’
Gilas Pilipinas is banking on home court advantage as a boost, as head coach Chot Reyes said they need to “punch above their weight” in the FIBA World Cup......»»
Almadro takes Letran women s volleyball coaching reins
Oliver Almadro has been named the head coach of Letran’s volleyball team......»»