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Villarreal Football Academy opens in Philippines
Villarreal Philippines Academy will provide unrivalled opportunities for football players all over the Philippines by working hand in hand with Villarreal CF to implement the Yellows’ innovative methodology for the development of its players and coaches......»»
‘Sama-sama sa Angel’s Pizza’ TikTok Singing Contest Grand Finals: A resounding success
The inaugural “Sama-sama sa Angel’s Pizza” TikTok Singing Contest, an electrifying celebration of talent and creativity, reached its pinnacle with the Grand Finals held at Viva Café in Cyberpark Tower 1, Araneta City in Quezon City......»»
Fil-foreign teams top NBTC finals
Global squads stamped their class as Fil-Am Nation Select-USA and Canada’s Top Flight Sports reigned supreme in the Smart-National Basketball Training Center National Finals Division 1 and 2, respectively, over the weekend at the Mall of Asia Arena......»»
Minglanilla ends 22-year title drought, wins Gullas Cup in dominating fashion vs. Talisay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Abante Minglanilla hoisted the Rhea Gullas Cup 2024 First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament title after routing the visiting Talisay Aksyon Agad, 72-58, on Saturday evening, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Minglanilla, also known as the Archangels, beat Talisay in their do-or-die Game 3 of the finals, and.....»»
Blue Eagles reassert mastery over Maroons in UAAP women s volleyball
The Ateneo Blue Eagles swept their UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball series with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, blasting their Katipunan rivals 25-14, 25-20, 25-15, Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum......»»
Blue Eagles coach tempers Final Four expectations amid momentum
Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Sergio Veloso is not getting ahead of himself as his team is slowly showing its form in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament......»»
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.....»»
Migallen: Anak sa Sugboanong coach maoy NCAA Finals MVP
Migallen: Anak sa Sugboanong coach maoy NCAA Finals MVP.....»»
USC NABC Finals unwraps on Sunday
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The much-awaited finals of the “The Last Dance” North Alumni Basketball Club (NABC) Congressman Bingo Bagtik Matugas Cup of the University of San Carlos (USC) will fire off this weekend at the USC North Campus gymnasium. Four of NABC’s divisions will clash in the finals to determine the champions for this.....»»
Marina Summers enters RuPaul s Drag Race: UK vs the World 2 finals
Filipino drag queen Marina Summers made it to the finals of the second season of "RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World" and is eyed as a frontrunner for the crown......»»
Adamson, Fil-Nation Select forge NBTC Division 1 finals clash
And then there were two......»»
Young Creatives Challenge discovers new breed of artists
Six months after the formal launch of the Young Creatives Challenge (YC2), playwrights, songwriters, graphic artists, and content creators trooped to the Samsung Hall at SM Aura for the grand finals and awarding ceremony......»»
Panghulan s Hail Mary shot lifts Top Flight past Arellano in NBTC Division 2 finals
Joey Panghulan’s last-gasp half-court heave towed Top Flight Sports Canada into the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Division 2 finals over the Arellano Braves, 87-84, Friday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City......»»
Fil-Am Nation dethrones NUNS
There will be a new champion in the Smart-National Basketball Training Center Division 1 National Finals......»»
Minglanilla’s ‘6th man’ crucial for Gullas Cup finals— Velez
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Jesus “Boyet” Velez, the head coach of Abante Minglanilla, admitted that their sixth man, their home crowd, would be a massive factor for the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Rhea Gullas Cup First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament Best-of-Three finals on Saturday, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Talisay Aksyon.....»»
Blue Eagles coaches Tab Baldwin, Arespacochaga excited to work with Jared Bahay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin and deputy coach Sandy Arespacochaga expressed their excitement to work with the country’s top high school player Jared Bahay after the latter officially announced his commitment on Thursday, January 25. The 18-year-old Bahay made his formal announcement through a press conference attended by his.....»»
Kai’s last chance
Up to now, Kai Sotto’s stint in the FIBA Basketball World Cup remains unclear. Sure, he has been in the country for over two weeks and has been attending some Gilas Pilipinas events, but the fact that he has yet to actually train with his teammates is making Chot Reyes anxious. Sotto is tipped to play a crucial role in the Gilas squad. His 7-foot-3 frame, athleticism and feathery shooting touch from the perimeter will be needed when the Filipinos battle the best players in the world in the prestigious basketball spectacle from 25 August to 10 September. But it will be impossible for Reyes to involve Sotto in his game plan if he has yet to actually see him banging bodies with his fellow big men like World Cup veterans June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar, as well as rising star AJ Edu. It is no secret that Sotto’s dream is to make it to the National Basketball Association. He was still a gangly kid when he started joining the Junior NBA program before moving to Ateneo de Manila University and eventually donning the national colors in various age-group events — the biggest and most prestigious was the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Greece. A lot of offers came his way, including a chance to play for prestigious European clubs like Alba Berlin, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Baskonia, but Sotto, then 17, decided to bring his talent to the United States — not to enter play at the collegiate level — but to make a daring leap straight into the NBA. After training at The Skill Factory, he joined Team Ignite, a developmental team in the NBA G League that aims to prepare athletes for the NBA. At Team Ignite, Sotto showed some promise as he played for former Los Angeles Lakers coach Brian Shaw together with future NBA players Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix, and Isiah Todd. But when Team Ignite was about to start its season and enter the G League bubble in Orlando, Sotto shockingly flew home and joined Gilas in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Ignite eventually dropped Sotto, prompting him to look for other ways to realize his dream of becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA. He found one in Australia. He played for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League and had some measure of success. In fact, he was able to gauge his prowess when the 36ers played against Chris Paul, Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns in an NBA preseason match. After a couple of seasons in Australia, he moved to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the B League. He had some impressive games, but it wasn’t enough to earn the attention of NBA coaches, scouts, and talent evaluators. Still, he joined the NBA Summer League. Playing against veteran free agents, journeymen, and incoming rookies looking to earn spots on the opening-day rosters of NBA teams, Sotto rode the Orlando Magic bench in their first three games before making his debut against the Portland Trail Blazers, recording six points, four rebounds and three blocks in their 71-88 loss. Sotto tried to play in his fifth game, but he was slowed down by a back injury. His return to Manila was surrounded by controversy as he failed to join the Gilas squad that was set to go to China for the final leg of its preparations for the World Cup. He opted to stay home to “rest and recover” from his back injury. Until when? It’s something that only Sotto and his American handlers know. But Sotto should realize that the doors of the NBA are slowly closing on him. He already made a bad decision by snubbing the invitations of top European clubs as well as prestigious American collegiate programs like Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Auburn that could have helped him develop his game and gain confidence while playing against kids his age. Instead of staying patient and working on his game away from the prying eyes of NBA scouts, he rushed the process by signing up with Team Ignite before committing another massive blunder of flying back to Manila just before the G League season tipped off. Now he has only one chance — the FIBA Basketball World Cup. A lot of Filipinos ranging from Johnny Abarrientos to Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks all tried — and failed — to make it to the NBA. On the contrary, Sotto is being presented with a rare opportunity to display his talent and carry the torch in a world-class event. Sadly, despite repeatedly saying that he is ready, his body language suggests that he is reluctant to step up to serve as the hero of this basketball-crazy nation. The clock is ticking for Sotto. The doors of the NBA are slowly closing right before his very eyes. He has to lace his sneakers, grab that Gilas jersey, and play his heart out for the country in the FIBA Basketball World Cup before he becomes another “what if” in the history of Philippine basketball. The post Kai’s last chance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lost gem
The Philippines has lost yet another gem after fencing sensation Maxine Esteban underwent naturalization to be eligible to see action for Ivory Coast in major international tournaments. Esteban’s departure is a huge slap in the faces of Filipino sports officials. Aside from being a four-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines champion for Ateneo de Manila University, Esteban is also an eight-time national titleholder and emerged as No. 16 in the world junior ranking. Her stock soared even higher when she hired legendary Italian mentor, Andrea Magro, who helped her become the No. 62 fencer in the world — the highest ranking ever reached by a Filipino. The way she was performing, the Paris Olympics seemed within reach. But things didn’t go according to plan. Esteban tore her anterior cruciate ligament while representing the country in the World Fencing Championship in July last year. Although it wasn’t really bad, Esteban still spent her own resources to go to Australia for surgery and worked double time to recover, hoping to see action in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last month. Eventually, Esteban was given the green light to compete by noted sports surgeon Dr. Edgar Eufemio in December, towing away the massive roadblock for her return to the national team. But for some reason, the Philippine Fencing Association didn’t reinstate her. She was dropped from the national roster. Without a team, Esteban trained and immersed herself in the Ivory Coast — a West African country that is known more for its lovely beaches and world-class cocoa beans than for being a global sports powerhouse. The Ivorians welcomed Esteban with open arms as she spent a lot of time there holding fencing clinics for young children and other outreach projects for the less fortunate. With that, officials of the Ivory Coast fencing federation immediately processed her naturalization papers in a bid to make her their entry to the next Summer Games, after Gbahi-Gwladys Sakoa who competed in the women’s epee event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. The PFA and the Philippine Olympic Committee released Esteban to Ivory Coast without any resistance, even requesting the International Fencing Federation to waive the three-year waiting period for Esteban so she could immediately compete for her new country in international events that offer ranking points for the Paris Olympics. In a letter to Nathalie Rodriguez, chief executive officer of the world governing body in fencing, PFA president Richard Gomez said they supported Esteban’s decision to join Ivory Coast as they believed in the Olympic spirit that “sports has no nationality.” POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, for his part, said he supported Esteban’s goal of sharing her talent with a country like Ivory Coast. And just like that, Esteban — the country’s former top fencer — is gone. The Philippines’ loss is Ivory Coast’s gain. Esteban’s case is another heartbreaking story of “what could have been” in Philippine sports. We’d seen it before when chess wizard Wesley Go pledged allegiance to the United States after failing to collect his incentives for winning the gold medal in the 2013 Summer Universiade and when golf sensation Yuka Saso opted to carry the colors of Japan for better opportunities. Esteban could have been a national treasure, an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao or Hidilyn Diaz, given the opportunity to compete in major international events. She is smart, pretty, hard-working, and very talented. She also comes from a well-off family and didn’t mind spending a fortune to get the best training from the world’s best coaches so she could bring honor to the country. But the country failed her. Instead of being repaid for her love and sacrifices for the past 10 years, she was sacked from the national team after suffering an injury while representing the country in a world-class tournament. Is this how we treat our national athletes? Esteban is a gem of an athlete. She will surely shine wherever she goes — even in the vast deserts of Africa. The post Lost gem appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Letran s Tan, Ateneo s Baldwin, UP s Monteverde gain citations in Collegiate Awards
The top coaches in collegiate sports will have their turn in the spotlight during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night on Monday, May 29......»»
Gilas training intensifies
Gilas Pilipinas shifts its training to high gear in preparation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. Gilas team manager Butch Antonio told Daily Tribune that they will have an intense nine-day training in Manila before leaving for Phnom Penh on 6 May, just in time for the opening of the men’s basketball event on 9 May at the Elephant Hall 2 inside the Morodok Techo Stadium. “We will practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Then, we’ll take a break on Saturday. We will resume on Sunday until before departure on 6 May,” Antonio said. Leading the way for Gilas Pilipinas will be players from TNT Tropang Giga and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel – the protagonists in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup best-of-seven finals series that wrapped up last week. Tropang Giga stars Calvin Oftana and Poy Erram as well as Kings stars Japeth Aguilar, Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Jeremiah Gray, Scottie Thompson, and naturalized player Justin Brownlee will be at the helm when the Filipinos reclaim the glory they lost to Indonesia in the previous edition of the Games in Hanoi. For good measure, Gilas coach Chot Reyes invited Filipino-American hotshot Mikey Williams to be part of the pool following the absence of injured Roger Pogoy. Playing for the national team has been a dream of the 31-year-old gunner from Los Angeles. The closest thing he ever got to represent the country was when he played for Mighty Sports in the William Jones Cup and the Dubai International Tournament. Pogoy was supposed to join the aspirants but was sidelined by a fractured pinky he suffered in the middle of their championship series. He was reduced into a mere cheerleader starting Game 4 and was ruled out for the biennial meet. Also sitting out will be June Mar Fajardo, who suffered a torn medial collateral ligament during his stint with San Miguel Beer in the East Asia Super League last March. Although the six-time PBA Most Valuable Player is already doing strengthening procedures, he has yet to do some on-court workouts and scrimmages. A member of the national team program for a decade now, Fajardo confirmed to Daily Tribune that he will not be able to see action in the biennial meet. “I haven’t had hard court activities yet because I’m still doing some strengthening exercises,” said Fajardo, who appeared fit when he showed up as one of the local ambassadors of FIBA World Cup during the partnership launching of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, San Miguel Beer and Cignal/TV5. “I haven’t even touched a basketball as I’m more focused on my rehab.” While Pogoy and Fajardo won’t be able to see action, returning Ginebra veteran forward Japeth Aguilar is determined to rejoin the team, according to Kings coach Tim Cone, who serves as one of the assistant coaches of Reyes at Gilas along with the younger Reyes and Jong Uichico. “He certainly wants to join and play,” wrote Cone in a Viber message. “But only if he’s 100 percent fit and that is to be determined by the SBP medical team.” Aguilar is also coming off a knee injury and he only returned to action midway the championship series. Other PBA players included in the Gilas pool are CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross of San Miguel Beer, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of NLEX, Chris Newsome, Aaron Black and Raymond Almazan of Meralco, collegiate stars Michael and Ben Phillips and Kevin Quiambao of La Salle, incoming Ateneo forward Mason Amos and Adamson’s Jerom Lastimosa. The post Gilas training intensifies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»