Usapin sa Delta ‘panic’ at Chinese coach ni Hidylyn
Maraming nagmamarunong ngayon sa COVID-19 Delta, Delta plus at ibang variants. Nananakot at nagsasabing baka matulad tayo sa Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand at Myanmar kung saan ito ay nananalasa. Pero, iba ang sitwasyon ngayon sa buong bansa kahit merong mas nakakahawang variants. Meron na tayong 6.8 M mamamayan na “fully vaccinated” o doble bakuna na 8.8 […] The post Usapin sa Delta ‘panic’ at Chinese coach ni Hidylyn appeared first on Bandera......»»
Jamie Malonzo out sick after Hong Kong trip, says Tim Cone
Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone says Jamie Malonzo fell ill as he misses their 53-point home rout of Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.....»»
Kerr to lead full-strength Matildas squad in Olympic qualifiers
CANBERRA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Football Australia (FA) announced a full-strength Matildas squad for the second round of Asian qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Tony Gustavsson, head coach of the Matildas, on Thursday unveiled a 22-player squad who will travel to Western Australia (WA) to compete against Iran, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei between October 26 and November 1. The squad features al.....»»
Great Brown Hope
The entire nation erupted in celebration when Kai Sotto finally made his debut in the National Basketball Association Summer League. It was such a memorable performance. The 7-foot-3 Filipino posted six points, four rebounds, three blocks, and an assist in the Orlando Magic’s 88-71 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers. Aside from washing away the bitterness from being benched in their first three matches against the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks, Sotto’s breakout performance could pave the way for him to land a two-way contract in the NBA. We, however, have to manage our expectations. The Filipinos’ road to the NBA is littered with tears, frustrations, and a lot of heartbreaks. Unlike the Chinese, Japanese, Iranians, and Koreans, no full-blooded Filipino has ever penetrated the NBA since its founding in 1946. Johnny Abarrientos came very close when he caught the attention of the Charlotte Hornets following Alaska’s grand slam season in 1996. In fact, the Hornets sent its international scout, Joe Bettancourt, to the country to watch the 5-foot-7 Abarrientos live and in action. Bettancourt was on the sidelines when Alaska battled Purefoods, hoping to give Abarrientos a 10-day contract that would have him replacing the injured Muggsy Bogues, the 5-foot-3 court general who ran the offense for Hornets coach Dave Cowens. Abarrientos, Bettancourt, and Alaska coach Tim Cone even had a “secret meeting” at the Manila Peninsula in 1997 to discuss the terms of Abarrientos’ contract and the possibility of him becoming the first Asian to play in the NBA. But it never happened. Cowens eventually pulled the plug on Bogues and sent him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for BJ Armstrong, a 6-foot-2 playmaker who was part of the great Chicago Bulls squad that won three straight NBA titles. With Bogues gone, Abarrientos’s chance of making it to the NBA also vanished. Japeth Aguilar tried to revive the Filipinos’ NBA dream a decade later. After seeing action for Ateneo de Manila University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines league, Aguilar moved to the United States to enroll at Western Kentucky University, a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I program that produced NBA players like Courtney Lee, Mitchell Robinson, and Jeremy Evans. But the 6-foot-9 Aguilar failed to adjust to the speed and physicality of American basketball that had him struggling in his two years with the Hilltoppers. Aguilar was invited to a two-day workout with the New Orleans Hornets but their scout, Don Sellers, said that he remained a “work in progress” and was not yet ready for the NBA. Then, he was drafted in the seventh round by the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA D-League but his run also didn’t last long as he was eventually relegated to being a practice player until he was waived. Aguilar’s Gilas Pilipinas teammates — Ray Parks and Kiefer Ravena — also tried their luck with the NBA but their journeys only brought them as far as the NBA D-League. Veteran international campaigner Jojo Lastimosa was spot on with his observation: In this time and age, making it to the NBA is harder than it used to be. It’s no longer height that matters, but the mentality, work ethic, international exposure, and overall skill set that are the most important. For Sotto to make it to the NBA, he has to develop a reliable outside shot and quicker feet that will make him deadly in pick-and-roll attacks and enable him to switch to smaller, faster players at the defensive end. He also has to spend a lot of time getting exposed to American basketball, where giants like Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic are shooting, running, attacking, and dribbling like skilled playmakers. Sotto is a generational talent. He is our only hope to break the solid walls of the NBA, where only 450 roster spots are available. If he doesn’t make it, maybe — just maybe — it’s time for us to abandon our NBA dream. The post Great Brown Hope appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Azkals see good showing vs Taipei
Philippine coach Michael Weiss expects a stronger performance from the Azkals as they face a tougher opponent in Chinese Taipei tonight in an international friendly at the Rizal Memorial Stadium......»»
Who will be this year’s Miss Manila?
Miss Manila is a project of the City of Manila to look for a Manileña that embodies the values of empowerment and leadership to deliver meaningful contributions to her life and to her fellow Manilans. Twenty “#WomanofWorth” candidates for Miss Manila 2023 were recently introduced at a presscon in Rizal Park Hotel. Displaying elegance and confidence, the ladies showcased their cocktail attire and swimsuits and impressed the audience with their intelligence and quick-wittedness. More than 50 beautiful women were screened to be part of this year’s edition, but only 20 candidates made it to the final cut. They are Jean Maxene Asay (Intramuros); Sheryl Ann Azucena (Ugbo Tondo); Bea Cecilio (Otis Pandacan); Shane Clamor (Zamora Pandacan); Hannah Therese Cruz (Sampaloc); Anna Carres de Mesa (Sta. Mesa); Leah Lei Gerosanib (Don Bosco Tondo); Charlynn Anne Icban (Blumentritt); Princess Keith Venus Lagata (Balut Tondo); Gabrielle Lantzer (Malate); Allaine Nuez (Punta Sta. Ana); Angela Okol (Paco); Karen Nicole Piccio (Pureza Sta. Mesa); Rethy Rosa (Maceda Sampaloc); Charmaine Salazar (Padre Faura); Juvyel Anne Saluta (Pandacan); Francine Tajanlangit (Roxas Boulevard); Julie Tarrayo (Sta. Cruz); Rycca Timog (Tayuman); at Ma. Theresa Villamor (Baseco Port Area). The candidates attended a pasarela masterclass with pageant coach and founder of Kagandahang Flores Rodgil Flores, assisted by pasarela trainer Enan Cruz; a makeup session with celebrity make-up artist Lala Flores; and a masterclass in handling the Q&A portion of pageants. The grand coronation night will be on Friday evening, 23 June, at the Metropolitan Theater, to be hosted by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray. Performing during the coronation are rapper Kritiko, violinist Jo Bry Cimafranca and Angeline Quinto, who sang the pageant theme song. The Miss Manila beauty pageant is presented by the City of Manila, Department of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts of Manila, Kreativden Entertainment, and co-presented by the Philippine Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and San Miguel Corporation. The post Who will be this year’s Miss Manila? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China training, Chinese coach eyed for Philippine weightlifters
To bolster its chance of sending more weightlifters to next year’s Paris Olympics, the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas is seeking to either send the national team to train in China for a time or get a Chinese coach......»»
Hidilyn reconfigures support cast
Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is in the process of reconfiguring her support team with the departure of Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen and has elevated strength/conditioning coach Julius Naranjo to take over as head coach......»»
Diaz& rsquo;s Chinese coach expected to draw interest from rich nations
Tokyo—Tokyo Olympics’ gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz may have seen the last of her Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen......»»
Diaz, Chinese coach part ways
CEBU CITY, Philippines– Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez believes that they may have a hard time getting the services again of Chinese weightlifting coach Gao Kaiwen, the head coach of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz. In a press release from the PSC, Ramirez said that Diaz’s gold medal run in Tokyo would […] The post Diaz, Chinese coach part ways appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Usapin sa Delta ‘panic’ at Chinese coach ni Hidylyn
Maraming nagmamarunong ngayon sa COVID-19 Delta, Delta plus at ibang variants. Nananakot at nagsasabing baka matulad tayo sa Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand at Myanmar kung saan ito ay nananalasa. Pero, iba ang sitwasyon ngayon sa buong bansa kahit merong mas nakakahawang variants. Meron na tayong 6.8 M mamamayan na “fully vaccinated” o doble bakuna na 8.8 […] The post Usapin sa Delta ‘panic’ at Chinese coach ni Hidylyn appeared first on Bandera......»»
Chinese weightlifting team upset with Hidilyn Diaz s Chinese coach for not tipping them off
"The China team was a little angry with [my coach] because he didn't share where my strength was," she said in Filipino. .....»»
Nesthy Petecio topples top-ranked foe, nears Tokyo Olympics medal
TOKYO–Nesthy Petecio moved a win away from securing a medal in the Tokyo Olympics here. Petecio advanced to the women’s featherweight quarterfinals after taking down top-ranked Lin Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei Monday, July 26, 2021, at Kokugikan Arena. “She stuck to the tactics, without overcommitting,” said coach Don Abnett. “[She was] getting into her punching […] The post Nesthy Petecio topples top-ranked foe, nears Tokyo Olympics medal appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
FIBA: Mighty Jimmy and the shot that introduced Gilas to the World
This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2019 It’s Saturday night at Mall of Asia and the arena is absolutely rocking. Eternal basketball rivals in the Philippines and South Korea are delivering another classic. Gilas Pilipinas is down to the final minute of regulation against its longtime tormentor in the second of two semifinal games. The national team is up by two, 81-79. The Philippines is hosting the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships where three tickets to the 2014 World Cup are at stake and the winner of this particular game gets one of those tickets. Given the rich history of both teams and what it would mean to the winner, this pivotal game has gone down the wire as everyone pretty much expected. Also knowing the history of both teams in international play, Gilas’ precarious two-point lead was not safe at all. A ghost was lurking in the background and a dreaded curse felt almost inevitable. Down to the final minute of the crucial grudge match between the Philippines and South Korea, guard Jimmy Alapag has the ball and a two-point lead. What he will do will help define not only his career but the legacy of the Gilas name as a national team. WAKE-UP CALL Even before the Philippines-Korea game, Gilas Pilipinas already had to go through one emotional game early in its homestand for the Asian Championships. In a preliminary round showdown against Chinese Taipei, the Filipinos collapsed in the fourth quarter, allowing the Taiwanese to steal a morale-boosting 84-79 win. In 2013, the relationship between the two countries hit a rough patch over the death of one Taiwanese fisherman. In an updated May 17 report by CNN’s Jethro Mullen, “Taiwan has reacted angrily after one of its fishermen was killed by a Philippine coast guard vessel.” Taiwan had frozen applications from OFWs seeking jobs in its territory and the government of then President Ma Ying-jeou demanded an apology, among other things, from the Philippines. While the national basketball teams of both countries never really had any prior animosity with each other, tension was naturally present as both teams squared off in Group A action. Gilas Pilipinas and Chinese-Taipei both entered the showdown with identical 2-0 records and the winner would take control of solo Group A lead heading into round 2. Taking a good lead into the fourth quarter, the Philippines was outscored by 18 in the last 10 minutes and the national team took its worst home loss in quite some time. “At the time, it was a huge game for us. We understood what was happening in Taipei during that particular time. We really wanted to win for what our kababayans were going through at that time,” guard Jimmy Alapag said on that first home loss in the 2013 Asian Championships. “We didn’t get the job done, and it was tough especially to lose a game like that, it was a very emotional and it was a game that we knew we needed,” he added. The crushing loss meant that the Philippines had little room for error in round 2. While Gilas didn’t have any world beaters lined up in the second round, anything less than a perfect run would have meant an early clash with Asia’s established powerhouse teams in the knockout stages. On the other side of the bracket, defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea were battling for position and were expected to finish in the top-3. That means if Gilas Pilipinas failed to finish no. 1 in its group, the national team would have faced one of those teams in the quarterfinals. Gilas picked up a crucial win over Qatar in the 6th of August and the day after, the Philippines got some help from those same Qataris as they beat Taipei in a close decision. At the end of round 2, all teams finished with identical win-loss records but Gilas Pilipinas would take over first place after all tiebreaks were considered, barely edging out Taipei. The Philippines ended up avoiding defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea and instead got Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals. No. 2 Taipei drew China and the third-running Qataris were matched up with the South Koreans. “I think that was the moment we grew up and grew closer. I think that was the lowest of the lows, just because of the atmosphere and what was going on between both countries. It kind of felt that we let our end of the bargain down, you know what I mean? We’re on our home soil and we didn’t take care of business. I think that was one of those moments where we had to really check ourselves and find a way to make it right,” forward Gabe Norwood said of the Taipei loss. “But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In tournaments like FIBA-Asia it’s important that you have short-term memory whether it was a win or a loss. We needed to let go of that game and continue to stay the course, keep our focus in the tournament,” Alapag added. On August 7, four days after Gilas lost to Taipei, the rift between the Philippines and Taiwan would reach a resolution and the latter country lifted its freeze hiring and other sanctions on the former. The Philippines also did issue on official apology over the death of the Taiwanese fisherman a couple of months prior and the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila recommended the pressing of homicide charges to erring members of the Philippine Coast Guard. DARK HISTORY If the word “rival” is to be defined as a, “person or group that tries to defeat or be more successful than another person or group” then sure, the Philippines and South Korea are rivals. Both countries are rivals in the Asian basketball scene and they have been going at it for a very long time. But if the word rival can also mean “equal” or “peer,” is the Philippines really a worthy basketball rival to South Korea? The Philippines’ history with South Korea in terms of basketball is dark. Very dark. Consider the most high-profile matches between the two countries and you’ll see that the Philippine national team is just not at the level of South Korea. Or at the very least, Koreans always seem to reach 120 percent of their potential when they play Filipinos and we barely bring out 80 percent of our abilities when matched up against our East Asian neighbors. The 1998 PBA Centennial team, arguably the greatest Philippine team ever assembled, was demolished by South Korea in the Asian Games. A national team set up for gold only settled for bronze. Speaking of a bronze medal game, the original Gilas Pilipinas team lost a podium finish to South Korea in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships. That team squandered a double-digit lead and collapsed late. Of course, who can forget the semifinals of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan when Olsen Racela had the chance to put the Philippines up four but missed two free throws. South Korea would win with a booming triple at the buzzer off a broken play and would later take down China to capture the gold medal. South Korea is the Philippines’ basketball nemesis for all intents and purposes. A worthy adversary that always seem to emerge victorious at our expense. Still, all that previous disappointment didn’t seem to bother Gilas Pilipinas six years ago. The team was not scared and instead, they were excited even. One factor to greatly consider was that fact that the game was in Manila. It makes all the difference to play at home. “We understood the bad history that we had with Korea. We haven’t been very successful with them in quite some time but we knew from Day 1 that if ever we got an opportunity to play them at home, then we have a great chance,” Alapag said. “Man, pre-game, it was just the focus. Everybody was up for the challenge, I don’t think anybody was really nervous, I think it was just the anxiety... we wanted to get out there and do it already,” Norwood added. Playing at home had its perks for sure, but it also had its drawbacks. For all the painful losses the Philippines suffered at the hands of South Korea, it would have been devastating if Gilas actually took a beating in Manila. Stakes were extra high in this particular chapter of this long, ongoing saga. “There was always pressure, it was something that we acknowledged early. Playing at home, it’s great having that support but at the same time, there is some added pressure because you wanna make sure that you make our home crowd proud of the team that they watch and ultimately, win games,” Alapag said, making sure to note that the national team knew of the disadvantages of playing at home even before the Korea game. “It was there but it was something that we acknowledged and we wanted to make sure that we took advantage of the opportunity playing at home,” he added. ALL FILIPINO, ALL HEART Once it was go time, the Philippines-South Korea game went about pretty normal, as you would expect any game from these two national teams. But even before halftime, an injury to Gilas center Marcus Douthit changed the complexion of the semifinals showdown. All of a sudden, the Philippines was without its anchor, without its best player. Sure, there were players on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace Douthit’s size but there was simply no one on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace his talent, production, and just overall presence. June Mar Fajardo was in that Gilas bench but it 2013, the would-be five-time PBA Most Valuable Player was just not at that level yet. It would have been easy for Gilas Pilipinas to fold like cheap furniture and succumb to the overwhelming pressure of trying to overcome South Korea to reach a stage very few Filipinos have reached before. Gilas didn’t fold and instead, the Douthit injury rallied the team even further. “Alam mo sa totoo lang, puso na lang yun eh. Nung nawala si Marcus talaga, sabi ni coach kailangan doble kayod tayo. Dahil sobrang dehado tayo kumbaga, wala na tayong import, wala tayong malaki,” forward Marc Pingris said. With Douthit gone, Ping ate up all of his minutes and worked by committee with guys like Ranidel De Ocampo and Japeth Aguilar to fill in the gaps. “As a player naman, kami nagusap-usap kami na kahit anong mangyari, lalaban kami. Yung time na yun, talagang patay kung patay,” Ping added. Despite losing its best player to an untimely injury, Gilas Pilipinas’ confidence in winning never wavered. With their collective backs against the wall, the Philippine national team played even better. Unlike the later iterations of Gilas Pilipinas, the 2013 team, aptly called Gilas 2.0, had the luxury of having actual preparation before the FIBA-Asia Championships. The amount of work that came before the tournament and the Korea game, the bond built over countless hours of training, all of that helped the national team avoid a monumental meltdown in front of a rabid Manila crowd. “We were such a close-knit team in terms of our chemistry, in terms of the talent that we had, so we felt confident even when Marcus went down early in the game. If you looked at our huddle, you had 11 more very confident guys, not just in themselves but more importantly, in each other,” Alapag said. “That just boiled down to the chemistry that we had. I don’t think any of us panicked, we were all confident in each other. We’ve all been into that situation with our PBA teams, having the ball in our hands and making a play. Knowing that we had five weapons on the floor that could make the winning play, I think it made us very confident and we were able to sustain our composure,” the former Gilas captain added. THE GHOST AND ITS CURSE Shin Dong Pa, Hur Jae, Lee Sang-min, Oh Se-Keun, TJ Moon, and Cho Sung-min are just some players from the South Korean national team that inflicted incredible damage to the Philippines over the course of decades. The dreaded Ghost of South Korea takes form in these players and its curse is to give Filipinos the most heart-crushing loss possible. In 2013, the Ghost was Kim Min-goo and his curse was to beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Despite losing Marcus Douthit and trailing by three points at the break, the Philippines started to turn the tables in the second half. Gilas Pilipinas unleashed Jayson Castro and the Blur led a blazing offense in the third quarter, finding a way to take a 10-point lead over South Korea, the Philippines’ largest of the night. But as the dust settled and Gilas holding a 65-56 lead entering the final period, an ominous figure would make his presence felt. The Korean Ghost has arrived and his name was Kim Min-goo. His curse? Beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Kim was 22 and a senior in college when he made the South Korean national basketball team as a backup shooter in 2013. In nine games in Manila, Kim would play well enough to make the tournament’s All-Star team, averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He led Asian Championships with 25 three-point field goals, 10 came in the last two games and five came against Gilas Pilipinas. Kim drilled back-to-back triples to open the fourth quarter against the Philippines. Later, his fifth triple — a four-point play at that — pushed the Koreans to within a point, 72-73. South Korea would take over soon after as Lee Seung-jun dunked the basketball on a fastbreak. The Ghost has arrived and his curse is in effect. “Ako pumasok sa isip ko yun nung lumamang Korea, na putek ito na naman,” Pingris said. “Pero ang sabi ko, sayang yung opportunity, kaya naman eh. So sabi ni Jimmy samin, no matter what happens wag kami gi-give up. Pinaghirapan natin to at may goal tayo, this year aalis tayo,” he added, noting the team’s goal to get into Spain and compete with the world’s best national teams. Faced with the possibility of dealing with a devastating defeat, Gilas had enough mental fortitude to keep things going. Trust your system, trust your preparation, trust your crowd, trust your teammates, and more importantly, trust yourselves. “You’re never out of the game if you’re playing at home,” Norwood said as they stared a deficit late against their destined rivals. “I think that was our mindset, keep it close and just find a way,” he added. Jimmy Alapag found a way. BORN READY Down 73-75, Jimmy Alapag was under heavy duress when he let go of a three-pointer from the left wing just in front of his bench. It was good to go. The Philippines was back on top by one as Alapag somehow managed to get his team to snap out of an initial shock following Korea’s strong fourth-quarter rally. The stage is now set for a wild finish and Jimmy will star in the final act of what has been an incredible show by Gilas and South Korea. “In situations like that, as an athlete and as a pro, that’s the situations that you dream about,” Alapag said. “Those are shots that you practice when you were a kid. When the shot clock is winding down, to have an opportunity to knock down a shot. It’s a shot that I practiced thousands of times,” he added. After the Philippines and South Korea traded baskets for the lead, Alapag made perhaps the most underrated play in this crazy and emotional encounter between two basketball rivals. Tasked with inbounding the ball just near underneath his own basket, Alapag found his Talk ‘N Text teammate Ranidel De Ocampo for an open look at three. Swish. Gilas leads, 81-77, with 91 seconds to go. “Ranidel was my favorite target for a very, very long time in my career,” Alapag said on the play that most people probably don’t even remember. “Once I saw that he got open, I wanted to make sure that I gave him as great a pass as possible and Ranidel has been known for a long time to take care of the rest,” he added. THE EXORCIST “Yeah, I was right under the basket,” Gabe Norwood says with a laugh when asked if he remembers the shot that changed the course of Gilas Pilipinas as a national team. Late in the fourth quarter of what was essentially a heavyweight bout, the Philippines just landed two strong haymakers but South Korea would refuse to go down without a fight, beating the count of 10 each time. Down to the final minute of a crucial grudge match with a World Cup berth on the line, Jimmy Alapag had his hands on the basketball as Gilas would go to its halfcourt set. Jimmy will never let go of said basketball. Up two, Jimmy did what Olsen wished he could 11 years prior. Up two against South Korea in a pivotal semifinal game, Alapag received a screen from Marc Pingris, which was enough to momentarily shake off Kim Tae-sul. With some room, Alapag drifted to his left and let a three-point shot fly. Boom. Gilas leads, 84-79, with 54 seconds to go. The shot would later be remembered as the one that ended the Korean Curse, the one that finally exorcised the Ghost. “The first thought that came to my mind was don’t miss,” Jimmy said of the clutch jumper. “That last one, Ping sets a good screen and I got a clean look. It’s a shot that myself, and Jayson [Castro], and Larry [Fonacier], and Gary [David], and Jeff [Chan], all of us, we practice that shot time and time again after practice. So you know, it was a shot that I was confident in but in that moment, all you’re thinking about was don’t miss,” he added. It’s one thing to be confident in yourself and to be confidednt in your preparation. It’s a different thing to actually perform under such pressure. As soon as Alapag managed to shoot his shot, Gabe Norwood did what any other good teammate would do and got in position to get the offensive rebound. You know, just in case. Gabe got the ball alright, but he got it after it swished through the rim. “When he put the shot up, I tried to crash for the rebound but I basically knew that it was going in,” he said. “I had probably the best view, I was right under the basket. I think caught it after it went through too,” Norwood added. Alapag checked out moments later as the Philippines went to its defensive lineup in order to stop another Korean comeback. South Korea turned to its most effective shooter in Kim and as he rose up to try and answer Alapag’s triple, Norwood met him at the apex for the game’s most dramatic stop. Gabe blocked Kim and Gilas would finish things off with a final Marc Pingris basket on the other end. A historic 86-79 win was complete. “I still get chills thinking about it, to look up and see grown men just breaking down. My wife was trying to hold my kids and she was holding back tears. It was just an awesome moment, the bond that we had on that team, the stuff that we did to get prepare, I think we poured it all out in that game,” Norwood said on the monumental victory. “I think it probably didn’t hit me until the final buzzer sounded. Not just for me but for the entire team, when that final buzzer sounded, it was such a special group of guys and the fact that we could share that moment with not just with each other but the entire country, it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Alapag added, savoring the moment of a Philippine win over Korea 28 years in the making. THE INTRODUCTION Gilas Pilipinas would lose to Iran the next day in the Finals of the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships. The Philippines put up a fight but Hamed Haddadi would prove to be too powerful to stop. It would take another two years for Gilas to beat Iran but that didn’t really matter in the moment. The Philippines is headed to the World Championships for the first time in three decades. The Philippines has beaten South Korea and one singular shot has allowed the Gilas name to be known around the world. Jimmy wouldn’t say that though. At least not directly in that way. “For me, that shot was the biggest for my career. But really, it was our entire team. We’ve gone through so much and that was just one particular play that really culminated the entire game and all the contributions from other guys from Gabe’s defense, to Ping’s rebounding, to Japeth’s rim protecting, to Jayson and LA doing a lot of the legwork,” Alapag said. “Everybody had their part in contribution to the game. After the shot, after the buzzer sounded, it was just a very special moment for us as a team and for Philippine basketball to show that all of the sacrifices, all of the hard work, now it’s given an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the world,” he added. Jimmy wouldn’t say it, but his teammates would. That shot of his that beat South Korea in the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships introduced the Gilas name to the world. It announced that the Philippines has finally arrived. Gilas’ breakthrough overtime win a year later in Spain against Senegal — a game Jimmy pretty much decided late as well — made it known that Filipinos are here to stay on the World stage. “I would say so, it got us to where we wanted to be in the World Cup. I think we shocked some people there as well. But just the work that went in, I think it showed the country that we can get back to where we want to be as long as you work together,” Norwood said. “Yung puso ni Jimmy, grabe naman. Makikita mo maliit pero gusto lang niya talaga manalo. Ang liit pero parang lion pag nagalit eh, nandoon yung tiwala namin sa kanya. Ano pa ba masasabi mo, Jimmy is Jimmy Alapag,” Pingris would add. [NOTES: At the time of original publishing, Gilas Pilipinas was fighting to make a return trip to the FIBA World Cup, this time in China in 2019. To secure its slot, the the Philippine national team needed to beat Kazakhstan in Astana plus a loss from Japan, Jordan, and/or Lebanon. One of the teams that can help Gilas is South Korea... ironically. Jimmy Alapag retired from national team play in 2014 and retired playing for good in 2016. He has since made himself a champion basketball coach in the ABL. Marc Pingris suffered an ACL injury in 2018 and is in the process of returning for his PBA team in the current 2019 season. Gabe Norwood is still in Gilas. He’s still an effective two-way weapon. He can still dunk and will stop your best player too.] [Updated Notes: The Philippines beat Kazakhstan to make the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Gilas got help from... South Korea. The Koreans beat Lebanon on the road, allowing Gilas to advance to the World Championships outright with a victory over Kazakhstan.] — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Philippine Sports History: U-Tex stuns Toyota for 1980 PBA Open Conference title
U-Tex defeated Toyota 99-98 in overtime to capture the @pbaconnect Open crown on this day in 1980. Coach Tommy Manotoc and the Wranglers won despite trailing by four with 16 seconds left in regulation. It was later described as “the PBA’s longest 16 seconds” Tommy Manotoc continues to feel a sense of accomplishment 40 years after steering U-Tex to one of the most incredible title victories in PBA history. “(Beating) Toyota was an achievement that we felt like we did a lot,” Manotoc said in June when he appeared in the Usapang Basketball webinar. The manner by how the Wranglers claimed the PBA Open Conference crown on Aug. 2, 1980 with a 99-98 overtime win at the Araneta Coliseum is a good reason why Manotoc should describe it in such a way. U-Tex was supposed to be on the losing end of the best-of-five series after being down by four points with 16 seconds remaining. But in a stunning turnaround, the Wranglers were able to force the game into overtime where they were able to complete the remarkable triumph. Toyota was supposed to have the title won when Francis Arnaiz scored a layup to make it 94-90. There was jubilation all around the Tamaraws bench and their fans while the Wranglers were on the brink of paying dearly for making a curious gamble in Game 4. U-Tex trailed by as many as 21 points, but tried to mount a comeback by pulling within nine early in the payoff period. But Manotoc chose to do the unthinkable by sitting out his starters, namely Bogs Adornado and even imports Glenn McDonald and Aaron James. Toyota would pull away to force a rubber match while Manotoc dealt with the responsibility of explaining his decision. “The game was totally lost for us and it was useless fighting when I knew we could not win anymore,” said Manotoc after the game, adding that U-Tex management supported his strategy. “I told management that if we could not lower Toyota’s margin to five points early in the fourth quarter, I will be forced to rest my top guns,” added Manotoc, then just 31. “We played badly. I’m happy it happened tonight.” Manotoc, according to newspaper accounts, later said that he quoted a Chinese proverb which stated: “One step backward and two steps forward.” Criticism spilled into the opinions section of the major dailies. “No amount of rationalization will convince basketball ‘aficionados to believe the U-Tex team did not throw the game away for a consideration,” wrote Bulletin Today columnist Jesus Bigornia. “For their dispirited showing, compounded by the suspicion they have been ‘reached,’ the Wranglers became the butt of jeers and the object of balled-up newspapers thrown onto the hard court. Even the most ardent ‘Wrangler’ fans hung their heads in shame,” added Bigornia. There was determination for U-Tex to silence the critics with a crew powered by Adornado, who was looking to add a championship to his major comeback after joining the Wranglers following a rash of injuries that hounded him during his days with the Crispa Redmanizers. There’s also McDonald, who four years earlier played a key role in the Boston Celtics’ epic triple overtime win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, former New Orleans Jazz cager James, ex-La Salle star Lim Eng Beng and Fritz Gaston. But even that determined spirit looked like it would go for naught when Arnaiz’s layup gave he Tamaraws that 94-90 lead. Manotoc, however, was not giving up without trying. “Percentage-wise, medyo tapos na,” he said during the Usapang Basketball webinar. “But I said don’t give up.” James scored a quick basket on the return play to cut the gap to two. Prior to that, Manotoc, known for his emphasis on defense throughout his coaching career, had instructions to wait for the pass and go for the steal, with McDonald tasked to intercept the inbound given his athleticism. And lo and behold, McDonald got the interception off Tuadles’ inbound before getting fouled by Arnaiz, subsequently making two pressure-packed free throws that sent Game 5 into overtime. The Wranglers trailed again in the extension 98-96 but Lim Eng Beng hit a free throw off Ramon Fernandez’s sixth foul before Adornado delivered the go-ahead shot with over a minute to go. Adornado’s basket eventually became the match winner as U-Tex became a two-time champion, repeating the feat after its 1978 second conference triumph where it beat Crispa. Manotoc reflected on the previous game. “Who knows, maybe it was those six minutes of rest which gave my boys the extra strength to pull off that win. The victory certainly was a vindication on our part,” Manotoc said after being given a victory ride. For Toyota import Andy Fields, the loss still lingers to this day. “That was the worst loss in my entire career,” lamented Fields during an episode of An Eternity of Basketball weeks ago. Now 71 years old, it seems that Manotoc couldn’t still figure out how his Wranglers did it in the most unimaginable fashion. “In fairness to Toyota, they thought they had it won, which ordinarily you do with four points and 16 seconds (remaining),” he said, “The basketball gods favored us then. It’s a rarity in basketball, especially at those levels and playing a very high caliber team with very seasoned players.”.....»»
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UAAP 82: How athletic is Adamson s AP Manlapaz? He once dunked on Kai Sotto
(This story was originally published on October 12, 2019) AP Manlapaz is just a rookie, but he already has something that nobody else in Adamson University has. "Among my players, he's the best athlete e," head coach Franz Pumaren said of his 6-foot-2 wing who has always been known to have elite athleticism. "He just doesn't realize it, but if he will play to his potential, he can really help this team." Manlapaz did his part just when the Soaring Falcons needed it most, scoring 14 points go along with six rebounds and two assists in their much-needed victory versus National University, Saturday at MOA Arena. And for his part, he only hopes to continue playing to his potential as the San Marcelino-based squad hopes to build momentum for its playoff push. "Sa tingin ko, tama din naman yung sinasabi ni coach. Kailangan ko talagang maniwala sa sarili ko na kaya kong gawin yung sinasabi nila tsaka yung mga pinapagawa nila sa akin," he said. After all, it was actually his elite athleticism that put the now 18-year-old on the map in the first place. Back when in his first year in Manila and rookie season as a Baby Falcon, Manlapaz had for himself a highlight at the expense of Kai Sotto - yes, the Philippines' towering teen. In a game in the 2017 Pilipinas Chinese Amateur Basketball League, the high-flying swingman spread his wings and then soared to send in a right-handed slam jam over Sotto's head. Of course, he himself was left speechless at what he was able to do then. "First time ko lang siyang makalaban noon so na-starstruck ako. Sobrang tangkad niya tapos halos hanggang dibdib niya lang ako," he shared. He then continued, "Bago nung nagawa ko, puro naba-block lahat ng duma-drive sa harap niya. Tapos ayun na, pagbigay sa akin ni Joem [Sabandal], basta tumalon na lang ako tapos naka-dunk na pala ako." From there, Manlapaz, little by little, became a key cog for the return to relevance of Adamson's Jrs. and then became a promising prospect for the school's Srs. squad. And now he's making waves, he only hopes to have a highlight just like he had against the Filipino basketball prodigy in the UAAP Srs. "Kasama talaga sa goals ko ngayon na maka-dunk sa Srs. Nung Jrs. nga kasi, nakaka-dunk na naman ako, pero gusto kong dalhin yun sa Srs.," he said. Not only that, Manlapaz also wants nothing more than to round out his game. "Gusto ko pang i-improve lalo yung shooting ko kasi 'di pa rin ako consistent outside. Yun yung gusto ko talagang i-improve para makatulong sa Adamson," he said. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
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